Chapter 1110: Don't Reach Out; If You Reach Out, You Will Be Caught

"I still remember; the first time I came to Steel City, I stayed here."

Li Xuewu accompanied Li Huai De upstairs and introduced with a smile: "That time it was to handle a discipline inspection case; what a toss-up."

"Was it accompanying Comrade Yang Yuansong?"

Li Huai De nodded, asked casually, and seeing Li Xuewu looking at him, waved his hand with a smile.

"I'm not that concerned; don't look at me like that, haha!"

"I thought you would mind."

Li Xuewu saw him laugh it off, so he made a joke and continued: "My first case, and I had an unexpectedly good impression of Steel City."

"Oh? Why is that?"

Li Huai De glanced at him and nodded with a smile: "Tell me, I'm listening."

"If there wasn't excellent soil, there wouldn't be economic problems, don't you think?"

Li Xuewu first asked him, then shook his head slightly and said: "It just goes to show the excellent development potential here."

"And these two years, joint industry has given this place more development opportunities, just as you have seen."

"Indeed, one side of water and soil supports one side of people; you are right."

Li Huai De thought for a moment, and after going upstairs, pointed at him and said: "When you go back, you can summarize it; call it the 'Steel City Experience'."

"I have the same intention, but I can't make up my mind."

Li Xuewu smiled and greeted the secretaries of the committee office behind him: "Everyone work hard tonight and put your thoughts and ideas on paper."

In the corridor, he gestured to Li Huai De and said: "For those that are well-written and have good ideas, once adopted, go to Director Li to collect the reward."

"Hahaha—"

In the corridor, whether it was the secretaries of the committee office or other office staff, they all applauded with a smile.

And Li Huai De also smiled, pointed at everyone, and said: "No problem, this reward will definitely be given, and it won't be lower than one hundred yuan."

Amidst the enthusiastic applause of the crowd, he stood at the door of his room and gestured to Li Xuewu opposite him: "As long as your articles can pass Deputy Director Li's test."

"Hahaha—!"

Everyone naturally knew how high Li Xuewu's taste was, but this excitement had to be joined.

Not for anything else, just wanting to send their thoughts and articles to Li Xuewu to see.

Just wanting to let Deputy Director Li see if they had potential, or the necessity of criticism.

They were still young and weren't afraid of criticism; if they could get Li Xuewu's criticism, they'd hit the jackpot!

Who was that?

That was the Deputy Director of the Committee Office!

Articles valued and actively criticized by the Deputy Director of the Committee Office must be of a high level.

Therefore, one could be lazy about writing articles on weekdays, but not today.

Even if they had to stay up all night, they had to write something brilliant.

Li Xuewu naturally could see that Li Huai De was motivating these people.

However, he was very willing to see people wanting to make progress through their pens.

Enterprise management needs cadres who truly work hard, but also needs backbone staff with solid ideological and theoretical foundations.

Now it's called ideological management; in later generations, it's called corporate culture; actually, it's all the same.

Those who instill excellent corporate culture in you used to work in organizational ideological work.

"Director Li said one hundred yuan, not a total prize of one hundred yuan."

Li Xuewu smiled and pointed at everyone: "Each according to their ability; the capable take all."

"No problem, Deputy Director Li!"

"I'm not eating dinner! I'm starting to write now!"

"I'm not sleeping tonight!"

"Hahaha—!"

The young people in the corridor laughed and joked with each other after the two leaders opened their doors and went inside.

There were also those pretending to be serious, saying to everyone, "I'm not doing it for the one hundred yuan; I just want to contribute my strength."

Of course, no one would mock him; only those who couldn't write would be mocked.

It's useless to brag now; you don't need to brag when you get the money.

Time was tight in Fengcheng, and they didn't have much time to go shopping.

In the evening, or during fragmented time, there were those who went out of the compound to make purchases.

Nothing else, just some Northeast specialties.

Either to buy for family, or to buy for relatives; there was always this kind of task.

It's truly not easy to go on a business trip in this era; there are even those who have worked for a lifetime without leaving the Four Nine Cities.

Going from the East City to the West City is already called a business trip.

They would stay in Steel City for two days; if they could get one hundred yuan, and it was by article, that was not only glorious but also practical.

