Chapter 267: Arrangements (Part 2)

Hou Weidong, as the Party Secretary and Director of the New Management Committee, was the undisputed top leader. Yet, in his first ten days, he showed no signs of the typical "three fires of a new official." His approach was quiet and low-key. He had only convened two leadership meetings to reassign duties, making only minor adjustments based on reality. Hou Weidong was placed in charge of overall operations and the finance office, while all other specific responsibilities remained unchanged.

After spending seven or eight days riding in the Santana sedan, Hou Weidong adjusted the vehicle assignments for the leadership team. He allowed Zhang Jin to continue using the Santana, while he himself took to driving a pickup truck, treating it as a private vehicle used for public duties. Wang Bing, a driver from the driving school under the Transportation Bureau, was transferred to the New Management Committee to serve as Hou Weidong’s dedicated driver.

Zhang Jin had initially strongly opposed this arrangement. He would have preferred to share a car with Zhang Xiangyu rather than ride alone in the Santana. Hou Weidong had a private conversation with him, offering reassurance: "The New Management Committee is the vanguard of reform in Yiyang and our window to the outside world. Our vehicle fleet should be better than that of ordinary departments. Director Zhang, please don’t be modest. I plan to submit a request to purchase a new car. Having a newer vehicle will give us more confidence when handling external affairs."

Zhang Jin replied, "In that case, I’ll take this car once the new one arrives. For now, I’ll just squeeze into a car with Director Zhang."

Hou Weidong waved his hand dismissively. "Forget it. I have a pickup truck available. Its off-road performance is excellent, perfectly suited for the rough roads in the southern suburbs."

Zhang Jin eventually agreed to the new plan.

Hou Weidong’s decision carried three layers of meaning. First, deciding who rode in which vehicle was a prerogative of the top leader. Second, it showed respect for senior colleagues. Third, it demonstrated his ability to secure a new vehicle for the unit.

He knew that after Zhu Yan’s departure, the political landscape in Yiyang would inevitably shift. Some matters had to be handled promptly; otherwise, once the influential figure left, the warmth would fade, and success would be uncertain. Therefore, after the Party Group meeting, he instructed the office to draft a request for purchasing a car. He personally obtained Zhu Yan’s approval and sent it to the Finance Bureau. A few days later, an imported Mitsubishi SUV was driven back from Lingxi and parked steadily in front of the New Management Committee office.

The New Management Committee had struggled significantly to secure two official cars for its two deputy directors. In the end, the government only approved the purchase of one—the Santana Zhang Jin now rode in. The vehicle assigned to Zhang Xiangyu was an older car transferred from another department. Yet, after Hou Weidong took charge, he effortlessly acquired an imported vehicle. The general staff immediately sensed the new director’s strength and influence.

Naturally, opinions varied. Zhang Jin, having navigated the Yiyang political scene for over twenty years, was accustomed to the rise and fall of officials. He understood the principle that "a new emperor brings new ministers." Consequently, he harbored a subtle worry about the future of the New Management Committee’s work.

Hou Weidong temporarily stepped back from specific operational details. Each day, he reviewed past documents and drove his pickup truck around, appearing relaxed and carefree on the surface. However, his mind was filled with anxiety.

The most surprised person was Yi Zhongcheng, the Director of the New Management Committee’s Office. He had taken his wife to Lingxi for hospitalization. The medical expertise at the major hospital in Lingxi was indeed excellent, and the surgery was quite successful. Once his wife’s condition stabilized, he left her in the care of his parents-in-law for continued observation and returned to work.

When Yi Zhongcheng returned to the office in high spirits, he found that while the New Management Committee and his office remained physically the same, the entire building seemed to radiate an inexplicable, strange atmosphere.

Sitting in his familiar seat, Yi Zhongcheng pulled out his desk drawer and opened a small, exquisite tin. This was his special morning drink—authentic West Lake Longjing tea. As he brewed the tea, he glanced at the small handbag on the desk belonging to Yang Liu, the Deputy Director of the Office. He thought to himself, "Where did Yang Liu go so early in the morning? Why hasn’t she shown up yet?"

Just as he was wondering, Yang Liu walked in gracefully, holding a small notebook. Seeing Yi Zhongcheng, she asked about his wife’s treatment before turning to work matters. "Director Yi, there’s a meeting in the conference room at 9:30. Every department needs to report on their quarterly work and future plans. Since you’re back, it’s your turn to report. Director Hou is very strict; he allows only fifteen minutes per department. You need to focus on the key points."

This news left Yi Zhongcheng bewildered. "Director Hou? Which Director Hou?"

Yang Liu realized his ignorance. "You don’t know? We have a new boss. Hou Weidong from the Commission Office has been transferred to the New Management Committee as the top leader."

"Ah, Director Hou has been transferred here."

As the Office Director, Yi Zhongcheng felt embarrassed that he hadn’t even known this. He couldn’t say anything, but inwardly he chided himself: "Why didn’t Yang Liu send me a pager message? I could have prepared myself mentally." However, he wasn’t afraid of the reporting task. He took out his notebook, thought for a moment, and jotted down a few bullet points.

The New Management Committee had about thirty staff members. Hou Weidong had been there for over ten days and had met most of them. Today, seeing a "stranger" sitting next to Yang Liu—a man in his thirties with short, neat hair who looked fresh and tidy—Hou Weidong thought, "This must be Yi Zhongcheng, the Office Director."

