Chapter 79

If a person has no long-term worries, there will be near-term troubles. Moving forward on the path of administration is like sailing against the current; if you don't keep up with one step, you won't be able to catch up with every step.

Lu Fan is currently a deputy section-level cadre in a public institution with a one-year probation period. After one year, he can be transferred to a deputy section-level civil servant position, meaning he can be adjusted in November. However, the policy in some places is that one must serve in a leadership position in a public institution for two years before being able to transfer to a civil servant position. These twists and turns were only understood by Lu Fan after he started working at the Organization Department.

The transfer from a deputy section-level public institution position to a deputy section-level civil servant position also requires an inspection process, which shows that the gold content cannot be mentioned in the same breath.

Deputy section-level positions include township deputy posts, functional bureau deputy posts, and secondary unit deputy posts. Lu Fan set his target on functional bureau deputy posts. If he could go to real-power units like Finance, Development and Reform, Education, Health, Urban Construction, or Transportation, that would be even better. If that were difficult, he would settle for the next best thing and seek a position as a deputy secretary of a township party committee; being a deputy mayor would be a bit of a loss, as he would still have to transfer to deputy secretary later, so it is best to get it in one step.

This is the advantage of a high starting point. If you start in a township, you first have to be a station director, and then you can transfer to deputy mayor. If you have no connections, even if you become a deputy mayor, you are not a member of the party committee. A deputy mayor transfers to discipline inspection secretary, discipline inspection secretary transfers to party committee deputy secretary, and deputy secretary transfers to chairman of the people's congress. If there is no position, there is still the hurdle of chief staff member waiting for you to cross. After walking through every position, you are old, and your life is over.

Moreover, only two or three out of ten people's congress chairmen can be promoted to town mayor, because the leaders of county-level departments will be sent down, which will seriously crowd out the promotion space for township cadres. Therefore, starting from a township without a hard backing, letting the years slip away, you can only keep your original intention, be a beast of burden for a lifetime, and even with gray hair, you might still be a station director.

Who knows the county-level leadership positions best? If Deputy Minister Lei Zhuoyue says he is second, no one dares to claim to be first.

So, Lu Fan brought a box of tea to Minister Lei's office.

After pushing open the door, Lei Zhuoyue smiled and said: "If you lower yourself to others, you must have a request. What are you plotting again?"

Lu Fan laughed: "Look at what you're saying, as if I'm someone who doesn't get up early without profit! I'm here to learn. Who in the whole county doesn't know that our Organization Department's Minister Lei is the most proficient in business!"

"Don't flatter me. What's the matter?"

"I want to know, by the end of the year, which units have deputy positions reaching the age limit?"

"Why? Want to move someone? Does the Minister know?"

"Minister Lei, it's me who wants to know." Lu Fan didn't dare to use the Minister's name, because for this kind of thing, the Minister would arrange it directly with Minister Lei.

Lei Zhuoyue understood and whispered: "So you want to leave? Want to change posts?"

"Just want to understand first, to see if there are any good positions. Better safe than sorry!"

Lei Zhuoyue blurted out: "By the end of the year, the Industry and Commerce Bureau, the Civil Affairs Bureau, and the Culture Bureau each have a deputy director reaching the age limit. The Urban Management Bureau has a deputy director applying for chief staff member treatment and wants to leave the post early. I haven't reported this to the Minister yet. That's all. I won't mention those secondary units; you probably wouldn't go there anyway, right?"

Lu Fan thought about it. He wasn't very satisfied with these positions. In a good county-level unit, it's either a real-power department with great benefits or an economic work department with many opportunities to contact leaders. If the position isn't good, it's better to stay in the Organization Department.

"Xiao Fan, why only think about going out? Our Organization Department is a full section-level establishment, and the deputy minister is also a deputy section-level!" Unexpectedly, Lei Zhuoyue gave such an unexpected suggestion. Although the deputy minister is said to be deputy section-level, what kind of unit is the Organization Department? The deputy ministers will all hold the main position of a secondary unit, all of which are full section-level.

"Deputy Minister? The threshold is too high. I just got promoted to deputy section-level. I feel like it's wishful thinking!"

"As long as it complies with organizational procedures, whether you are used or not is just a word from the leader, isn't it? Human effort can achieve anything!"

"Sigh, let's not talk about whether I'm qualified or not. The deputy minister position is currently one radish for one hole."

"Wouldn't it be fine if one goes out?"

After talking for a long time, this was the meaning. Lu Fan understood; Minister Lei wanted to use the momentum to lift himself out!

"Minister Lei has been in the department for fifteen years, right? Your qualifications and ability are right here!"

Open people don't speak in riddles. Lei Zhuoyue stopped playing dumb and said: "Last year, the Minister talked to me and asked me to go to the Price Bureau, but I refused. According to our Ningyang employment practice, my position should at least be given a major bureau director or township secretary. We can't change the rules just because it's me, right? Isn't this bullying? Does our Organization Department have to look for connections outside to employ people?"

"For major bureaus and townships, the secretary must nod. The Minister's word doesn't count. As far as I know, the Minister has talked to the secretary many times about your matter."

"The Minister has been great to us; I have no complaints. It's just that, damn it, I don't want to go out and look for connections; it's a bit shameful!"

"Sigh, you still have to look if you have to. Even the County Committee Office has to go out and find people to get promoted. You can only worry about your own affairs. Where is there any 'near water towers getting the moonlight first'?"

"Yes, there's no way, I can only find a way! Xiao Fan, I'm giving you this suggestion not because I want you to push me out, but because the position of deputy minister is more suitable for you. It can perfect your resume, and your work achievements can be seen by the secretary and the county head. I think you should strive for it. With the Minister backing you, there is great hope.

