Chapter 108: The Shifting Landscape (Part 2)

Chapter 108: The Shifting Landscape (Part 2)

In early July, the Yiyang County Party Committee issued its final decision regarding the prostitution scandal in Qinglin Town. Qin Feiyue, a cadre from the township government, was transferred from Qinglin Town to work in the Development Zone. Huang Jie received a major demerit within the Party. Subsequently, the Presidium of the Qinglin Town People’s Congress convened a representative meeting to remove Qin Feiyue from his post as township mayor and Huang Jie from his position as deputy mayor.

As for Station Master Huang of the Agricultural Economy Station, he was stripped of both his role as station master and his position as director of the foundation.

In this entire affair, Huang Jie—known locally as "Fatty Huang"—suffered the most. He had already received a major demerit for the safety accident at the quarry. Now, so soon after, he was dismissed as deputy mayor due to the prostitution incident. It would be exceedingly difficult for him to make a comeback.

Regarding the prostitution charge, Fatty Huang had been caught in the act and could only accept his bad luck. Qin Feiyue frequently visited the Wangcheng Villa and sleeping with women was common practice for him. However, on the very day of the incident, Qin suddenly lost interest in women and insisted on going to play mahjong instead. As a result, only Huang was caught red-handed by the police.

Huang Jie still remembered the details vividly. A young police officer, barely in his twenties with fine down still on his upper lip, had unceremoniously struck his bare buttocks with a police baton. Although he had only received two strikes, and they were not particularly heavy, the pain remained etched in Huang Jie’s mind. For many days afterward, the sound of the baton cracking against his skin—smack, smack—echoed in his ears. His dignity as a deputy mayor had been shattered by those two blows.

During this prostitution scandal, the police had raided the Wangcheng Villa at noon with the suddenness of divine troops descending from heaven. Fatty Huang suspected that someone had set him up, with Qin Feiyue likely being the primary target. He himself was merely unlucky, becoming a scapegoat. As for who had colluded with the police, it was obvious even if one had to guess with one’s buttocks: Zhao Yongsheng was Qin Feiyue’s greatest enemy, and only the Party Secretary had the authority to mobilize the police.

Of course, all of Huang Jie’s suspicions were baseless and could not be aired publicly. He had no choice but to stay home quietly, avoiding contact with people in town. He took the opportunity to visit Yiyang County town, found Qin Feiyue, and asked him to intervene, hoping to secure a transfer to a different work environment.

Qin Feiyue and Fatty Huang were brothers in misfortune. Qin patted his chest and promised, "We have both been harmed by Zhao Yongsheng. I will definitely help you. Once the Development Zone is established, I will strive to get you transferred there."

With this promise, Huang Jie went to the county hospital to obtain a sick leave certificate. He already suffered from severe fatty liver disease, so he claimed he needed treatment for liver issues and took a long leave from his unit.

There were three beneficiaries from this incident. Zhao Yongsheng, needless to say, became the absolute authority in Shangqinglin. Su Ming, formerly a member of the Town Party Committee and deputy mayor, now temporarily presided over the government’s work. Additionally, Bai Chuncheng, who had been running the Shangqinglin agency, was appointed as the new head of the Agricultural Economy Station, officially taking up his post in the mountains.

On July 10, another "beneficiary" emerged.

Early that morning, Minister Xiao called Zhao Yongsheng. He said that after study by the County Party Committee, they planned to appoint a mayor’s assistant for Qinglin Town. This person was Liu Kun, the secretary to County Mayor Li and deputy section chief of the Comprehensive Section of the County Government.

Minister Xiao spoke solemnly on the phone: "I will bring the documents and the person myself." Zhao Yongsheng and Minister Ken were old acquaintances. Zhao joked on the phone, "What kind of background does Liu Kun have that requires your personal attention?" Minister Ken laughed, "I won’t speak falsely to a clear-minded person. The intention behind this arrangement is self-evident. Liu Kun is prepared to serve as deputy mayor during the next term change. He is the son of Minister Liu of the Propaganda Department, and also the younger brother of Liu Li, who is the daughter-in-law of Minister Liu of the Organization Department."

For a grassroots civil servant, the arrival of a cadre’s offspring to work in the township was both a blessing and a curse, depending on how it was handled. Zhao Yongsheng said meaningfully, "Thank the County Party Committee leadership for their attention to Qinglin Town and for placing such talent here. Rest assured, I know how to handle it."

Just as Minister Ken hung up, the phone in Zhao Yongsheng’s office rang again.

"Hello, this is Liu Yang." Zhao Yongsheng quickly replied, "Minister Liu, hello." Liu Yang spoke warmly, "Secretary Zhao, I’m about to cause you some trouble. The County Party Committee has decided that my son, Liu Kun, will come to Qinglin Town. You are an old secretary in Yiyang. Once Liu Kun arrives, you must strictly require him to perform his duties."

Liu Kun was twenty-three when he graduated and had just turned twenty-five this year. He was now the mayor’s assistant in Qinglin Town, and after the term change, he would become the youngest deputy mayor. His father, Liu Yang, had repeatedly instructed him to keep a low profile for the next six months and to ensure he passed the hurdle of the term change election. After instructing his son, Liu Yang personally called Zhao Yongsheng to ask him to look after Liu Kun.

