Chapter 1105: Chatting with Wang Ping to Gain Support

"What, are you worried that Pan Wenhai will hit me?"

Su Yang couldn't help but laugh wryly; in others' eyes, such a thing might actually happen.

Wang Ping twitched his lips without speaking, obviously acquiescing to Su Yang's self‑mockery. He indeed had that worry, but he was embarrassed to say it so bluntly.

Su Yang laughed: "Don't worry, I'm not a vegetable; how could I let him have his way? I'll go out for a smoke."

Wang Ping hesitated a moment, then followed Su Yang out. He certainly knew Su Yang had something to ask him, but fortunately they were in the hospital, so no one would notice them.

At the windowed end of the corridor, Su Yang pulled out a cigarette and tossed it to Wang Ping: "You're not exactly well‑off either. With your rank, you might not get a private room, but you should at least be able to stay in a special care ward, right? Why are you still in a three‑person ordinary ward? Your old man probably never enjoyed much in his life, and now that he's sick, can't he at least be looked after a little better? Besides, I can tell you're a filial son."

Wang Ping showed a guilty expression: "I'd like that too, but you know the situation in our county—rank is rank, treatment is treatment, the two are completely separate."

"Although I work at the Public Security Bureau and am technically a deputy chief, my word carries less weight than those captains down below. If today a captain's or a deputy director's family member from a police station fell ill and was hospitalized—even just a cold or headache—they could get a special care ward, but I cannot."

"It's not rank that decides this, it's connections. Of course, the upper limit on approval for someone like me is almost an exception."

Su Yang nodded slightly; he had actually guessed a few things: "How is the old man's condition? If it's stable, I won't say anything, but if further treatment is needed, we should transfer him to a major hospital in the city or province if necessary."

Wang Ping said: "That's not the case; just keep him under observation for a few days and he should be discharged. Thank you for your concern. I heard today that you want to push for internal competition for posts in the bureau, and now everyone's up in arms about it."

"This is essentially a good thing, but actually implementing it might be difficult. Bureau Chief Xu has the Public Security Bureau completely under his thumb; if he doesn't nod, even if you issue an order it won't work."

It seems Wang Ping is also a perceptive person; he knows why Su Yang sought him out.

Su Yang said: "You don't need to worry about that. I just want to know who are truly talented but unrecognized, capable and professionally strong, yet the only ones being suppressed. If given the chance, would they dare to compete for posts? Would they dare to take on this responsibility and live up to the people's expectations and trust?"

Wang Ping saw Su Yang speaking so confidently, yet he still didn't believe this could actually be carried out.

Su Yang could also see Wang Ping's doubts; after all, anyone else besides himself would find it impossible to believe this could be accomplished.

He added: "Of course, this matter is indeed difficult; although it's an internal affair, it doesn't need to go before the Standing Committee or undergo layers of approval, but there is resistance, so it can't be executed immediately."

"'I estimate at most a week; after one week, the internal competition for posts will be formally launched. I'm talking to you just to get a sense of things—otherwise, once it's really launched, if there's actually no talent, just this clique of connection‑holders occupying the positions, then the competition for posts will truly become a joke…'"

Wang Ping said: "There are still plenty of truly capable and competent comrades, but they're not good at ingratiating themselves, they're too upright, so they don't get Xu Jinxiu's approval and end up in deputy positions, while the real work in the bureau actually needs them to do it."

"'Besides those doing deputy work, there are also some young comrades who have been in the bureau for two or three years, full of vigor and bravery, daring to fight against all evil forces and unjust phenomena. But these people haven't had a chance to do anything; as soon as they said that, they were promptly dispatched to the various outlying police stations.'"

Su Yang nodded slightly; it seems pretty much as he imagined—in fact, it's the same everywhere: those who flatter and seize positions always need some competent, effective, get‑the‑job‑done backbone personnel to take deputy roles and do the work.

These are recent college graduates; who isn't full of ambition and loyal devotion? Otherwise he wouldn't rashly push for post competition; his goal is simply to awaken their passion and give those deputy‑position holders a chance to rise.

"'Good, that's good. When the time comes, as long as they sign up for the competition, that's enough. Of course, throughout this period we will uphold the principles of fairness, openness, and transparency—even I cannot interfere with the normal competition.'"

"'Moreover, I will make sure the related safeguards are in place so that these comrades won't face retaliation for competing for posts. Given that, how many people do you think would dare to step forward and take part in the competition?'"

Upon hearing this, a glimmer of light flashed in Wang Ping's dim eyes, and he said: "If things really work as you say, at least thirty or forty people in our Public Security Bureau system, from top to bottom, would dare to step forward and compete; adding the former battalion chiefs and police station directors, etc., we'd probably have at least fifty people taking part in the post competition."

"'But I'm deeply worried that everyone's fervent passion and the hope they've just kindled will ultimately be ruthlessly doused.'"

"'Because I've also heard that after this nominal evaluation, the organization will assign posts based on their abilities, specialties, and professional competence. In that case, wouldn't the final allocation authority end up in Xu Jinxiu's hands? That would mean the vast majority of positions would still remain under their control.'"

Su Yang then asked lightly: "Do you think it's better for them to hold all the positions, or at least have some positions truly capable of doing concrete work for the common people, worthy of the national emblem above their heads and worthy of the people who support them?"

Wang Ping lowered his head without speaking; at that moment he realized that this seemingly young leader before him might truly be a cut above in political maneuvering.

Their purpose has never been to occupy all those positions, but rather to enable capable people to take up certain posts as role models, thereby stirring everyone's enthusiasm and rekindling the quickly cooling fervor.

He pondered a moment, then said: "Although I don't usually have any connections with those people, I am fairly familiar with the grassroots comrades. Those capable comrades—just leave it to me to mobilize them; they will surely come forward to sign up."

Su Yang nodded heavily; that's exactly the effect he wants. At the very least, in this post‑competition round he needs to know who are truly usable; otherwise, even if one batch is replaced and another batch of these people's lackeys steps in, the essence would be meaningless.

At the same moment, Xu Jinxiu and Liu Qing were visiting as guests in Huang Beidou's villa.

Though called a visit, the only one actually sitting down in the host's villa was Xu Jinxiu.

Liu Qing stood at the side, pouring tea and water. The person sitting opposite was not Huang Beidou, but the woman who had appeared in Su Yang's room the previous night.

Because Huang Beidou simply had no interest in seeing people of their ilk.