Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 200 A Farce of Investment Promotion

"Secretary Wu, I hope I haven't disturbed your rest? Since you're new to Xindian Town, I brought some local snacks with me. You can have a snack if you get hungry while working overtime tonight."

Hu Lijin took out several bags of snacks from the plastic bag: "These are Trichosanthes seeds roasted by a Trichosanthes processing plant in this town. They smell very good."

These are dried wild kiwifruit preserves, with a sweet and sour flavor that whets the appetite.

This jar contains homemade beef sauce made by my mother; it's absolutely delicious with porridge or noodles.

Wu Zhiyuan said gratefully, "Director Hu, thank you so much."

"Secretary Wu, you're too kind." Hu Lijin sat down on the living room sofa. "Where are you from, Secretary Wu?"

"I'm from Longqiao Town in Haihe County, the town where the Longqiao Coal Mine is located. Where is Director Hu's hometown?"

"My hometown is Xindian Town, Longkou Village. My mother and brother are still in the village."

"I know there's an iron mine in Longkou Village."

"Secretary Wu, Longkou Village is the richest village in our town, backed by the Longkou Iron Mine. Isn't Song Xiaolong the village secretary?"

Hu Lijin covered her mouth and laughed: "Secretary Wu, have you heard something? Song Xiaolong is a household name in our town."

"Oh, really? I've only heard that Song Xiaolong is the only one in the town's fifteen villages who holds both the positions of Party Secretary and Village Head."

"To put it another way, there are children in the village who cry easily, but as soon as the adults say, 'If you keep crying, Song Xiaolong will take you away,' they immediately stop crying."

"Why?" Wu Zhiyuan asked, knowing the answer already.

"Song Xiaolong used to be a local thug, but he gradually went straight. His brother is the deputy director of the county public security bureau."

I'm a straightforward person. Although Song Xiaolong has whitewashed his image and become the village secretary, the darkness in his heart can't be washed away.

In Longkou Village, he was all-powerful. When he came to the town, he didn't even give a second glance to deputy mayors, party committee members, or other deputy section-level officials.

He could still listen to a little of what the town's Party Secretary and Mayor said.

"So arrogant?"

"Secretary Wu, although you are a leader, you are my younger brother in terms of age."

Let me tell you, although Xindian Town is just a town, it's a very complex place.

Take the nursing home for example. The director, Liu Xiaojuan, is the sister-in-law of Li Changfu, the chairman of the town's People's Congress. Li Changfu's younger brother, Li Changgui, is the deputy county head of our Qingshan County.

For example, Chen Youfu, who contracted the town government canteen, is the cousin of Chen Junqiang, the deputy secretary of the town party committee.

Chen Junqiang's older sister is the wife of Liang Chao, a member of the Standing Committee of the County Party Committee and Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission.

Contracting the town government canteen is a sure-fire way to make money. For example, a meal served on the second floor for official receptions costs almost as much as a restaurant meal.

If Chen Youfu's contract rights are taken back, it will offend not only Chen Junqiang, but also Liang Chao.

Why is reform so difficult from top to bottom? Because it touches upon the interests of many vested interests, and touching vested interests is harder than touching the soul.

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Hu Lijin's words were like revealing the intricate and intertwined roots of Xindian Town.

The nursing home is connected to the deputy county head, the canteen is linked to a member of the county party committee, and behind a village tyrant stands the deputy director of the public security bureau...

This is clearly a web tightly woven from blood ties, marriage alliances, and interests.

In fact, this is true everywhere, from small towns to counties, cities, and even provinces.

Wu Zhiyuan said sincerely, "Director Hu, thank you for telling me all this. I'm new here, and I really need to understand these things."

Grassroots work often involves more than just doing tasks; it also requires understanding people, relationships, and the power behind them.

Hu Lijin smiled gently: "Secretary Wu, it's good that you understand."

I was worried that since you're new here and don't know the inside story, you might accidentally touch something you shouldn't, which would put you in a difficult position at work.

After all, even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded: "Director Hu, I understand your good intentions."

Whether it's reform or rectification, it's not about acting on impulse or recklessly.

We must adhere to principles, but also pay attention to methods and strategies.

Don't worry, I will be cautious where necessary. But I will also do what needs to be done.

Just like this canteen, it's related to whether the staff can eat well and it's related to the work style of the organization; it can't be left uncorrected.