What can't one hundred yuan buy for a wife and children?

Can Li Xuewu write?

Of course he can write, and the articles he writes are guaranteed to be of high quality.

However, he doesn't have time to write, so he can only arrange for those below to write.

Many people are like this; after stepping into a management position, they basically don't pick up a pen.

It's not that their talent has dried up, nor is it that they've forgotten how to write.

Normal working hours aren't enough to coordinate business; if the brain can't calm down, what kind of good articles can be written?

Generally, a title is given, or an outline is listed, and naturally, someone will write the desired article.

Even if not satisfied, mark it and arrange for it to be revised.

Personal speeches or signed external articles are written by secretaries.

Theme articles for large meetings, summary experience articles for important activities, and theoretical articles are written by the office together.

Now Li Xuewu and Li Huai De have set the core of the article in two or three sentences, and the rest is left to the office.

Of course, experience is summarized, and articles are written, so can the two of them relax and play?

How is that possible? Now go upstairs to wash and tidy up, then go downstairs to eat first; there is still a meeting to hold.

Does working overtime at night count as overtime?

For cadres at the mid-level and above, there is no such thing as overtime.

Asking staff to work overtime is called exploiting the surplus value of labor.

But management working overtime is called being responsible to the organization and the collective.

The concepts are different, and the meanings are different.

If you want to wear the crown, you must bear its weight.

"At your command, I've already let the office prepare a working meal."

Downstairs, after waiting for Li Huai De and the others to come down, he said with a smile: "Don't complain."

"Do you think we can't endure hardship?"

Li Huai De glanced at him with a smile and shook hands with the persons in charge of the Steel Factory and the various branch factories of joint industry waiting here.

"We are all brothers in the same trench, so don't be reserved, don't be polite."

He greeted everyone to go to the canteen and said with a smile: "I told Director Dong that I wanted to eat in the canteen; it's not that I don't want to invite you to drink."

Li Huai De looked back at everyone and joked: "You have to go back to the capital for meetings and study, so drinking a little is no problem, but here, if I drink, I won't be able to criticize you."

"Hahaha—!"

Everyone echoed with loud laughter, although some knew they were going to be criticized.

But it was all about business; a little more or a little less, when the leader talks, it's talking about work.

Since Director Li was joking with everyone here, looking at the problem comprehensively, it wasn't serious.

"Today, we basically met during the day, and both Deputy Director Li and I have heard your reports."

Seeing that several round tables in the canteen had already been set with food and drink, he didn't act pretentious about who helped set them, and led everyone to sit down.

Before eating, he waved his hand and said: "Don't talk about work now, only talk about life; fill your stomachs first, and we'll go to the conference room in a while."

"Yes, Director Li's meaning is to care about everyone; work is work, life is life."

Li Xuewu saw Li Huai De look over, so he explained with a smile: "Grasp work well during working hours, and eat well during living hours."

"Hey—Deputy Director Li is right."

Li Huai De pointed at everyone and said with a smile: "Do work well, eat well; it's not easy to persist for a lifetime."

"So, eat now!"

"Hahaha—!"

Seeing Director Li pick up his rice bowl and greet everyone freely, everyone laughed.

A relatively relaxed tone and a slightly casual way of speaking make your subordinates feel that you are approachable.

Of course, don't do it in every sentence; that makes you look uncultured and lacking quality.

Li Huai De was very moved by Li Xuewu's ability to lead a team; he didn't see him hitting or scolding anyone.

But look at the discipline of the security department; it is absolutely the benchmark for the whole factory.

Why is the security department the last dam of the Hongxing Factory, and why weren't other departments mentioned?

There are reasons for this, and they can be seen.

When Li Xuewu speaks, there is absolutely no casualness; his cadre quality is very high.

But in private, many cadres who have been with him for a long time know that he has a bit of "jianghu" atmosphere, or rather, domineering, "bandit spirit."

But such domineering doesn't make him appear arbitrary, or like a "one-man show."

Instead, it makes his subordinates feel that he has responsibility, has achievements, and has even more organizational leadership ability.

Including how factory leaders look at Li Xuewu—why he could stand out among so many mid-level cadres and be sharp-edged.

Some people's charm and quality cannot be hidden; to use a relatively vulgar phrase to describe it, it is: "Gold will shine wherever it is."

