Chapter 68: A Change of County Party Committee Secretary

In May, two major events occurred in Ningyang County, stirring the hearts of all the county's cadres and the masses.

The first was that the County Party Committee Secretary, Liu Tiancai, became known to everyone due to a short video. The various versions of the story left the gossiping public overwhelmed, and it even became the talk of the town in Yingjiang City.

Although the common people did not know the specific inside story, because the scandal involved a woman and caused such a huge uproar, Liu Tiancai naturally could no longer serve as the County Party Committee Secretary and was urgently transferred away.

The Deputy County Party Committee Secretary, Wang Hongtao, had just presided over the work for a few days when the newly appointed County Party Committee Secretary, Wu Haiquan, arrived.

After Secretary Wu took office, the recruitment plan for Ningyang County's career units was approved under the strenuous efforts of Secretary Wang Hongtao, with a quota of 628 people.

On May 20th, Wu Haiquan presided over a meeting of the County Party Committee Standing Committee and established a recruitment work leadership group, with the Deputy County Party Committee Secretary, Wang Hongtao, as the first deputy leader in charge of specific work.

For a time, the entire Ningyang County was boiling. The people of the whole county praised Wang Hongtao; this was doing a good deed for the people of Ningyang, as it could solve the employment problem for 628 people, and it was an "iron rice bowl" at that.

628 positions concerned 628 families, and coupled with their relatives and friends, it could be said that the career unit recruitment touched the hearts of the vast majority of Ningyang people.

The registration time for the recruitment exam was set for July 20th; this was Secretary Wang Hongtao looking out for this year's fresh college graduates, earning him another wave of praise.

As for Lu Fan and his brothers, they had already received their junior college diplomas back in March and were joyfully waiting to take the exam. They sincerely thanked Lu Fan for his foresight and persistence. At this moment, they had locked themselves in their rooms, ignoring the world outside, and were wholeheartedly preparing for the exam.

Du Wenlong, in particular, put all his energy into memorizing books and doing practice problems, except when eating. He was the most diligent one; over the past few years, he had done almost every practice problem he could find on the market and was full of confidence.

Yang Minghao had "returned from his studies" at a KTV in the city and, besides reviewing for the exam, also had to prepare for the renovation with Wu Heng.

Wu Heng had a natural passion for opening a KTV and was extremely enthusiastic, fantasizing about being surrounded by beautiful women every day in the near future, playing the groom every day and changing brides every night.

In early June, the Provincial Party Committee carried out personnel adjustments. The Executive Vice Mayor of Yingjiang City, Le Xue Ren, was on the list, with his new position being the Deputy Municipal Party Secretary and Acting Mayor of Cangcheng City—he had officially ascended to a higher level!

As a local cadre who had been rooted in Yingjiang for many years, Le Xue Ren's transfer made the Municipal Party Secretary, Xue Rongguo, and the Mayor, Gao Changyuan, breathe a sigh of relief. They had been too constrained in their work, so they readily agreed to the few "small requests" put forward by Le Xue Ren.

In mid-June, the Municipal Party Committee made minor adjustments to the county and district leadership teams. The County Head of Anbao County was transferred to become the Director of the Municipal Water Affairs Bureau; the Executive Vice County Head of Ningyang County, Le Xueyi, was promoted to Deputy County Party Committee Secretary and Acting County Head of Anbao County; the Standing Committee member and Vice County Head, Yang Chuanbei, was adjusted to become the Executive Vice County Head of Ningyang County; and the Party Committee Secretary of Xinjie Town, Ningyang County, Le Xueli, was promoted to Vice County Head of Ningyang County, in charge of investment promotion, industry, commerce, and more.

The adjustments to the Le family made Lu Fan breathe a huge sigh of relief. Le Xueyi had worked in Ningyang for twenty years and could be said to be deeply rooted, and the power of an Executive Vice County Head was very great. Now that he had been replaced by Le Xueli, the lowest-ranking Vice County Head, his family's influence in the county was greatly discounted.

Although county leaders would show consideration for Le Xueli's two older brothers and give him face to some extent, if you have no ability yourself and are like mud that cannot be plastered onto a wall, who would take you seriously? Face is something you earn yourself. Especially at the county and township levels, a leader must have both brains and skill. At critical moments, one must be able to kick, fight, and bluff. Without a bit of capability, you simply can't get things done. Le Xueli is clearly not in that category; he hasn't achieved a single highlight since he started working. Such a person is much easier to deal with.

Now, with Le Xueli as Vice County Head and Le Xuezhi focusing on "raking in money," Lu Fan even dared to think about whether there was an opportunity to wipe out these two brothers in one fell swoop!

By July, college students graduated, and the career unit recruitment exam was officially launched. The "Recruitment Exam Announcement" was released, and the people of Ningyang became nervous. Within two days, long queues formed at various banks to withdraw money, and hundreds of millions in cash were withdrawn. Parents were carrying "pig heads" (gifts) to find temple doors, wanting to make things convenient for their children and secure a future for them.

However, this year was very different from the past. Regarding the recruitment exam, not a single county-level leader dared to take on tasks for others, because they had tried, and the leader in charge, Wang Hongtao, was impervious to reason and had "rebuffed" everyone.

If you do it for this person and not for that person, it will inevitably breed resentment.

But by doing it for no one, it actually made the leaders feel relieved and the masses feel at ease. They were glad that Secretary Wang Hongtao was in charge of the recruitment exam. If it could really be fair, everyone had nothing to say; in the whole county, probably only Secretary Wang's credibility was guaranteed.

This is the so-called: Officials do not fear our strictness but fear our integrity; the people do not submit to our ability but submit to our fairness. Fairness produces clarity, and integrity produces prestige!