As for how to change it, we can take a long-term view and find a way that can solve the problem while minimizing resistance.

"Secretary Wu, my husband told me that whether you were Secretary Xu Youwei's secretary or working at the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, you were highly regarded in all aspects. You were the kind of good cadre who wanted to get things done, was capable of getting things done, got things done, and managed to avoid making mistakes..."

"Stop! Stop!" Wu Zhiyuan interrupted Hu Lijin with a laugh. "Don't flatter me. The higher you praise me, the harder I'll fall. By the way, does your husband know me?"

"I don't know him. But he also works in a municipal government agency. He works in the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, and his name is Zhou Tianming."

Wu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "I don't know him."

"Secretary Wu, I'm in a similar situation to you, I'm also single, and I usually only go back to the city on weekends."

"Will the child be taken care of by the husband?"

"We have no children."

Wu Zhiyuan felt very embarrassed.

It seems we need to learn from this experience and avoid asking questions recklessly.

He changed the subject: "Director Hu, I heard that some businessmen are interested in investing in the Qingshanxia Scenic Area?"

Hu Lijin nodded and said, "Yes, there is a businessman named Lin Guofu who claims to be the vice president of a large tourism group in South China."

He's been to town two or three times, and Mayor Zhang has been handling the arrangements each time. I was present at one of those receptions.

Wu Zhiyuan tentatively asked, "How likely do you think the Qingshanxia project is to be restarted?"

Hu Lijing shook her head: "I feel that this Boss Lin is not very reliable. He talks big and always talks about 'investing hundreds of millions' and 'creating a nationally renowned brand'."

On the other hand, it also requires the county and town governments to advance matching funds and plans to mortgage the land as collateral.

According to Mayor Zhang's verbal promise, the land was actually free.

Real investors would never mortgage land first and then use the borrowed money to develop it.

Isn't this tantamount to getting something for nothing? All the risks are borne by the banks and local governments.

Such a large project can't be done without real investment; relying on town funding and bank loans is unacceptable.

Of course, Boss Lin said they would cover the bulk of the funding. But I still felt it wasn't very reliable.

I kindly reminded Mayor Zhang, but he seemed to be immersed in the joy of attracting a major project and said that I was worrying unnecessarily.

Of course, Mayor Zhang's feelings are understandable. He desperately needs a major project to prove himself. If he can turn around the mess at Qingshan Gorge, that would be a truly significant achievement.

……

It was a little after 10 a.m. the next day.

Hu Lijing knocked on the door and came in: "Secretary Wu, Boss Lin and the others are here again, in the reception room."

There were two men and two women in a black BMW with a Jiangzhou license plate.

They said they were there to follow up on the Qingshanxia project and had some new ideas to discuss with the town.

Mayor Zhang went to the county early in the morning to attend an emergency meeting on work safety, and rushed back after the meeting.

Before he left, he specifically instructed that the deputy mayor in charge of investment promotion should receive Boss Lin when he came today.

However, I think I should report this to you, firstly to demonstrate the town party committee's high regard for investment promotion, and secondly to allow you to meet and observe Mr. Lin and his delegation in person.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded: "Since you've come to discuss the project, I should receive you."

Wu Zhiyuan followed Hu Lijing to the reception room on the first floor.

Pushing open the door to the small conference room, I found several unfamiliar faces already seated inside.

Hu Lijin first introduced Wu Zhiyuan and Lin Guofu respectively.

Lin Guofu is in his forties and looks shrewd and capable.

A male assistant who also serves as a driver.

There were also two women.

Lin Guofu introduced a woman dressed in a black business suit with exquisite makeup: "This is Ms. Su Wen, the head of our company's investment and development department. She is a high-achieving graduate from Harvard Business School and is responsible for the overall planning and creative aspects of the project."

Su Wen, who appeared to be in her thirties, stood up and extended her hand: "Secretary Wu, hello."

The other woman, slightly older, around forty years old, named Liu Weiwei, is the financial director.

"Did President Lin come here this time with a more mature plan?" Wu Zhiyuan asked bluntly.

"Yes, Secretary Wu. After our last inspection, our company held a meeting to discuss the project and concluded that the Qingshanxia project has great potential and significant investment value."

So today, I specifically brought our core planners and financial officers with me, hoping to have in-depth discussions with the town and reach a cooperation agreement to achieve a win-win situation.

