Chapter 743: Rumors

Today, the meeting room on the third floor was dedicated solely to discussing personnel issues, with no other work on the agenda.

Yet even with such a single topic, the meeting dragged on for more than three hours.

At two o'clock in the afternoon on July 16, the final agenda item of the mid-year conference officially began.

As the leaders entered, all eyes in the hall fixed themselves on Party Secretary Yang Yang Yuansong and Factory Director Yang Yang Fengshan.

Rather than looking at the two men themselves, the crowd was actually staring at the documents in their hands.

Everyone knew that the cadre position adjustment plan and the supervisory leadership division-of-labor adjustment plan would definitely be announced by these two.

The Party Committee manages cadres, the factory office manages work; one person oversees one sector, one person reads one document.

The contents of these two plans were closely related to the people below, affecting most of them.

Adjustments to cadre positions absolutely affected not only the individual cadres themselves but also their colleagues and the departments they managed.

Whether it was a change in department leadership or an internal promotion within a department, it would cause significant shifts in the department's overall operations.

When a new official takes office, they bring three fires; whoever changes posts will use concrete actions after assuming duty to realize their value.

This is also one of the meanings behind holding the mid-year conference: stagnant water will not do; fresh water must constantly be injected to get the fish in the water moving.

If cadre adjustments affect the affiliated units and departments, then adjustments to the division of labor among supervisory leaders affect the entire managed system.

Once the supervisory leader changes, the new leader will inevitably readjust work procedures and layouts.

If his work thinking changes, then the offices below must change, and the entire affiliated system must change.

Therefore, it was not only the cadres facing adjustment who cared about the office meeting that had just concluded on the third floor; more often, it was the fish near the city gate worrying about the collateral damage.

"The plenary representative assembly is now convened to disseminate and deploy the 'Great Study, Great Discussion' campaign."

As Yang Yang Fengshan, the presiding officer, finished speaking, a murmur rippled through the hall, only to return to order under the influence of the personnel managing meeting discipline.

The reason for the whispered discussions was that the meeting agenda had changed; at this point, it should have been the representative assembly arranging key tasks for the second half of the year.

Furthermore, those two plans and their contents were supposed to be announced at this meeting, but what about now?

Now, this meeting topic had been shelved, or perhaps postponed.

Either handling method revealed something unusual: shelving it meant the personnel meeting held just now for over three hours had not concluded, or that the personnel adjustment plan discussed for a week had failed to be finalized.

Such a possibility was small, but given the current circumstances, it could not be ruled out as impossible.

If it was postponed, that would make everyone present feel even more uneasy; it would mean the impact brought by the two adjustment plans was massive, the changes were huge, and the factory leaders, fearing problems, had therefore adjusted the meeting agenda, swapping the order of the two items.

Whichever the case, the hearts of everyone present were churning and anxious as they focused intently on Deputy Director Feng of the working group delivering his speech on the main stage.

They might not understand the significance of the leaders' arrangement, but it was true that the people below were paying even more attention and listening more carefully to the meeting content.

After three days of meetings, the people on stage were mentally exhausted, and the people below were equally weary; compared to the focus and excitement of the first day, now only perseverance remained.

But now it was different; like a carrot dangling before a donkey, everyone was watching the stage, awaiting the final result.

First, Feng Feng Daozong spoke, expounding on the foundation and content of the 'Great Study, Great Discussion' campaign from a theoretical and fundamental perspective, while also representing the working group in affirming the current work done by the Rolling Steel Factory and offering suggestive guidance for the work ahead.

After Feng Feng Daozong finished, Yang Yang Yuansong began to speak; first, he announced the list of members for the Organization and Management Office Group of the 'Great Study, Great Discussion' campaign, then disseminated the spirit and opinions from above regarding this activity, and finally outlined the requirements for how various internal organizations should carry out the campaign.

The head of the Campaign Organization and Management Office Group was Yang Yang Yuansong, and the deputy head was Yang Yang Fengshan.

Since Yang Yang Yuansong had laid out the broad direction, Yang Yang Fengshan had to discuss the specific implementation plans and detailed rules, while also providing guidance and constraints for the campaign to be carried out across the entire factory.

He was afraid; once this meeting concluded, it would officially open the floodgates for this campaign.

He did not know what kind of flood or fierce beast would be released through this opening, but he could already feel the momentum of surging waves.

