Chapter 1419: Still Missing to This Day

"I heard the Group is making another big move?"

Kuang Kuang Yusheng accompanied Li Li Xuewu to the Hongxing Steel City Automobile Factory, asking this casually while touring the sedan workshop.

Li Li Xuewu, who was watching the installation of the assembly line equipment, glanced back at him and countered, "What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing, just asking casually."

With his hands behind his back, Kuang Kuang Yusheng swept his gaze over Old Lü of Steel Auto and stated lightly, "I actually thought the Group truly had no money left."

"Whether there's money or not, don't you already know?"

Li Li Xuewu propped his hands on the machinery, watching the workers' installation operations up close.

Project initiation in February, declaration in March, work starting in May—this is the Hongxing speed.

As soon as Li Li Xuewu took office in Steel City, Steel Auto raised opinions and issues regarding the overload of assembly line capacity.

He was a man of action; if there was a problem, it had to be solved, and the only way out to solve the production line overload was to add another production line.

Everyone understands that one plus one equals two, but one plus one does not necessarily equal two; if done poorly, you might not even have one left. Li Li Xuewu's requirements were very high; he wouldn't be satisfied with just two, demanding at least three, so adding this production line was no easy task.

Lü Yuanshen had been so busy lately his feet barely touched the ground, all for this sedan production line.

Once this production line became operational, the output capacity of the Hongxing Hongxing Lingyang would immediately increase.

Li Li Xuewu was also very hopeful about this production line, which had invested nearly 400,000 yuan, so he made time to come and see it.

"Of course there is money, but where am I supposed to get it out?" Kuang Kuang Yusheng said with a slightly regretful tone: "Whenever I make a call, Deputy Director Jing says there's no money, citing tight finances, difficulties, and no investment quotas for this year."

"Stop complaining—"

Li Li Xuewu handed a wrench nearby to an installation worker and said, "Even in running a household, everyone knows the principle that the best steel must be used on the cutting edge; don't you understand that?"

"So according to you, we aren't the good steel, then?" Kuang Kuang Yusheng tilted his head, looking at Li Li Xuewu through the gaps in the mechanical structure, and asked, "Then who counts as good steel?"

"I don't know who is good steel, but I know you are good at 'steel'."

The corners of Li Li Xuewu's mouth lifted slightly as he looked at Kuang Kuang Yusheng opposite him and asked, "As of the first quarter of this year, how much has the Group invested in the steel rolling project?"

"Old Lü, you speak; you must know."

Seeing Kuang Kuang Yusheng remain silent, he turned to ask Lü Yuanshen, who was standing aside watching the spectacle.

Caught off guard by the question, Lü Yuanshen immediately smiled, glanced at Kuang Kuang Yusheng's expression, and chuckled, "Who knows the exact amount, but I feel it must be more than what Steel Auto received."

The first sentence sounded like it was leaving room for Kuang Kuang Yusheng, but the second sentence went straight for Kuang Kuang Yusheng's heart.

At this moment, Factory Director Kuang curled his lips as if about to curse, while several installation workers exchanged glances and unanimously sped up their handiwork, daring not to be distracted in the slightest.

Actually, Li Li Xuewu's visit to Steel Auto today was not a formal investigation, just a stop along the way to take a look.

He brought no entourage and gave no prior notice, heading straight for the sedan production workshop.

Upon hearing the news, the workshop director immediately reported to Factory Director Lü Yuanshen, saying that the Secretary-General had arrived with Director Kuang of Steel Rolling.

In his office, Lü Yuanshen heard the phone call and felt puzzled; a surprise visit from the Secretary-General was normal enough, but what did bringing Kuang Kuang Yusheng from the Steel City Rolling Mill signify?

By the time he reached the workshop, he finally understood: apparently, the Secretary-General was on his way to inspect a project at Steel Rolling and had spontaneously decided to drop in here while passing their gate.

The installation workers didn't understand these matters; they only felt the Group's Secretary-General was truly approachable, standing right beside them to watch without requiring them to stop work and greet him, occasionally even handing them tools, just like a newly arrived intern college student or a newly accepted apprentice.

As for Factory Director Kuang, they were already very familiar with him, feeling no fear at all, continuing their work exactly as before.

It was just that the leaders weren't being entirely proper either, discussing work matters right in front of them, not fearing they had big mouths that might leak these things.

Of course, since they didn't bother to avoid the workers, it wasn't any secret; even if heard, it was just taken as entertainment.

It was just that this entertainment was funny, yet they couldn't laugh, really holding it in tightly.

