Chapter 82: Zhou Ruohan

"Su Yang, what on earth happened? How did I just hear that you, a town mayor, have been suspended? And you didn't report it immediately? You have no regard for the organization or your leaders."

The call was from Zhou Ruohan; her voice was somewhat urgent and angry.

The fundamental reason Zhou Ruohan knew about this so quickly was because of Organization Department Head Gao Fengming. Minister Gao had been in the county for so long that he naturally had people in the town.

As soon as the incident occurred, someone local reported it to him.

He didn't delay and informed Zhou Ruohan of the details immediately.

Gao Fengming also felt very surprised—a perfectly good town mayor suspended just like that, and by a Publicity Department Head at that.

Regarding Su Yang's disaster relief efforts, Zhou Ruohan had the most say, because she was on the scene. She witnessed how he urgently mobilized the masses to escape danger, preventing a major accident that could have resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries.

She also witnessed how Su Yang did his utmost to save people in the flood—and of course, he saved her life too. For such a good official who sacrificed himself for others without asking for anything in return to have someone trip him up and treat him unfairly—it was simply beastly behavior.

If Gao Fengming hadn't been there, she would have started swearing on the spot.

She didn't ask much and called Su Yang directly.

Su Yang explained the ins and outs of the matter in detail.

Zhou Ruohan became even angrier. "This is truly lawless. I've seen people showboating, but I've never seen anyone showboat so shamelessly."

"After the photo op, they claim the credit for themselves, and on top of that, they frame the cadre who actually did the work. It's too much. Our Publicity Department leadership is also clueless. Since when does the Publicity Department have the power of the Organization Department? How do you plan to handle this?"

Su Yang said, "The eyes of the masses are sharp. I believe the elders and fellow villagers in the village will come out to testify for me. These underhanded tricks of theirs will only end up as a laughingstock."

"And doesn't the suspension have to pass through the Standing Committee? I believe the county leaders will definitely be able to investigate the matter clearly. But being suspended is actually fine; I can focus on assisting them with the post-disaster reconstruction work in the village."

"Now that almost all the supplies have arrived, I plan to start the bidding work next week to find a company with construction qualifications to help the villagers of Huatian Village build houses. I want to build houses for the villagers that they can live in for at least seventy years."

"At the same time, I also want to take this time to go out and look at mature apple processing plants in other places. I want to fulfill everything I said before one by one."

"Having experienced this incident, the matter of building an apple processing plant has become even more urgent."

Su Yang briefly stated his thoughts.

"You really have a big heart. You've been dismissed, and you're still thinking about this series of work. If it were anyone else, they would have already started running to the county, looking for connections and people. You only know how to keep your head down and pull the cart, but you don't know how to look up and watch the road. You'll suffer for this."

"Since you have this idea, then go ahead and do it. As for your situation, we'll wait until Li Qingsheng brings it up at the Standing Committee. I believe the other Standing Committee members will give you a fair handling."

Zhou Ruohan still greatly appreciated Su Yang's work attitude. Even after being suspended by others, he was still thinking about striving for the economic development of Huatian Town. You couldn't find many people like this within the system.

It seemed that what he said at home back then really wasn't just off-the-cuff, and it really wasn't just official jargon.

With that, she felt much more at ease. When Su Yang said those things back then, she was worried that Su Yang was just trying to fool her father, thinking her father was just an ordinary retired cadre.

You have to know that her father was "narrow-minded" when it came to work. If this matter turned out to be empty talk, her father would definitely cause trouble for Su Yang.

"Thank you, Leader." Su Yang thanked her very politely and prepared to hang up.

At this moment, Zhou Ruohan suddenly asked, "You said you're going to inspect apple processing plants—do you have any specific destinations?"

"Oh, there's one in the neighboring Pingchuan City. I'll go and roughly understand their actual situation, see how much capital is needed, what scale is required, and at the same time, see if we can introduce relevant talent."

"In short, I must do this. Otherwise, the bragging I did back then won't be realized."

Su Yang had thought about this long ago. If you want to start a factory, it's easy to say but hard to do.

Having the idea and wanting to do it is just a matter of words; to actually implement it, it's not just about thinking you can raise a little money to get it done.

It also requires relevant technology, talent, or even a sales team.

Otherwise, if you produce it and leave it at home, it's no different from apples rotting in the fields. Because essentially, no value has been created.