Actually, gold itself doesn't shine; it only shines after being tempered by fierce fire and placed under light, right?

Li Huai De is older than Li Xuewu, but he is also a primary person in charge for the first time, so his style of doing things is also changing and learning.

For example, he didn't value personnel training and management very much before, but he knew to value it after suffering losses.

But this also has to do with him becoming the number one person in charge; if you don't manage personnel, are you still called the primary person in charge?

At the dinner table, Li Huai De didn't talk about work, so everyone chose not to talk about work.

Li Xuewu talked to Dong Wenxue about family matters, about the problem of children.

Other leaders or persons in charge at the table, the youngest were about the same as Dong Wenxue.

Li Xuewu was the only one in his early twenties.

In this canteen, or at this dinner table, it's not that there weren't people in their early twenties; they were all at the secretary's table and couldn't sit with the leaders.

However, there was no strict implementation of family planning in this era; it was just "if you're pregnant, you give birth."

So look at the young cadres in their early thirties; talking about children was also a bitter story, full of complaints.

Thirty-two or thirty-three, at the peak of their years, and also in the rising period of their careers, the pressure was great.

So the trivialities of life inevitably made people have headaches and feel annoyed.

They were annoyed, but those in their early forties, whose eldest sons were already holding grandchildren, and whose wives were pregnant, were not few; some gave birth, and some thought it was unsightly and had abortions.

But overall, although they were annoyed, there wasn't a man who didn't like children.

Whether boy or girl.

So the topic started at the dinner table and couldn't stop, each talking about the little demons at home.

Some were well-behaved, and those with good grades at school would also be mentioned by colleagues to make everyone envious.

And the person involved would put on a humble face, saying "just average" or "not that great."

Look at these cadres; if you praise their work, they must put on a humble face and be very cautious.

But if you mention their children and praise them for their good guidance, the corners of their mouths couldn't be pressed down.

Only on this point were they most reluctant to be humble; their own children being excellent was their best glory and medal.

Steel Factory, main office building, conference room.

The secretaries had long made preparations, knowing there would be an important office meeting at night.

Seat cards, teacups, hot water, meeting documents, recording personnel, etc.

The small canteen of the guest house had been watching the progress of the leaders' meal.

When they learned that the leaders had finished eating and were walking toward this side, all the preparation personnel nervously tidied up the area they were responsible for.

Afterwards, all preparation personnel withdrew, handing over to the office secretaries and service personnel.

At seven o'clock in the evening, the conference room was brightly lit, the seats were orderly, and personnel entered.

Very quickly, the leaders just asked a few questions with a smile, and the meeting for today began.

"Everyone has worked hard today."

Li Huai De sat at one end of the conference table, looked at the cadres on both sides, and said: "Including the Steel Factory, the persons in charge of joint industry."

"And the Hongxing Factory research team, everyone ran with me for a full day."

"The harvest is great; what the eyes see are achievements; wherever we go, there are results. I want to say to the comrades fighting on all industrial posts of the Hongxing Factory: you have worked hard."

*Huala-la*—

Applause erupted in the meeting hall, enthusiastic and sincere.

"It is precisely because of you, sweating on your respective key posts, achieving the Hongxing Factory, that we have the results I see today."

Li Huai De said that the Hongxing Factory's layout in Steel City was grand and the purpose was clear: to stand in Steel City and quickly complete industrial transformation and integration.

To centralize, professionalize, and integrate the industrial and production sectors belonging to the Hongxing Factory.

It is time to decentralize, and in accordance with the three-year plan and five-year program, firmly grasp the opportunities bestowed by the era to integrate upstream and downstream industries and build a mixed light and heavy industrial management system.

To fully shoulder the responsibility of a generation and a dream, to talk about ideology, science, and struggle, and to establish a sound production management model in the industrial system and explore enterprise development methods.

Against the backdrop of the era, do a good job in the process of enterprise transformation, with industry taking the lead; grasp the pulse of the era, summarize work experience, continuously improve management ability, and push the Hongxing Factory's work toward a more modern enterprise goal.

Li Huai De focused on the achievements and problems seen during the research process, and carried out non-point-by-point criticism of the problems of ideological lag, safety lag, and management lag existing in individual factories.

