Chapter 46: Why on Earth? (Part 8)

The very next day after the joint party and government meeting, Xiao Bing, Deputy Director of the Organization Department, arrived in Qinglin Town accompanied by Guo Lan, Section Chief of the Comprehensive Cadre Section. Their primary objective was to assess the performance of the ten cadres who had been recruited through the open examination process. Additionally, they intended to conduct a broader survey of the town’s organizational work. The Organization Department had notified Secretary Zhao by phone a day in advance of their visit.

Secretary Zhao had deliberately—or perhaps conveniently—forgotten to inform Mayor Qin of this inspection. Consequently, Mayor Qin proceeded with his scheduled itinerary, driving to the County Agricultural Office to secure project funding. Only after Mayor Qin’s vehicle had left the government compound, and some ten minutes had passed, did Secretary Zhao summon Deputy Secretary Jiang to his office.

"I just received a call from Minister Xiao," Secretary Zhao said. "He departed at seven o'clock and should arrive in town around ten-thirty to survey our organizational work. You will be required to attend."

In the local custom of Yiyang, regardless of whether an official held a primary or deputy position, they were addressed by their primary title. For instance, Xiao Bing was technically the Deputy Director, but calling him "Deputy Director Xiao" sounded awkward. Therefore, colleagues at the grassroots level uniformly addressed him as "Minister Xiao," never appending the word "deputy."

Deputy Secretary Jiang asked with a hint of confusion, "Do we know the specific purpose of Minister Xiao’s visit to Yiyang? We should prepare a targeted report accordingly."

"I called Zhang Dawei from Wutan Town," Secretary Zhao replied. "He said Minister Xiao’s true objective is to understand the working conditions of the ten cadres recruited through the open exam. However, you must also prepare a report on general organizational matters."

Deputy Secretary Jiang had a round face; when he smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits. "The open recruitment is a significant component of the County Party Committee’s reform of cadre personnel management. I wonder if the Organization Department will have any objections to our assigning Hou Weidong to the work team."

"What objections could the Organization Department possibly have?" Secretary Zhao dismissed the concern. "Hou Weidong was assigned to Qinglin Town; he is a cadre of Qinglin Town. Sending him to the work team, to the most arduous locations, is beneficial for a cadre’s growth."

During the joint party and government meeting, Secretary Zhao and Mayor Qin had engaged in a subtle power struggle. Hou Weidong was merely an ordinary cadre, and Secretary Zhao felt neither particular affection nor hatred toward him. The reason for blocking Hou Weidong’s transfer to the Family Planning Office was simple: the transfer had been proposed by Mayor Qin. Mayor Qin had failed to position himself correctly since arriving in Qinglin Town, quickly becoming a thorn in Secretary Zhao’s side. Therefore, any proposal initiated by Mayor Qin, provided it did not violate major principles, would inevitably be delayed or shelved by Secretary Zhao.

Secretary Zhao Yongsheng was a native cadre of Qinglin Town, whereas Mayor Qin Feiyue had been dispatched from the county level.

Mayor Qin Feiyue had previously served as Deputy Director of the Township Enterprise Bureau and possessed considerable expertise in enterprise management. Upon arriving in Qinglin Town, he had tightly controlled the township’s foundation fund, thereby indirectly rallying the township enterprise bosses around him. Secretary Zhao Yongsheng, formerly the Party Secretary of Xiaqinglin Township, had effectively assumed the roles of both Secretary and Township Head after the previous Township Head fell ill. His word had carried immense weight. After the merger of the two townships, the conflict between Zhao Yongsheng and Qin Feiyue gradually escalated, originating from disputes over how to manage the foundation fund.

At ten o’clock, Minister Xiao arrived in Qinglin Town punctually.

Following the survey requirements, Deputy Secretary Jiang reported on Qinglin Town’s organizational work. Since Secretary Zhao and Minister Xiao were quite familiar with each other, the atmosphere in the meeting room relaxed into casual conversation once the formal report concluded.

Minister Xiao asked casually, "How has Hou Weidong been arranged?"

Secretary Zhao tossed a cigarette to Minister Xiao and smiled. "Old Xiao, I suspect this is the main reason you came to Qinglin."

Minister Xiao wore the typical smile of an organizational cadre. He took a drag of his cigarette and chuckled through the smoke. "Secretary Zhao of the County Party Committee attaches great importance to these ten cadres recruited through the open exam. He might ask about their utilization at any moment. Our Organization Department needs to have a clear picture."

"Hou Weidong has been assigned to the Shangqinglin Township Work Team."

Minister Xiao raised an eyebrow. "The Shangqinglin Work Team?" He was aware of the work team’s situation and was somewhat surprised to hear Hou Weidong had been assigned there.

"After the merger of Shangqinglin and Xiaqinglin, the town government was established in Xiaqinglin. However, Xiaqinglin is only of township scale, creating immense pressure regarding office space and accommodation. Furthermore, Shangqinglin has a population of over seven thousand who require services and management. Therefore, we established a work team in Shangqinglin. This solves the housing issue and allows us to serve the people better. Hou Weidong is currently stationed in Shangqinglin as the resident cadre for Dushi Village."