Before coming to Qinglin Town, Liu Kun served as deputy section chief in the Comprehensive Section of the County Government. According to the four-tier system of State Council, province, county, and township, the county level was at the division level, and institutions below the county were at the section level. In other words, the County Government Office was a unit at the section level. Below the office, there were generally departments such as the Secretariat Section and the Comprehensive Section. The heads of these departments were only nominally section chiefs and were not strictly section-level cadres. By becoming deputy mayor of Qinglin Town, Liu Kun would officially become a deputy section-level cadre, entering the leadership sequence.

The political landscape of a township was divided into two factions: the local faction and the "paratroopers."

The so-called local faction consisted mostly of recruited cadres who started from the most grassroots level, climbing step by step, defeating one competitor after another, and enduring immense hardships to reach the position of Party Secretary. Most members of the local faction possessed rich work experience and insight into human relations, emerging as outstanding political figures from their native soil. Their weakness, however, was that long-term work in one place often limited their thinking and weakened their pioneering spirit.

The so-called "paratroopers" were mostly those who had worked in higher-level organs, holding section-level positions, before being transferred to townships. Most paratroopers had good interpersonal connections or backgrounds and higher educational attainment. Their weakness was insufficient seniority and lack of practical work experience.

Qin Feiyue and Liu Kun were two typical examples of paratroopers.

Just as drastic personnel changes were occurring in Qinglin Town, full-scale construction began on the Yi-Wu Highway, requiring a large amount of crushed stone and riprap. Consequently, activity resumed on Shangqinglin Mountain, with cars flowing like water and the sounds of horns and explosions rising and falling continuously.

Hou Weidong’s entire focus was on the Goubewan, Yinggang, and Dawan quarries. He was so busy that he was dizzy with work and remained indifferent to the political shifts in Qinglin. It was only four days after Liu Kun reported for duty in Qinglin Town that Hou Weidong learned that the town had gained a new mayor’s assistant named Liu Kun.

Although Liu Kun was only a mayor’s assistant, he took over all of Fatty Huang’s responsibilities, overseeing enterprises and family planning, with no difference in authority from a deputy mayor.

The news of Liu Kun’s appointment was like raw liquor distilled back from the brewery—sharp to the ear and burning in the heart, a complex mix of emotions that could not be easily dissipated.

On the evening of the fourteenth, as the sunset hung in the treetops, Hou Weidong went alone to the Goubewan Quarry. The quarry was still in operation. He stood on the highest quarrying platform, enjoying the mountain breeze and looking down at the busy crowd.

When the moon hung slanted in the sky, He Hongfu shouted from below, "Madman, come down! We’ve worked hard all day; treat me to a drink." Hou Weidong shouted back from the mountain, "Don’t bother me, I’m annoyed." Shaking his head, He Hongfu invited Lin Zhongchuan to go drink with Qin Dajiang instead.

The moon was like a hook, and loneliness locked the clear autumn in the deep courtyard of the parasol trees. Hou Weidong, covered in stone dust, gazed at the moon with a sense of melancholy. Finally, unable to bear the mosquito bites any longer, he returned to the small courtyard in Shangqinglin amidst the此起彼伏 (rising and falling) barking of dogs.

Along the way, he had come to a realization: "Liu Kun pursues officialdom, walking the broad Yangguan Road. I make big money, crossing the single-log bridge. We stay in our own lanes and do not interfere with each other."

Hou Weidong and Liu Kun had been roommates for four years. As a prominent figure in the college at that time, Hou Weidong had indeed not held the ordinary Liu Kun in high regard. But after graduation, stepping into society, he immediately discovered that the situation in the real world was vastly different from that in school. In the eyes of people like Ren Lindu, Liu Kun was a rising star in the Yiyang political scene, a figure worth cultivating a relationship with. Now, Liu Kun had transformed into Hou Weidong’s direct superior.

In officialdom, heroes are judged by success or failure. If one cannot become an official, even a genius is considered a loser. From the perspective of the political arena, Hou Weidong was a temporary failure.

Fortunately, Hou Weidong still had the Goubewan Quarry and a substantial bank account. These two solid assets provided him with deep comfort. Otherwise, his pride would have been trampled underfoot like waste paper, worth not a single cent.

Due to his wounded pride, Hou Weidong refused to go down the mountain. Even when it was time to collect his salary in mid-July, he asked Yang Xinchun to collect it for him. Also due to his pride, he did not tell Xiaojia about Liu Kun’s appointment in Qinglin Town. After all, thinking about it made his heart sour.

On the evening of July 15, Xiaojia called.

"I heard Liu Kun was appointed deputy mayor of Qinglin Town?" Xiaojia had spoken with Duan Ying on the fourteenth and learned about Liu Kun’s appointment. Based on her understanding of Hou Weidong, she accurately realized that he must have been hit hard by the news, so she specifically called to comfort her beloved man.

