Chapter 40: Unprecedented Pressure

*Tap, tap, tap... *

The office door was knocked gently. Gao Qingkui knew it was Zhang Deyou: "Come in!"

Zhang Deyou pushed the door in, his gaze naturally falling on the phone on the desk. The phone line was gone, lying on the ground.

"I pulled the phone line too."

Gao Qingkui didn't speak. Zhang Deyou wanted to say something, but seeing Gao Qingkui's expressionless face, he chose to shut up very decisively.

The office fell into an eerie silence. Enterprise leaders like Gao Qingkui and Zhang Deyou couldn't be said to have no ability, but their abilities were all used in mutual friction and fishing for benefits for themselves. After all, in the era of unified purchase and marketing, there was no need to consider product sales. As long as people were managed well and no safety production accidents occurred, it was fine.

When the market economy arrived, they didn't want to change, sticking to the old set of ideas, willing to be peaceful officials, content with the status quo, not seeking merit, but seeking no mistakes, having no overall awareness, not considering the long-term development of the enterprise, only wanting to fish for benefits without wanting to put in effort, considering their own one-third of an acre of land first when thinking about problems and handling things, and even treating the enterprise as their own private property, not allowing anyone to interfere.

And now, Gu Bing's actions were snatching the meat they had already clamped into their bowls, which made them feel very angry, but they looked down on Gu Bing from the bottom of their hearts and didn't believe Gu Bing could snatch the meat from their bowls.

But the calls that came in yesterday afternoon really made them panic a bit. Zhang Deyou found someone to ask what Gu Bing had done in the past few days, and then told Gao Qingkui when he came back.

The two studied until midnight, but couldn't see any mystery in it. Instead, it looked like child's play—arranging a batch of employees to sell liquor everywhere, and then arranging another batch of employees to buy it. Playing house? If there was a highlight, it was the calendar advertisement, which was indeed shot well, and the advertising slogan on it was also very good. As for causing such a big influence, even making the Provincial Supply and Marketing Cooperative Director call to inquire, they thought it was just luck.

Don't know how long it had been, Gao Qingkui broke the somewhat oppressive silence: "I received several calls from city leaders, all inquiring about Jiangzhou Jiangzhou Yugong Liquor."

When work started today, the office phone rang non-stop, still inquiring about Jiangzhou Jiangzhou Yugong Liquor, and many were city leaders, which gave Gao Qingkui unprecedented pressure.

City leaders wouldn't care if Jiangzhou Jiangzhou Yugong had changed its name or changed its packaging to big sorghum liquor, as long as the liquor could be sold. Gao Qingkui was virtuous and respected, saying this was fraud and absolutely couldn't be sold. City leaders would definitely listen to his opinions, but the premise was that he had to be able to save the winery and let over a thousand employees have food to eat.

Zhang Deyou hadn't officially taken office yet, so he hadn't received any calls from city leaders: "Then you..."

He didn't continue, but Gao Qingkui also understood: "Fraud, of course, cannot be sold."

Zhang Deyou also felt the pressure: "What should we do next?"

Gao Qingkui's old face twitched: "There's a meeting in the city the day after tomorrow, I'll attend. At that time, I will report the winery's problems to the leaders, especially Gu Bing. He must be removed from his post. He absolutely cannot be allowed to continue messing around like this, otherwise, a big problem will arise. As for the winery's development, we'll study it after the New Year."

Zhang Deyou really wanted to say, you're retiring in a few days after the New Year, but looking at Gao Qingkui's appearance at this time, he didn't dare to say it.

"Gu Bing convened a staff meeting yesterday morning. I've thought about it, it definitely isn't as simple as buying people's hearts."

Gao Qingkui snorted coldly: "As long as his liquor can't be sold, no matter what conspiracy he has, it's useless to us."

Gu Bing wrote a note and handed it to Zhou Andong: "What do you need this note for? You can just take them directly to the warehouse."

Zhou Andong took the note: "I want them to know that only with the note approved by Gu Shuji can the goods be taken out. No one else can."

Gu Bing chuckled: "I like hearing that."

Zhou Andong walked out with the note: "Director Jian, discuss with the leader where to eat. I'll go when I get back, I'm a bit hungry."

In the corridor, Jiang Yuyue was chatting with those individual merchants, laughing from time to time. Seeing Zhou Andong come out, she jumped over: "Why did you just come out?"

Zhou Andong said with a smile: "The leader said it's cold today, and insisted I drink a cup of tea to warm up before leaving."

Jiang Yuyue sneered: "You're bragging."

"Alright, alright, everyone, be quiet. How many people are you in total?"

"We are twenty-nine people in total." The young man shouted again.

Zhou Andong said to the administrator: "I'll take them to the Finance Section to pay, you do the outbound registration, and then arrange a vehicle to help them transport the liquor to the station."

"Alright, alright!" The administrator's attitude toward Zhou Andong took a 180-degree turn, extremely polite. Then, suppressing his excitement, he moved 145 cases of liquor to the door, did the outbound registration, and ran back to the logistics department.

"Old Zhao, what are you running for?"

"Old Liu!" Administrator Old Zhao panted. "The liquor was sold. I'm looking for someone to load the liquor and send it to the station."

Old Liu was old, with a face full of stubble and a big red nose. Before he even got close, he could smell the alcohol all over him.

"Really sold?" Old Liu's tone was very surprised. "The ex-factory price is 32, there really are fools who buy it."

"What kind of talk is that." Old Zhao was dissatisfied: "The liquor was sold. You mean, you're not happy?"

"No, no!" Old Liu hurriedly waved his hand. "I just can't figure it out. The big sorghum liquor ex-factory was only 4.3, they didn't buy it. Now the liquor is still the same liquor, just changed the packaging, changed the name, and it rose to 32, yet they ran over to buy it. You say it's strange."

Old Zhao snorted: "What's strange about that? Since Gu Shuji dares to do this, he must be like a blind man eating dumplings—he knows what's in his heart."

Old Liu was unwilling: "Old Zhao, I find you're really not a good person. When I heard Gu Shuji was initiating reform and wanted to invest a lot of money, you were the one who cursed the loudest, saying that with that money, it would be better to pay wages for the New Year."

Old Zhao's face darkened, and he flicked his arm: "Can't be bothered to talk to you, I have something to do, I'm leaving."

At this time, the atmosphere in the Finance Section was a bit eerie. Besides the sound of the abacus clicking, there was no other sound.

Zhou Andong had a cigarette in his mouth, sitting on a chair. Those individual merchants stood to one side, while the people in the Finance Section, whether they were knitting sweaters, reading newspapers, or eating melon seeds, all raised their heads, looking at the accountant He Xiaoling who was clicking the abacus.

"Alright!" He Xiaoling pushed the abacus to the side. "Sealed Jiangzhou Yugong, 165 per bottle, six bottles per case, 990. Unsealed Jiangzhou Yugong, 32 per bottle, six bottles per case, four cases 768, total 1758 yuan."

The others in the Finance Section gasped when they heard this. They counted the number of people and calculated in their hearts. A woman's hand trembled, and a handful of melon seeds scattered on the ground.

145 cases, 870 bottles, sold. In the past, at 4.3 per bottle, 870 bottles would be less than four thousand. After changing the name and packaging, it actually sold for a sky-high price, which really scared them.