"I'm not asking for a mountain of gold and silver, just building a few staff dormitories," Kuang Kuang Yusheng said, feeling lacking in confidence when talking about investment; the one who should be complaining wasn't him.

It was truly unjust; over the past two years, the project with the largest Group investment was the Steel City Rolling Mill.

The Steel Rolling project was notable not just in Steel City or Liaodong, but across the entire nation; regarding hardware strengths like equipment, technology, and craftsmanship, saying it ranked first nationally was not an exaggeration, simply because it was so new.

From project initiation to now, counting fully, it had only been a little over two years; the equipment and technology were world-class, top-tier goods secretly brought in by the Santa Ya Group.

It just hadn't started formal production yet; truly, once all equipment was debugged and operations began, the production capacity and product quality would surely shock the entire industry.

Just think about it: the original rolling mill with 13,000 workers underwent generational upgrades, compressing the workforce to 8,000; this comparison must also consider that the original 13,000 worked single shifts, while the 8,000 work three shifts.

With advanced equipment, reduced labor, and increased efficiency, costs naturally came down.

Low cost, high capacity, and superior quality—once such products entered the market, they would inevitably be a major catfish.

Even the production capacity of the Jingcheng Hongxing Rolling Mill was not entirely supplied to other branch factories; it was mainly focused on planned production, coordinating with the Ministry.

Within the entire Group, only two units could coordinate production plans with the Ministry: one was the Steel Smelting Plant, and the other was the Rolling Mill; all others were classified as tertiary industries.

Until the Group was established, no one knew if the Ministry had other arrangements, nor whether existing joint industries would be included in planned production statistics.

But regardless of whether statistics were compiled or not, the newly established Steel City Rolling Mill would be the Group's most core industry.

Hadn't you heard how sourly Lü Yuanshen spoke? Steel Auto was considered a hot cake among tertiary industries, with capital investment's first option always being Steel City Automobile.

But within the Hongxing Iron and Steel Group, almost everyone agreed on this point: Steel Auto simply could not compare to Steel Rolling.

With Lü Yuanshen speaking, Kuang Kuang Yusheng naturally could no longer talk back to Li Li Xuewu, though he still muttered under his breath as he should.

Li Li Xuewu glanced at him, scolding with a laugh, "Asking for chicken-feather staff dormitory buildings? The Steel City Industrial Zone Worker New Village project has already launched; isn't that enough for you to live in?"

He took off the cotton thread gloves on his hands, tossed them onto the operating table, pointed at Kuang Kuang Yusheng, and said, "You, you just can't get enough of taking advantage; you suffered too much hunger in the past, wanting to scoop everything into your mouth."

After chiding Kuang Kuang Yusheng a few words, Li Li Xuewu pointed again at the production line being installed and told him, "Don't let this trip be in vain; you also tell the comrades how this work should be done."

"Me? I speak?" Kuang Kuang Yusheng also found it amusing; looking at the several installation workers who had lifted their heads to look at him and couldn't help laughing, he smiled too and said, "If I say we're going to build cars, then we must first draw the blueprints."

"Hey! What a thing to say—"

Li Li Xuewu also burst out laughing, nodding in affirmation: "You really are a damn genius!"

Watching the leaders leave, the several installation workers were still laughing there, working while laughing.

Old Zhang looked at Old Li opposite him and said with a smile, "These leaders are truly approachable; they even curse."

"Hey—they all have an old relationship."

Old Li took the hammer passed over by Old Zhang and explained casually, "Don't look at how Factory Director Kuang wears a stern face all day; actually, that person is only strict during work; at other times, he speaks quite casually too."

"That still depends on who—"

Driver Xiao Liu, squatting below and lending a hand, interrupted: "Even if Factory Director Kuang were standing right here, would you dare joke with him?"

"Let's not even talk about joking; just saying hello and chatting idly with him—do you dare?"

He chuckled and said, "I dare not speak for whether you guys dare, but as for me, I certainly don't. Just seeing his face makes me afraid; I wouldn't dare go near him."

"Hehe, he's just used to it."

Old Li was a veteran worker transferred from the Steel Rolling Plant, so he was naturally very familiar with Kuang Kuang Yusheng, the former Head of the Production Management Department.

While continuing his work, he explained, "If you asked him to smile, he wouldn't even know how. Joking is fine, though; after all, he is the Secretary-General."

"Don't let the Secretary-General's youth fool you; he's different from us. He's been working in the administrative organs since the very beginning."

Glancing at the few of them, he raised an eyebrow and said, "He once clashed with Factory Director Kuang; otherwise, do you think you'd see them speaking so casually today? That's a relationship forged through conflict."

