Chapter 514

In practice, the truth shows; 'Asking Governance' became a touchstone, with the top leaders of 28 departments and counties all appearing, making it clear who are heroes and who are clowns; the audience felt as clear as a mirror, and Lu Fan naturally knew it too.

Employ one worthy person, and worthy people will all come; employ one petty person, and petty people will all flock. Lu Fan has already begun plotting a new round of personnel adjustments in his mind; he cannot allow mediocrities to occupy important leadership posts.

When 'Asking Governance Nanyuan' ended, Lu Fan emphasized that departments must shoulder responsibility, deeply reflect, take heed, and muster the courage to look inward and the resolve for self‑reform, tackling problem rectification strictly, practically, and swiftly. These 42 issues must have clear persons in charge and deadlines, ensuring every item is settled and every matter gets a response, winning public trust through concrete action.

Lu Fan demanded that the Municipal Discipline Inspection Committee and the Municipal Party Committee Supervision Office strengthen supervision and coordination, oversee the entire rectification process, and seriously pursue accountability for units and persons responsible for perfunctory, false, or buck‑passing rectification, while promptly informing the public and soliciting feedback from the masses, consciously accepting public supervision and judgment.

Lu Fan said that 'Asking Governance Nanyuan' should continue, focusing on the hotspots, difficulties, pain points, and bottlenecks in urban development and social life, to build a face‑to‑face direct communication and equal deliberation platform for government departments and the citizenry.

After the program ended, Lu Fan instructed Municipal Party Secretary Dou Zhengyang to arrange his schedule so he could attend every episode of 'Asking Governance Nanyuan' as much as possible; if there were special arrangements, he must ask the municipal authorities to act as a 'anchor'. The program should become a touchstone for Nanyuan City's leading cadres — no covering up, no protecting shortcomings, no evasion, no empty talk, no just going through the motions — to bring out the problems of each county and department for all to see, to separate the mules from the horses!

After the program aired, Nan County sprang into action; County Secretary Shen Youqing personally arranged for engineering vehicles to enter the village, transforming the damaged road into a 5‑meter‑wide cement road, ensuring a smooth, clean surface and unimpeded traffic.

Vice Mayor Ma Caihong personally went to the Municipal Education Bureau to hold a special meeting on the issues raised in 'Asking Governance Nanyuan', researching solutions.

The Municipal Urban Management Bureau gathered all heating companies, issuing a strict order: pipeline maintenance must be completed before November, and this year's indoor heating temperature must reach at least 19 degrees; each degree short will incur fines and the manager will be replaced!

All counties and departments swiftly took action, conducting rectification with vigor and determination. Because Secretary Lu had emphasized that the Municipal Party Committee Supervision Office would follow up on their promised items one by one, anyone who 'doesn't keep their word' should not blame the secretary for being 'unscrupulous' — he will remove your 'hat' without warning.

After work in the afternoon, Lu Fan summoned Secretary Dou Zhengyang to his office and said, 'How is Changping County's Executive County Chief Ma Yang?'

Dou Zhengyang thought and replied, 'Secretary, Ma Yang rose step by step from the township level; his work style is firm, he dares to take responsibility, his work has ideas and methods, his execution is strong, he has drive in undertaking and entrepreneurship, though he sometimes shows a 'parental' style, appearing arbitrary and domineering. I have heard nothing negative about his integrity; his personality is rather forthright, yet he has a coarse exterior with fine details.'

Lu Fan nodded and said, 'Over the past two years, Nanyuan's education tasks have been heavy; the Education Bureau still lacks a director, needing a leader with vision to take charge of the overall situation.'

Dou Zhengyang replied, 'Okay, Secretary, I understand!'

'Well, liaise with the Organization Department, consult Wang Muyi's opinion, after the executive leaves, rotate internally, and find someone from the Municipal Party Office to fill the vacant post.'

'Thank you for your support, Secretary! I will implement it.'

After returning to his office, Dou Zhengyang dialed Ma Yang, the Executive Vice County Chief of Changping County, and said, 'Do you have any work arrangements this afternoon?'

'No arrangements, please give instructions, Secretary!' Ma Yang answered very bluntly; in fact he was accompanying a deputy director from the provincial department on research, and still had to receive guests that evening. But he certainly knew which was more important: the secretary's arrangement is a major matter, being Lu Fan's chief of staff — could it be that Lu Fan has made an arrangement?

'Come to my office for a bit; I have something to tell you.'

'Okay, Secretary, I'll set out shortly.'

After hanging up, Ma Yang found the deputy director, showed an anxious expression, lied that something had happened at home, apologized, and hurriedly drove to the Municipal Party Committee, accompanied by another vice county chief for the research. He had a strong premonition that good things were coming! Because when Lu Fan last visited Changping County for research, it was Ma Yang who reported the work, and he could sense Lu Fan's satisfaction, having chatted with him for a while.

Now the leaders of Nanyuan all know that Secretary Lu's standard for selecting and employing people is based on actual performance, ability, and emphasis on responsibility.

Arriving at Dou Zhengyang's office, Ma Yang carefully placed two boxes of produce, respectfully saying, 'Last time I inspected Yunnan Province, I picked up some pu'er tea; please have the Secretary and Secretary taste it — I dare not present it to the Secretary myself.' This was also a probing gesture.

Dou Zhengyang gave a faint smile and said, 'You've got me making a mistake again; I'll give it a try — the Secretary indeed likes drinking pu'er. Ma Yang, what do you think of Nanyuan's education work?'

