Chapter 1426

Xiapu Township is the township with the highest elevation in Changshan County, and it is also the poorest. Of course, it also has the worst traffic conditions. For many years, the local people here had hoped that the county could improve the road from here to the county seat, but they had been disappointed for many years. This road had never been built, and their only way in and out remained that narrow, winding path.

Now, the county was going to build a road, and it was being built all the way to Wushui County; this had already exceeded the expectations of the people in Xiapu Township.

They waited until it was dark, and the guests finally arrived. Feng Hai and Zhu Xuewu had been waiting at the entrance of the township government; they welcomed the guests in and led them directly into the township government canteen.

Feng Hai and Zhu Xuewu intended to have Ling Anguo sit in the seat of honor, but Ling Anguo let Hackett sit in the seat of honor and had Yu Zhunchu sit with Hackett, while he and Su Xinghui sat on the sides to accompany them; the others sat wherever they pleased.

The banquet arranged by Feng Hai and his colleagues could be considered quite sumptuous, but Ling Anguo had called ahead to remind him not to serve any game, so there wasn't a single wild dish at their banquet. Feng Hai smiled and said, "County Magistrate, Secretary Su, and these distinguished guests, we don't have anything good to treat you with today; it's all local specialties. Everyone, please eat and drink more."

Ling Anguo then introduced them to Feng Hai: "Old Feng, this is Mr. Hackett, the Chief Representative of the World Bank in China, and this is Comrade Yu Zhunchu, the County Magistrate of Wushui County. Whether this Changwu Highway can be successfully built depends on them. You must have a few good drinks with them."

Feng Hai and Zhu Xuewu then raised their glasses to toast. They also introduced themselves to Hackett and Yu Zhunchu. In the future, a long stretch of this road would be within the territory of their Xiapu Township, and they would have many occasions to deal with each other, so they had to get to know each other well now.

After a few drinks, Yu Zhunchu raised a glass and said to Feng Hai and Zhu Xuewu, "Come, Secretary Feng, Township Head Zhu, I'll toast you both. In the future, our two counties will be connected by this highway. During the construction period, you will certainly have to work hard."

Feng Hai and Zhu Xuewu raised their glasses together and said, "What kind of hard work is this? This is what we should do. The tens of thousands of people in our Xiapu Township have been looking forward to this road for decades. Now we can finally see hope!"

Feng Hai and Zhu Xuewu spoke with great emotion; their eyes were even a little red. This was not because they were fragile; they had worked in Xiapu Township for decades, and they knew exactly what Xiapu Township was like.

Xiapu Township is poor and bitter, but poverty and bitterness are not the most terrifying things; the most terrifying thing is that there is no hope here, no hope of walking out of the mountains. It is truly too isolated. The furthest place most people here have traveled in their lives is probably the township government; those who are better off have been to the county seat, and those who have traveled further are few and far between.

This is why everyone valued Wei Pengfei so much when he became a college student from Changshanchong; they even compared him to a descending star of literature. It is truly too difficult for a talent to emerge from here.

Feng Hai and Zhu Xuewu, with red eyes, drank that glass of wine in one gulp, and everyone else was filled with emotion.

Ling Anguo and Su Xinghui were, of course, very clear about this situation; they knew the hardships of such high-mountain areas. Although Yu Zhunchu hadn't stayed in such areas for long, he had often been educated by his grandfather, so he could also understand what Feng Hai and Zhu Xuewu were talking about. Hackett had traveled through countless impoverished mountain areas in China and understood this situation even better.

Hackett smiled and said, "Mr. Feng, Mr. Zhu, once this road is built, your place will definitely become prosperous."

Feng Hai said, "We don't expect to become very prosperous; we would be content just to be able to eat our fill and keep warm."

Feng Hai's words made the atmosphere at the table become somewhat heavy. Their requirements were so low, yet for so many years, they had been difficult to realize.

After the meal, Feng Hai and Zhu Xuewu gave the few reception rooms the township government had to the guests. Feng Hai and Zhu Xuewu even brought new bedding from their own homes. The bedding Feng Hai brought was what he had prepared for his son's wedding, but he said that to treat these distinguished guests, it was worth it.

That night, Hackett went to bed early. He had climbed mountains all day and had some wine at dinner, so he slept quite early. Ling Anguo and Yu Zhunchu came to Su Xinghui's room, and the three of them started chatting.

Ling Anguo said, "Comrade Xinghui, I think Mr. Hackett is quite serious. The loan procedures on their end must be very complicated, right? When do you estimate the loan will come through?"

Su Xinghui said, "I have already spoken to Mr. Hackett and asked him to try his best to speed up the loan process. Mr. Hackett has also agreed. I estimate the loan will be approved in a month or two at the latest."

Ling Anguo said, "I don't know if this loan will actually be approved. If it isn't, we can't just leave the road half-finished, can we?"

It's no wonder Ling Anguo is worried. In this world, where is there any certainty? If the loan isn't approved, given Changshan County's financial resources, they really couldn't afford to build this road now.

Su Xinghui said, "County Magistrate Ling, you don't need to worry. Our project meets the World Bank's loan conditions. Since Mr. Hackett has already come, it proves that the possibility of this loan being approved is still very high. Even if it isn't approved, I can find a way for the remaining funds."

Yu Zhunchu also nodded and smiled, "County Magistrate Ling, if the loan really isn't approved, I will find a way for the funds from our Wushui County side. We won't let this road be abandoned halfway."

Ling Anguo then nodded and said, "Now that you've said that, I can rest assured. Then can we start building this road? Only when this road is built sooner can I feel at ease sooner."

Yu Zhunchu said, "Of course we can start building. Half of the funds are already in place, aren't they? My purpose in coming this time, besides meeting Mr. Hackett, is to discuss the road construction with your county. We need to agree on a charter, unified command, and unified action so that the efficiency of this project can be higher."

Ling Anguo asked Su Xinghui, "Xinghui, when you were in Shangjun County, your county once cooperated with Xinhe County on the other side of the Changjiang River to build the Changjiangdaqiao. How did you operate it at that time?"

Su Xinghui said, "At that time, the two counties and the investors jointly established a Shangxin Changjiangdaqiao Management Company to jointly manage the Changjiangdaqiao project. Matters including preliminary preparation, bidding, construction, and later maintenance, toll collection, and loan repayment were all managed jointly, and shares were distributed according to each party's capital contribution."

After pondering for a long time, Ling Anguo said to Yu Zhunchu, "County Magistrate Yu, I think the model Comrade Xinghui mentioned is quite good. What do you think?"

Yu Zhunchu had already heard about this model from Su Xinghui, and he naturally held an approving attitude toward it. He nodded and said, "I also think this model is good; it's relatively fair to both sides."

Ling Anguo said, "That's fine. Then after we return to the county government, we will each hold a County Magistrate's office meeting to discuss it. If the office meeting passes this model, then we will jointly establish a Changwu Highway Management Company to jointly manage this highway, and then start bidding and road construction as soon as possible."

Yu Zhunchu nodded and said, "Okay, as soon as I return to Wushui County, I will hold a County Magistrate's office meeting."