"Oh, there was such an episode?"

Old Zhang, a worker brought over from the sixteen merged enterprises, asked curiously at that moment, "Then who won?"

"Tsk—"

Driver Xiao Liu, lying beneath the machinery, couldn't help but laugh out loud. Seeing Old Zhang look at him, he said, "One is the Secretary-General, the other is a Branch Factory Director; who do you think won? Old Zhang, can't you distinguish the King from the Jack?"

"You're the one who can't distinguish the King from the Jack!"

Old Zhang made as if to throw the screw in his hand down to scare Driver Xiao Liu; seeing the other scramble away in a panic, he then smiled and said to Old Li, "I met the Secretary-General long ago; I know he's capable, a fierce character."

"Right, you should know him." Old Li nodded and said, "When your enterprises were merged, quite a few cadres were investigated and removed by him."

"Back then, he was still in charge of disciplinary and supervisory work."

Driver Xiao Liu scooted back over and picked up the thread: "Many of our group's working systems were established by him."

"I know that; the workshop's standardized safety production protocols and the emergency management system, right?"

Old Li nodded and said, "My ears have grown calluses from hearing about this long ago."

"It's not just those; he also participated in formulating the current welfare and insurance systems, the administrative organization management system, the economic work system, and so on."

Old Li, being the team leader, knew a bit more; with one foot resting on a bearing, he said, "The reason the group has been able to develop so quickly is inseparable from these systems."

"And summarizing experience and drafting regulations are indeed his forte." He introduced to the others, "If we're talking about the group's number one pen, once he puts hand to paper, no one would dare claim to be better than him; that is true capability."

"I've heard him deliver reports." Old Li nodded in agreement, then added with a smile, "But this is the first time I've heard him swear; it's quite surprising."

"It's very normal; he's human too."

Busy working below, Driver Xiao Liu kept his mouth moving as well: "You might not know, but the Secretary-General is also a university student; he just hasn't finished his degree yet, so he counts as a proper scholar."

"With such learning, of course he wouldn't speak that way on formal occasions, but in private, leaders are all like this."

He chattered on, "Actually, I quite admire this kind of leader; at least I feel he's a real person."

"Then which leader do you think isn't a person?"

Old Zhang was clearly being mischievous, deliberately teasing Driver Xiao Liu; he looked down at Driver Xiao Liu beneath the machinery and asked.

Driver Xiao Liu slanted a glance at him, continued his work, and emphasized, "What I mean is that hearing a leader speak this way makes me feel he's a living, breathing person, not some leader reciting from a script seen from afar at a grand meeting."

"You'll get used to it gradually; the leader will be visiting our plant frequently from now on." Old Li smiled to smooth things over, then shifted the topic: "Especially now."

Glancing outside, he said, "Among the group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong, only the Shipyard and the Machinery Manufacturing Plant are not in Steel City; all the others are in the Industrial Zone."

Speaking of this, he even stamped his foot and said, "He passes by here every day going to and from work. A few days ago, I heard they plan to build an office building on that empty plot in front of the Metallurgy Plant; it will become the station for the group's Liaodong administrative organ. Once he moves there to work, commuting back and forth here will be even more convenient."

"Aren't leaders all supposed to sit in their offices?"

Old Zhang smiled, shaking his head slightly, and said, "I've rarely seen our own Factory Director Lu visit the workshop even a few times; why does this Secretary-General love to wander around so much?"

"Him? He's not just wandering around with nothing better to do." Old Li said seriously, "Even when he was in the Security Department, he had this temperament; he rarely led inspection teams, but he frequently appeared on the front lines."

"Now that he has transferred to a management post, previously he was in an operational role, yet he was still often present at the scene."

Holding the wrench in his hand, he looked at Old Zhang and introduced, "You say he's a fierce man; you know about the cases he handled, right? That's not just empty talk."

"They were all major cases." Driver Xiao Liu finished the work below, shuffled his body out, and sat on the ground saying, "Back then, just talking about them gave us a fright."

"It's not that leaders don't go to the workshops; it's that their working methods are different." Old Li emphasized, "Factory Director Lu originally worked in the Finance Department, accustomed to managing while sitting in an office; the Secretary-General comes from front-line security work, so he should be more accustomed to seeing things with his own eyes; after all, he is younger."

"Now I understand."

Old Li nodded, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Do you think Factory Director Kuang and our Factory Director Lu are somewhat afraid of him?"

"Afraid of whom? The Secretary-General?"

Old Li looked at him amusedly and said, "After all, he is the Secretary-General, a group leader."

