Chapter 41: Gnawing on the Hardest Bone!

After the Party Committee leadership team was finalized, a joint Party and government meeting of the entire town was convened.

Members of the Party and government team, heads of the five offices, one station, and two centers, and the branch secretaries of each village attended as non-voting delegates, primarily to adjust the town mayors who liaise with villages and the officials stationed in villages.

Tang Ye's seat was next to Wang Kaicheng; he was fully prepared mentally, knowing today's meeting was destined to be unusual.

Wang Kaicheng greeted Tang Ye with a smile, then began to preside over the meeting, "Our town government has seen significant changes recently. Today, we are mainly here to discuss with everyone how to carry out subsequent work. In particular, the liaison leaders for each village need to be re-designated. Everyone, please share your thoughts."

Cao Debiao spoke first, "I suggest adjusting the liaison leader for Qianjin Village to Comrade Tang Ye. He is a seconded official and should delve deeper into the grassroots."

Chen Zhihua stroked his teacup, his brows furrowing; he had not expected Cao Debiao to dig such a big pit for Tang Ye.

Qianjin Village is the farthest village in Pinghu Town and the only one without a road.

Raising funds to build a road has become a difficult, long-standing problem.

The branch secretary of Qianjin Village is named Tian Daming; he is a veteran, capable in his work, and has a good mass base, but he is a thorn in the side who often goes against the town. Ordinary officials stationed in the village simply cannot control him and are instead led around by the nose by him.

Chen Zhihua raised a different opinion, "Comrade Tang Ye is unfamiliar with grassroots work and lacks experience in Party affairs. If we let him liaise with a complex Party branch like the one in Qianjin Village, I fear the results will not be good. Comrade Kaicheng, you served as the Armed Forces Minister for many years; why don't you liaise with Qianjin Village?"

Wang Kaicheng did not expect Chen Zhihua to turn the cannons toward him, so he smiled faintly, "Young people should be given heavy burdens. If you don't trust someone, don't use them; if you use them, don't doubt them. Secretary Chen, you should have confidence in Comrade Tang Ye."

Tang Ye remained calm, secretly thinking that the officialdom is the place that best displays the art of language.

Black can be called white, bad can be called good, and left can be called right.

It appeared to be centered on his work arrangements, but it was actually a potential confrontation between Wang Kaicheng and Chen Zhihua.

Wang Kaicheng had also been holding back anger recently. It was cold, and it was one thing for Chen Zhihua to take the lead in sweeping the streets, but he had also moral-kidnapped him into joining the street-sweeping team. Even the best temper couldn't hold back anymore!

Tang Ye smiled faintly, "Since Town Mayor Wang trusts me so much, I cannot shrink back from the challenge."

Chen Zhihua was slightly stunned; he had not expected Tang Ye to jump into the pit himself.

From another perspective, Tang Ye wanted to gnaw on the hardest bone and fight the most beautiful battle.

It was just that Qianjin Village was not as simple as a hard bone; it was practically a rock that was both foul and hard!

Wang Kaicheng returned to his office.

Cao Debiao walked in and laughed loudly, "That kid Tang Ye doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth; he actually dared to take on the mess that is Qianjin Village."

Wang Kaicheng rubbed his nose, his tone carrying sarcasm, "Don't gloat. Tang Ye's ability is obvious to all; perhaps he can achieve results."

Cao Debiao pulled a cigarette from his pack and curled his lip, "Tian Daming of Qianjin Village is notoriously unreasonable. Previously, a relative of Xu Yiping contracted a fish pond in Qianjin Village, intending to engage in aquaculture, but was driven away in less than two months. The matter was such a big scene at the time that even Xu Yiping had no way to handle it."

Seeing Cao Debiao's nicotine craving acting up, Wang Kaicheng frowned, a complex smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, "I wonder how Comrade Tang will deal with that thorn, Big Head Tian!"

The joint Party and government meeting concluded.

Tian Daming knocked open Tang Ye's office door.

Tang Ye tossed a pack of cigarettes to Tian Daming.

Seeing it was a ten-yuan pack of Qiongjin cigarettes, Tian Daming did not stand on ceremony; he pulled one out, took a matchbox from his pocket, lit the cigarette, and smoked it alone without saying a word.

A fire was burning in his heart; at the joint Party and government meeting, he had been criticized by name by Wang Kaicheng multiple times.

Although it wasn't Tang Ye who had put the squeeze on him, he viewed Tang Ye as being in the same camp as Wang Kaicheng, so after finishing the cigarette, he began to demand support from Tang Ye, "Town Mayor Tang, I heard you are a seconded official from the Municipal Party Committee and have great ability. Since you have now been arranged to liaise with our village, please be sure to help us solve a few problems. First is the road; other villages all have roads to every household, but our Qianjin Village still has dirt roads."

Tang Ye's attitude was clear, "Since the Party Committee arranged for me to liaise with Qianjin Village, I naturally must solve your problems. Putting the road issue aside, we must solve the issue of land transfer. Other villages are currently pushing this policy, but only Qianjin Village has no progress. If you don't respond to the policy, it is difficult to receive corresponding support!"

The Land Transfer Policy began in 2002.

The "Rural Land Contract Law" promulgated in 2002 laid the legal foundation for land transfer, beginning to allow the transfer of rural land contract management rights to a certain extent.

In the early days of reform and opening up, rural areas implemented the Household Contract Responsibility System. With economic and social development, some farmers went to cities to work, and land idleness appeared in rural areas.

The Land Transfer Policy emerged as the times required, allowing farmers to transfer the management rights of contracted land, which increased farmers' income and was also conducive to the optimal allocation of land resources.