In his speech, he emphasized compliance awareness, system awareness, and ideological awareness, calling on the vast number of front-line cadre teams to work hard, summarize experience, and execute tasks.

Mentioning the new era, new industry, and new goals, Li Huai De talked about the spirit of self-reliance and hard struggle in the struggle given by the era to the Hongxing Factory, dedicating oneself to the collective and finding a way to realize self-worth from the collective.

After Li Huai De's speech ended, Dong Wenxue made a work development report for the Steel Factory and joint industry, reporting the work situation of Steel City industry in the first half of the year to Li Huai De and the research team.

Li Xuewu, on behalf of the research team, asked questions about various tasks according to the research situation today after Dong Wenxue's speech ended.

Dong Wenxue led the Hongxing Factory Steel City industrial management team to answer, explain, and clarify the questions raised by Li Xuewu one by one.

On controversial issues, Li Huai De would also participate in discussion and research, ask the research team to give opinions or suggestions, and finally transfer them to the Hongxing Factory Steel City industrial management team for implementation and execution.

The meeting proceeded very quickly, especially after entering the procedure of research and discussion of specific work, with Li Xuewu and Dong Wenxue presiding over each other, and then confirmed by Li Huai De, the work efficiency was particularly high.

Some cadres in Steel City said privately that if all problems on the meeting could be handled so quickly and decisively, the Hongxing Factory would have been grouped long ago.

But everyone knew this was impossible; the problems on the meeting today were either long-standing, or the people who raised them had thought and studied them maturely, not randomly raised on the spur of the moment.

The more mature the enterprise, the more mature the system, the work discussed and studied at the meeting is all without exception having sought opinions from multiple parties before the meeting, ensuring there is something to talk about after the meeting.

This is a high-level office meeting, not a trivial matter like the Hongxing Steel Factory wanting to build a public toilet; the smallest ones are discussions about large project construction.

Without a composition scale of seven or eight workshops, is it necessary to coordinate and ask for opinions with people from the general factory, and ask Li Huai De to make the decision to solve it?

The Steel Factory's application to build a new metallurgical blast furnace was rejected by Li Huai De last month.

The joint industry's application to coordinate power distribution with local power was also rejected.

The automotive manufacturing factory's application to build dormitory buildings was rejected when it was reported to Li Xuewu.

A series of problems were all those that the Steel Factory and joint industry couldn't solve themselves, or those that the Hongxing Factory research team discovered and required Steel City industry to rectify, but they were powerless to rectify.

Li Xuewu also explained the rejection of the Steel Factory and joint industry's applications on behalf of the Hongxing Factory business management leadership team.

In his explanation, he talked about the cooperation project currently being negotiated with foreign businessmen, among which were the projects applied for by the Steel Factory, as well as cooperation projects applied for by other factories.

Prioritize advanced scientific technology, prioritize both utilization of old and investment, and strictly control the project approval gate, coordinating the application of funds.

The Hongxing Factory requires the French Santaia Group to help the Hongxing Factory complete the transformation and upgrade of the metallurgical industry within three years; whatever advanced technology the ghosts on the opposite side got, the Hongxing Factory must have the same—this is the key condition for negotiation.

Therefore, the Hongxing Factory's metallurgical industry has a plan in the future and can no longer be submitted by the Steel Factory according to development needs.

The existing metallurgical industry will not be demolished and rebuilt, but will undergo industrial and technological transformation and upgrading on this basis, and while fully creating special steel that meets the needs of the future Hongxing Steel system, it can provide more advanced and high-quality special steel for other industrial goals.

Regarding the problem of insufficient energy and electricity, especially the construction and successive start of many new industrial factories, Li Xuewu mentioned it to Wang Lu on the train, and the other party also agreed that they would definitely coordinate with the power department.

Of course, people have already said they will do the work, so Li Xuewu naturally can't say more.

However, at the internal meeting, Li Xuewu clearly required that no unit or department is allowed to communicate and sign any agreements with the outside world privately.

This is the strictest item among the work systems promoted by the Hongxing Factory, belonging to the red line.

Only the main persons in charge authorized by the Hongxing Factory, that is, the persons in charge of the Steel Factory or the joint industry management office, who possess the enterprise official seal, can represent the Hongxing Factory in external coordination.