"But if we speak of fear, that would be going too far."

Putting away his tools, he nodded slightly and said, "My understanding is that he wins people over with virtue."

"What? Win people over with virtue?" Old Zhang asked with a laugh, "What kind of saying is that?"

"Ask Driver Xiao Liu." Old Li pointed at Driver Xiao Liu and said, "Ask how the Secretary-General wins people over with virtue."

"Hey, what's there to not understand?" Driver Xiao Liu dared to speak his mind; getting up from the ground, he patted his buttocks and said casually, "If reasoning works, we reason; if it doesn't, we beat them up. To summarize, that's winning people over with virtue."

Old Zhang:...

"Director Li called me."

In Li Li Xuewu's car, Kuang Kuang Yusheng let out a long sigh, gazing out the window at the industrial zone, and said faintly, "He wants me to return to work at the group."

"At this time? Return to the group?"

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, turned to look at his profile, and asked, "What does Director Li mean by this?"

"Deputy Secretary-General." Kuang Kuang Yusheng turned his head, looking at him with neither joy nor sorrow, and said, "Executive Deputy Secretary-General."

"Oh, this is the first time I've heard this news."

Li Li Xuewu nodded, neither very surprised nor finding it very sudden, and turned to look ahead, saying, "On this trip back to the capital, he did mention to me that he plans to increase the number of deputy positions in various departments in the second half of this year."

"For major departments, it's impossible to have just one principal and two deputies."

Kuang Kuang Yusheng turned his head away once more, gazing out the window, and said, "Director Li's intention is for me to take over your position."

"Mm, I can understand that," Li Li Xuewu said with clear comprehension. "You are fully qualified for this."

"Do you really think so?" Kuang Kuang Yusheng shook his head with an amused smile and said, "I don't feel that way at all."

He turned his head to look at Li Li Xuewu and spoke seriously, "What is the situation with the Group? Why can't I make sense of it?"

"Don't say you can't understand it; I'm a bit confused myself," Li Li Xuewu said, leaning back in his seat and pursing his lips slightly. "Let's just take it one step at a time."

"What are your thoughts?" He turned his head again to ask Kuang Kuang Yusheng, "Since Director Li has already spoken, I actually think this is a rare opportunity."

"Heh—" Kuang Kuang Yusheng chuckled lightly, turned his head to look forward, and said, "We'll see."

"Is it that you're reluctant to leave, or that you're unwilling to accept it?"

A mischievous smile gradually spread across Li Li Xuewu's lips as he also looked forward and said, "Don't tell me you're holding out for a better price?"

Hearing this, Kuang Kuang Yusheng glanced sideways at him, the corners of his mouth stretching so wide they nearly reached his ears.

These words were too unpleasant to hear, yet he listened to them anyway.

"You are a Group leader; whatever you say naturally goes. What room do I have to speak?"

"There's no point in talking like that; I didn't order you to return to the Group," Li Li Xuewu said with a smile. "If you have anything to say, just say it outright; there's no need to beat around the bush."

Kuang Kuang Yusheng glanced at him once more, but still did not speak the words he wanted to say in his heart.

Return to the Group? How could he possibly return?

Li Li Huai De wanted him to return to the Group to serve as Executive Deputy Secretary-General, which amounted to picking a deputy chosen by Li Li Xuewu and blocking Bu Bu Qingfang's path.

Leaving aside his personal relationship with Bu Bu Qingfang for now, the question was simply whether it was worth it for him.

He had been transferred from his position as the top official of the Production Management Department to Gangcheng to oversee the construction of the Gangcheng Rolling Steel Plant.

It had been two years, over two years; the Gangcheng Rolling Steel Plant had risen from nothing and was on the verge of formal production. To transfer him back to the Group at this moment, how could he possibly be willing?

When Li Li Xuewu first arrived in Liaodong, he had made the Group's intentions clear to them: if they wanted to advance further, there was only one opportunity.

It was very clear: the Group intended to achieve full corporatization next year, completely establishing itself as a Group enterprise, and moreover, a diversified capital Group-type enterprise.

Naturally, the Group Company would be a wholly-owned enterprise, but its subordinate branch companies, branch factories, and even individual projects often involved joint operations with brother units and cooperation with foreign-funded enterprises.

Even the Group's wholly-owned assets had external services and operations, such as the joint schools and joint hospitals.

The Red Star Factory advancing to become the Red Star Iron and Steel Group might seem a bit impure, but it also symbolized that the enterprise had indeed developed and possessed the capital to leverage industry rules.