Think about it, which deputy section-level position in the whole county has a higher gold content than the deputy minister of the Organization Department? In our line of work, we must be steady, accurate, and ruthless in our actions. Dare to think, dare to ask, and dare to do.

The secret to success lies in acting once you've thought it through. Regardless of whether the conditions are ripe or not, only by being one step ahead can you seize the limited opportunities!"

It cannot be denied that Lu Fan was moved. Minister Lei had been doing organizational work for a lifetime, and his grasp of the human heart was too precise. He could make you jump forward without hesitation even when there was a "fire pit" in front of you!

But Lu Fan also had concerns and said: "Minister Lei, even if you are promoted, the position of deputy minister wouldn't be my turn, would it?"

"Still the same sentence: human effort can achieve anything! As long as the Minister agrees, the secretary agrees, and the comrades vote for more than half, wouldn't everything be fine? Opportunities are fought for, not given by others!"

"Minister Lei, a soldier who doesn't want to be a general is not a good soldier. Everyone wants to progress. I'll trouble you to blow some wind for me with the Minister, but it can't be too obvious."

Lei Zhuoyue laughed: "I've been doing this for so many years, don't I know the limits? Don't worry, there is still half a year. I will subtly build momentum for you. Xiao Fan, even a lion uses its full strength to catch a rabbit. Pay attention to two people: Song Qiyun and He Tenglong. Don't let them steal the nest in the end and end up with nothing!"

"Thanks for the reminder, Minister Lei. You are my guiding light. Please give me more advice in the future!"

"Xiao Fan, I think highly of you! I also have a box of good tea here. Let's swap. I still haven't thanked you for those two coffins for my parents!"

"Minister, that's all ancient history. It was just a small effort. I was only the acting farm manager back then!"

"One thing is one thing; you must take it!"

Unable to decline, Lu Fan could only return to the office with the "late" gratitude. He finally understood: in interpersonal relationships, equality is very important. The difference in status and position cannot be too large, and there must be mutual benefit—the ability to help each other. Otherwise, don't talk about friendship; it's purely nonsense. Only children talk about feelings; adults only talk about exchange.

From today on, Lu Fan has clarified his goal: he will strive for this unattainable deputy minister position!

Wang Hongtao has already served as the deputy secretary of the Zhenbei District Committee and the district head, but the deputy secretary of the Ningyang County Committee has been slow to be appointed. Rumor has it that the executive deputy county head of the neighboring county has been promoted to deputy secretary-general of the Municipal Committee. Therefore, this sweet pastry of deputy secretary is placed there, making everyone drool, especially the two most favorable competitors: Organization Department Head Bian Jide and Executive Deputy County Head Yang Chuanbei, making the two who originally had a good relationship fight openly and secretly, with swords drawn and bows bent.

By June, there were new changes in the Ningyang officialdom. County Head Zhao Honglan left quietly and was promoted to Secretary of the Ganshui County Committee, becoming the only female county party secretary in Yingjiang City.

Immediately after, there was another major change in the Yingjiang officialdom. The boss was replaced. Zhou Xi served as a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee and Secretary of the Yingjiang Municipal Committee. With a new official taking office, personnel matters were temporarily frozen.

Therefore, Executive Deputy County Head Yang Chuanbei temporarily presided over the government work and was obedient to Secretary Wu Haiquan, and their relationship went a step further, which made Minister Bian Jide a bit discouraged.

However, Ningyang has indeed been changing this year. Just in July, Secretary Wu Haiquan was actually promoted to a deputy position in a provincial department, which suddenly left the positions of Ningyang secretary and county head vacant. Coupled with the vacancies of the county committee deputy secretary and the political and legal committee deputy secretary, everyone knew that the Ningyang political scene was about to undergo a huge change and would be reshuffled.

The two main leaders would certainly not be vacant for a long time. Municipal Party Secretary Zhou Xi cut the Gordian knot and appointed the two main leaders of Ningyang within ten days of taking office. Gao Yuanfei was appointed as Secretary of the Ningyang County Committee, and Hu Chengwei served as Deputy Secretary of the County Committee and Acting County Head. However, other positions have not yet been filled, perhaps because the city cannot take care of them.

Minister Bian Jide rekindled hope and took the initiative to lean towards Secretary Gao Yuanfei, launching an attack on the deputy secretary of the county committee. And Executive Deputy County Head Yang Chuanbei needed to avoid suspicion. After all, the county head had just arrived, and you, the second-in-command of the county government, are walking so close to the county party secretary—what would the county head think? Are you trying to unite with the secretary to hollow out me?

After Gao Yuanfei took office, he immediately displayed his tough work style to the fullest. At the Standing Committee meeting, he killed the chicken to warn the monkey, criticizing the Minister of the Propaganda Department so badly that he almost shed tears. Immediately after, he flew into a rage at several township secretaries in his office and called the director of the Urban Management Bureau to the street to sweep the street at midnight. In less than a month, he had left his mark on the Ningyang political scene, and even County Head Hu Chengwei dared not easily stroke the tiger's whiskers, basically being obedient.

Everything indicated that Ningyang was about to undergo a large-scale personnel adjustment, which would be led by County Party Secretary Gao Yuanfei. Minister Bian Jide also had considerable power because the deputy secretary had not yet arrived, and there was one less mother-in-law above him to manage him.

The leading cadres in Ningyang were panicked and restless. This time, there were "big fish" in the vacant positions in the county!

This was all good news for Lu Fan. The muddier the water, the better, so he could fish in troubled waters.

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