Chapter 416

November 16, Zhao Tao returned to the City Government and immediately summoned Lu Fan to his office for an in-depth discussion on wind power indicators, the underground city complex project, and the sports center project.

Regarding the wind power indicators, Zhao Tao agreed with Lu Fan's opinion and additionally issued scoring adjustment rules, raising the total score to 200 points, of which 100 points are for industrial supporting projects, and agreed to audit and clean up previously unbuilt wind and solar projects.

After reaching a preliminary consensus, Zhao Tao spoke earnestly: 'Lu Fan, the allocation of wind power indicators should in principle follow fairness, justice, and transparency. But we are performing a 'play with a patron'; superior directives must still be implemented, and Secretary Ruifang and I have our own unavoidable difficulties!'

Lu Fan understood these points, and also realized that true fairness does not exist; one can only maintain fairness within a certain scope and, under the rules, strive as much as possible to seek benefits for the masses.

Lu Fan felt there was no need to beat around the bush and asked directly: 'The Development and Reform Commission has planned 48 projects; how exactly should they be allocated? Please instruct, Mayor!'

Zhao Tao thought for a moment and said: 'I will go to the Municipal Party Committee later to consult Secretary Ruifang's opinion before making a decision. Moreover, the underground city complex project also needs to be implemented as soon as possible; at the very least, the underground second-level city roads can be started immediately. As for the commercial development on the underground first level, it can be done through investment promotion, but the two city squares and the memorial hall still need government investment, after all, they are public welfare basic infrastructure construction.'

Lu Fan's opinion was to bundle the underground first-level commercial development and the squares into one project, conduct investment promotion to reduce government funding, but stubbornly insisting otherwise is not a solution; thus he agreed with the mayor's view, intending to seek as much benefit for the government as possible during the investment promotion process.

As for the sports center, Lu Fan still insisted on his opinion, emphasizing that the Municipal Party Committee and City Government should pay attention to the development and utilization of post-event functions of sports venues, as well as scientific planning of the scale and standards of venue construction, to avoid extravagant waste and superficiality.

Zhao Tao adopted all these opinions, promising to invite experts and scholars to conduct detailed demonstrations of the projects and to work out feasible plans.

After reaching a preliminary consensus, Zhao Tao felt relieved, smiled, and said: 'Working together as a team is also fate; having differences of opinion on certain work is perfectly normal. As long as we maintain a problem‑solving attitude and communicate calmly, we will surely reach consensus—solutions always outnumber difficulties! Lu Fan, I believe that with our joint efforts, the Yingjiang City Government will surely become a cohesive, executive, and combat‑effective team!'

Lu Fan nodded firmly and replied earnestly: 'Please rest assured, Mayor; as long as it benefits economic development and improves people's livelihood, I will unwaveringly support your work!'

Returning to his office, Lu Fan had his secretary notify Wu Wentong, director of the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, to come to the office to arrange the application work for wind and solar projects.

Zhao Tao then went to the Municipal Party Committee with documents, deliberately stopping at Secretary Yao Qian's office, smiling and asking: 'Secretary Yao, is the secretary in?'

Seeing the visitor, Yao Qian hastily rose and politely replied: 'Mayor, Secretary Si is reporting work; I will go in to inform him.'

Zhao Tao waved his hand and said: 'No rush, I'll wait a moment.'

Sitting on the sofa, gazing at the beautiful secretary with bright eyes and lovely features, Zhao Tao could not help but ask: 'Secretary Yao, are you advocating single blessedness?'

Yao Qian smiled faintly and politely replied: 'I believe fate is predestined; thank you for your concern, Mayor!'

The mayor's lips curled up as he said: 'Secretary Yao, you are outstanding; I happen to know some young talents and would be glad to introduce you to them.'

Yao Qian smiled again and politely declined: 'Mayor, I appreciate your kindness, but I currently do not have much energy to consider these matters.'

Her voice was soft yet firm, carrying an irresistible charm, but Zhao Tao keenly noticed a fleeting hint of disappointment in Yao Qian's eyes that was hard to detect.

They chatted on and off like that; for some reason, Zhao Tao found himself actually enjoying this state, the long‑dormant heartstring beginning to tremble slightly! He could not help but sigh inwardly, 'To have such a beauty, I have no regrets in this life!'

In Secretary Li Ruifang's office, Si Daiqiang was striving hard, hoping to get a share among the posts of industry and information technology, state‑owned assets, housing and urban‑rural development, the Political and Legal Committee Secretary of Hongqi County, and the deputy director of the Development and Reform Commission.

Whether it is the secretary's office meeting or the five‑person small group meeting, the full‑time deputy secretary is indispensable, and the standing committee's agenda still requires the deputy secretary's procedural oversight.

Li Ruifang could join other standing committee members to pass a resolution directly at the standing committee meeting, but she cannot rely on authority or pressure, given Si Daiqiang's special status and the need to maintain team unity; moreover, contentious issues in the five‑person small group meeting are generally not brought to the standing committee.

After more than half an hour of discussion, Li Ruifang finally made a concession, yielding the position of Hongqi County Political and Legal Committee Secretary.

Although they did not secure a full bureau‑level post, this personnel adjustment at least secured the chairmanship of the Disabled Persons' Federation and the Hongqi County Political and Legal Committee Secretary, which counts as a small gain. Pushing out two, promoting two internally, and thereby able to adjust a large batch, the personnel situation in Zhenbei District has been completely overhauled; leadership authority and capability are forged in successive cadre reshuffles, and following you means having meat to eat!

