Cao Gang stood by the window, his face dark, watching the officials coming and going. It wasn't until the cigarette butt burned his hand that he subconsciously turned and walked to his desk, stubbing out the cigarette in the ashtray with force.
The door was slightly ajar, and laughter could be heard from the corridor. Although the specific conversation was unclear, Cao Gang knew it wouldn't stray from those two topics.
In the past two days, the officials in the agency had been enthusiastically discussing two topics. One was the county's decision to purchase another Santana as a vehicle for the county People's Congress, and the other was a Hong Kong businessman coming to Nantang to examine the investment environment.
If buying a Santana was already a major news story in the county, then deciding to buy another one within a month, and specifically for the county People's Congress, couldn't help but spark a lot of discussion among the officials.
The first Santana, which had been parked in the agency garage without being used, had attracted a lot of attention from the moment it was bought. Especially the county Party Secretary and Chairman of the People's Congress, Lin Shunlu, publicly questioned the county's decision to spend 200,000 yuan on a Santana in such a tight fiscal situation. Although the agency affairs office explained that the money didn't come from the county treasury but from the county's modern agricultural development company, which had temporarily lent it to the county Party Committee, this explanation clearly didn't satisfy Lin Shunlu.
Cao Gang had always watched this drama with a sense of amusement. Buying a car for An Dejian was Shen Zili's suggestion. An Dejian was very smart; he bought the car but didn't use it, clearly waiting for the fuss to die down before using it. However, he didn't expect Lin Shunlu to be so persistent,纠缠着不放, and Cao Gang was most pleased to see this situation.
Unexpectedly, the situation took a turn. Shen Zili not only proposed at the county government office meeting to purchase another Santana to solve the vehicle needs of the county People's Congress but also explicitly stated that after buying this Santana, the county government would temporarily not purchase any more vehicles. This was essentially a statement that he, as the county magistrate, would not change his mode of transportation, which immediately silenced the others.
This move was very effective, quickly easing the relationship with Lin Shunlu and allowing An Dejian to sit in the Santana that had been parked for a month without being used. An Dejian's Volga was handed over to the county CPPCC, and the Shanghai that the county People's Congress and the county CPPCC had shared was now in the hands of the county Party Committee. Xu Xiaochun was naturally overjoyed, and even Qin Haiji had nothing to say.
Thinking about this, Cao Gang couldn't help but sigh. A hero can be brought down by a single penny, and money makes things easier. This was no exaggeration. Spending an extra 200,000 yuan on this Santana had broken the deadlock, changing the situation in the county. Shen Zili had also escaped his awkward position. With An Dejian in charge and Lin Shunlu playing his part, Shen Zili's position in the county had greatly improved. The tacit understanding between himself and Qin Haiji seemed to be immediately challenged.
Lin Shunlu was not easy to fool. This man, who had been the Party Secretary for many years, usually seemed unassuming, but many people in the townships and county agencies had been promoted during his tenure. Even if they weren't his confidants, he hadn't blocked their paths, and many people still remembered his kindness. Moreover, An Dejian was watching from the sidelines with a subtle attitude.
This was when An Dejian's high level of skill truly showed. Thinking about this, Cao Gang felt somewhat frustrated.
An Dejian, this old fox, always controlled everything without showing his hand. He might be aware of the small tricks played by Cao Gang and Qin Haiji, but he remained calm and indifferent, indicating that he had the confidence. Shen Zili's clever resolution might not have been without An Dejian's guidance.
If that were the case, then the thoughts of Cao Gang and Qin Haiji would be meaningless.
Of course, Cao Gang didn't know that this was just a suggestion from Shen Zili's former secretary. Otherwise, he would regret having supported Lu Weimin's transfer to the Three Offices.
If this matter only troubled Cao Gang, then the next series of actions by Mao Rong, who "recovered" and began to lead the industrial development zone's establishment and investment attraction, and the Hong Kong businessman's visit to examine the investment environment in Nantang before the People's Congress, made Cao Gang not just annoyed but felt like a thorn in his back.
Shen Zili was a dispatched official, and Cao Gang had never thought that Shen Zili would stay in Nantang for long. Even if Shen Zili were to take over as county magistrate, Cao Gang still held this view. For a dispatched official to serve as a county magistrate and solve the problem of a full-time position at the county level was normal. Shen Zili's family was in Changzhou, and in the past year, his family had never even shown up, which clearly indicated his own thoughts.
For such a gold-plating official, he might not even want to stay in Nantang as the county Party Secretary. Solving a full-time position and getting a couple of years of grassroots experience would greatly benefit his future promotion in the province. This was probably Shen Zili's true intention. Now, what Cao Gang hoped most was that Shen Zili would stay as the county magistrate for a year or so, realize that grassroots work was indeed difficult, and find a way to transfer back to the province. Since Shen Zili could come down for a temporary post, he must have connections, and it shouldn't be difficult to transfer back once his goal was achieved.
What Cao Gang feared was that Shen Zili would find the job of county magistrate appealing, feel a sense of purpose, and decide to make a real effort to achieve something here. That would be a bit tricky.
Of course, it wasn't that if Shen Zili didn't leave, Cao Gang would have no chance of promotion. But Cao Gang felt that he was familiar with the situation in Nantang and had built his career here. It would be best to rise in Nantang. If he had to go to another county, he would need an adaptation period, which wouldn't be as easy as continuing in Nantang.
Mao Rong's allegiance was undoubtedly a bad sign, and Lü Yuchuan's support at the county government office meeting today further confirmed this. Shen Zili was gradually adapting to his role, step by step, and beginning to use his power to consolidate his influence and cultivate his own base. From the current situation, he had already achieved some results.
Thinking about this, Cao Gang couldn't help but sigh. Shen Zili really had good luck. How could he attract investment from a Hong Kong businessman at this critical moment? This was a very sensitive topic for the upcoming county People's Congress and would certainly add points to Shen Zili's favor. Thinking about this, Cao Gang felt even more depressed. It seemed that none of this could have happened without Lu Weimin's mediation. How could he have underestimated this guy?
The recommendation list position is unstable. Brothers, if you still have recommendation tickets today, please give a few to help me stabilize my position! Also, thank you to the book friends like Shuyan Chaxiang, Huiyi de Cunzai, and Changchang de Nitu for your generous support. Without your enthusiastic support, I wouldn't have the motivation.