Especially when the first two leaders finished speaking, some people below were already becoming excited and shouting slogans.

These people were not necessarily troublemakers or intentionally disrupting the order of the meeting; they could genuinely be idealistic supporters.

Of course, Yang Yang Fengshan dared not guarantee that this situation was entirely so; in the past, various methods could be used to restrain them, but what about now?

Now he had to discuss the situation, laying out the production tasks and practical difficulties facing the Rolling Steel Factory, starting from reality to reveal the family's assets to everyone present.

If they wanted to launch a campaign, fine, but they first had to see what the family possessed and whether it could withstand the turmoil.

How large to make it, how long to sustain it—no one could say clearly; all they knew now was that they had to open the gates and dismantle the great dam.

Yang Yang Fengshan did not have the power to block anything; he saw the facts clearly and understood the trends of the times; he dared not, nor did he need to, act like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

However, he was the person in charge of the Rolling Steel Factory, its director, and he had to take responsibility for it.

Grasping transformation with one hand and production with the other—this was the central theme of Yang Yang Fengshan's speech today.

In the past, he had focused only on production and harbored resistance toward transformation, but now he had no choice but to act this way.

He compromised on transformation, allowing the voices below to become noisy, permitting rules to be broken, and even accepting impacts on the overall operation of the Rolling Steel Factory.

Production tasks and ideological transformation were to be implemented on a fifty-fifty basis, grasping both hands, with no issue of divided attention or wasted effort.

Being able to place production and transformation together was already the result of joint efforts by many people; it was the final bottom line and the point of persistence.

In fact, the Rolling Steel Factory was currently in a relatively good position because, as the most important deployed steel enterprise, it was allowed to temporarily suspend the implementation of policies from above, a fact known to all, making it an enterprise that could not be easily impacted.

Nationwide, the scale of the Rolling Steel Factory might not rank at the very top, but within the industry and in Jingcheng, Hongxing Rolling Steel Factory was undoubtedly a leading enterprise.

The steel industry is divided into upstream and downstream sectors, mainly referring to a series of industrial chains composed of links such as ore, coke, smelting, casting, rolling, processing, and sales.

Among these, ore, coke, and smelting belong to upstream industries; casting, rolling, and processing belong to midstream industries; while sales and re-processing belong to downstream industries.

Originally, the Rolling Steel Factory did not have its current scale, and its production technology was limited merely to steel rolling.

However, the rapid development of the steel industry in previous years led to a series of blind expansions; many pieces of equipment and factories were created without sustainability, forcing them onto the path of merger and acquisition.

Over these years, Hongxing Rolling Steel Factory had continuously expanded its production technologies, growing from the original single industry of steel rolling into the colossal entity it is today, integrating upstream and downstream industrial chains including smelting, casting, rolling, processing, and sales.

A large scale brings a large impact, causing its own development and creation to receive greater attention and support.

From the transfer of cadres at the beginning of the year to the supplementation of cadres in the middle of the year, one could see that those above held high expectations for the Rolling Steel Factory.

At this time, in this period, everyone was probing forward; there were no models to learn from or refer to.

Therefore, as long as work was being done, mistakes were inevitable; this was also the reason Yang Yang Fengshan sat firmly in the position of factory director.

As long as he did not commit errors of principle, he would not face major problems.

Regarding work, no one can guarantee that Ding Neng Cheng Gong, but one must possess a heart that aspires to success.

No one could deny Yang Yang Fengshan's enthusiasm for the Rolling Steel Plant and the steel industry; his management capabilities and strategic vision were correct and firm, which was precisely why he served as factory director.

Even though some dissenting voices had emerged now, those who supported him were still widespread.

This could not be simply described as supporting Yang Yang Fengshan; rather, it should be seen as supporting his management concepts and development philosophy.

During this period, it was rare for anyone to build residential buildings for workers, and few factories were willing to raise their own funds for such welfare construction; most shifted the pressure of housing their employees onto local authorities.

Why?

Because local economies faced immense pressure, working-age individuals could not find jobs, and they had to beg enterprises to recruit workers and create value.

Therefore, during this period, factories were generally more powerful while local authorities were weaker; the larger the factory, the more formidable it became, even capable of forming self-contained systems independent of local constraints.