Hou Weidong explained earnestly, "Liu Kun is not deputy mayor; he is the mayor’s assistant." A deputy mayor was at the deputy section level, whereas a mayor’s assistant, essentially, did not count as a member of the leadership team.

To protect Hou Weidong’s pride, Xiaojia carefully advised, "Liu Kun becoming deputy mayor of Qinglin Town is entirely due to his father’s connections. Without that connection, how could he enter the Party and government organs, let alone become deputy mayor?"

These words struck a chord with Hou Weidong. He nodded vigorously into the receiver and said, "It is easy to be an official if you have someone in the capital. This is an undeniable truth."

Xiaojia continued to advise, "Liu Kun becoming a leader in Qinglin Town also has its benefits. Some matters will be easier to negotiate. You can take advantage of his new arrival to communicate more with him. In the future, you will have one more person speaking on your behalf."

Hou Weidong replied stiffly, "I know exactly what kind of person he is. I don’t need to beg him now, so why should I lick his boots?" Hearing silence on the other end of the line, he realized he was being too petty and added, "Xiaojia, thank you for your concern. The Goubewan Quarry is doing very well now. If the land route is blocked, I will take the water route. If I cannot be an official, I will become a businessman."

Xiaojia said, "You don’t need to rush. Only a very few people become leaders after two years of work. Perhaps one day your luck will turn. There is another matter: a few days ago, I had dinner with Secretary Liu of the Shuangshu Sub-district Office. I mentioned your situation to him, and he verbally agreed to accept you. I will try to work on it further."

Everything changed with the development of circumstances. When Hou Weidong first arrived in Qinglin Town, he was determined to develop his career in officialdom. But when his political prospects seemed distant and his marriage suffered setbacks, he had made a promise to Chen Qingrong to "transfer back to Shazhou within three years."

Two years had passed, and the Goubewan Quarry was entering a prosperous phase. By helping Zeng Zhaoqiang and Zhu Bing manage the quarry, Hou Weidong had formed a substantive strategic partnership with the Transportation Bureau. The payments for the Yiyang section of the Yi-Wu Highway were always disbursed to Hou Weidong on time by the Transportation Bureau, of course, this was a covert operation hidden from the other quarries in Shangqinglin. Hou Weidong’s account now held over 500,000 yuan in cash, not including the fixed assets already formed by the Goubewan and Yinggang quarries.

The quarries in Shangqinglin were like a goose that laid golden eggs. If Hou Weidong transferred to work in Shazhou, it would inevitably slow down the development of the quarry. The Goubewan Quarry represented Hou Weidong’s blood, sweat, and tears, bringing him both glory and tangible benefits. For Hou Weidong, leaving the quarry meant losing his foundation, which was truly a difficult thing to do.

It was only in these past two months, as his earnings grew, that he suddenly realized this.

Xiaojia, far away in Shazhou, had not realized this change and continued to ponder the transfer. Hou Weidong found himself in a dilemma. If he rejected Xiaojia’s kindness, it would deeply hurt the woman who loved him dearly. But if he easily left Shangqinglin, the career he had painstakingly built would face the danger of interruption or regression.

He decided to delay the matter for now and said, "Xiaojia, household registration in Shazhou is strictly controlled, and transfers are even more difficult. We cannot rush this. Don’t worry too much; worrying too much will make you age faster."

Xiaojia said anxiously, "You originally promised to transfer back to Shazhou within three years. My mother has always kept this promise in mind. If you cannot transfer back, they will definitely urge me to marry. Although they cannot control my will, they are my parents after all, and they only want my happiness. It would be wrong to hurt them too much."

Hou Weidong said, "The payment situation for the Yi-Wu Highway is very good today. I have about 500,000 yuan in cash on hand. Housing prices in Shazhou are between 800 and 1,000 yuan per square meter. I want to buy an apartment and build our small home first."

Hearing that he wanted to buy a house and build a home, she was happy in her heart, but still advised, "The quarry has just started and requires continuous investment. There will be many times when money is needed in the future."

Hou Weidong said confidently, "It doesn’t matter. An apartment costs only about 100,000 yuan. I can afford it."

Xiaojia said on the phone, "You are a rich man now. Let me make this clear: you are not allowed to behave recklessly outside."

"Yes, I will definitely listen to you."

Xiaojia said softly, "We are separated by distance. If you behave recklessly, I cannot control you. I have only one request: if you have a woman outside, do not let me know."

As the quarry operations became regular, social engagements were unavoidable. Hou Weidong sometimes inevitably got his feet wet. Facing Xiaojia’s gentleness and kindness, he felt a bit short of breath and quickly changed the subject, saying, "Jiang Dali is also doing well in Guangdong; he has become a regional manager."

They chatted for more than ten minutes before ending the call. Putting down the phone, Hou Weidong thought to himself, "It’s so good to have money. I no longer have to watch the clock while talking."

At this moment, the voice of Township Head Gao came from the doorway, saying, "University Student Hou, tomorrow morning at ten o’clock, Zhao Yongsheng and the new Assistant Liu will go to Dushi Village for a meeting. This is Assistant Liu’s first time meeting the Dushi Village leadership team. You and Li Yong need to go early and arrange the logistics."