This batch of them, formerly the top officials of major departments, had come down to undergo a tribulation; as long as they got their respective operations up and running, they would inevitably gain rewards when merits were assessed and rewards distributed.

Even those serving under Dai Zuiligong could strive for lenient treatment and regain opportunities.

Therefore, Kuang Kuang Yusheng was reluctant; he could clearly attain enlightenment and become an immortal within the Group's own 'biological son' enterprise, so why squeeze into the Group's main departments and block someone else's path?

Bu Bu Qingfang currently served as the Group's Deputy Secretary-General and concurrently as the Manager of the Comprehensive Management Department; this was the Deputy Secretary-General with real power.

If he returned now to serve as Executive Deputy Secretary-General, Old Li was essentially roasting him over an open fire.

Not to mention whether Li Li Xuewu agreed or not; even if Li Li Xuewu did agree, could he possibly go head-to-head with Bu Bu Qingfang?

Don't be ridiculous; at their age, and being old comrades for so many years, playing games like this was simply not decent.

If Old Li truly intended to scheme against him, he might as well have issued a transfer order directly to pull him back to the Group; why bother soliciting his opinion over the phone, leaving him with no way to answer?

To speak plainly, Kuang Kuang Yusheng did not have high hopes for Old Li's future; instead, he placed greater value on Li Li Xuewu.

Although Li Li Xuewu was younger than him, in terms of development space and potential for advancement, this young man was absolutely a fierce player; he could not change allegiance at this critical moment, as that was a major taboo in the workplace.

Therefore, in the car, in front of Li Li Xuewu's secretary and driver, and not fearing they would hear, he straightforwardly laid out this content for Li Li Xuewu to hear.

How Li Li Xuewu interpreted it was his own affair and had nothing to do with him; whether to convey his opinion to the highest heavens depended entirely on Li Li Xuewu's intentions.

As he had just said, Li Li Xuewu was a Group leader who could say whatever he wished, and he had no objections.

The meaning of these words was that his original intention remained unchanged, and Li Li Xuewu could fully speak up for him to resolve this matter somehow.

Li Li Xuewu was such a sharp and cunning person; how could he respond so directly, much less necessarily follow Kuang Kuang Yusheng's lead?

The position of Group Executive Deputy Secretary-General; according to Li Li Huai De's intention, Li Li Xuewu was bound to achieve something within three years, and Bu Bu Qingfang could not ascend to the post of Secretary-General.

Actually, these were all honest words; even Bu Bu Qingfang himself should be clear on this point. But while things were clear, who could guarantee that Bu Bu Qingfang wouldn't think askew?

Three years; he could wait, yet he could not wait. Being able to serve one term at the Rolling Steel Factory and then returning to take up a principal post in a major department was the proper career path for people like them.

The Group Secretary-General—a Group leader! To say he wasn't envious was impossible.

But the path to becoming Group Secretary-General was fraught with too many obstacles; just because Li Li Xuewu could wade through them didn't mean others could as well; this was a matter of capability.

Furthermore, Li Li Xuewu was currently the Group Secretary-General, holding a proper division-level rank; what rank would he be stepping into if he took the Secretary-General post?

Old Li had not mentioned this; it would be a disaster if he ended up offending everyone only to find himself worse off than he was now.

He would not fall for this trap; anyway, he had told Li Li Xuewu, and if Li Li Xuewu wanted to let someone else fall for this trap, that was up to him.

So, who would Li Li Xuewu set up?

On May 6, Wang Wang Yimin, Deputy Li Kezhang of the Security Section under the Group's Security Department, was transferred to serve as Li Kezhang of the Security Section at the Metallurgical Plant; Han Zhan, formerly Li Kezhang of the Security Section at the Metallurgical Plant, was appointed Manager of the Quality, Safety, and Environmental Protection Department; Gao Pengjiu, formerly Deputy Li Kezhang of the Group's Inspection Section, was appointed Deputy Manager of the Quality, Safety, and Environmental Protection Department.

Also appointed were Yu Decao as Li Kezhang of the Inspection Section, Yuan Sheng as Li Kezhang of the Safety and Environmental Protection Section, and Che Yonghui as Brigade Commander of the Fire Brigade.

These latter three were simply continuing in their original positions within the organizational structure, restoring their ranks from nominal division-level posts to actual section-chief posts.

Thus, under Deputy Factory Director Yang Yang Zongfang's swift and decisive actions, the Quality, Safety, and Environmental Protection Department was the first to complete its organizational and personnel configuration, achieving a perfect handover of work.

How fast was Deputy Factory Director Yang's action? So fast that the people in the administrative offices hadn't even had time to go to him to show off their loyalty.

