Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 396 Meeting Lin Xue in Jiangzhou

Lin Xue, still dressed in black, smiled slightly when she saw Wu Zhiyuan: "Zhiyuan, you're here."

Although it was just a slight smile, it was already very rare.

On other occasions, even in front of provincial leaders, Lin Xue was never smiling.

Lin Xue gestured for Wu Zhiyuan to sit in the chair opposite her and personally poured him a glass of water.

"Thank you. With Mayor Lin here, I feel reassured."

Without powerful connections in officialdom, it's not easy to get promoted, let alone start a business.

Before Longcheng was merged, Lin Xue was the municipal party secretary and his powerful backer.

Now that Lin Xue has been transferred to the position of mayor of Jiangzhou, although her administrative rank remains the same, her position is actually more important as she moves from Longcheng to the provincial capital.

Lin Xue waved her hand: "Zhiyuan, you are the county magistrate of Qingyan County. You need to take charge of your own life and not always rely on others."

Although that's what he said, his tone was very friendly.

Lin Xue sat back down and asked, "How have you been lately? Is the work going smoothly in Qingyan?"

Wu Zhiyuan only reported the bad news and not the good news, truthfully reporting the basic situation of Qingyan County—a poor county, with a weak financial foundation, many historical debts, a weak industrial base, poor transportation conditions, and a not-so-good political environment, etc.

These are objective difficulties that cannot be hidden, nor is it necessary to hide them.

After listening, Lin Xue nodded slightly: "The fact that you can see these things clearly means that you have sunk."

Some officials, when they arrive in a new place, only say the good things for the first few months, and only report the problems when they can no longer be covered up. That's the most dangerous thing.

"Mayor Lin taught me that being a good person comes before being an official, and that practical matters must be handled practically. I will never forget that."

"Don't flatter me. You and Comrade Yuan Jin work together quite well, don't you?"

"It's alright. Secretary Yuan is very meticulous in his work; he personally oversees and approves many things on the government side."

From major projects to the approval of meeting plans, everything has to go through his hands.

At first, I wasn't quite used to it, but I gradually came to understand it.

He's senior, familiar with the situation, and experienced; having an extra layer of oversight will save me from making mistakes.

On the surface, Wu Zhiyuan's words were saying that Yuan Jin was meticulous and strict, but Lin Xue, who had been in officialdom for many years, could not help but hear the underlying meaning in his words.

The county head is responsible for government work; this is the most basic division of responsibilities.

If a county party secretary has to personally review even the meeting plans, that's not being meticulous; it's overstepping his bounds.

But Wu Zhiyuan spoke very tactfully, and you couldn't tell that he was indirectly complaining.

Lin Xue was secretly pleased: This kid has indeed improved a lot and knows how to reflect on problems in this way.

Lin Xue said calmly, "Comrade Yuan Jin has worked in Qingyan for a long time, is familiar with the situation, and has a solid foundation, which is his advantage."

You are the county head, and he is the party secretary; in principle, you each have your own responsibilities.

However, in practice, the relationship between the Party Secretary and the County Head cannot be clarified by written regulations alone; it requires mutual respect and support.

She paused, then looked at Wu Zhiyuan: "He's meticulous, so you need to be even more thorough."

Government work is multifaceted and complex, but ultimately, results speak for themselves.

If you achieve tangible results in economic work, create highlights in project construction, and earn a good reputation for improving people's livelihoods, then the people and officials will clearly see who is doing the work and who is capable of doing it.

This was said subtly, but the meaning was clear—don't argue with Yuan Jin over short-term gains; let your achievements speak for themselves.

"Mayor Lin is right, that's what I think too."

During this period, I mainly focused my energy on a few things.

First, we took stock of the county's resources and understood the situation, and also sorted out Qingyan's network of contacts outside the county.

Secondly, some foundational and long-term projects were planned;

Third, we have gradually established trust with other members of the leadership team and township cadres at the working level.

Lin Xue nodded: "The idea of ​​investigating people from Qingyan who are living elsewhere is correct."

For a place to develop, relying solely on local resources is far from enough; it must also bring in external connections, information, and capital.

When I was in Longcheng, I told you all that cadres need to be aware of "leveraging resources."

"I have always remembered Mayor Lin's teachings from back then."

This investigation has indeed uncovered some valuable connections.

For example, Zhou Qiming of Xunfeng Motors came from Qingyan.