All set! He really wants to advance! Ma Yang thought and said, 'The Secretary's emphasis on education work is evident to all citizens; there are still three key high schools under construction. In the recent 'Asking Governance Nanyuan', the Secretary publicly promised teachers' professional titles and out‑of‑district enrollment — this ought to be the top priority. Moreover, the Secretary has issued concrete requirements for next year's college‑entrance exam results to the Municipal Education Bureau and each county, which need to be implemented rigorously…'

After speaking for nearly ten minutes, Dou Zhengyang said satisfiedly, 'You, as Executive Vice County Chief, are quite familiar with education work; you have the Secretary's instructions on education clearly in mind, making you very suitable to be the Education Bureau director — it seems the Secretary didn't misjudge you!'

Upon hearing that, Ma Yang knew there was no longer any doubt, and tentatively asked, 'Secretary, do you think it appropriate for me to report work to the Secretary now?'

Dou Zhengyang shook his head and said, 'Go back and stand your final post; don't leak the news, lest unnecessary trouble arise — some things you just need to know in your heart.'

Ma Yang's face showed a determined expression as he replied, 'Please rest assured, Secretary; I know my limits. I will surely carry a grateful heart and complete every task the Secretary assigns with high quality! No matter which post I hold, I will actively fulfill my duties and never disappoint the Secretary's trust and expectations.'

After work in the afternoon, Lu Fan finished his meal at the small kitchen and then walked around the courtyard again.

Someone upstairs leaned out of a window and muttered, 'Look, Secretary Lu is starting to 'walk in circles' again — could he be plotting another personnel adjustment?'

'Don't say that; it's exactly the same as last time, with Secretary Dou following behind at his rear.'

Suddenly, the person at the window saw Secretary Lu stop his steps and give the secretary a few instructions.

At seven o'clock in the evening, Municipal Party Secretary Lu Fan presided over a five‑person meeting to specifically study personnel adjustments.

When everyone had gathered, Lu Fan said, 'Sorry to disturb your rest; let's hold a brief meeting to discuss the candidates for the head of the Municipal Education Bureau and the chief of the City Investment Company.'

Organization Department Head Feng Guanqiao said, 'According to post requirements, the Organization Department has selected suitable candidates city‑wide; we preliminarily recommend Changping County Executive Vice County Chief Ma Yang as director of the Municipal Education Bureau, and Municipal Party Committee Supervision Office Director Tang Wenxian as party secretary and chairman of the Municipal City Investment Group Company; I will now detail their situations…'

After the report, Mayor Su Xiang Hai, Deputy Secretary Wang Hong, and Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary Fang Yang each expressed their agreement.

Lu Fan settled it with a single word: 'That's it then; we'll carry out the inspection procedure tomorrow. School is about to start, and we need to distribute uniforms to the children — I suggest letting Ma Yang and Tang Wenxian take up their posts and perform the duties, acting as interim heads. Guanqiao, you will escort them to their posts tomorrow.'

Feng Guanqiao replied, 'Okay, Secretary!'

Lu Fan continued, 'Xianghai, you previously said you wanted to adjust the General Office — share your thoughts; this time we'll adjust it together. Also, we need to finalize the positions of Changping County Executive Vice County Chief and the Municipal Party Committee Supervision Office director, so the posts aren't left vacant.'

Thereafter, several leaders, each according to their own 'turf', gave their opinions, and Lu Fan agreed with all of them.

The meeting lasted only half an hour before ending, quite efficient.

In present‑day Nanyuan, regarding personnel matters Lu Fan 'rules with a single shout'; the mayor and deputy secretary do not vie for power, adjustments in standing‑committee units are decided by the standing committee, making things harmonious and united. Though one might call it a 'one‑man show', this situation benefits Nanyuan's current development — everyone performs their duties, policies are swiftly implemented, all are planning work, and Nanyuan progresses by leaps and bounds.

The next morning, rumors of the personnel adjustments spread; the few people upstairs exchanged knowing smiles — indeed they had guessed correctly.

The acting director of the Education Bureau, Ma Yang, having just taken office, vigorously convened a leadership team meeting to study and deploy how to implement several directives from the Municipal Party Committee Secretary Lu, using the vacant deputy director post to firmly build the team and improve cadres' work style, giving the Education Bureau a completely new outlook.

Upon arriving at the City Investment Company, Tang Wenxian immediately began researching the ongoing projects, starting with integrity construction, grasping solid work style and responsibility, a mindset of contentment coupled with ambition, and sweeping away the poor work‑style habits left by Ma Tao.

Around noon, as work was about to end, Lu Fan received a call from Ceng Ming, laughing as he asked, 'How have you been lately? Are the brothers all well?'

Ceng Ming replied, 'We're all here; work hasn't been too busy lately, and we want to visit you and Wenlong in Nanyuan this weekend.'

Lu Fan said, 'Speak up if you have something; you're all deputy division‑level leaders — how could you be so idle? Between us there's no need for politeness!'

Ceng Ming said somewhat embarrassedly, 'The secretary of Hongqi County has gone to Yinzhou, Guo Xiaopeng is said to be due for promotion, and Yingjiang District should see a major adjustment…'

Lu Fan cut off Ceng Ming's call and replied, 'Wanting to advance is good; I understand what you mean — how is the situation in the city now?'

Ceng Ming sighed and said: "Clear distinction, each does their own thing. Mayor Si has great determination, mainly focuses on the economy, with significant results; Yingjiang now steadily ranks among the top four in the province, and the Municipal Party Committee basically can't intervene. Originally Mayor Si kept a low profile in personnel adjustments, but recently there have been rumors that Secretary Li Ruifang is going to return to the province, and the mayor seems to have an idea; the current situation is that things are stalled, and it seems the two leaders are negotiating."

Alright, I'll handle this matter with Dai Qiang, you don't need to worry about it, put your mind on work.