From the announcement of the organizational restructuring of the Metallurgical Plant in mid-March, to the Group's comprehensive audit of industrial enterprises in Liaodong at the end of March, followed by several major incidents, everyone was still dazzled and unprepared by the time things reached this point.

But what was the result?

You see, Deputy Factory Director Yang truly did not wish for loopholes or problems to appear in the work under his responsibility; first, he promoted Han Zhan, an old acquaintance, and then brought in an old hand from the Group.

With the framework of the department propped up, the positions of one principal and two deputies were filled with one principal and one deputy, leaving ample room for expansion.

At least work could now proceed, which was better than other departments; the Organization and Work Management Department over there was still completely empty, precisely because Deputy Factory Director Yin had been taken away.

Yu Decao, Yuan Sheng, and Che Yonghui continued in their posts; Che Yonghui had moved from the Fire Section to the Fire Brigade. The fact that Secretary-General Li Li Xuewu could approve the appointments of these three indicated that during the audit and investigation process, none of the three had any significant issues.

Or rather, Deputy Factory Director Yang had provided a guarantee, striving to accelerate the personnel establishment process of that department.

As for when Deputy Factory Director Yang—that is, Deputy Factory Director Yang Yang Zongfang—became so harmonious with the Secretary-General, even frequently going to the Secretary-General's office to discuss work, no one could say clearly; everyone just suddenly realized the two of them could sit together.

Of course, the rumors that the two had long been at odds and embroiled in conflict were now utterly debunked.

Even if there had been conflicts in the past, there was absolutely no need to bring them up during the current phase of work.

The Secretary-General had no ambitions regarding the Metallurgy Plant, and Deputy Director Yang posed no threat to him; with such a vast gap between them, conflict naturally ceased to exist.

From the sudden circular issued on the 6th, everyone was surprised to discover that Deputy Director Yang seemed to have moved a step faster than the other plant leaders, drawing even closer to the position of Executive Deputy Director.

Among these deputy directors, he was the most capable; originally, Deputy Director Yin could have relied on his seniority to compete, but now that was finished—Deputy Director Yin likely had no chance left.

So, the one capable of competing with Deputy Director Yang Yang Zongfang would be... hmm, it's hard to say.

The staff had not yet fully digested the circular from the 6th when, on the 7th and 8th, the Plant Director's Office issued personnel circulars once again, separately.

Since Deputy Director Yin, who was responsible for the Organization and Management Division, was absent, the relevant work was handled jointly by the Plant Director's Office and the Organization Section.

The circulars from the 7th and 8th were roughly similar to that of the 6th, all concerning the appointment of department heads; some involved promotions from original posts, while others entailed transfers or the arrival of external appointees to take up positions.

Observant individuals tallied the figures and found that in the personnel circulars issued over these two days, every head at the management division level, whether principal or deputy, had been dispatched from the Group's departments, with not a single one originating from the Metallurgy Plant, revealing just how exceptional the situation was.

Looking further at the section-level heads, the replacement of deputies was not yet very obvious, but one-third of the principal positions were filled by dispatches from the Group; what happened to the original heads went without saying.

With Audit and Discipline Inspection cooperating, quite a few people had recently been taken away for interviews; although some had returned to continue working, in this round of personnel adjustments, all of them had failed to make the cut.

There was no need to ask; something had definitely happened. Those with major issues were retained 【for investigation】, while those with minor issues were waiting to be dealt with.

The most surprising item in these circulars concerned Liao Jinhui, the former Director of the Management Committee Office; after the organizational restructuring, he had been assigned to the post of Director of the General Office, yet in the latest personnel circular, he was appointed as the Director of the Party Committee Office.

Let us first address the initial surprise: if Liao Jinhui had no issues, why was he transferred outright from the Management Committee Office to a "second-line" position like the General Office, only to be moved again to a powerless office during this new round of organizational and personnel adjustments?

Instead, Sun Jia, the former Deputy Director of the Management Committee Office, advanced further to assume the position of Director of the Plant Director's Office.

The second surprise was this: if Liao Jinhui did have issues, then why was he still allowed to retain the dignity of a powerless office?

Everyone was utterly baffled; the sudden arrival of so many Group cadres at the Metallurgy Plant showed that the Group was not lacking in management talent, so why exactly did they spare Liao Jinhui?

No one could clearly state the answer, but those in the Liaodong Industrial Leadership Group Office, adjacent to the Secretary-General's office, knew a little more.

The people in the Leadership Group Office had essentially no interaction with the office staff of the Metallurgy Plant.

