Chapter 768: The Stakes of Negotiating Terms

"Comrade Su Yang, hello, I am the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department. Tomorrow morning the newly appointed Organization Department Head will assume office; please make the welcome arrangements."

Su Yang thought the appointment came so quickly; Zhang Guodong has only been dispatched for a few days. Yet it makes sense, and this position was likely influenced by Fang Jingwen, so in principle, vying for it could make him a unifiable comrade.

He was just thinking when a familiar voice came from the other end: "Comrade Su Yang, tomorrow morning I will personally escort your Organization Department Head to assume office."

Su Yang recognized the voice and hurriedly said, "Hello, Minister Lu. Your coming to our county is truly wonderful. Our county needs senior leaders to boost morale, raise spirits, and eliminate all the previous negative influences."

Minister Lu laughed, "You really know how to speak. Very well, since you say so, I will talk with the comrades; a discussion is possible. However, given the special circumstances in your county, I think I should first introduce this comrade to you."

"After all, you have many vacant posts that need to be filled quickly; if you handle the personnel adjustments alone, you may become a target for gossip later. With the Organization Department Head's assistance, the matter will be legitimate and beyond criticism. If that sounds acceptable, come to the city this evening."

Whatever you think of, just do it. I was originally considering that once the Organization Department Head arrives, we need to quickly smooth relations, draw closer, and implement this personnel adjustment. As long as the County Party Committee Deputy Secretary in charge of personnel and the Organization Department Head handle it together, no one can find fault.

But Minister Lu's sudden friendliness seemed off. A County Party Committee Organization Department Head receiving a Deputy Minister from the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department is already a great face‑saving gesture.

From that stance, Minister Lu intends to escort personally; he is the Executive Vice Minister, and the Organization Department Head has already gone in for tea, making him effectively the top leader in the Organization Department.

Thinking of this, Su Yang suddenly understood; it seems Minister Lu also seeks advancement.

However, he could not fathom it: Minister Lu had already aligned himself with Vice Governor Huang; for advancement, he could simply contact Vice Governor Huang. Moreover, this opportunity should be straightforward—if the higher‑ups apply a little pressure, it would be done. Why go through himself?

These past few days he has become a hot commodity; wherever he goes, people seek him out—from Municipal Party Committee Secretary Guo Haiyan to Deputy Municipal Party Committee Secretary Wang Huaizhong, and even the Executive Vice Minister of the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department. Those who didn't know might think he's the secretary of a high‑ranking provincial official. But now that the matter has been brought up, he cannot refuse this favor.

"Thank you, Minister Lu. Then I'll treat tonight."

Minister Lu said nothing more, only reminding him not to be late in the evening.

He and Zhou Yanru were not far apart, but Zhou Yanru, with his ears pricked, didn't catch what Su Yang and the other side said; merely seeing Su Yang's expression, he knew the counterpart's identity was certainly not simple, so he tentatively asked, "Is this a call from the Municipal Party Committee?"

Su Yang didn't hide it: "Oh, it's Minister Lu of the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department. He said our newly appointed Organization Department Head will assume office tomorrow morning, and we should prepare for the welcome; he will personally escort him."

"Um, additionally, he said that given the special circumstances in our county, it is essential to have the newly arrived comrade quickly start work, so he asked me to go this evening, meet the new comrade, and hand over the county's situation…"

Zhou Yanru's eyes lit up: "County Magistrate Su, I won't say anything else; as long as you can help me this time, as long as I can stay in the county to continue working, I will definitely repay you."

"Putting the distant issues aside, regarding this personnel adjustment, I will do my utmost; even if future Secretaries or County Magistrates cite this matter, I will stand up. Moreover, as long as I remain in this position, on the County Party Standing Committee I will firmly support you."

Compared with previous personnel adjustments, this moves Su Yang's heart. When he first arrived, not only at the County Party Standing Committee but at any county meeting, he had almost no room to speak.

But the upcoming situation is clear: everything in the county must get on the right track, so many matters will go to the Standing Committee.

Regardless of who becomes County Magistrate or Secretary, they will surely view him—a political assassin who overturned the entire Standing Committee—as an enemy, so he must prepare in advance. This is exactly what countless people told him when he first came to the county: there is a distinct difference between serving on the County Party Standing Committee and serving in the lower towns.

In the lower towns, the Secretary or Town Mayor who holds more power decides; normally the Secretary decides, but when encountering a town mayor like Su Yang—who stays true to his original aspirations, harbors justice, and has considerable backing—the Secretary may find it more troublesome.

However, on the County Party Standing Committee, a one‑voice rule is hard to sustain, especially since the previous state of Lieshan Xian has been broken; the original Standing Committee members, the newly arrived ones, and the County Party Committee Secretary and County Magistrate will inevitably clash over various interests, so uniting all comrades who can be united early is also one of his necessary tasks.

He said, "Zhou Yanru, you're being modest. To be in such an environment and still keep a clear head, remain unaffected, shows you are clean; otherwise, you certainly wouldn't get out of this time."

"So a cadre like you should continue to shine in your post. We don't know what the Municipal Party Committee leadership thinks, but I will do everything possible to discuss this with Minister Lu; if he agrees, I think the matter will be half‑won."

His words were not fully confident—not out of Su Yang's modesty, but because he lacked absolute certainty; the Provincial Party Committee is still brewing a decision. Although Zhou Yanru has now stepped forward, that doesn't guarantee no punishment—what if a transfer order comes and Zhou Yanru is moved away?

Even if Minister Lu doesn't approach him, he actually wants to seek out Minister Lu, or perhaps Wang Huaizhong. Regarding the conditions Zhou Yanru discussed with him, he would certainly accept them gladly.

After they finished talking, Su Yang took a cigarette from the cabinet and handed it to Zhou Yanru: "This cigarette was given to me by the old leader the last time I visited. I usually appear to smoke, but I'm not really addicted; you can have it."

Zhou Yanru was naturally delighted; a cigarette from someone else is ordinary, but between them it conveys a signal of full acceptance, which for him naturally puts his heart at ease.

Near quitting time, Su Yang and Shi Haoyun went straight to the city, while Zhou Yanru and the Former County Magistrate openly appeared together at a tea house in the county seat.