Some factories could demand land from local authorities, whether for constructing workshops or residential districts, without needing to communicate with local officials.

Once the factory walls went up, everything inside was the factory's domain, and outsiders should meddle less.

The Rolling Steel Plant's current situation was exactly like this; all services and tertiary industries within the steel system could fully support employees living and working well inside the factory.

The resulting consequence was that local authorities had to bear the burden of settling these employees' livelihoods.

Now that the team led by Yang Yang Fengshan was improving the living environment for factory employees, his level of support was naturally high.

One should not claim that Gu Gu Weijie was responsible for the residential district project, nor assert that financial pressures and project management had nothing to do with Yang Yang Fengshan; as factory director, all achievements ultimately rested on his shoulders.

Despite all these benefits, he was also the one who had to bear the pressure and responsibility when necessary, so Yang Yang Fengshan hoped even more that everything would go well.

In terms of specific business management, he did show some bias in his attitude, but this did not affect his oversight of comprehensive work.

Today, when he spoke on stage about difficulties and the bigger picture, everyone attending the meeting had to think about it and mentally prepare themselves.

As factory director, if he voiced difficulties or set conditions, those became the standards and principles for enterprise employees to execute.

Gu Gu Weijie began speaking after Yang Yang Fengshan; after further deeply understanding and elaborating on the "Great Study, Great Discussion" campaign, she discussed the spirit of the document issued at the beginning of the month.

Stability is the prerequisite and necessary condition for development; campaigns must be carried out, but there is a precondition: do we still want development?

The answer was clear in everyone's hearts: yes, we want development, and we also want reform.

This was the direction everyone present had to weigh; if we want development and reform, then how should the campaign be conducted?

Gu Gu Weijie provided a detailed dissemination and elaboration of the "Notice on How Industrial, Transportation Enterprises and Capital Construction Units Should Carry Out the Great Study and Great Discussion," issued by higher authorities on July 2nd.

She gave clear instructions and requirements regarding key points that needed attention during enterprise development and reform.

Work must proceed under the condition of guaranteeing the completion of production tasks, combined with the current rectification and cleanup efforts.

This was a process achieved jointly through efforts rising from below and descending from above.

During the process rising from below, attention must be paid to impact and stability, ensuring normal production tasks are not disrupted.

During the process descending from above, attention must be paid to unity and the direction of development; one hand must grasp production, the other hand must grasp reform, and both hands must be strong.

At this meeting, Gu Gu Weijie explicitly expressed her attitude and purpose regarding this campaign for the first time, formally representing the Factory Party Committee in issuing instructions and requirements for the campaign's execution.

All middle-level and grassroots management cadres, as well as representatives of the frontline masses, were contemplating and studying these thoughts and requirements.

Subsequently, several other Party Group leaders also offered opinions and requirements regarding the launch and propaganda work for this campaign.

Finally, Yang Yang Yuansong delivered the concluding speech, calling on all personnel of the Rolling Steel Plant to mobilize, join the "Great Study, Great Discussion" campaign, to study ideology, to discuss, to reflect, and to progress.

The meeting concluded amidst applause, marking the official commencement of the Rolling Steel Plant's "Great Study, Great Discussion" campaign.

The meeting for disseminating and deploying the "Great Study, Great Discussion" campaign had ended; after a ten-minute recess, the plenary session of factory representatives would convene.

Li Li Xuewu sat in his seat without moving, Xu Si remained motionless, and Wei Zaike on the other side also did not move.

Waiting until most people around had dispersed and the clamor rose, Xu Si then leaned over Li Li Xuewu, looked toward Wei Zaike, and asked, "Director Wei, what's the situation?"

"How would I know? I'm just a worker."

Wei Zaike looked helplessly at Xu Si, uttering only this single helpless reply.

He knew Xu Si was asking why the meeting agenda had been adjusted, but he truly did not know.

The meeting agenda arrangement was determined by the deliberation group; it indeed had nothing to do with him.

However, Xu Si asked him not because of the deliberation group, but due to personnel matters.

The adjustment of this meeting's agenda was absolutely related to the personnel plan and the division of labor adjustment plan; if not asking Wei Zaike, then who else was there to ask?

Wei Zaike was the head of the Party Group Department; all cadre assessments and investigations were conducted by him and his team, so naturally, if problems arose, people would inquire with him.