"Zhou Qiming?" Lin Xue frowned slightly. "I know this person. Xunfeng Motors is very influential in the industry."

But it seems he's never had a good relationship with his hometown?

I'd heard about this when I worked in Longcheng; several leaders of Qingyan had tried to persuade him, but to no avail.

"There are indeed some historical grievances." Wu Zhiyuan briefly recounted the early experiences of Zhou Qiming's family, and then said, "On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, at my suggestion, the county party committee and county government held a gathering of local worthies to celebrate the New Year. I called Zhou Qiming and invited him to come back to his hometown, but he declined."

"Zhiyuan, Zhou Qiming has a deep historical grudge against Qingyan County."

Such things were not uncommon in those days.

The poor governance at the grassroots level, the interference of clan forces, and the weak awareness of the rule of law, when combined, can indeed cause great harm to ordinary families.

Some knots in the heart cannot be untied by a single phone call or a letter.

"So I didn't rush things, but instead had Lü Xinghua do the groundwork first."

He's already been to Zhoujia Village twice, talked a lot with the village elders, and learned a lot about the old Zhou family house.

"Oh? Tell me about it?"

"The Zhou family's old house is still there, but it's almost collapsed. After Zhou Qiming's parents passed away, no one lived in the old house, and it fell into disrepair over the years. Now, only ruins remain."

The hillside land that the Zhou family was allocated back then has long been converted back to forest.

Lin Xue understood the underlying meaning: "You're trying to make a fuss about the old house?"

Wu Zhiyuan nodded: "Zhou Qiming's feelings towards his hometown are complicated. He truly hates it, but his roots are also there."

His parents are buried on the hill behind Zhoujia Village. He has not been able to come back to sweep their graves all these years, and he must feel regretful.

I think it would be good if the surrounding environment of his parents' graves could be improved and the road leading to the graves could be repaired.

Then clean up the area around his old house, put up a sign explaining that this is the ancestral home of Mr. Zhou Qiming, the founder of Xunfeng Motors.

Doing these things in advance, without fanfare or hype, will touch his heart when he finally decides to come back and sees them.

Lin Xue was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "The idea is good, but there are a few things you need to think about clearly."

First, when doing these things, you must not make people feel that you are doing them for their benefit, and you must not turn them into a form of moral blackmail.

Zhou Qiming is a smart man; he can see through any theatrical behavior at a glance.

Secondly, we must handle this matter carefully and not let the villagers feel that the county is giving them special treatment or currying favor with the wealthy, otherwise it will only cause new conflicts.

Third, and most importantly, what is your motivation for doing all this? Is it a genuine desire to make up for the regrets of a wanderer, or are you simply treating him as a resource to be exploited?

Wu Zhiyuan replied, "Mayor Lin, to be honest, it's both."

But I can guarantee that the former accounts for at least 70%.

I have studied Zhou Qiming's entrepreneurial history and read some of his public speeches and autobiography.

He is a man of great loyalty and affection; otherwise, he wouldn't have held a grudge over an old grievance from decades ago.

There's no use in trying to outsmart someone like that; the only thing you can do is treat them with sincerity.

Lin Xue nodded: "I'm relieved that you think that way."

Zhiyuan, I'd like to give you a piece of advice: When serving as an official, bring benefits to the people in your jurisdiction.

These eight words are easy to say but hard to do.

When you are in Qingyan, you need to keep an eye on the things in front of you, but also think about the long-term.

Long-term matters cannot be rushed, but they also cannot be delayed.

Wu Zhiyuan then took the opportunity to report on the wildlife park project and his plans to secure the new campus of the provincial vocational college in Qingyan County.

Lin Xue said, "With the Wuhe Town government being competitive in the wildlife park project and the City Investment Group's full support, there is still a good chance of success."

As the mayor, I can speak up for Qingyan County in critical moments.

However, Jiangzhou City alone cannot decide the location of the new campus for the provincial vocational college. What are your plans?

Wu Zhiyuan said, "Fu Tingting and Jiang Haipeng both came back for the New Year's gathering on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year."

During a break at the New Year's gathering, I privately reported my thoughts to them individually.

Both expressed their support, saying that their hometown's decision to consider the provincial vocational college was a sign of trust in them and a good thing.

But there are many things they can't decide on.

Fu Tingting meant that the selection of the new campus site was led by the Provincial Department of Education and the Development and Reform Commission. Although the school had some say, it still had to go through the procedures in the end.