Qianjin Village was not proactive in implementing this policy. For example, someone might take a fancy to a piece of land and want to contract it, but the villagers would be unwilling to transfer it, causing waste of resources, less income for the villagers, and the village being unable to use external funds to improve livelihoods.

Tian Daming's mouth twisted, "You are a leader, you must have many ways. Why not accompany me for a walk in the village? It will be easier to push forward if you popularize the policy to the folks."

Tang Ye saw that Tian Daming was very difficult to deal with, but he knew he could not shrink back, "Fine, I have a meeting later. I'll go to Qianjin Village in the afternoon!"

In the afternoon, Tang Ye arrived at his designated liaison village—Qianjin Village.

Coming with Tang Ye was also a deputy director from the General Office, named Guo Liang.

Tang Ye was the Deputy Town Mayor liaising with the village, while Guo Liang was the official stationed in the village, equivalent to a deputy.

It was autumn, and it rained often. Qianjin Village was right next to Pinghu, and the wind was harsh, making their raincoats flap loudly.

Tian Daming stood at the entrance of the village waiting, with a big yellow dog lying beside him.

As soon as Tang Ye and Guo Liang approached, it suddenly climbed up from the ground and barked loudly at the two of them.

Guo Liang was startled and almost fell off his bicycle.

Tang Ye remained calm.

Tian Daming scolded it.

The big yellow dog whimpered a few times, circled the two men's pant legs twice, and after identifying their scent, began to stick out its tongue and wag its tail.

"Let's go for a visit! Secretary Tian, please lead the way!"

Tian Daming blinked and said with a smile, "It's raining! Today counts as getting to know the place; shall we have a drink? I have home-brewed grain liquor at home."

Tang Ye had been prepared; he had packed pig head meat, peanuts, and other snacks for drinking in town, and said modestly, "Let's drink and chat, but we must not drink too much!"

Arriving at Tian Daming's home, old newspapers were spread on the table, the food was set out, and the few of them drank cup after cup.

After a few cups of sorghum liquor went down, Tang Ye felt a warmth in his stomach, "The liquor looks unremarkable, and the taste isn't particularly good, but it won't go to your head even if you drink a lot."

Tian Daming's eyes lit up, and he laughed, "I didn't expect you to have a discerning palate!"

Tang Ye put down his chopsticks, "Can we switch to a smaller cup so we can drink a few more?"

Tian Daming had deliberately chosen a large cup, thinking to himself, so you are a paper tiger, and he goaded him, "I don't have small cups at home. If you can't drink anymore, just say so; we won't force you to drink. But, how much you drink represents how much face you give to Qianjin Village."

Tang Ye grinned, "Then I will drink three cups first to show my respect for Qianjin Village."

Tang Ye drank three cups in a row without changing his expression.

"Tell me honestly, what is your actual alcohol tolerance?"

"I haven't drunk this kind of high-proof grain liquor before, so I don't know how much I can drink."

"If it's beer, how much can you drink?"

Tang Ye held up one finger.

"A case?"

"I'll keep drinking until I can't!"

Tian Daming felt that Tang Ye must have had too much to drink and was speaking recklessly, committing a great taboo at the drinking table; he thought to himself that if Tang Ye tried to dodge drinks later, he would slap his face, and said sarcastically, "Qianjin Village lacks everything, but we have plenty of liquor!"

Tang Ye tossed a peanut into his mouth, "Secretary Tian, it won't be long before we won't lack anything!"

Guo Liang had long been a cadre stationed in the village and dealt with Tian Daming often; his tolerance for alcohol was average, and after two glasses, he covered his mouth and rushed outside to vomit.

Seeing Guo Liang make a fool of himself, a subtle smile appeared at the corners of Tian Daming's mouth.

The folk customs in the village were just like this: how much ink you had in your belly didn't mean you had ability, but if you could hold a lot of liquor in your belly, it represented that your character and ability were up to the task.

Next, Tang Ye intended to learn about the situation in Qianjin Village through Tian Daming.

Of the thirteen villages in the whole town, Qianjin Village was at the very bottom; other townships had already started building roads and multi-story buildings, but Qianjin Village was still all low red-brick houses.

However, although the village's economy was not good, Tian Daming's spirit was high, and he felt that Qianjin Village was no worse than other places.

Tian Daming's eyes dimmed, "To tell you the truth, our village is at the bottom of the town every year, and it doesn't feel good! I, this Village Chief, am incompetent and have let everyone down."

"Secretary Tian, I can understand your feelings; let's think of a way together to see if we can find a path to let the two thousand people in the whole village live a good life."

Tian Daming drank for a full hour and only felt dizzy and blurred.

As a result, Tang Ye's eyes were clear, his speech was not slurred, and he was like a person who had drunk nothing, so Tian Daming immediately realized he had underestimated his opponent.

Tian Daming called over the village's Accountant and the Village Chief, and they drank until evening, but even with a wheel-battle, they couldn't take Tang Ye down.

"Accountant Liu, hurry up and toast Town Mayor Tang!"

"I want to drink this glass with Secretary Tian!" Tang Ye still had fighting strength and launched an attack on Tian Daming with a glass of liquor.

"You drink with our Accountant Liu!"

"Don't be anxious, Accountant Liu; after I finish this glass with Secretary Tian, I'll drink with you."

Tian Daming had originally wanted to use a wolf-pack tactic to teach the young Town Mayor a lesson, but he hadn't expected Tang Ye to not be intimidated at all.

Under Tang Ye's near-provocative gaze, a burst of fire erupted from his chest, and he immediately raised his glass.

Not long after finishing it, he hurriedly picked up two pieces of pig head meat and stuffed them into his mouth, wanting to suppress the churning alcohol in his stomach.

Suddenly, his body went limp, and he slid directly from the chair to the floor.