Especially aimed at those who privately contact and coordinate with local departments to ensure collective interests or task completion—all are regarded as violations.

Even if it is for the enterprise, for the factory, it is not allowed and is touching the red line.

If there is a work need, report it level by level, and have the leader with the authority to handle this matter come forward to solve it; those with connections can offer advice and suggestions during the resolution process.

This decision is to prevent local forces from infiltrating the factory, and even more to prevent external forces from interfering with the factory's compliant operation.

Cutting off the path for those below to communicate with the outside world also leaves no opportunity for anyone or any unit in the local area to infiltrate the Hongxing Factory, effectively unifying the management of the Hongxing Factory while completing the division of responsibilities.

Regarding the power energy problem, Li Xuewu mentioned at the meeting that the Hongxing Factory had prepared to build a small thermal power station in Steel City.

It is mainly to supply the needs of the Hongxing Factory's industry and life in Steel City, and it is also a powerful measure to ensure the factory's uninterrupted production and operation.

The meeting agenda passed one by one; the problems and opinions raised by Steel City industry could get definite answers from Li Xuewu, and could get a final decision from Li Huai De.

After the business work discussion ended, it was already 9:30. Li Xuewu, on behalf of the Hongxing Factory discipline inspection and security person in charge, reported on the violations of discipline, violations of law, and criminal problems that appeared in the enterprise in the first half of the year, such as production safety, fire security, and discipline inspection, and put forward serious criticism and warnings to the individuals and departments involved in the Steel Factory and joint industry.

Among the problems he reported were the relevant persons in charge, or department heads who were on-site.

Li Xuewu didn't leave face for anyone, directly naming and criticizing, stating the problems, speaking about responsibilities, setting punishments, selfless and merciless.

The atmosphere of the meeting hall also became serious with Li Xuewu's speech, and the string in the minds of all cadres was tightened by him again.

Especially since the meeting had been long, those who were not focused became spirited.

Blushing, sweating, legs trembling, and some even changed colors several times, very afraid of being named by Li Xuewu, and even more afraid of his serious criticism.

Especially on the issue of production safety, Li Xuewu lost his temper for the first time at the meeting, bluntly stating that the production accident rate of the hardware industry was the highest in the whole factory; starting this month, if the accident rate isn't lowered, the person in charge will be lowered.

The person in charge of the hardware industry was pale; he knew that Li Xuewu saying he would "remove" him wasn't a joke, nor was it to scare him, so he didn't dare to have any complaints or neglect.

When talking about security and fire safety, Li Xuewu focused on emphasizing the awareness of prevention, wanting to do the work before the accident.

Double plans and standardization of production safety must be forcibly promoted and executed; whoever doesn't execute will be executed, and the factory's safety system does not allow for discounts.

Li Xuewu put the discipline inspection and supervision work at the end, and it was also the most ruthless.

First report the problems, then divide the responsibilities, and finally investigate the individuals.

Just when Li Xuewu talked about the problem of Qiu Liming, the deputy section chief of the Steel Factory's labor and capital section, a buzzing discussion sounded in the meeting hall.

Li Xuewu knocked on the table, signaled everyone to listen carefully, and continued to talk about the problem of Hu Zuohai, the deputy director of the Hongxing Factory's joint industrial management office in Steel City, who was implicated by the deputy section chief of the labor and capital section.

And that Deputy Director Hu Zuohai happened to be sitting in the second row of the attendees; at this time, he was already sweating on his forehead, his face was pale, and his legs were trembling.

Li Xuewu finished reporting this problem and signaled Peng Xiaoli and Li Haiyang standing at the door, who arranged for the conference room door to be opened.

Three cadres in white shirts and two cadres in green security uniforms walked in.

Under Li Xuewu's signal, the team leader read out the handling decision and investigation decision for Hu Zuohai on behalf of the Hongxing Factory Management Committee and the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Office.

After his decision was read, the two white shirts walked to Hu Zuohai's front, and according to organizational regulations, requested the other party to sign the document.

Afterwards, the two white shirts grabbed the other party's arms, stood up from the seat, and walked out of the meeting hall under the gaze of all the cadres in the meeting hall.