Moreover, the villagers can't afford to be tossed around. As long as the start is unfavorable, don't even think about doing this.

"Good, good, good. Since that's the case, then go ahead." After Zhou Ruohan hung up, she said to Gao Fengming, "You say this Mayor Su is truly a role model for grassroots cadres. Even when suspended, he's still thinking about the development here and the resettlement of disaster victims."

"For a person like this to be suspended for no reason—I really don't know what kind of mentality some of our comrades have."

"For those who only know how to suck up, showboat, and have no ability, they are rewarded and commended at every turn. Yet, they suppress the leading cadres who are wholeheartedly working for the people and doing practical things."

"I'll even be blunt: this is retaliation, this is bullying. I had thought before that the Zhao Shanhe incident would leave behind some tumors that would destroy our political ecology, but I didn't expect it to be this serious."

Gao Fengming said from the side, "County Magistrate Zhou, in essence, this matter still has to pass through the Standing Committee. No matter what Minister Li says, when we discuss it at the Standing Committee, it won't necessarily pass 100%."

"Of course, if there is solid evidence for this matter, I think we should also report it to the city."

"In addition, please ask the comrades from the Discipline Inspection Commission to help verify it. I also don't believe Comrade Su Yang is showboating."

The reason he said this was because Su Yang's matter would directly force the County Party Standing Committee members to clearly state their attitudes.

It also meant that those Standing Committee members with ambiguous attitudes would have to choose a side.

It even more meant that the first clash of the Standing Committee after the new Secretary and County Magistrate took office had officially begun.

Originally, the County Standing Committee would have officially unfolded after the leaders became familiar with the situation and when personnel adjustments were involved. Su Yang's incident indirectly accelerated it.

Zhou Ruohan naturally knew what Gao Fengming meant. She waved her hand and said, "Not necessarily, there's no need. If we, as county leaders, can't even protect a cadre who does good deeds just for the people, then what kind of county leaders are we?"

"I will personally go to the *Lancheng Daily* office this afternoon. I want to ask their leaders if they upheld the bottom line and basic principles of media truth-seeking when they made their report."

Her words instantly erupted with that unique temperament she possessed, instantly making Gao Fengming certain that this young female County Magistrate must have made full preparations. Even if Secretary Zhou stood on the opposite side, she would fight to the end.

At the same time, he also felt that County Magistrate Zhou going directly to the *Lancheng Daily* office might be a bit rash. After all, they are a proper deputy-department-level unit.

The top leader of the newspaper office is concurrently held by the Publicity Department Head of the Lancheng Municipal Committee.

But in reality, the reason Zhou Ruohan said this was, on one hand, she was indeed angry, and on the other hand, Fang Jingwen would likely not stand idly by in clarifying this matter.

As long as Zhou Hongtao didn't show excessive favoritism, she would have full confidence.

As for the *Lancheng Daily*, heh, she really didn't take them seriously.

The few people eating at the Shangri-La Hotel were in a very good mood at this time, especially Li Tian, who now wanted to laugh out loud with excitement.

"Minister Li, we must thank you properly. If it weren't for your sharp eyes and clear insight, we might have been polluted by Su Yang and turned into a mess."

"You don't know how overbearing this person is. On his first day in office, he dismissed our Government Office Director, then suspended the Civil Affairs Office Director, and listening to his tone, he also wanted to remove the Finance Office Director."

"And he's so stupidly cute—he actually had the audacity to want the *Lancheng Daily* to apologize to him? Tell me, is he crazy? Not to mention the level and weight of the *Lancheng Daily*, let's just say, when has an official media outlet like the *Lancheng Daily* ever apologized to anyone?"

"Isn't this the same as shitting yourself and then swallowing it back?"

"Now it's good. Didn't he shout about dismissing this person and removing that person? Now he's been suspended himself. Let's see how he can show off in the future."

"Minister Li, can you suspend him first, and then when we discuss it at the County Party Standing Committee, dismiss him directly or kick him out?"

"I believe that at the Standing Committee, my father and Minister Gao of the United Front Work Department will definitely give their full support."

"Oh, right, Minister, besides this matter, I think our work here will involve the reconstruction of villagers' houses. I heard your son, Li Huan, is also doing infrastructure projects recently, right?" ===== CHAPTER 83 =====