Jiang Haipeng put it more directly, saying that as a resident of Qingyan, he couldn't avoid the issue and couldn't publicly express his support; he could only help us "check things out and offer reminders" at certain stages.

After listening, Lin Xue nodded slightly: "Jiang Haipeng's attitude is wise."

The more he avoids this kind of thing, the more it shows that he cares about his hometown.

If he starts by making promises and guarantees, then he's unreliable.

Wu Zhiyuan said, "That's how I understand it too. So my strategy is to first do a solid foundation."

First, we need to come up with a convincing site selection plan so that the province can see Qingyan's real development potential and supporting capabilities.

Secondly, we need to seek support from the city government.

Mayor Lin, we might need your support in this matter.

Lin Xue did not agree immediately, but asked, "How do you plan to persuade the province?"

Cheap land prices and a good environment alone are not enough.

The provincial vocational college wants long-term development; you need to give them a reason they can't refuse.

Wu Zhiyuan was well-prepared and answered clearly, "I plan to play three cards. The first card is the position card."

After the road was completed, it only takes half an hour to drive from Wuhe Town to Jiangzhou City, a distance that is ideal for vocational colleges.

It avoids the congestion and high land prices in the city center, but is not so remote that it would affect enrollment and the lives of teachers and students.

If the city could support the establishment of dedicated bus lines, this advantage would be even more pronounced.

"The second card is the property card."

Although Qingyan currently has a weak industrial base, we are planning a logistics industrial park and an auto parts industrial park.

If Xunfeng Motors can be introduced, coupled with the support of skilled personnel from the provincial vocational college, a virtuous cycle of "industry + education" will be formed.

What vocational schools fear most is that their students will be unemployed upon graduation.

If our industrial park can provide a large number of internship and employment opportunities, it will be a huge plus for the provincial vocational college's enrollment appeal.

The third card is the Space card.

The provincial vocational college occupies only a few hundred acres in Jiangzhou city, severely limiting its development space.

Wuhe Town can allocate several thousand acres of land at once, which not only meets the current needs but also leaves enough room for future upgrades to a university and expansion.

Furthermore, we can promise that the land price will be at the lowest possible level, and all related fees will be waived if possible.

After listening, Lin Xue pondered for a moment and said, "These three cards were played well, but one card is still missing."

Wu Zhiyuan was taken aback: "Please enlighten me, Mayor Lin."

Lin Xue said, "Talent is key. The most important thing for vocational schools is their teachers."

You, Qingyan, can link your talent introduction policy with the Provincial Vocational College.

All doctoral and master's degree holders, or senior technicians who teach at the provincial vocational college will receive additional subsidies from the county government, in addition to the school's benefits, and will be provided with conveniences in housing, children's schooling, and family employment.

If this point were included in the plan, its significance would be different.

Wu Zhiyuan's eyes lit up: "Mayor Lin's suggestion is crucial! I'll have someone add it as soon as I get back."

Lin Xue waved her hand: "Don't thank me yet. Tell me, what is Yuan Jin's attitude towards this matter?"

Wu Zhiyuan said, "I haven't formally reported to him yet. I want to wait until the plan is finalized before reporting to him, so as to avoid getting into pointless arguments from the start."

Lin Xue said seriously, "You are the county head, so you need to be clear about your position. The county head is the second-in-command, and the first-in-command is the county party secretary."

Like me, as the mayor, I consult and report to the municipal party secretary on all important matters.

Securing a new campus for the provincial vocational college is a major event for Qingyan County, not just for you, Wu Zhiyuan.

If this matter is handled successfully, the credit will go to the county party committee and the county government, and the county party secretary will also feel proud. If it is handled poorly, the responsibility will be shared.

First, make sure the plan is solid, then formally report it to the top leader and try to gain their support.

With the support of the top leader, things will go much more smoothly; without it, you'll find yourself struggling to get anywhere in the province, even if you're running around all by yourself.

Lin Xue lowered her voice: "Zhiyuan, Yuan Jin is most likely to be transferred."

Wu Zhiyuan was not surprised. He had heard before that Yuan Jin was going to be promoted to deputy director, but it was pending due to the personnel freeze.

Now that personnel restrictions have been lifted, promotions should be put on the agenda.

"Mayor Lin, is Secretary Yuan going to be promoted to deputy director level? I've heard some rumors about it."

Lin Xue nodded: "Yes."