Chapter 625: A Contest in the Shadows

Tian Dan sighed over the phone and said, "Zhou Hao's uncle is a good man with countless old comrades-in-arms. Even if his uncle doesn't say a word, those people below will still help him. This is how human relationships work; no matter how great our abilities are, we cannot fight against this web of connections."

After listening, He Yuzhu felt energized instead and said excitedly, "Dan, from today on, you continue to take fish from the East Suburb cold storage. I want to see what this Zhou Hao can do to me."

"This will bring trouble to Liushi Trading Company!"

"Since Secretary Liu went to Guangdong Province to be an official, I will transfer the registration location of Liushi Trading Company there and turn this place into a warehouse. I want to see if he, Zhou Hao, can really reach that far."

"Why must you go to such lengths? Zhou Hao suffered a loss at our hands last time, and now he only dares to use policy to block you. I don't think it's worth it for you to fight him to the death."

He Yuzhu, however, disagreed and smiled instead: "The days of catching enemy agents and fighting the Japanese invaders are long gone, and I've been feeling bored. Now that something like this has popped up, I really want to trade a few blows with him to see if his cultivation is deeper or if my life is tougher."

Tian Dan was amused by his energetic spirit and, knowing she couldn't dissuade him, could only urge: "Then you must study the documents thoroughly so he can't catch you on any technicalities."

After hanging up the phone, He Yuzhu turned to his father, He Daqing, and said, "Dad, issue a notice saying that all previous benefits will no longer be distributed. Write it exactly as it is... don't hide anything, and let's see how the people in the factory react..."

Upon hearing this, He Daqing nodded and said, "I will speak according to the facts."

The next morning, He Daqing used the loudspeaker to broadcast the reason for stopping the benefits and posted a detailed explanation on the bulletin board.

The tens of thousands of employees at the Rolling Mill were in an uproar the moment they heard that the benefits they had been receiving for years were gone. In the canteens, workshops, and offices, curses could be heard everywhere.

The workers lost their motivation to work, and some simply started slacking off.

Some people shouted everywhere: "The benefits didn't stop even during the years of great disaster. Now that the disaster has passed, life is actually worse than before. Someone is trying to mess with us workers!"

Facing the public indignation, He Yuzhu naturally couldn't sit still, so he went directly to the Ministry of Heavy Industry.

He was received by Deputy Minister Zhao.

Deputy Minister Liu, who had always taken good care of He Yuzhu, had been transferred to Guangdong Province for his contributions to drought relief, so he could no longer intervene in He Yuzhu's affairs for the time being.

Deputy Minister Zhao poured a cup of tea for He Yuzhu and said with a smile, "Comrade He, I've taken over Deputy Minister Liu's work and haven't had time to chat with you properly. Since you're here today, tell me about the situation at your factory."

He Yuzhu didn't hold back and told the whole story of the Rolling Mill from beginning to end, even bringing out the document from the Labor Bureau forbidding the distribution of benefits.

After listening, Deputy Minister Zhao pondered for a long while before speaking: "Rest assured, the grain and the dried and salted fish from your seawater farms were all produced by your own factory's efforts, and the Ministry is still benefiting from them to this day; we will not touch that portion. Since there is a document, don't distribute them openly. I have read that document from the Labor Bureau, and procedurally, there are no faults to be found. As for what to do next, you will have to find a way yourself..."

Once He Yuzhu heard this, he knew what to do.

Deputy Minister Zhao did not want to have a falling out with Zhou Hao's side, but he also did not want to see a major factory like the Rolling Mill get into trouble.

He nodded and took his leave to return to the factory.

"Dad, the Ministry's meaning is for us to handle it ourselves. I thought about it all night and came up with an idea. You expand the canteen, process the salted fish simply, and let the employees buy them with coupons at a price so low it's negligible; steam the flour into buns and sell them cheaply too, so they can take them home to eat."

He Daqing's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he smiled: "The idea is good, but how do we control the quantity?"

"Dad, you're in charge of logistics, use your brain and figure out a way, like, making some kind of ticket?"

He Daqing understood immediately. Just as he was about to leave, he turned back: "By the way, Zhuzi, you promised Li Huaide that you would promote him to Deputy Factory Director as soon as the drought relief ended. He's chasing me every day to ask..."

"I have already submitted his name. Whether it gets approved or not depends on his own efforts!" He Yuzhu said.

Not long after He Daqing left, someone knocked on the door.

He Yuzhu opened the door and saw it was Lou Xiaoe.

"Something up?" He Yuzhu looked up.

"Today is my birthday, you must come!" Lou Xiaoe said with a smile.

"Where are you celebrating?"

"He Ji Restaurant at Shichahai. Yushui, my Siqiang, and the others are all going, don't you forget."

"If someone invites me to dinner, how could I not go?" He Yuzhu agreed with a smile.

After Lou Bancheng finished his business, he didn't leave; it was unclear what he was waiting for. Since he didn't leave, Lou Xiaoe didn't either.

Lou Xiaoe's class background was poor, and Chen Xueru could no longer protect her.

He Yuzhu then arranged a job for her at the Rolling Mill—managing the library.

Ever since He Yuzhu became Factory Director, he had built a data building filled with professional books—steelmaking, car manufacturing, anything related to technology. As for literature, it was strictly screened by He Yuzhu, as he feared someone might use it to make trouble.

At the birthday party, Chen Daya, He Yushui, Xiaomi, Dahua, and Xiaoqi all came, and Ma Yan and the others arrived as well.

Everyone had a happy meal.

Thanks to He Yuzhu's help, He Ji Restaurant had survived the disaster years, and business was now very good.

This was mainly due to the stable supply of sea fish from He Yuzhu's side.

For the next period of time, Zhou Hao tried every trick to make things difficult for the Red Star Rolling Mill.

He blocked recruitment quotas, blocked the entry quotas for cadres into the capital, and in the end, even blocked employees from taking sick leave.

He Yuzhu didn't fight him head-on—if he wouldn't give employment quotas, he would hire temporary workers.

When these people heard that they could get more food and vegetables from the canteen to take home at a very cheap price, they scrambled to work even if the wages were lower.

As for those transferred cadres, if the Labor Bureau wouldn't approve them, He Yuzhu would report it directly to the Ministry of Heavy Industry.

If the Ministry wouldn't give him an answer, he would just stay in the leader's office and refuse to leave.

The pressure on Zhou Hao's side was also growing greater and greater.

His uncle's old friends and subordinates were willing to help Zhou Hao, but none of them wanted to offend people for his sake.

In the Labor Bureau office, Zhou Hao was listening to Liu Weidong's report.

"Director Zhou, the Red Star Rolling Mill isn't distributing benefits openly anymore, but they've changed their tactics. Employees use one kind of coupon to buy buns at the canteen at an extremely cheap price every day; they use another kind of coupon to buy dried and salted fish..."

Zhou Hao slammed his fist on the table, his face turning green: "Simply lawless! I'm going to report him! What about that company I had you investigate?"

Liu Weidong handed over a piece of paper.

After reading it, Zhou Hao cursed: "Transferring the company's registration to Guangdong Province and leaving only an office here... what a scheme!"

He asked again: "How is the investigation into Tian Dan going?"

Liu Weidong shook his head: "Director Zhou, I've already contacted those old connections at the Municipal Bureau you mentioned. But they are just paying lip service and seem to have opinions about you. Now they are very close to Tian Dan, and they even asked me to bring you a message—don't take things too far."

Zhou Hao was so angry his face turned pale, and he gritted his teeth and said hatefully: "All of you... just wait for me!"