Su Wen chimed in at the opportune moment: "Secretary Wu, our initial idea is to develop Qingshan Gorge into a comprehensive tourist destination that integrates ecological sightseeing, mountain resorts, cultural experiences, and outdoor sports."

In addition to the existing natural landscape, we plan to focus on developing the Qinglong Secret Realm Exploration Route and the Yunding Ancient Village Camping Experience Area.

Preliminary market research indicates that projects with distinct themes and strong experiential elements are highly attractive to customers in first- and second-tier cities.

As she spoke, she opened several renderings on the tablet and showed them to Wu Zhiyuan.

The renderings are quite exquisite, featuring pavilions, glass walkways, and cliffside hotels, with a visually striking effect achieved through the use of light and shadow.

Liu Weiwei replied, "Secretary Wu, our group has no problem with financial strength."

But as you know, in the current economic climate, money needs to be spent wisely, and leverage should be used effectively.

The land in the scenic area has a good location, great potential, and high assessed value. Using it as collateral will increase the bank's credit line, allowing us to use our own funds more flexibly for high-quality project construction. It's a win-win situation.

Moreover, with local government backing them, banks would feel more at ease, wouldn't they?

At this moment, Zhang Ping rushed back in a flurry.

"Oh dear, Mr. Lin, Minister Su, Director Liu! I'm so sorry, the meeting in the county took a little longer than expected, I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting!"

As soon as Zhang Ping entered, he greeted him warmly. When he saw Wu Zhiyuan sitting in the main seat, a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes. "Secretary Wu is here too. You just arrived, and you have so much work to do, yet you still personally oversee these specific projects. You're working so hard."

This kind of investment promotion and coordination work can be handled by me and the colleagues in charge; there's no need to trouble you with everything.

Wu Zhiyuan understood the subtext in Zhang Ping's words—he was annoyed that Wu Zhiyuan had interfered with the project Zhang Ping was in charge of, and that he was afraid Wu Zhiyuan would steal the credit or disrupt Zhang Ping's schedule.

Following Zhang Ping's words, Wu Zhiyuan stood up and smiled, "Mayor Zhang is right, you are more familiar with the specific work."

I'm just listening to hear what's going on and to get a sense of the situation.

Now that Mayor Zhang is back, you can continue your in-depth discussion.

I have some documents to process, so please excuse me.

As it was almost time to leave work, Hu Lijin entered Wu Zhiyuan's office.

"Secretary Wu and Mayor Zhang accompanied Boss Lin and his entourage to the town's largest restaurant, the Town Center Restaurant."

I heard that they signed a preliminary cooperation agreement these past two days, and the formal signing will take place next week. Mayor Zhang said that county leaders will be coming in person to attend the signing ceremony.

Wu Zhiyuan was taken aback: "So fast?"

Hu Lijin said, "I heard from Mayor Zhang that the town is providing five million yuan in matching funds. However, this needs to be approved by the town's Party committee, but Mayor Zhang believes the meeting will approve it."

The town party committee's decision-making mechanism is based on the principle of majority rule, and Zhang Ping believed that he could control the town party committee.

"Secretary Wu, I've always been a straightforward person. My husband sometimes criticizes me, saying that I'm too blunt and speak without thinking. He says I need to learn to pretend, to be patient, and to be fake, but I don't want to be like that."

Zhang Ping is good at getting things done, but his abilities are just so-so.

Wu Zhiyuan smiled. Being new to the job, he didn't want to comment on his partner, as it would be detrimental to team unity.

His biggest worry was whether Boss Lin was a swindler. Zhang Ping, on the other hand, seemed to have been blinded by victory and lacked basic discernment.

However, according to Hu Lijing, Zhang Ping's abilities were just so-so to begin with.

Under normal circumstances, an investment of hundreds of millions is involved. For such a large project, investors would be extremely cautious; why would they be in such a rush to sign a contract?

Scammers exploit the local governments' eagerness for quick results, creating a sense of urgency with rhetoric about "quick signing, quick investment, and quick results" to lure them into relaxing their due diligence. They then embed clauses in the contracts that are advantageous to themselves but extremely risky for the local government, before swindling the funds and disappearing.

When local governments discover they've been scammed, they often suffer in silence, unable to voice their grievances or report it to the police, as this would undoubtedly damage the image and future prospects of local government leaders.