Although some of them originally came from the Metallurgy Plant's office, a natural barrier had quietly emerged between them.

They could obtain necessary information more quickly, yet they would not pass it down to others.

Thus, with the audit results imminent and organizational personnel adjustments proceeding in an orderly fashion, the Secretary-General's second fire was finally about to burn itself out completely.

So, how did Liao Jinhui manage to land safely?

"I heard he emptied out his entire family fortune," Li Muqin said, organizing the documents on the desk and shaking his head slightly. "If he had known it would come to this, why did he do it in the first place?"

"Where would you find someone as clear-sighted as you? The further they advance, the more confused they become," Wang Min said with amusement. "Don't believe talk about emptying family fortunes; the Organization won't beat a person to death with a single blow, but he will certainly suffer in the days ahead."

"Such is the warmth and coldness of human relationships," Zhou Linghua said indifferently. "If he cannot get over this hurdle, the road ahead will be even more difficult."

"What is there that he can't get over? He has confessed everything that needed confessing and explained everything that needed explaining."

Zhou Peilan turned to look at them, then continued speaking: "The Secretary-General made this arrangement based on Director Liao's performance during the incident in March."

"Ah! Speaking of that reminds me of something."

Wang Min stood up holding his tea mug, pointed a finger, and said: "At that time, Director Liao seemed to have been assigned by leadership to carry out some mission, but he never spoke of it after returning."

"Stop guessing wildly; the wood is already carved into a boat, the outcome is set," Zhou Linghua said indifferently. "In the future, we still have to watch his performance; otherwise, there will be more people trying to pull him down than those envying him."

"That is indeed true." Wang Min fetched hot water from the tea cabinet, turned back, and said with a smile to everyone: "That deputy section chief from the Finance Section, Zhou Yongyuan by name? He certainly won't easily let Director Liao off the hook, hahaha."

As early as May 1st, Zhou Yongyuan, the deputy section chief of the Finance Section, had been taken away by the working group, and his whereabouts remained unknown to this day.

Gou Zhenbei, the Director of the Storage Workshop, was also taken away at the same time, yet he reappeared at his work post the following afternoon; this matter was indeed quite bizarre.

Some said Zhou Yongyuan had confessed first and implicated Gou Zhenbei, trying to drag him down into the mud, while others claimed Gou Zhenbei was even more scheming and had reported Zhou Yongyuan's issues to the working group long ago.

The situation within was very complex; Zhou Yongyuan was not the only one who had gotten into trouble, nor was Gou Zhenbei the only one who returned; everyone merely watched, daring not to ask a single question.

In this personnel adjustment plan, few people noticed that Comrade Wang Wang Yajuan, who had come down from the Group before the New Year to serve as Station Master of the Broadcasting Station and later as Director of the Liaodong Branch of the Hongxing United Broadcasting Station, had been appointed as the Li Kezhang of the Metallurgy Plant's Propaganda Section.

Since arriving to work at the Metallurgy Plant, she had behaved extremely low-key; indeed, no one had ever had any private contact with her.

Initially, everyone had been quite interested in her, after all, she was a female comrade, and it was said she was not yet married, but subsequently, the news coming from Jingcheng became somewhat complicated, and everyone lost interest.

The scope of this adjustment was too large for anyone to have noticed her in time; by the time they did, they realized that while this female comrade's abilities were not yet apparent, her background was certainly far from simple.

"Why have you started learning ancient poetry again?"

Li Li Xuewu had just gotten off work when he saw Banggeng standing in the courtyard holding a book, studying diligently and reading with quite some style.

At his feet lay a pile of split firewood; it seemed he had just finished working and was now resting?

Reading ancient poetry while resting?

If one said he was being forced by Zhou Wang Yamei to read books, Li Li Xuewu, having witnessed it with his own eyes, could understand that point.

After all, he was just a child; he still had interest in reading story-type books, but he would absolutely not be able to get through theoretical works.

But as for learning ancient poetry, how was such monotonous and boring knowledge stuffed into Banggeng's brain?

If you say he is learning ancient poetry, why did he have to come to Gangcheng for that? Don't the teachers at the Joint School teach it?

Li Li Xuewu looked at him with amusement and saw that what he held in his hand was indeed ancient poetry, specifically "Three Hundred Tang Poems."

Banggeng also saw him return, but his expression was somewhat desolate, and he did not take the initiative to greet him.

Seeing him ask now, Banggeng lowered his head and said: "It rained heavily today."

"So what if it rained heavily?" Li Li Xuewu asked puzzledly, looking up at the sky, which had already cleared up.