Walking to the door, the security guard wearing a green security uniform put handcuffs on the other party and took Hu Zuohai from the hands of the white shirts.

When Hu Zuohai, with his head lowered, was taken away by these people, everyone in the meeting hall woke up.

Arresting people at the meeting site was truly rare for Steel City cadres, and even more shocking and stunning.

This kind of on-site education and strict investigation scene truly taught these people

Dong Wenhue, the person in charge of the Steel Mill, had a very serious expression, but he was not surprised; clearly, Li Xuewu had briefed him when preparing this agenda.

Not to mention the private relationship between Li Xuewu and Dong Wenhue, even according to normal organizational procedures, implementing disciplinary and supervisory investigations into branch cadres requires prior notification to the person in charge.

However, an on-site arrest like this still served as a wake-up call for all cadres, including Dong Wenhue and those below him.

Do not reach out; if you reach out, you will surely be caught.

In a new factory with new industry, when a perfect supervisory system cannot keep up faster, such methods must be strictly enforced to kill off such trends.

Before the Red Star Factory research team arrived, no one expected that Li Xuewu would bring disciplinary and supervisory personnel, and even less did they expect that he would take disciplinary action against Hu Zuohai only after the research work concluded on the second day.

In the morning, while researching the United Industry, Hu Zuohai had even presided over the introduction of business work as a reception cadre; at the time, Li Xuewu had even asked a few questions and said that the United Industry was doing well.

When eating together in the evening, the topic of children came up, and someone mentioned that Hu Zuohai's eldest son was in junior high school this year and had particularly good grades, especially in this environment.

Li Xuewu had even expressed envy at the time, saying that he was young and lacked the experience of being a father, and that he wanted to learn well how to set an example for his children and how to guide them to become pillars of talent.

At the time, everyone thought Deputy Director Li was lamenting his own situation; they didn't expect those words were about Hu Zuohai. What was the meaning of the laughter, the lively conversation, and the harmony at that dinner table?

Everyone knew Li Xuewu was responsible for security and disciplinary work, and now that he was concurrently serving as Deputy Director of the Committee Office, they all thought his work focus had shifted toward business and organization.

Previously, it was said that Li Xuewu, Deputy Director of the Security Department of the Red Star Factory's main plant, was ruthless and prone to taking action.

However, later on, everyone gradually got used to his strict institutional management and felt that his ruthlessness was toward work, not targeted at individuals.

Today, they finally witnessed it; the Tiger of the Security Department hadn't changed his ways to become kind and vegetarian—it was just that those with lower ranks and smaller profiles weren't worth his effort.

Someone at the deputy division level like Hu Zuohai was his work target, while someone at the deputy section level like Qiu Liming was left directly to the Steel Mill to handle itself.

How does that saying go?

You never know whether tomorrow or an accident will come first; Hu Zuohai's tomorrow hadn't arrived yet, but the accident came first.

Before the meeting started, he had told the people around him that he wanted to go home early in the evening, as his wife was waiting for him to discuss his father-in-law's retirement issues.

Now, there's no need to go home, and there's no need to discuss the father-in-law's retirement issues.

After the three-month investigation period ends, there are still decades of prison time to serve.

Did anyone know about the problems of Hu Zuohai and Qiu Liming? Certainly, such things cannot be hidden.

But why wait until the leaders of the Red Star Factory arrived to solve it?

That is because this matter was poked to the Red Star Factory by someone else; even if Dong Wenhue wanted to investigate, it was impossible—he did not have this authority for the time being.

Although Li Huai De did not criticize him, and even used an amicable tone to offer some handling opinions, to Dong Wenhue, this was even more serious than criticism, and he knew his work had developed loopholes.

It wasn't that Li Xuewu didn't give him face, nor was it that this student had changed his heart and wanted to use him as a target.

It was that Li Huai De wanted to do this, so Li Xuewu had to do it for Li Huai De to see.

Li Huai De wanted to test whether Li Xuewu could perform his duties diligently and test whether Dong Wenhue could act according to the rules; both had to follow work procedures.

Therefore, this time Dong Wenhue was passive, being tapped by Old Li; it had nothing to do with Li Xuewu.

Li Huai De only comes two or three times a year; if he were smiling every time he came, that would be when Dong Wenhue should worry about problems.

