Chapter 1095: Revenge Came So Quickly

Su Yang was just like someone with no trouble, opening his mouth to ask: "What's going on? How did Manager Huang leave? I was still planning to get close to him and build a relationship."

Secretary Pan, County Magistrate Niu, which of you two leaders has a good relationship with Manager Huang? When you're free, let's get together.

Although I, as Deputy Secretary, mainly oversee the work of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, I still need to handle relations with the county's major enterprises properly. Although I can't help the county much in this area, I also can't hold us back, right?

And why do you all suddenly look like you've been struck by lightning? Go ahead and eat, go ahead and drink—today is my welcome banquet, and I still plan to have a few drinks with everyone.

Pan Wenhai's face had turned completely ashen, and he said: "Comrade Su Yang, I need to say this upfront: our county's situation is very special. Although the economy is developed, this development relies entirely on the support of the coal industry."

If we offend the enterprises, this year's economic development will fall behind, the county's fiscal revenue will drop, the benefits of all staff won't be guaranteed, bonuses won't be paid out—then whoever poked the basket will be responsible.

One sentence directly pushed Su Yang into opposition with everyone. Su Yang could disregard a domineering top leader, or stand on the principle of serving the people, withstanding the pressure of the entire standing committee, but if he really were made to stand against all the cadres, he couldn't take it.

He cleared his throat and said: "What Secretary Pan said is correct—our county indeed has a special economic structure, different from other places. We should respect enterprises and give them support in all aspects."

But enterprises should also position themselves correctly; they should not stand above our County Party Committee and County Government. The local government leadership team is our locality's highest decision-making body, promoting the development of all industries and deciding the food, clothing, and daily needs of hundreds of thousands of common people.

If everything big and small in our county were left for enterprises to participate in and decide, what would our County Standing Committee be for? What would our several thousand civil servants be for? If that's really the case, then I'd like to ask everyone present: what is our work? What is our responsibility?

Once the words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.

Although the people present feared Pan Wenhai and usually bowed to the coal bosses, deep down they still had a bit of pride.

After ten years of hard study to become a civil servant, all to stand out—yet unexpectedly they'd still be suppressed by the coal bosses. Who could accept that? But now the situation is like this; even the top leaders bow their heads, they have no choice.

But this newly arrived Deputy Secretary seems to have a backbone of pride—this is understandable, after all, everywhere the government oversees enterprises, not the other way around.

Su Yang saw everyone lowering their heads in silence, even Pan Wenhai's face turning ashen for a moment without speaking, and he continued: "Local enterprises' support is a good thing, but we absolutely cannot allow enterprises, after growing big and strong, to stand above the government. Our country, from top to bottom, is like this—it is the Party and the government leading everything."

Finally, let me say this: I personally have great respect for enterprises, after all the locality's development cannot do without their support, but if over-reliance on enterprises lets them do as they please, then it can also be said that the local government leadership is not doing its duty.

If I were a member of the government leadership, I would certainly feel ashamed and certainly need to reflect. Moreover, the locality's economic development must absolutely not depend on a single industry; this is an extremely dangerous signal, and such situations have already occurred more than once or twice nationwide.

I would even less like to see this happen again in Liu Cheng Xian. If I'm wrong, you can also criticize and correct me. Secretary Pan, why not have everyone sit down to eat? Standing like this isn't appropriate either, after all, this isn't some disciplinary meeting.

At this point, Pan Wenhai had no mood to eat; he was about to flip the table, but Su Yang's words left him unable to find any fault.

As the top leader of the County Party Committee, he simply couldn't stand here and say that coal is what supports Liu Cheng Xian's enterprises, that coal bosses are the supreme emperors of the County Party Committee and County Government. If he really said that, the loss wouldn't be just his own face.

But his authority as top leader was still needed; he immediately slammed his palm hard on the table and stormed off with his sleeves flung.

His departure meant that no one else dared to eat here either, including County Magistrate Niu Guoqing and the standing committee members, who all left one after another.

Seeing this, the heads of the coal mines also had no mood to stay. They had come today to give the newly appointed Deputy Secretary and Political and Legal Affairs Commission Secretary a show of force, but they never expected to run into a tough nut, giving no one any face. Since they couldn't openly target anyone, they could only leave angrily.

Su Yang, however, wasn't in a hurry to leave; instead he called the hotel manager: "Don't waste all this food—send it to the boarding students at County Middle School." He also had the county government's chief steward, Ran Xuefeng, call the principal of County No. 1 Middle School right in front of him.

From this moment on, Su Yang knew that he and Pan Wenhai could no longer coexist peacefully, and the coal boss he had always wanted to avoid turned out to be someone he'd meet early on.

Life is always like this: the more you avoid something, the more it comes to you. He had originally just wanted to keep a low profile, sort out the connections here, and then slowly plan—nothing like charging in with guns blazing right from the start.

He originally thought he could set aside his earlier brashness, steady himself a bit, look like an official, at least on the surface be harmonious and united with everyone; as for kicking legs and breaking hands under the table, that was something for below.

But now he realizes he simply cannot go along with this bunch of fawning lackeys and wolf-hearted, dog-lunged scoundrels.

After this unpleasant experience, Su Yang also returned to the upstairs guest room that had been arranged for him.

Logically, he should have gone to the County Party Committee guesthouse, but Ran Xuefeng said the guesthouse was under renovation, so for now he'd stay at the hotel.

After returning to his room, he first called Duan Xu, then carefully observed the room, confirming there were no visible surveillance devices, before taking a shower. He hoped nothing strange would happen at night and that he could go to work on time the next day.

Past midnight, as he was dozing off, there was a soft click—the door opened a crack, and an almost naked woman entered his room and felt his bed.

Su Yang jerked awake, and without hesitation he kicked the woman away: "What are you doing? Who let you in?"

The woman, however, looked aggrieved: "Wasn't it you who summoned me? I came sneaking in—no one knows."

Su Yang didn't believe this nonsense: "Get out right now—I won't pursue this matter, but otherwise you know better than I do what the consequences would be."

However, just as his words fell, there came a sudden knocking at the door.

Su Yang's face immediately flashed a cold, harsh look—this gang's revenge came so fast; if he really fell into this trap, he truly wouldn't deserve to come to Liu Cheng Xian to take office.