It had indeed rained heavily today, but that was at noon.

"What does this have to do with learning ancient poetry?" he asked with amusement. "Does rainy weather make one more suitable for learning ancient poetry?"

"No, it's that..." Banggeng stammered, lowering his head to explain: "When it rained heavily, both Fu Zhidong and I were at home."

"And then?" Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and asked: "Then what happened?"

"Then..." Banggeng lifted his eyebrows slightly and explained: "Fu Zhidong said that the poem 'A clap of thunder beneath the travelers' feet, the stubborn clouds filling the hall cannot be swept away; black wind from beyond the sky makes the sea stand upright, flying rain from Zhedong crosses the river to come here' described today's heavy rain perfectly."

Under Li Li Xuewu's curious gaze, he hesitated for a moment, lowered his head even further, and continued explaining in a barely audible voice: "I said, 'Holy crap, this rain is really heavy...' Aunt Zhou said I should learn a few lines of ancient poetry."

"Then you really ought to study hard."

Li Li Xuewu suppressed his smile, nodded, and said, "Usually, when I encounter this kind of situation, I don't say anything."

"Who let that little—" Bang Geng wanted to say that little brat just loved to show off, but he stopped himself in time; puffing out his cheeks, he muttered, swallowing the rest of his words back into his stomach.

Li Li Xuewu reached out and ruffled his head, then smiled as he entered the room. As for Bang Geng, this kid had already learned to care about saving face; it seemed he had truly made progress.

What do young people fear most?

They fear most being shameless, lacking any sense of honor or disgrace, fearing nothing, and knowing neither the height of the sky nor the depth of the earth; young people like this suffer the hardest falls, ones that can shatter the ambition of their entire latter half in a single tumble, turning them completely into muddled souls merely drifting through their days.

In Zhou Wang Yamei's words, this child still knew right from wrong, which made him worth cultivating and educating.

"Don't tease him recklessly; I worked hard to straighten him out. Children at this age are most prone to rebellion, believing every rumor they hear as absolute truth."

Zhou Wang Yamei first reminded Li Li Xuewu, then handed him a document, saying, "This came from Shen Shen Guodong; take a look."

"Is there something wrong?" Li Li Xuewu took the document and glanced at it; it concerned events from the 6th.

On May 6, Shen Shen Guodong accompanied Pei Pei, the new general manager of the Tianjin Shunfeng Trade Joint Venture Company, in signing a tertiary industry cooperation agreement with the Academy's Logistics Department.

Both parties reached a consensus on cooperation details, including product research and development, production, planning, sales, and management, thereby launching a comprehensive cooperative relationship.

There was no need to elaborate on the background of the Tianjin Shunfeng Trade Joint Venture Company; this joint venture possessed a vast sales network in Jingcheng and was the largest distribution unit under the Trading Management Center of the Red Star Iron and Steel Group.

The two parties established a mechanism for mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation in projects such as livestock, furniture, and handicrafts, which fully complied with current policy requirements.

Looking at the document in his hand, Li Li Xuewu showed no expression of surprise, because this was precisely the suggestion he had given to Huang Master Qian.

Thanks to Huang Master Qian's intermediation, the Dongfeng faction had indirectly acquired its own manufacturing factories; although these factories were somewhat special, a manufacturing system had finally been established.

Products manufactured by the factories could supply the Red Star Iron and Steel Group's supply chain and the Jingcheng sales system, with profits largely used for purchasing ships, vehicles, and equipment.

The profitable procurement projects mentioned here reported directly back to the Academy, which then handled the internal distribution.

Just as Li Li Xuewu was examining the document in his hand, he received another call from Jingcheng, made by Bao Peigang.

"I say, Secretary-General Li, surely my brother hasn't offended you? How could you forget your old friends once you went to Liaodong?"

Bao Peigang immediately launched into a tirade against Li Li Xuewu, not even leaving him a gap to respond over the phone.

Li Li Xuewu could only listen with a smile, waiting until the other party mentioned news heard from the United Savings Bank before apologizing rather awkwardly, "I'm truly sorry, Director Bao; our project is still in the demonstration phase."

"What demonstration phase? I've already heard that you're preparing to raise funds and allocate shares!"

Bao Peigang spoke with some dissatisfaction, "Even if you are still in the demonstration phase, couldn't my brother have chatted with me about it? That would at least allow me to make some preparations."

Chat with you?

Li Li Xuewu snorted inwardly; if you knew, it would be as good as several major banks in Jingcheng knowing.

Isn't this exactly why I'm waiting for you to come find me for a chat?