Chapter 73

On Sunday morning, Xu Xiaoguang and his father, Xu Haimin, arrived at Su Xinghui’s house very early, carrying some fruit with them.

Su Wenjun and Guo Suhua knew what Xu Haimin had come for today, as Su Xinghui had told them about it the previous night, so they did not find it strange at all.

Su Wenjun asked Xu Haimin to sit down, Su Xinghui poured tea for the guests, and then the father and son began to chat with them.

Not long after they started talking, Zhang Kaishan arrived, dressed in a tracksuit, looking as if he had just finished his morning exercise.

Zhang Kaishan greeted Su Wenjun and his wife, and was then led by Su Xinghui into his room, with Xu Haimin following behind.

Although Zhang Kaishan and Xu Haimin’s son were classmates, they did not interact much, though they were acquaintances; once inside Su Xinghui’s room and seated on chairs, Xu Haimin addressed him with a hint of respect, saying, "County Magistrate Zhang."

Zhang Kaishan smiled and said, "Old Xu, there is no need to use my official title here."

Xu Haimin agreed, but still appeared somewhat reserved; he knew that this opportunity was truly too important for him—it was not just a project, but the key to how much the Haimin Construction Company could develop in the future.

Xu Haimin was formerly an engineer at the Shangjun County State-run First Construction Company and had very rich experience in the construction industry; after the Reform and Opening-up, he resigned from the state-run company and started his own engineering team, which had developed until now into the Haimin Construction Engineering Company.

However, in recent years, he found that without connections, it was very difficult for him to secure projects, especially larger ones; he could only take on small jobs or subcontracted work, which had low profit margins, and since he refused to cut corners for the sake of profit, the company’s development slowed down.

He knew that the only way to solve this problem was to give gifts to the officials in charge, but the officials had quite an appetite, and after giving gifts, the only way to recoup his losses was to cut corners, which was something he was unwilling to do.

Therefore, he could only rely on Haimin Company’s strength and reputation in construction to take on small projects and subcontracts, maintaining a precarious existence.

Now, such an opportunity had finally appeared; if he could secure this project, it would prove that the monopoly on Shangjun County’s projects held by connected companies like Hongye Company had been broken, and even the county’s political landscape might be altered as a result.

Zhang Kaishan asked straight to the point: "Old Xu, I hear your Haimin Construction Company is a company with considerable strength."

Speaking of his own profession, Xu Haimin’s reserve vanished, replaced by confidence: "County Magistrate Zhang, I was an engineer at the County First Construction Company, and my company still has several engineers from the old First Construction Company; if we are talking about technical skill, if our Haimin claims second place, no one dares to claim first."

Zhang Kaishan nodded and said: "But it seems you haven't secured any major projects in the last few years!"

These words left Xu Haimin not knowing how to respond; he looked at Zhang Kaishan, seemingly weighing his words, but after a long time, not knowing what to say, he just let out a long sigh.

Zhang Kaishan smiled: "Old Xu, don't have any reservations; since Xinghui was able to bring you here today, it means that everyone present is not an outsider; whatever you have to say, you can say it."

Xu Haimin glanced at Su Xinghui, who nodded gently with a smile, and only then did Xu Haimin make up his mind.

"County Magistrate Zhang, you must also know that in recent years, the road construction projects in the county have basically been monopolized by Qian Hongye, and the office buildings and dormitory projects built by various units in the county have basically all been taken by connected companies; how could companies like ours, with no connections, get any major projects?"

"Connected companies—well said. Of course, I see it too in the county; companies with strength like yours can't get projects, while those connected companies have more work than they can handle and have to subcontract it out; this is a highly abnormal phenomenon." Zhang Kaishan waved his hand forcefully.

He continued: "Old Xu, now I hope to break this abnormal phenomenon, and I need some people to help me; are you willing to help me?"

Xu Haimin said: "Of course I am willing. County Magistrate Zhang, tell me what I should do."

Zhang Kaishan said: "The project for a secondary highway from the county seat to Menghuling Township might start soon; I don't want this project to be taken by connected companies again, so I plan to open it for public bidding. If your company participates in the bidding, are you confident you can win?"

Although Xu Haimin had already learned the general content of the talk with County Magistrate Zhang today through his son, hearing Zhang Kaishan’s words now, he still became excited: "County Magistrate Zhang, please rest assured, I have confidence!"

Zhang Kaishan said somewhat seriously: "Old Xu, you must understand clearly: I don't want this project to be taken by connected companies, but I also don't want your company to become a connected company, so I will not give you any extra favors during the bidding process."

Xu Haimin said sternly: "County Magistrate Zhang, please rest assured, I don't need any extra favors; I believe that as long as the bidding process is open, fair, and just, my Haimin Company will be able to win the bid."