In the case involving the Yiyang Native Produce Company, Yi Zhongling had been a key figure. In such a major scandal that shook Shazhou, the Yiyang Procuratorate knew Yi Zhongling was problematic but failed to apprehend him. They could only watch helplessly as he escaped like a cicada shedding its shell, transitioning from a state-owned enterprise cadre to a private entrepreneur.

At the time, Hou Weidong had been entrusted by Zhu Yan to coordinate with the Procuratorate on this case, giving him deep knowledge of the details. Later, when General Manager Gu, who had taken over the Yiyang Native Produce Company, reported to Zhu Yan, Hou Weidong gained an even deeper understanding of the situation and Yi Zhongling’s cunning nature.

Upon arriving at the New Management Committee, Hou Weidong noticed Yi Zhongcheng’s name among the mid-level cadres and paid close attention. He quickly investigated his background: "Yi Zhongcheng is a university graduate from the late 1980s. He originally taught at a county-affiliated middle school in the suburbs. Later, he was seconded to the County Government Office, where he worked for over four years before becoming a permanent staff member. When the New Management Committee was established, he was transferred here to serve as Office Director."

Yi Zhongling was Yi Zhongcheng’s cousin; they shared the same grandfather. From this brief resume, Hou Weidong seemed to see the shadow of Yi Zhongling.

"Director Hou, I am Yi Zhongcheng, the Office Director of the New Management Committee. I just returned from Lingxi."

Hou Weidong interrupted him. "How was your wife’s surgery?"

"The surgery was quite successful. She is still in the hospital for observation. Thank you for your concern, Director Hou." Yi Zhongcheng had met Hou Weidong when he worked at the Government Office. At that time, the atmosphere between Zhu Yan and Ma was tense, and the relationship between the Commission Office and the Government Office was delicate. Hou Weidong, who was rising rapidly, naturally became a subject of private discussion among Government Office staff. In this sense, Yi Zhongcheng was not unfamiliar with Hou Weidong.

Hou Weidong listened carefully to Yi Zhongcheng’s report, taking key notes. He thought to himself, "Yi Zhongcheng has excellent eloquence and clear thinking. He stands out among the mid-level cadres. He cannot stay in the New Management Committee."

This realization strengthened Hou Weidong’s resolve to remove Yi Zhongcheng from the committee. The Office Director was a crucial role with access to many secrets. Hou Weidong did not want to plant a thorn in his own side.

"Better to kill three thousand innocents than let one enemy escape." He slowly reflected on the infamous slogan from the past, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Yi Zhongcheng finished his report and saw Hou Weidong smiling. He thought, "Hou Weidong has only been working for a few years. His tenure as Director of the New Management Committee is too short. I wonder if he can hold his ground?"

He had no idea of the deeper meaning behind Hou Weidong’s smile.

Zhang Jin, who oversaw the office’s work, appreciated Yi Zhongcheng. After the report, he added, "I’d like to supplement one point. In the next quarter, the office must strengthen the submission of information reports. This is an important channel to reflect our work. Also, we must strengthen contact with the two media outlets. Although the New Management Committee appeared frequently in newspapers last quarter, there were few substantial articles. Director Yi, you write well. Connect with the newspaper office and personally draft some high-quality reports."

Hou Weidong did not comment much on Yi Zhongcheng’s speech. The head of the Land Resources Section began speaking next.

After the mid-level cadres finished their reports, Zhang Jin and Zhang Xiangyu spoke on specific business matters. Hou Weidong put down his pen and said, "I have been at the New Management Committee for about ten days and have a basic understanding of the situation. From my observation, the New Management Committee has a positioning problem. This is not just an issue for the committee itself, but also how the County Party Committee and County Government have positioned us."

Zhang Jin had scheduled a meeting with demolition representatives at 10:00 AM and was preparing to pack up his pen and notebook. Hearing Hou Weidong’s words, he opened his notebook again.

"Yiyang County has both the New Management Committee and a Development Zone. What is the relationship between our New Management Committee and the Development Zone? How are they connected, and how should duties be divided?"

When he was at the County Party Committee Office, Zhu Yan had raised this question. At the time, Hou Weidong’s understanding was not deep. Now, having visited the New Management Committee and the Development Zone several times, he still could not clearly distinguish the difference between the two.

"Geographically, and based on the original intent of the County Party Committee and Government, the Development Zone should be positioned as an industrial park, while the New Management Committee should be a new city suitable for residence."

Zhang Jin interjected, "The County Party Committee’s highway strategy has clear requirements on this. We should utilize the advantage of the highway to place modern factories along the route. From this perspective, the New Management Committee does not exclude enterprises. Moreover, without enterprises settling in, we will have no achievements to show."

Hou Weidong acknowledged this point. "The old city area of Yiyang is too narrow, and the cost of demolition is high. It is better to build a new city than to relocate the old one. The southern new city will inevitably become Yiyang’s new urban area. If we place too many enterprises in the new city now, the cost of relocating them later will be too great."

Seeing that the mid-level cadres were leaning forward, listening intently, he said, "Everyone can speak up. We can discuss this fully. For the New Management Committee to develop, positioning is the most critical factor. If you lift the headrope, the mesh opens; positioning is that headrope."

Hou Weidong’s words resonated deeply with Yi Zhongcheng. He had thought long and hard about the positioning of the New Management Committee and had raised the issue in many informal settings. However, his voice was weak, and his suggestions had been ignored, failing to attract attention from all sides.