Chapter 1089: “Overlord

Su Yang turned his head outward and saw, on the other side of the road, a crowd of people standing in a black mass.

But from their attire one could tell they were all government staff, and the sudden arrival of so many at once truly surprised him.

Lin Tao slightly frowned: "What's going on, why are they all here?" He then said to Su Yang, "Your county's Secretary Pan, County Magistrate Niu, all the County Standing Committee Members and the four‑team leadership have all come here to greet you."

"Looks like you have quite a reputation; normally only when the County Party Secretary takes office do comrades led by the County Magistrate go out of town to welcome."

"This level of reception is probably the first in Liu Cheng Xian's history."

"Let's go; since the comrades are all here, get off the car and greet them."

Saying that, he pushed open the car door and stepped out; Su Yang had no choice but to follow.

As soon as his two feet touched the ground, a burst of applause rang out.

Then a man in his late forties at the front of the line stepped forward, both hands clasping Deputy Minister Lin's hand: "Welcome Department Head Lin to our county for work guidance."

Lin Tao said: "Secretary Pan, you're being overly polite; we're old acquaintances, no need for such formalities."

"Come, let me introduce you to the newly appointed County‑level Secretary Su."

Saying that, he turned to Su Yang and said: "Comrade Su Yang, come and say a few words, introduce yourself."

"This is County Party Secretary Pan Wenhai, comrade."

Su Yang hurried forward and shook hands: "Hello, Secretary Pan, I am Su Yang. I will now work under your leadership; please advise me."

Pan Wenhai said: "Comrade Su Yang, hello, we've all been looking forward to you. Our team needs young, energetic fresh blood to stir things up."

"Oh, right, after we return, I'll introduce the other comrades in the team one by one, so as not to waste Department Head Lin's time on the road."

"Department Head Lin, what do you think?"

Lin Tao nodded slightly: "You're right, that's what I meant. Holding a welcome on the main road makes us look bad to onlookers."

Their conversation seemed ordinary, yet Su Yang heard a hidden meaning.

It seemed Secretary Pan did not hold much respect for Deputy Minister Lin of the Organization Department; in fact, both were at the ceiling of Division‑level posts.

Secretary Pan's seemingly request‑like words were actually filled with an unquestionable tone.

Deputy Minister Lin appeared to give face, but in fact bluntly pointed out that such a roadside welcome ceremony violated Organization regulations.

Logically, in such a setting, even if the two are equal in rank, the leader coming from the city should be given priority; the others should follow his lead.

If the Organization Department's deputy minister doesn't speak, should we still introduce ourselves to each other? Moreover, his original words were exactly to introduce comrades to each other.

Yet Secretary Pan implicitly rejected Deputy Minister Lin's intention.

From their dialogue it is easy to see they are not on good terms.

It seems the political ecology of Yongning City may not be very good either.

Moreover, with just a single glance, Su Yang could tell Secretary Pan's style was that of a domineering bully.

As soon as he finished speaking, all the county officials, including County Magistrate Niu Guoqing, returned to their cars without consulting Department Head Lin.

When Su Yang turned to Department Head Lin to get back into the car, Pan Wenhai suddenly said: "Comrade Su Yang, this time we're here to receive Department Head Lin, and we've also brought your carriage over."

Pointing, he indicated the Passat parked behind the County Magistrate's official car.

Clearly he meant that they had now entered Liu Cheng Xian's jurisdiction and he was the master here, and Su Yang must obey him.

This was not only a display of dominance but also a provocation toward Executive Vice Minister of the Organization Department, Lin Tao.

After all, Su Yang was sent here by Lin Tao; before Lin could say anything, Pan forced the sent official back into the county team.

If Su Yang now sat meekly in a county car, he would be bowing his head to Pan Wenhai.

But if he refused, he would make an enemy of the top leader, and from day one there would be no good days, which he did not want.

From his heart, he truly wanted to achieve the unity that Deputy Minister Kuang of the Provincial Party Committee's Organization Department spoke of—unity, unity, unity.

It seems he now wants to unite others, but others do not want to unite him; if he truly cannot handle this scene, he feels unfit to be Deputy Secretary.

He simply smiled and looked at Lin Tao: "Department Head Lin, Secretary Pan's meaning is that I should return with the county's cars; what's your view?"

Note: Su Yang said he would return with the county's cars.

Lin Tao's expression changed instantly; if he really did that, would his face as Deputy Minister be lost? Would the Organization Department's dignity be lost?

"Comrade Su Yang, I represent the Organization Department to send you to your post; you haven't even been placed at your work station yet, and you now directly leave the Organization—hardly acceptable, right?"

"I didn't know; I thought perhaps my role as Deputy Minister had failed to place the comrade properly."

"And we all work under the Organization's leadership; you can't claim you have no Organization in your eyes."

Su Yang repeatedly said: "Alright, alright, we are all Party cadres, working under the Organization's leadership; how could we disobey?"

Then he turned to Pan Wenhai and said: "Secretary Pan, then I'll get on Department Head Lin's car first; we can't break the Organization's rules."

Saying that, he got into Department Head Lin's car, and as soon as he sat, the car door of Pan Wenhai slammed "Bang".

Lin Tao wore a gloomy face, said nothing, and the driver was at a loss; Su Yang said: "Driver, take us straight to the County Party Committee and County Government."

Even Pan Wenhai, however domineering, could not openly defy the rules.

If he really drove his own car back to the County Party Committee first, it would be strange for Lin Tao to still follow.

Sure enough, Pan Wenhai's domineeringness aside, the rules were still obeyed; Department Head Lin's car drove forward for a while, then turned around to follow, with a long line of a dozen‑plus other county officials' cars behind.

In the car, Pan Wenhai shouted a national‑style curse: "Damn it, if it weren't for Lin Tao today, I'd have let him know what color the sky in Liu Cheng Xian is!"

"I brought his car over to give him face, and he repays me with an attitude."

The front‑seat co‑driver, a secretary wearing gold‑rimmed glasses, said: "Boss, don't be angry; I know Su Yang, he's a troublemaker, probably didn't react—once we're here, we'll deal with him however we like."

"Later I'll let him know that in Liu Cheng Xian, your rules are rules, no one else's word counts."