Chapter 108: The Municipal Party Committee Secretary

The next morning, at first light, Lu Qingshan was already awake.

He carefully shaved his beard, changed into the most decent outfit that Lin Yue'e had prepared for him, looked at himself in the mirror, took a deep breath, and his gaze gradually became resolute.

At half past eight, the car dispatched from the county waited punctually downstairs of the guesthouse.

Jiangyuan County's Secretary Zhang Xincheng and County Chief Liu Yuejin were already in the car; upon seeing Lu Qingshan, they encouraged him a few times, telling him to relax and speak his thoughts boldly.

The Municipal Party Committee compound was solemn and dignified, and Conference Room No. 3 was especially spacious and bright.

The huge oval conference table was jet‑black and gleaming, reflecting the silhouettes of those around it.

A banner reading "Liberate the mind, seek truth from facts" hung on the wall.

Lu Qingshan followed the two county leaders inside; he saw many people already seated beside the table, each with a serious expression and an impressive bearing.

The air seemed to carry a weight of solemnity, causing him to straighten his back involuntarily.

Zhang Wannian led them to the designated seats.

Soon after, the conference room door opened again, and several imposing figures entered; the foremost was a man in his early fifties, with a refined appearance and deep eyes—Municipal Party Committee Secretary Zhang Zhidong.

Zhang Zhidong scanned the room with his gaze, finally landing on Lu Qingshan; a gentle smile appeared on his face as he walked toward him and said, "You are Comrade Lu Qingshan of Shanwan Village, right?"

Lu Qingshan quickly stood up, a little uneasy, and said, "Hello, Secretary Zhang, I am Lu Qingshan."

"Young comrade, don't be nervous, have a seat."

Zhang Zhidong waved his hand, indicating that he sit, and took the empty seat beside him, then asked kindly, "How many people are in your family? In Shanwan Village, you're doing all this—does your family support you? Have you encountered any difficulties?"

His tone was calm, like a neighbor elder making small talk, which eased Lu Qingshan's tense nerves a bit.

He answered each question; his words were plain yet orderly.

At exactly nine o'clock, the meeting officially began.

After the moderator's brief opening remarks, it was Lu Qingshan's turn to speak.

He stood up, clutching the paper filled with key points; at first his throat felt tight, but when he saw the encouraging eyes of the two Jiangyuan County leaders and the attentive gaze from Secretary Zhang Zhidong, he inhaled deeply and gradually steadied himself.

"Leaders, experts, comrades, greetings to all. I am Lu Qingshan from Shanwan Village, Wan Gou Zhen, Jiangyuan County. I am deeply honored and excited to have the chance here to report some of Shanwan Village's situation to you…"

He began with the impoverished condition of Shanwan Village, then described how he led the villagers to harness forest resources, trial‑plant medicinal herbs, develop animal husbandry, and address challenges in funding, technology, and market channels.

He avoided empty rhetoric, presenting concrete numbers and cases—such as the per‑mu yield of medicinal herbs, livestock survival rates, and the preliminary rise in per‑capita village income, among others.

The attending leaders nodded from time to time, and Secretary Zhang Xincheng and County Chief Liu Yuejin of Jiangyuan County wore proud smiles.

Lu Qingshan's report, though lacking flowery language, was full of genuine feeling, boundless optimism for the future, and a down‑to‑earth drive.

The report lasted nearly half an hour; when Lu Qingshan finished his final sentence—"Our fellow villagers in Shanwan Village have confidence and determination; under the Party and government's leadership, we will make our lives increasingly prosperous!"—the room erupted in enthusiastic applause.

However, just as Lu Qingshan thought he could relax, Municipal Party Committee Secretary Zhang Zhidong suddenly spoke; his voice remained gentle, but his questions were unusually sharp.

"Comrade Lu Qingshan, what you've said is all good and inspiring. We have seen Shanwan Village's initial results."

"But I'd like to ask: where do you see the sustainability of this Shanwan Village model? Can it be replicated and promoted across the whole city, or even a broader area? Or is it merely a fleeting bloom, perhaps just a special case due to Shanwan Village's unique geography?"

"How can we prevent market fluctuations, natural disasters, or other unforeseen factors from causing the villagers to fall back into poverty?"

This barrage of questions, like a hammer, made the previously relaxed Lu Qingshan instantly tense again, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

The atmosphere in the conference room instantly grew heavy.

Everyone's gaze focused on him, awaiting his reply.

Lu Qingshan's mind raced with calculations.

He knew this was the true beginning of the test.

If he answered poorly, all his previous efforts could be severely diminished.

Having been reborn, he possessed not only memories of his past life but also a profound understanding of these forests and the unique perception granted by the Mountain Wild Heart.

He inhaled deeply, his gaze sweeping over the seated leaders, his voice now steadier and more forceful than before.

"Secretary Zhang, leaders, the questions you raised are very profound and hit the crux. Frankly, when leading the villagers to take the first step, I too have repeatedly pondered these issues."

He paused, then said firmly, "I believe that single‑crop medicinal herb planting and livestock raising, if confined to basic agricultural products, indeed struggle to withstand market risks and cannot build lasting competitiveness."

"To truly enable Shanwan Village, and more alike agrarian‑hunting areas, to achieve long‑term sustainable development, we must break out of traditional agriculture and hunting, extending into the upstream and downstream of the industry chain!"

The remark sparked a slight stir in the room.

Extending into the industry chain's upstream and downstream?

For a leader from a remote mountain village, that does sound somewhat overly ambitious.

Lu Qingshan ignored the reactions and continued, "My initial proposal relies on the abundant natural resources of Guandong Mountain."

"First, once medicinal herb cultivation reaches scale, we will gradually establish primary and deep‑processing bases, develop medicinal cuisine and health products, cooperate with strong pharmaceutical firms, and perhaps even set up our own pharmacy to supply high‑quality raw materials."

"Second, our livestock raising cannot merely stop at selling live animals; in the future we could consider building a small meat‑processing plant, launching our own branded meat products such as Dried Meat, cured pork, smoked sausages, and so on."

"Third, and what I have been pondering lately, our dry‑rice basin area lies adjacent to Changbai Mountain, with excellent water quality—sweet, clear spring water—a precious natural asset. Could we use these premium water sources, combined with our medicinal herb resources, to develop medicinal wines, herbal oral liquids, and other specialty products?"

earth-shattering shock!

When Lu Qingshan finished speaking, the entire conference room fell silent instantly, you could hear a pin drop!

Everyone's gaze remained fixed on him—shock, scrutiny, inquiry…

And the list goes on.

Even the ever‑smiling Secretary Zhang Zhidong at this moment withdrew his smile, his eyes flashing with complex light as he stared intently at the astonishingly outspoken young man.

This educated youth from a remote mountain village, with dark skin and plain attire—Lu Qingshan—suddenly appeared tall and mysterious in everyone's eyes.

His proposals already far exceed the perspective of a village‑level leader, even surpassing the foresight of some county officials.

What on earth is this kid's background?

How many world‑shaking ideas does he still harbor in that mind?

A forum originally meant only to hear grassroots experience suddenly swelled with an unpredictable aura because of Lu Qingshan's words.

And he, along with Shanwan Village behind him, will face what kind of twist of fate?