Actually, Wang Hongtao was also very helpless and could only do his best to maintain relative fairness. Out of 628 spots, more than 30 had already been internally decided by the Party Secretary and County Head, including connections to municipal leaders and the children of county leaders.

The ideology of privilege has a long history. The official-oriented consciousness—taking officials as the foundation, the noble, and the supreme—is its important root. It will destroy social trust, corrupt the entire social atmosphere, and cause tension or even opposition in the relationship between the Party and the masses, and between cadres and the masses.

Wang Hongtao was very clear that as long as there are people who worship power, privilege will not be eliminated. The public often hates privilege, but subconsciously they also identify with it. Once they have the conditions to exercise privilege, they will forget their dissatisfaction with it and will take enjoying privilege for granted. Privilege is a stubborn disease hidden in the whole society; as a social, historical, and cultural phenomenon, it is deeply rooted. Thoroughly clearing it is impossible to achieve overnight and must go through a long process.

Lu Fan knew that this career unit recruitment exam was very strict because even the face of Bian Jide was useless. A dignified Organization Department Head hadn't even obtained a "quota," let alone anyone else. If he wanted to use connections to get his brothers ashore, he could only find the Party Secretary or County Head, but Lu Fan didn't even dare to think about that.

Snakes have snake paths, and rats have rat paths. Lu Fan had an idea a year ago. Whether it could succeed depended on whether Xu Zheng and Fang Hui dared to take the risk. They were the Vice Director in charge of operations and the personnel clerk. As long as the two cooperated closely, Lu Fan had already thought of the method for them.

In the evening, Lu Fan called his brothers together to discuss the major event that would determine their future and destiny.

After everyone arrived, Lu Fan said: "Brothers, in a few days, the career unit recruitment registration will begin. Everyone has been reviewing for two whole years. I want to know, do you have confidence in the exam?"

Things like exams are really hard to say. Everyone felt unsure and remained silent.

Lu Fan continued: "This recruitment is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for everyone. As far as I know, it is also the last chance; there will never be independent recruitment in the county again in the future, so I hope you can all 'get ashore'."

Yang Minghao said: "Brother Fan, I heard that this exam is very strict. It's almost impossible to go through the back door. After all, Secretary Wang is in charge. We can only leave it to fate and see how we perform on the spot!"

"Brothers, I thought about the recruitment exam a year ago and came up with a method, but I can't guarantee whether it will work. If you have confidence in the exam, that's best; if you don't, I don't want you to waste this precious opportunity. You can try my method."

Ceng Ming immediately said: "Brother Fan, the exam is too mysterious, and several of us didn't even graduate from middle school. Although we've been reviewing for a year or two, it's not certain we can beat those who came out of formal schooling. And I heard that there are thousands of people registering; the competition is too great. As long as there is a way, let's think of a way!"

Xia Li also said: "Brother Fan, the opportunity is rare, and I'm not confident about the exam. As long as there is a way, I'm not afraid of spending money. This is a major event to bring honor to our ancestors; no matter how much money it costs, it's worth it!"

Liu Jin Zhu said: "Brother Fan, no one in our Liu family has ever eaten 'imperial grain' (worked for the government). If I get a job, I could laugh in my sleep. In the past two years, you've led us to earn a lot of money, and the brothers have listened to you and haven't spent it recklessly, just wanting to use it at a critical moment. Seventh is right; no matter how much money it costs, I won't feel the pinch."

Seeing that everyone's opinions were very unified, Lu Fan said: "Brothers, I will think of the method, I will find the people, and you provide the money—100,000 yuan each. If it's not enough, I'll cover it first. Whether it can be done will be revealed in a few days. I can only say I will go all out to try. If it can't be done, the money won't be spent."

Yang Minghao was the first to say: "Brother Fan, just from the massage parlor, the brothers' dividends are more than 100,000. I'll go withdraw the money tomorrow."

Xia Li said: "Even if it's 200,000, I'll spend it. Brother Fan, I'll hand over the money before noon tomorrow!"

"I have no problem. If it's not enough, Brother Fan, just say the word!" Ceng Ming expressed his stance.

Liu Jin Zhu also said without hesitation: "Brother Fan, whether the matter succeeds or not, the brothers will thank you for a lifetime. The money is no problem!"

Only Du Wenlong remained. Lu Fan originally thought he wouldn't have a problem, but unexpectedly, Chou Chou said: "Brother Fan, I want to take the exam myself!"

Before Lu Fan could speak, Yang Minghao said anxiously: "Second Brother, you can't joke about such a big matter. If the money isn't enough, the brothers will help you scrape it together!"

Du Wenlong looked at Lu Fan and said with a firm gaze: "Brother Fan, brothers, for this exam, I have been reviewing for two and a half years, and I have also been supported by Brother Fan for two and a half years. I have the money; the dividends alone are over 100,000. But I just want to see if I can do it myself!"

"Chou Chou, have you considered it carefully?"

"Brother Fan, I have used all my strength just for today. I don't want to leave any regrets. After two and a half years of bitter study, I feel that I am no worse than anyone else. I want to take my destiny into my own hands!"

"Good, I believe in you! Just by the fact that you can recite 'Public Basic Knowledge' backward and by those hundreds of sets of practice problems—behind every 'awesome' person is an unbearable bitterness. The suffering you have endured will eventually turn into light, illuminating the path you are moving forward on. Below the bottomless abyss is a future of ten thousand miles. Chou Chou, you are no worse than anyone else!"

"Second Brother, awesome! I think you will definitely pass!"

"Second Brother, I admire you! Keep it up!"

"Second Brother, with the effort you've put in, I don't believe anyone can beat you!"

Du Wenlong believed that good luck would not fall from the sky; for every bit of effort, there is a bit of return; for every bit of plowing, there is a bit of harvest.

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