Minister Xiao was a perceptive man. He thought to himself, Among the ten cadres recruited through the open exam, Hou Weidong is in the most disadvantaged position. I wonder how Zhao Yongsheng is thinking.

Seeing Minister Xiao’s enigmatic expression amidst the cigarette smoke, and recalling his earlier comments, Zhao Yongsheng felt a surge of pressure. Thinking quickly, he said, "Hou Weidong has performed well since arriving in Qinglin Town. The Town Party Committee intends to place more responsibility on his shoulders by appointing him Deputy Leader of the Work Team. Gradually, he will take over the duties of Township Head Gao. In terms of the work he performs, this Deputy Leader role is equivalent to that of a former Deputy Township Head. If he proves competent in this role, the Qinglin Town Party Committee will further increase his responsibilities."

Minister Xiao did not offer excessive commentary on Zhao Yongsheng’s words. He jotted down a few notes in his notebook, then looked up. "Secretary Zhao, the open recruitment of cadres is a reform in the cadre system initiated by the Yiyang County Party Committee. The Organization Department of the Shazhou Municipal Party Committee attaches great importance to this. Two section chiefs have already come to scout the situation, specifically to survey the work related to these reserve cadres recruited through open exams."

Zhao Yongsheng试探ively asked, "Minister Xiao, do you think Hou Weidong’s work arrangement needs adjustment?"

Minister Xiao smiled. "This is the prerogative of the Qinglin Town Party Committee. The Organization Department has always respected your opinions. Moreover, Secretary Zhao has instructed that cadres recruited through open exams should not be treated specially. They must take things one step at a time, starting from the grassroots level, undergoing natural selection. If they are talented, they will be vigorously promoted; if their abilities are mediocre, they will be utilized reasonably according to cadre usage principles."

Zhao Yongsheng and Minister Xiao were classmates at the Party School and had both served as class officers, so they were quite familiar with each other. With the official business concluded, Zhao Yongsheng proposed, "Now that the serious matters are done, we have two options: either return to Yiyang City for a meal, or find a fish pond where we can fish and chat."

Minister Xiao enjoyed fishing. Hearing this arrangement, he closed his notebook and smiled. "You really are an old friend. Good, let’s go."

Deputy Secretary Jiang added from the side, "Secretary Zhao heard Minister Xiao was coming and specifically found a good pond. It’s full of native crucian carp."

"Native crucian carp are excellent. They are the concentrated essence of life."

The group chatted and laughed as they left the courtyard, got into their cars, and headed toward the fish pond.

While Zhao Yongsheng and Minister Xiao were fishing with great enthusiasm, Hou Weidong was still on the mountain, filled with hope, waiting for his transfer to the Family Planning Office.

However, the subsequent news left Hou Weidong between laughter and tears. On the third day after the joint party and government meeting, Deputy Secretary Jiang came to the foot of the mountain in Shangqinglin, gathered everyone in the work team, and announced that Hou Weidong would be stationed in Dushi Village and appointed Deputy Leader of the Work Team, assisting Township Head Gao in his work.

For the work team, this was an arrangement full of comedic irony. Township Head Gao presided over the work team’s operations. The fact that he could keep everyone in line was not because the position of Work Team Leader held significant power, but because Gao had been a leader for over twenty years and possessed considerable prestige among the cadres. Moreover, the town leaders gave his words a degree of respect, which is why the work team members were willing to follow his arrangements.

Hou Weidong was a newcomer. Appointing him as Deputy Leader of the Work Team gave him no authority over any specific business. He was neither quite an official nor quite a soldier. If Township Head Gao were absent, he would be unable to carry out any work effectively.

After Deputy Secretary Jiang announced Hou Weidong’s appointment, Li Yong, with his distinctive sideburns, began to heckle, demanding that Hou Weidong treat everyone to a meal. Hou Weidong felt like crying. Looking at Deputy Secretary Jiang, whose eyes were squinted in a smile, he gritted his teeth and said, "Deputy Secretary Jiang, since arriving in Qinglin Town, I have not yet had the opportunity to listen to your instructions. Today, since we are in the Shangqinglin town area, I must insist on treating Deputy Secretary Jiang to a drink, no matter what."

Deputy Secretary Jiang’s name was Jiang Xingcai. He had originally been the Deputy Secretary of Shangqinglin Township. After the merger of the two townships, he was appointed as Deputy Secretary of the town. He was a typical political survivor who always spoke well of everyone, yet he had always remained in a deputy position and had never held the top spot. He knew the reasons behind Hou Weidong’s appointment all too well. Seeing Hou Weidong offer to pay for the meal, he said, "What instructions? Hou Weidong has arrived in Qinglin Town, but his specific office assignment has not yet been clarified. The Party and Government Office is a comprehensive department. I suggest that Hou Weidong be placed under the Party and Government Office."

Township Head Gao smiled. Hou Weidong was a down-to-earth and hardworking person. Appointing him as Deputy Leader of the Work Team simply meant there was one more person to run errands. From his personal perspective, he was pleased with this appointment. However, he also understood that this was unfair to Hou Weidong. He comforted him, saying, "Mayor Qin previously agreed to provide some funding for the work team. This will definitely be implemented. Today, the meal will not be treated by Group Leader Hou, but by the work team itself."