Zhang Kaishan’s expression softened: "As long as you have that confidence, that is good. If you really win this project, I hope you will ensure the quality and make this project a model project; this is very important for me, for you, and for the county. Do you understand?"

Xu Haimin said: "I understand. County Magistrate Zhang, please rest assured; even if I don't make a single cent on this project, I will ensure the quality is done well."

Zhang Kaishan shook his head with a smile: "I don't need you to not make money; you just need to construct according to the standards. Of course you must make money, otherwise how will your company develop and grow?"

Xu Haimin laughed, and Su Xinghui said: "County Magistrate Zhang, there is nothing to be said about Uncle Xu’s company’s commitment to quality; you can rest assured!"

Zhang Kaishan nodded: "Then during this time, you should make preparations to participate in the county’s bidding."

At the end of September, three investigation teams arrived in Shangjun County almost simultaneously; one was sent by the Provincial Forestry Department to investigate the wild Eucommia forest in Yezhugou Village and the project to establish an artificial Eucommia protection forest.

The second was an investigation team sent by the Provincial Transportation Department to verify and investigate the situation of the secondary highway construction project from the county seat to Menghuling Township, which had been applied for by Shangjun County.

The third was an investigation team sent by the Provincial Agriculture Bureau to investigate Menghuling Township, which was proposed as a pilot unit for agricultural work reform in Hudong Province.

A small Shangjun County had three investigation teams arrive at the same time, and all three teams were closely related to Menghuling Township, which suddenly made Menghuling Township the focus of attention in Shangjun County.

County Party Secretary Ji Tao and County Magistrate Shan Guozhi both received the investigation teams warmly, but their inner surprise went without saying.

Ji Tao had only been parachuted into Shangjun County from the Yulin Region at the end of last year to serve as County Party Secretary; he was originally the Director of the Yulin Regional Administrative Office, and his arrival was not welcomed by the local cadres of Shangjun County.

Originally, at the end of last year, after the former Shangjun County Party Secretary retired, the most popular candidate for the position was Shan Guozhi, who had served as Shangjun County Magistrate for several years; he had finally waited for the former secretary to reach the age limit and was about to take the position, only to have Ji Tao take his place—could he be comfortable with that?

In officialdom, there is one hole for every radish; if the radishes want to move forward, the radishes in front must vacate a hole. If Shan Guozhi had moved up, the radishes behind could have moved forward one by one.

Such an opportunity was precious; without someone to promote you, it usually only happens once every few years. But this once-in-a-few-years opportunity was occupied by the parachuted Ji Tao, preventing many radishes from moving forward in order. Just imagine, could the radishes behind have a good impression of him?

Precisely because of this, as soon as Ji Tao arrived, he found himself isolated; it seemed many people did not like him, and Shan Guozhi was full of hostility toward him.

Shan Guozhi was already over fifty; it was hard to get an opportunity to be the County Party Secretary, and having missed it, he probably wouldn't have another chance in the future. Could he not hate Ji Tao?

Don't say you are innocent; if it weren't for your own desire, who would be so kind as to give you this position of County Party Secretary?

Therefore, after Ji Tao arrived, Shan Guozhi was very uncooperative with his work. Shan Guozhi was a veteran County Magistrate and a local of Shangjun, so his influence in the county was naturally the greatest. For a parachuted cadre like Ji Tao to go head-to-head with him, he was certainly no match.

Ji Tao could not go head-to-head with him either; doing so would cause disunity in the Standing Committee and make the conflict public, which would only leave the superiors with the impression that he, Ji Tao, could not control the situation.

In any case, Ji Tao was only in his forties; coming to serve as County Party Secretary was just to enrich his resume, and he certainly wouldn't stop at this position. Thus, he adopted a policy of "harmonizing with the dust," not going head-to-head with Shan Guozhi.

As a result, Ji Tao had been in Shangjun County for almost a year and had basically made no major moves; he rarely spoke on the appointment and removal of cadres, and as long as it was a proposal put forward by Shan Guozhi, he rarely opposed it, just like a clay bodhisattva.

In fact, in the county, there were quite a few cadres who said behind his back that Ji Tao was a clay bodhisattva, a mere figurehead, and not a match for Shan Guozhi at all.

Ji Tao hadn't even moved his family to Shangjun County; they were still in Yulin City. He returned to the region every Saturday afternoon and came back to the county on Monday morning, living a very regular life and keeping the peace with Shan Guozhi.

Although he usually didn't care much about the county’s affairs, the arrival of so many investigation teams this time left Ji Tao astonished. Who in the county was so capable of securing so many projects from the province? And all of them were placed in Menghuling Township.