After coming out, Si Daiqiang saw the mayor in Yao Qian's office and hurried in, saying: 'Secretary Yao, how can we keep the mayor waiting?'

Yao Qian found it hard to explain, and Zhao Tao laughed, saying: 'Just sorting out my thoughts, no problem! Secretary Si, I'm going in now.'

Si Daiqiang politely replied: 'Mayor, when you have free time, do come sit with me; I happen to have some tea leaves.'

Entering Li Ruifang's office, Zhao Tao reported on the progress of the wind power indicators, the underground city complex project, and the sports center project, indicating that the City Government had formed a unified opinion and would submit it to the standing committee for review as soon as possible, striving to launch the tender process this month.

Secretary Li Ruifang nodded slightly and said: 'In the course of work, differences of opinion are inevitable; blushing and sweating are no disgrace. As long as we consistently uphold the principle of serving the overall situation and being conscientious and responsible, we will always reach consensus.'

Currently, our work is myriad and increasingly complex; every item is a tough nut, every spot a steep slope and treacherous shoal, requiring capable and daring cadres to charge forward. Therefore, as the principal leaders, we must prioritize the cause, have the breadth to accommodate others and the heart to cherish talent, frequently exchange ideas and hone our work with everyone, so that we support each other in work and complement each other in business, only then can our cause advance to a higher level. Mayor, regarding the wind power indicators, I have a list here that was handed down by the two principal leaders; it must be implemented in full!

Zhao Tao took it, counted carefully, and found there were 18 items; feeling much more at ease, he then said: 'Secretary, Lu Fan has already arranged for the Municipal Development and Reform Commission to launch the project application procedure; we will communicate further when it reaches the scoring stage.'

Li Ruifang emphasized: 'I will instruct Lu Fan on the wind power indicators matter; you must strengthen your overall‑situation awareness, always consider problems, make decisions, and work from the standpoint of the overall situation, consciously contribute to upholding and serving the overall situation, ensure that superior important instructions are carried out without compromise, and absolutely cannot allow any discount!'

After finishing the discussion on the items, Li Ruifang turned to the cadre adjustment work.

As mayor, not competing is impossible; Zhao Tao 'bit the bullet' on the directors of the Industry and Information Technology Bureau and the State‑Owned Assets Commission, refusing to back down, and implicitly indicated that there were a dozen or so vacancies, requiring the adjustment of twenty to thirty cadres; as a proper mayor, asking for just two is not too much, is it?

Li Ruifang stressed that cadre adjustment must take into account the demands of all standing committee members, consider the specific conditions of each county and district and each department, and the Municipal Party Committee must look after the overall situation while attending to all aspects.

After more than half an hour of negotiation, they finally reached consensus, and the mayor secured the directorship of the Industry and Information Technology Bureau, finally gaining a foothold in the City Government's constituent departments!

November 17, the Yingjiang City Government held a Party Group meeting to study and deploy the wind power indicators, the underground city complex project, and the sports center project.

The wind power project is to be overseen by Executive Vice Mayor Lu Fan, with coordination from the Municipal Development and Reform Commission and the Finance Bureau, and implementation by each county and district.

The underground city complex project is to be overseen by Vice Mayor Gao Ke, with coordination from the Municipal Transportation Bureau, Natural Resources Division, and Urban Management Bureau, among other departments.

The sports center project is to be overseen by Vice Mayor Yang Shaokai, with coordination from the Xincheng District Management Committee.

At the meeting, Mayor Zhao Tao felt the weight of authority in his hands and, with high spirits, emphasized: The whole city must adhere to the 'project‑first' principle, genuinely strengthen the sense of responsibility and urgency in project implementation, and promote high‑quality planning and execution to drive Yingjiang's high‑quality economic development. The leaders in charge of respective portfolios should, based on the actual projects, solidify and refine project approval and preliminary procedures, actively raise project funds, enhance project planning maturity, and ensure projects are launched and implemented as soon as possible.

Lu Fan and several vice mayors made statements of position, saying they would implement the Party Group meeting's arrangements, further tighten and solidify responsibility, proactively serve and promptly resolve problems in project construction, and spare no effort to accelerate the advancement of key projects.

November 18, the Yingjiang Municipal Development and Reform Commission issued the notice 'On Carrying Out the Work Related to the Development and Construction of Wind and Solar Power Projects in Our City in 2021,' requiring each county and district to properly prepare the application for development and construction plans.

The City Government convened a special meeting to implement this work, with Executive Vice Mayor Lu Fan presiding and delivering remarks.

After the meeting, Lu Fan held individual talks with the party secretaries and mayors of each county and district, making specific arrangements for the implementation of the wind power project, requiring each county and district to guarantee the quality of the supporting projects of interested enterprises and to collect the full investment guarantee deposit.

From today onward, Lu Fan's office became a 'marketplace,' with the heads of all inventory‑holding enterprises coming to liaise, hoping to take advantage in the supporting projects, and some even brandished the 'big leader' tiger's might to intimidate.

Lu Fan consistently practiced 'smiling service,' no matter how floridly you spoke, he would not budge, and the guarantee deposit could not be short by even a single cent.

After dealing with this for three full days, Lu Fan, unable to endure the disturbance any longer, brought Deputy Secretary‑General Duan Yongjiao and the director of the Emergency Management Bureau, Gao Zhanpeng, to inspect the coal mine.