Chapter 429: Yan Feng's Former Leader

New Peace County borders New Peace City; Chen Yang set out from the urban area and reached the New Peace County government in less than forty minutes by car.

Along the way, Chen Yang saw many greenhouse bases built on both sides of the road. Some grew vegetables, some grew fruit. Outside many greenhouses, vegetable farmers and fruit farmers set up stalls to sell their produce.

That price was already close to the purchase price of the Ordinary People's Agricultural Products Trading Company in the primary market. For ordinary consumers, it was already very friendly.

Even so, the area around their stalls remained deserted.

As Chen Yang observed along the way, he could feel that Lin Jiangye was indeed putting sincere effort into developing New Peace County's agricultural economy. However, it cannot be denied that his administrative measures were still somewhat radical.

Before establishing stable sales channels, vigorously promoting greenhouse cultivation is a very risky move. It not only fails to help farmers escape poverty, but may even increase their economic burden.

Seeing this situation, Chen Yang finally understood why Chu Linlang had repeatedly urged him to come to New Peace County.

Because if the products of these greenhouse bases encounter serious oversupply and farmers kick up a fuss, Lin Jiangye, as the leading official who promoted the project, would bear great responsibility. It could even affect his prospects for advancement.

Chen Yang's trip to New Peace County this time for investment is, for Lin Jiangye, a lifeline.

Under these circumstances, New Peace County's welcome ceremony for Chen Yang was even more elaborate than that of New Peace City. Not only did the leadership of the County Party Committee and County Government come out to greet him, but they also brought a professional drum and gong troupe that escorted him out of his car with beating drums and gongs.

After getting out of the car, Chen Yang shook hands and exchanged greetings with New Peace County's Party Secretary Yan Feng, County Mayor Lin Jiangye, and other county officials one by one.

After some pleasantries, Yan Feng and Lin Jiangye invited Chen Yang to dine at the County Party Committee's reception facility.

Chen Yang, for the sake of influence, politely declined their kindness.

In New Peace City, he had no close ties with those officials, so he could relax and enjoy their warm hospitality. However, the New Peace County mayor is his wife's paternal uncle; if the reception were too extravagant, it would easily give others leverage over him.

However, Chen Yang wanted to keep a low profile, but Yan Feng disagreed. He grabbed Chen Yang's hand and said, 'Mr. Chen, you've come all this way; if we don't entertain you well, who would dare invest here in the future?' He also gave Lin Jiangye a meaningful look.

Lin Jiangye immediately understood and said, 'Chen Yang, it's already mealtime. If you don't eat, we'd feel ashamed to eat, and the staff waiting here to greet you would also have to go hungry. Even if you don't sympathize with me as your uncle, you should at least sympathize with those staff members.'

Seeing that Lin Jiangye didn't care about appearances, Chen Yang could only agree to go with them to the County Party Committee's reception facility for a meal.

Although it's just a county-level reception facility, the food is truly excellent. A full banquet featuring everything that flies in the sky, crawls on the ground, and swims in the water was served. The drinks were all Maotai and Wuliangye.

Before they had eaten a few bites, Yan Feng began leading the toasts to Chen Yang.

Chen Yang's alcohol tolerance is poor; after three drinks he immediately had Ouyang Sheng help him deflect alcohol.

Seeing that Chen Yang truly couldn't hold his liquor, Yan Feng stopped pressing him. He said to Chen Yang, 'Mr. Chen, I've heard you're coming to invest; my former leader specifically instructed us to entertain you well and ask you for more advice on enterprise reform experience.'

Chen Yang was not clear about Yan Feng's background, so he cautiously asked, 'Secretary Yan, does your former leader also know me?'

Yan Feng laughed and said, 'Before coming to New Peace County to take office, I was the secretary of Deputy Provincial Governor Liu Jianghua. Not long ago I went to Xingcheng to report work, and the former leader specially mentioned to me that if we could persuade you to invest, New Peace County's future development would surely undergo a tremendous transformation.'

Upon hearing that Yan Feng was a person of Liu Jianghua, Chen Yang's mood immediately relaxed considerably. 'Governor Liu thinks too highly of me. My company's rapid development is largely thanks to his patronage.'

Yan Feng immediately seized the moment to say, 'Mr. Chen, the former leader holds you in very high esteem. We also hope you can point the way and help the ordinary people of New Peace County live a good life.'

Chen Yang is neither the New Peace County Party Secretary nor the County Mayor; even if Yan Feng is Liu Jianghua's secretary and Lin Jiangye is Lin Wei's paternal uncle, he does not want to take on this blame.

He directly said, 'Secretary Yan, New Peace County's economic development needs a steady, ongoing process. I believe that under your leadership, they will surely be able to live a good life.'

Seeing that Chen Yang didn't pick up on his hint, Yan Feng deliberately sighed and said, 'Mr. Chen, I and County Mayor Lin are also striving to develop New Peace County's economy. However, the products produced by workers pile up in warehouses unsold, and the fruits and vegetables planted by farmers rot in the fields with no one asking for them. If we don't solve the sales problem, all our hard work will be in vain.'

Chen Yang said, 'Secretary Yan, the agricultural products issue we can help resolve. Later we can also sign long-term cooperation agreements with relevant units and individuals. As for industrial products, you still need to find sales channels yourselves.'

Yan Feng hesitated a moment, then said to Chen Yang, 'As far as I know, Mr. Chen, you know many business elites in Xingcheng. Could you help us make a connection so they can come to New Peace County for an inspection? Or we could also go to Xingcheng to introduce them to our county's situation.'

Chen Yang's acquaintances are mostly stock traders; he knows few people in manufacturing. However, Liu Jianghua's Provincial State-owned Enterprise Reform Group has not yet disbanded; going there to inquire will surely yield results. So he told Yan Feng, 'Secretary Yan, you can prepare some materials for me. Later I will bring them to Xingcheng to show the colleagues of the Provincial State-owned Enterprise Reform Group. If they have any needs, I will inform you promptly.'

'Then thank you, Mr. Chen.' Yan Feng repeatedly expressed gratitude. In fact, he had already gone to the Provincial State-owned Enterprise Reform Group to promote New Peace County's products, but with little effect.

Having Chen Yang make another trip is a bit like trying to cure a dead horse as if it were alive. After all, Chen Yang has a closer relationship with those in the Provincial State-owned Enterprise Reform Group; for the sake of personal connections, they would also give more consideration to New Peace County.

After eating and drinking to their fill, Chen Yang formally signed an agricultural products procurement agreement with the New Peace County government.

The agreement stipulates that the New Peace County government will uniformly arrange transport vehicles to deliver farmers' products to the cold storage of the Ordinary People's Agricultural Products Trading Company in New Peace City.

Chen Yang did this mainly because purchasing products household by household would consume too much time and effort. Moreover, one might encounter farmers who raise prices arbitrarily or engage in forced buying and selling, which could easily lead to unnecessary disputes.

But having the government handle unified procurement simplifies matters for the farmers. Those willing to sell will proactively deliver to the collection point; those unwilling to sell can resolve their sales issues on their own.

This way, Chen Yang not only reduces trouble but also saves considerable manpower and material resources for the Ordinary People's Agricultural Products Trading Company.