Chapter 856: If You're Going to Do It, You Might as Well Be the County Magistrate

Su Yang said with a smile: "As long as one is a cadre within the system, especially those in charge of a locality, nobody fails to think about developing the area under their jurisdiction. Whether corrupt or clean, they always want achievements and reputation. But if some come with selfish motives, then it's hard to say."

Chen Bo said, somewhat puzzled: "County Magistrate Su, you just said that being an official for one term necessarily means benefiting the locality, regardless of one's virtue. Yet you also said some come with selfish motives—what do you mean? Isn't that contradictory?"

Su Yang smiled: "The concept we're talking about applies only to us grassroots cadres who can reach the common people and feel their livelihood hardships. My meaning of 'grassroots cadre' includes not just us, but also comrades parachuted down from the province."

"But if you look further ahead and higher up—for example, those parachuted in from Jingcheng—they may not truly treat the common people as anything; in their eyes, this is merely a tool for political maneuvering. Although this is hard to hear, it's the truth; you can imagine some things, and even if you can't imagine others, you'll see them later."

Su Yang stopped here, for he really didn't want to tell everyone that Zhang Jiangbo had been parachuted in to serve as county party secretary. Being parachuted in from Jingcheng to take the top post is already enough to shock people's hearts; if you add a deputy secretary of the municipal party committee serving concurrently, can those present still hold to their original intentions? That's still hard to say.

Therefore, before Zhang Jiangbo arrives, he must seize whatever can be done, otherwise it will truly become a half-baked, abandoned project. He can even imagine that whatever he wants to do, Zhang Jiangbo will surely stand up to oppose, without regard for cost or consequences.

Because he knows this type of person too well— for the sake of striking back and revenge, they completely disregard the people's interests and never consider local development. At worst, they'll end up leaving a mess, with most cadres punished, while they simply pat their backs and walk away.

Su Yang has heard many such things, so higher-level leaders also wouldn't agree to let those Jingcheng princelings run for county-level posts, because most of them don't truly serve the people.

Only when they reach a higher level and need achievements do they mobilize various resources to pursue development. But Zhang Jiangbo this time is truly an exception—he's coming for him, and even more so for Old Zhou. Therefore, he must hold his ground this time, not fall behind, and not give them a handle to grab.

Hou Junlai pondered: "Does that mean our top leader has a powerful background? Anyway, in most cases, the party secretary and county magistrate don't share the same pot, and as long as we few are of one mind, sticking to the correct path and standing with the people, I don't believe they'll break through the bottom line."

Su Yang smiled: "Of course, our original intention to serve the people cannot change; we can't retreat at the slightest setback, and besides, the setback hasn't even come yet. Let's not talk about it—let's push forward what we've decided, at least for now we still have the ability to guarantee these projects; we'll talk about later things later."

Zhou Yanru and Hou Junlai nodded, then left, while Chen Bo stayed behind: "County Magistrate Su, do you mean a secretary with a very strong background will come? And from what you said, are they being parachuted in from Jingcheng?"

Su Yang chuckled: "As expected, I couldn't hide it from you—it's exactly that. The incoming person has considerable background, and I've met him before; we even have some personal grudge. This time he's coming half to gain achievements, half to target me, so if we're still on the same line, you'll also be implicated."

Chen Bo said: "I don't care about all that, because everything you do starts from the people's interests, genuinely serving the masses. If everyone kowtows to the powerful, how can we work? If that's really the case, then let the nation's cadres be handed over to those princelings of the powerful, while we become oxen and horses."

Su Yang laughed: "With your words, I'm relieved—at least we share the same aspirations; you'd better prepare to receive a fierce storm after the year."

He was still speaking when his pocket phone rang; he pulled it out and saw it was Fang Jingwen. Without avoiding Chen Bo's presence, he directly pressed answer: "County Magistrate Fang, what made you decide to call me? Do you have any instructions?"

Fang Jingwen said: "Because I haven't heard from you in such a long time, I called to check on you—any problems?"

Su Yang let out an "oh": "Right, talking with County Magistrate Fang can't follow the usual rules: 'No problem, I actually wanted to call you for a chat, but lately work has been coming one after another.'"

Fang Jingwen said with a hint of teasing: "How come? Since you didn't become executive vice county magistrate this time, you've channeled all your frustration into work? Or why not come back? I'll find a way to get you the position of executive vice county magistrate."

Su Yang grinned: "What do you take me for? I'm not going to be an executive vice county magistrate—I want at least to be a county magistrate."

I don't know where Fang Jingwen got this misunderstanding; she said: "Lately it seems Ruo Han hasn't been managing you at all? Your talk is getting more and more out of tune. It's good that there's no one around here, otherwise people hearing it might start rumors. As for rumors, I don't care, but as for you… hehehe."

Su Yang suddenly wondered if his words had some other meaning, and said: "If you have any instructions, just say them; I'm being honest—I'm quite busy lately, with a pile of work that must be pushed forward before the year ends."

Fang Jingwen said: "Forget it, just get the work done roughly; otherwise, no matter how much you do, it'll end up as someone else's achievements, having nothing to do with you. You're merely a deputy county magistrate presiding over work—oh, wrong, you don't even have the qualification to preside over work anymore, your county magistrate has already taken office."

Su Yang said: "Even if the county magistrate has taken office, he's also thinking about developing our Lieshan County's economy; most of my proposals and launched projects have his approval—why be so pessimistic?"

Fang Jingwen said: "Do you truly not know, or are you pretending? Do you know what rank the incoming county party secretary will have? In Ganzhou Province, this is probably an unprecedented configuration. Let me tell you: this time the one coming down is a scion of the Jingcheng aristocratic compound, who serves as deputy secretary of the municipal party committee while also being county party secretary."

"Of course, this news perhaps you already know, which is why you're now rushing to push your projects. But under the full-force pressure of a deputy secretary of the municipal party committee, any work you do will be in vain."

Su Yang said: "I've long known what you're talking about."

Fang Jingwen said: "Look at how proud you are—I certainly know you know that, or perhaps you've guessed that the incoming person has a personal grudge against you, or perhaps you even know their aim appears to target you but actually also targets Governor Zhou. But there's still one thing you probably haven't considered, right?"