Chapter 608: The County Party Committee Secretary's Initial Intimidation

After a burst of applause, Ye Xianggao said directly, "Department Head Lu, County Magistrate Su, let's go upstairs to the conference room. You've been traveling all day, and this isn't a place for conversation."

Department Head Lu's eyebrows twitched noticeably at the words, but he said nothing, only nodded.

Su Yang thought silently: It's already begun. According to normal procedure, shouldn't this be the time to introduce him to all the cadres? Everyone should at least shake hands in a decent manner, right?

After all, this differs from the township level, where leaders usually lack much scheming and can show their attitude on the spot. For example, Li Tian at that time, when he took office, staged a handshake act for him.

But at the county‑division level, it's indeed different; they simply cut out that segment. It may look better than the scenes of his two previous appointments, but in reality the antagonistic tension is already at its peak.

However, Su Yang is no ordinary fellow; he doesn't care at all. Though he hasn't experienced grand ceremonies, he's heard of them. Since they're playing it this way from the start, it saves him the time of putting on a hypocritical front.

After entering the conference room, Ye Xianggao introduced the members of the County Party Committee leadership to Su Yang one by one. They were: Deputy Secretary (of the County Party Committee), County Magistrate Wen Qiren, Deputy Secretary Zhou Yanru, Standing Deputy County Mayor Gao Hai, Organization Department Head Lin Huaizhong, Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary Hou Junping, Publicity Department Head Ji Minjia, United Front Department Head Xiong Kuo Hai, County Party Committee Office Director Jin Junlai, and Town Party Committee Secretary Ma Lifeng of Shuanggou Town.

Su Yang shook hands and greeted each person, but they were almost like robots, offering a formulaic greeting and a light shake; each greeting was practically identical. If Su Yang couldn't feel the temperature of their hands, he would think they were mass‑produced robots, because there was no emotional nuance.

After Ye Xianggao saw the two of them meet one another, he took the stage and said, "Today is a wonderful day for our Lieshan County Party Committee and County Government leadership team; our county finally welcomes a young, capable, and decisive young cadre."

"Here, I want to stress that this 'young' isn't a buzzword; he's only 25, younger than any township cadre in Lieshan County. Honestly, at that age most people are still clerks, even our secretary is older than him."

"Of course, a cadre this young being placed in Lieshan County isn't due to organizational favoritism, but because County Magistrate Su has a solid track record."

"The towns he previously worked in—Huatián Town and Xiushui Xiang—completely transformed their local economies, turning the two townships that were merely 'class leaders' and 'deputy class leaders' in the county into the county's leading examples."

"Of course, saying 'the county's leading example' is a bit exaggerated, because neither Huatián Town nor Xiushui Xiang's economic models are fully developed; if they were, they might even become the leading examples of the entire city."

"Therefore, our single economic model in Lieshan County also needs to change under County Magistrate Su's leadership, allowing our economy to diversify and develop in tandem, so Lieshan County's economy can soar again and leap to become the leading example of Jinzhou."

"In addition, you may not know that County Magistrate Su is upright and incorruptible, with no tolerance for any speck of sand in his eyes. In the two townships where he served, the Town Party Committee Secretaries, Standing Deputy Town Mayors, Township Heads, Township Party Committee Secretaries, and Township Party Committee Deputy Secretaries were all removed by him."

"So not only is he adept at economic development, he's also quite experienced in Discipline Inspection work. I hope similar situations won't occur in Lieshan County; everyone should perform their own duties and not make County Magistrate Su add extra burdens for himself when he arrives in the county."

"In that case, not only would County Magistrate Su be overburdened, but we also couldn't answer to the higher organization."

"Now, please let Department Head Lu speak."

The crowd gave another round of enthusiastic applause. Su Yang also clapped, but in his mind he had already figured out the reasoning; everything Ye Xianggao said, both explicitly and implicitly, emphasized economic development.

The implication was clear: you should mind your own business; as Standing Deputy County Mayor, focus on your economic projects, and stay out of other matters as much as possible. To put it bluntly, it's already a warning to him.

You constantly drag your colleagues into trouble, but that was part of your previous post; in Lieshan County, try to avoid such actions. They didn't say what would happen if you did, but at least they've made their attitude clear.

Su Yang snickered inwardly: I'm damn born bold, with a tongue that sticks out, never knowing what fear is, and my reputation as an "official‑world assassin" didn't come for nothing.

You all know my purpose for coming here; right from the start you gave me a horse‑down threat—it's just childish. Warn me? Beat me? That's overkill. If I were even a little cowardly, I wouldn't have come here to work with people like you.

While his mind was still racing, Department Head Lu began speaking: "Comrades, you all must be aware of Lieshan County's situation. Over the years, the economy has risen a notch, and the Common People's pockets have also become plumper."

"However, some of our cadres' thoughts and actions haven't kept pace and remain stagnant. Consequently, the higher Organization Department, considering the overall structure of your County Party Committee leadership, has made adjustments to inject fresh blood."

"Comrade Su Yang's past record, as Secretary Ye just made clear, need not be recounted here. Whether in his previous roles or his current post, they have all centered on economic development. I believe County Magistrate Su will certainly strike the right balance and make a huge contribution to Lieshan County's economic development, bringing substantive benefits to the Common People."

"We cannot allow the government to develop while the local economy rises, yet the Common People fail to escape poverty and instead fall deeper. This is not what the higher authorities want to see, nor what I wish to see, nor what the Municipal Party Committee leadership desires."

"I hope you can twist yourselves into one rope, combine your strength and effort, and strive for a new visage for Lieshan County."

After he finished, Ye Xianggao led the applause; this round was very enthusiastic, but it was just applause.

When Department Head Lu finished, it was Su Yang's turn to go on stage. Everyone's gaze swept onto Su Yang; some were disdainful, some contemptuous, some curious, and some indifferent.

The only thing they shared was that they all perked up, eager to hear what Su Yang would say. Usually, a leader's inaugural speech reveals much about his or her style of conduct.

Especially now that Su Yang has clearly been warned, will he pretend not to understand, bide his time and strike back, or simply concede on the spot? Whatever reaction or stance Su Yang takes, they are watching it closely.