Chapter 427: Xu Li's Request for Help

Qingshui City Municipal Party Secretary Zhou Zhixiang was taken away by the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission in the final year of his term, causing an earthquake in Qingshui City's official circles. His work was also temporarily taken over by Mayor Kong Jie, who was originally supposed to take office a few months later.

And the day after Kong Jie took over municipal committee work, Chen Yang was urgently called back to Qingshui City.

However, the one who called him back was not Kong Jie, but Deputy Mayor Xu Li.

Xu Li oversees agricultural and rural work, and since taking office her main task has been promoting the vegetable greenhouse project.

After the vegetable greenhouse project succeeded in Qingshui County, she also carried out pilot programs in several other counties of Qingshui City.

But she only recently discovered that the plan's progress was not smooth. Many pilot sites took government subsidies but merely put up empty frames to pass inspections. After she left, those greenhouses fell into disuse.

What's more headache-inducing for Xu Li is that although she detected the problem early, she cannot solve it, because most of the funds for the vegetable greenhouse pilot sites have been misappropriated.

To restart the pilot, additional funds must be invested. However, after Zhou Zhixiang's incident, many projects in the city were found to have misappropriated public funds. Everywhere needs fiscal subsidies, so Xu Li's vegetable greenhouse project cannot even get on the list.

Left with no choice, Xu Li could only call back her junior schoolmate Chen Yang for emergency help.

After hearing Xu Li's account, Chen Yang also felt a bit troubled. Because the problems Xu Li faces are not only financial, but also ideological issues among the grassroots officials of those pilot sites.

"Senior sister, how can you guarantee that the funds I invest won't be embezzled or misappropriated again by those grassroots officials?"

"Those who embezzled have already been punished; the officials now taking over are those who have passed organizational scrutiny, and they will surely take heed."

"Senior sister, those who haven't embezzled aren't unwilling to do so; they simply lack the opportunity. Once they get a taste of power, it's hard to say. So if you can't change their mindset ideologically, any further investment will just sink like a stone."

Xu Li felt Chen Yang's words were a bit alarmist. "Chen Yang, most of our officials have stood the test; you can't deny all grassroots officials just because of a few isolated cases."

Chen Yang came from the countryside and doesn't have a good impression of grassroots officials. He told Xu Li: "Senior sister, why not first select two pilot sites? Like last time, I'll invest nine million in each. After the funds are in, don't rush to monitor; wait three months and then conduct a surprise inspection. By then you'll know the answer."

Hearing this, Xu Li slightly frowned. She can be fooled even with a monthly investigation; if she ignores it for three months, those nine million might not leave a scrap.

"Chen Yang, why don't you go with me to those pilot sites for a trip? Invest in whichever you think is worth investing; for those not worth it, I'll handle them otherwise."

Chen Yang immediately rejected Xu Li's suggestion. "Senior sister, knowing a person's face doesn't reveal their heart. I'm not a god; how could I tell loyalty from treachery after just one meeting?"

Xu Li sighed and said: "Chen Yang, senior sister rarely asks you for a favor. If you think this method won't work, then come up with a good solution for me!"

Chen Yang thought for a while, then told Xu Li: "Senior sister, I think you should set them a concrete target. According to the current yield standard of Qingshui County's vegetable greenhouse base, assign them assessment tasks. Those who fail to meet it should be punished or replaced as appropriate."

Xu Li thought Chen Yang's suggestion was good. Only by making grassroots officials feel their positions are insecure will they resolutely carry out her plan.

"Chen Yang, how much funding are you preparing to invest?"

Chen Yang glanced at the information Xu Li gave about those pilot sites, did not immediately reply, but said to her: "Senior sister, give me one week. I'll first send people to conduct on-site inspections, then give you an answer."

Xu Li had no objection. Although she sought Chen Yang's return for emergency help, she hopes more for a win-win outcome.

After leaving the municipal government, Chen Yang drove straight to Shuanglin Market and found Zheng Yun. He had him bring people to investigate the actual situation at the pilot sites designated by Xu Li.

Chen Yang's main purpose was also to gain a deeper understanding of whether local conditions are suitable for the vegetable greenhouse project.

In his view, Qingshui City already has enough vegetable greenhouse bases. If some places are unsuitable, he can invest in other agricultural projects instead.

This would not only make Xu Li owe him a favor, but also enrich his company's range of saleable products.

After five days, Zheng Yun's investigation finally yielded results. Of the twelve pilot sites, only four were worth investing in vegetable greenhouses. The other locations were suitable for fruit planting, some for aquaculture, and some for raising poultry.

Chen Yang took the investigation report to Xu Li and explained his ideas to her.

Xu Li's goal is to revitalize the rural economy; as long as a project can make money, even if it's not the vegetable greenhouse project she strongly promotes, she supports it. However, she also has some concerns.

"Chen Yang, if we change the investment items according to your plan, what should be done with those abandoned greenhouses?"

Chen Yang said: "I have two solutions. First, transfer them at low cost to local villagers willing to run vegetable greenhouses. Second, demolish them all and send them to Shuangfeng Town. There, many greenhouse foundations are still unbuilt, so these materials will definitely be usable."

Xu Li weighed it carefully, then told Chen Yang: "I'll first look into the situation. If the grassroots officials and villagers are willing to continue this project, let them do it. If no one wants to take it over, then demolish them all and send them to Shuangfeng Town."

Chen Yang had no objection. After all, the funds for these vegetable greenhouse pilot sites are government money; how to dispose of them is Xu Li's prerogative.

After the matter was settled, Chen Yang invested four million in each of the four vegetable greenhouse pilot sites. This investment will later be offset against the value of the vegetable greenhouse products.

At the same time, he also signed cooperation agreements with the other pilot sites for fruit planting, aquaculture, and poultry farming.

In these agreements, Chen Yang need not provide investment; he only needs to purchase their products at market prices, guaranteeing them stable income.

Of course, doing this also greatly reduces Chen Yang's investment risk.

After all, there are too many uncontrollable factors in the countryside. Once an accident occurs, this investment will go down the drain.

Therefore, most businessmen will not directly invest in rural industries; instead, they establish reciprocal relations with related industrial projects through cooperation.

In Qingshui City, aside from the projects handled by Lin Wei and those in Longcoiling Town, Chen Yang does not want to actively pour large sums of capital into investments anymore.