Such tapping, in Li Xuewu's view, counts as a good thing and a signal of safety.

The Red Star Factory invested tens of millions in the Steel City; the potential for corruption is too great, so it is inevitable that some people will have ideas.

Li Xuewu's supervisory team had long since arrived, conducting secret visits, investigations, and interviews; various actions had been ongoing.

He even replaced some of the Steel City's disciplinary and supervisory cadres with people from Beijing.

Yang Zongfang made a self-criticism speech at the subsequent meeting, stating that he would continue to improve and enhance the problems existing in his work.

Li Huai De didn't pay much attention to his self-criticism; his impression of Yang Zongfang was not very good.

Yang Zongfang was previously one of Yang Yuansong's people, which is a factor; additionally, there were reasons regarding Yang Zongfang's lack of firmness in ideology and stance, and even in his cooperation with Dong Wenhue.

Most people would think Li Huai De certainly wouldn't want the Steel Mill's leadership team to be overly united.

Of course, Li Huai De certainly wouldn't want the Steel Mill's leadership team to be united to the point of being a one-man show.

However, he also didn't want this team to have voices deliberately targeting others; Old Li doesn't need to manage the cadres below, using them to make an issue of the Red Star Factory Management Committee's power division.

Therefore, there should be different opinions in work, but one cannot let personal selfishness affect work.

Clearly, regarding Dong Wenhue's previous matter, Yang Zongfang had played petty tricks; Li Xuewu had already warned him, but he still insisted on going his own way.

He even participated in that action by Cheng Kaiyuan and Yang Yuansong, but the Steel City is too far from Beijing, and besides, Cheng Kaiyuan's action failed, so he quieted down.

But Li Huai De still remembered him and really disliked such people who kick others when they are down and betray their own side.

Conversely, regarding that matter with Dong Wenhue, Li Huai De actually appreciated Li Xuewu's actions; that was the behavior of someone with human warmth.

Dong Wenhue had the grace of promoting, appointing, supporting, and even acting as a matchmaker for Li Xuewu; if Li Xuewu were to bite back at Dong Wenhue or ignore Dong Wenhue's predicament, Li Huai De would also look down on him.

Looking at Li Xuewu's actions again, he first stabilized Dong Wenhue, finally investigated the problems clearly, and together with Dong Wenhue's wife, helped Dong Wenhue walk out of the predicament and rediscover himself.

If Dong Wenhue had economic problems, Old Li would absolutely not have spared him at that time.

Wouldn't that have been the opportunity to readjust the Red Star Factory's power structure, and also to completely shatter Li Xuewu's foundation?

However, he knew very well that Dong Wenhue would absolutely not have economic problems; everyone knew this. If he dared to take action, the Red Star Factory's power structure would definitely be in chaos, and Li Xuewu would not sit idly by.

Even if Dong Wenhue's foundation were shaken, it wouldn't be able to do anything to the other party, and it might even cause Dong Wenhue's faction to turn against him and retaliate.

To put it bluntly, Dong Wenhue was originally from Li Huai De's faction; although the nature of their cooperation was more about business, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to consider him a direct subordinate.

Some jokingly say that the Red Star Factory will eventually be surnamed Li.

Actually, that's correct; when Li Huai De was transferred, Li Xuewu basically took over.

If he couldn't take over, Dong Wenhue would take over, or Gu Weijie would take over; it would absolutely not fall into the hands of others.

Only by stabilizing Dong Wenhue could Li Huai De use Li Xuewu, and subsequently connect with Gu Weijie.

He was limited to knowing or not knowing about Li Xuewu's relationship with Jing Yunong, the plan with Xue Zhifu, and the conversation with Cheng Kaiyuan.

Speaking of which, Li Huai De seems to have built a high building on flat ground, but in reality, the foundation is in the hands of Li Xuewu's faction; if he wants to shake it, the first one to fall would actually be himself.

Therefore, tapping and beating are normal; it's just what the organization needs and what the work needs.

When the meeting ended and they came out of the office building, it was already past ten o'clock.

When Li Xuewu returned to the guesthouse and prepared to get in the car to leave, Peng Xiaoli received news from Beijing at the duty room, which was related to the Sanhe Corporation.

"Leader, the message came in the evening, at the time you were in the meeting."

Peng Xiaoli handed the telegram to Li Xuewu, who was standing by the car, and reported in a low voice: "The other party seems to be very anxious; should we reply now?"

At this time, local calls were easy enough to make, but for long-distance calls, if you didn't prepare half an hour in advance, it was truly a matter of luck to get through.

That is why Peng Xiaoli asked if Li Xuewu wanted to return the call, so he could go and prepare now.

"Don't reply; handle it after I return to Beijing."

Li Xuewu looked at the urgent tone of the telegram and couldn't help but laugh; "intentionally planting flowers doesn't make them bloom, unintentionally planting a willow makes it grow into shade."

When he originally wanted to obtain more cooperation convenience from Nishida Kenichi and others, he was politely refused, and they even became guarded against him.

But the office person in charge left behind by the other party, Momotani Erika, provided Li Xuewu with an opportunity—an opportunity to restrain the Sanhe Corporation.

Last time at the International Hotel, he saw Momotani Erika accompanying a foreign affairs staff member walking toward the restaurant; the two didn't greet each other.

Afterward, Li Xuewu inevitably had to arrange for people to investigate, and he didn't expect an unexpected harvest.

And before Jing Yunong left, he also used this point in the business negotiation with the French merchants.

But he didn't mention the source of the news, only scaring the Santaia Group and Chantal.

What Li Xuewu said at the time was that he wanted helicopters, the types of helicopters that France was jointly developing with the UK.

Of course he wanted helicopters, but he also knew he couldn't get them; even if he couldn't get them, he had to scare them.

Otherwise, how would he have swindled the power station?

Now this seed should have sprouted; as soon as it sprouted from the soil, the three cooperative investors of the Sanhe Corporation sensed something was wrong.

Momotani Erika is their person, but she is not their person.

It's a bit of a tongue twister, but the situation is clear.

Momotani Erika had an accident; she was stabbed and almost died on the street.

And as Momotani Erika's work unit, the Sanhe Corporation was notified and required to ensure the person was picked up intact.

However, what happened, how to leave, and how to handle the aftermath became problems.

Not to mention the stab wound, Momotani Erika couldn't be moved; even if she could be moved, the next thing she might get wouldn't be a knife.

Now Momotani Erika's superiors don't want this matter to ferment or cause serious foreign affairs bias, so they want to use commercial means to execute it.

The Sanhe Corporation was in this state of complete confusion when they anxiously contacted the Red Star Factory.

They wanted to ask the Red Star Factory to step forward, protect Momotani Erika as she left the hospital, let her recover, and then immediately send her onto a plane to return to her country.

Li Xuewu loves to watch the excitement and doesn't mind if it's too big; he wouldn't let go of this opportunity to take a bite.

He doesn't care what Momotani Erika did or who she provoked; that is the work of the Investigation Department, and he had already notified them.

Now, he just wants to know what price the Sanhe Corporation will pay to ask him to help safely send Momotani Erika onto the plane.

For an ordinary person, there is no need to worry about safety issues in the mainland; it's easy to get on a plane—just buy a ticket with identification materials.

However, the fact that the other party used a knife shows they don't want Momotani Erika to go back.

Or rather, to go back alive.

Who doesn't want Momotani Erika to go back alive, and how to investigate—Li Xuewu is not a professional, but he is a professional at extortion.

He also has a professional team for security.

If the price offered by the Sanhe Corporation is appropriate, he is even willing to arrange for the factory guard team to drive their patrol car to pick her up and send her to the plane.

Thinking about the good things in his heart, Li Xuewu put away the telegram and jumped into the car.

When he arrived at Zhou Wang Yamei's place, before he could even get out of the car, he saw Fu Zhidong running out of the house, shouting "Uncle" in his mouth.

"He wouldn't sleep no matter what; he washed his face with cold water four or five times just to wait for you to come back."

Zhou Wang Yamei looked at her son in Li Xuewu's arms and said with a tone of envy and complaint: "I don't know what's so good about this uncle of yours."

"Uncle is just good—"

Fu Zhidong hugged his uncle's neck, emphasizing that his uncle was good, but his eyelids were fighting, and he let out a yawn.