But observing his attitude, Xu Si curled the corner of his mouth; he simply did not believe this old fox's words, and asked again, "So, has the specific plan come out yet?"

"How would I know? I'm just a worker."

Wei Zaike repeated this answer once more, his eyelids drooping as he helplessly smoothed his hand over the table.

Earlier, Xu Si's questioning had been relatively subtle, but now all subtlety was gone, directly asking about the plan.

Xu Si was concerned; who in this venue wasn't concerned? Even if he knew, he couldn't say it.

Who was he? The leaders hadn't even announced it yet; if he spoke, what would that make him?

Xu Si thought that since only the three of them were present now, and he would know anyway in ten minutes, he might as well ask one question in advance.

But he hadn't expected that this old bastard from the east was truly deep; even questioning yielded nothing.

"Then you must at least know whether there will be a result today?!"

"How would I know..."

"Enough! You're really damn long-winded!"

Just as Wei Zaike started to speak, Xu Si glared and cut off his perfunctory response, then turned to Li Li Xuewu and said, "This person is extremely slick; in the future, you should associate with him less."

Li Li Xuewu smiled cheerfully at Wei Zaike; seeing his difficult expression, like an old monk in meditation, he laughed and said, "If Director Wei doesn't want to speak, why force him?"

After speaking, he gently patted Xu Si's arm, gesturing toward the eyes looking over from surrounding areas, and said, "Director Wei being cautious is also correct; after all, if those two plans contain important decisions, leaking them in advance would cause unnecessary panic."

Hearing Li Li Xuewu say this, Wei Zaike hurriedly turned to look at him, wanting to explain something, but upon seeing the expressions on Li Li Xuewu and the other's faces, he held back, turned his head again, and continued playing the mute.

These two were no good; one failed to get an answer through questioning, while the other had learned to play tactical maneuvers.

His refusal to explain meant that the plan contained major changes, at least differing from what everyone had previously guessed.

But if he had explained, he would have leaked the plan, which would mean he knew, rendering his earlier perfunctory words to Xu Si dishonest.

Xu Sinian's badness is all on the surface, while Li Li Xuewu's badness is hidden deep in his belly; neither of them is any good!

"There really is some panic~"

What is the relationship between Xu Sinian and Li Li Xuewu? They are partners in crime... no, they are birds of a feather... colluding... sharing the same stench...

Like-minded, improving together, and supporting each other!

Since they are so like-minded, and Li Li Xuewu has already spoken this far, how could Xu Sinian not pick up the thread?

"Hey, Director Wei, you're truly something; with this plan produced, I'm afraid that from now on, anyone seeing you or me will have to be extremely careful and respectful."

After speaking, he gently nudged Li Li Xuewu with his elbow, raised his eyebrows, and asked, "Isn't that right, Director Li?"

"Hehe~"

Li Li Xuewu did not answer, merely chuckling softly, yet in Wei Zaike's ears, this soft chuckle sounded like a sinister grin.

These two bastards are too inhuman; aren't they trying to dump a chamber pot of shit on top of my head?

He was the one who conducted the investigations and reviews, but where did he have any decision-making power? No one ever said that the personnel he inspected were exactly the ones the leaders wanted to use.

How many cadres at this Rolling Steel Factory haven't undergone inspection, yet how many of them have actually been promoted?

Isn't every time adjustments are faced the busiest time for the Party Organization Department and the Personnel Office? Because for a single position, three to five people need to be inspected; surely one doesn't appoint someone just because they've been inspected.

So this time, when major changes appeared in the cadre adjustment plan, those who had confidence in their hearts, or those who had received news from leaders, naturally wouldn't dare to complain to the leaders if changes occurred; so who would they complain to?

Damn it, I said these two aren't good cookies.

Why did he want to keep a low profile? Precisely because he feared these people would hold him accountable, fearing they would make unreasonable trouble and blame him for pulling strings during the investigation.

Isn't it unjust? If he wanted to make a move, at most he could only achieve something at the deputy section-chief level; even a full section-chief position requires careful consideration by the leaders.

What is it now?

A flour seller taking the blame and worrying on behalf of those selling white goods.

"You two~"

Wei Zaike stood up, bent over, pointed at Li Li Xuewu and Xu Sinian, and glared with bulging eyes, saying, "Be careful that having too many scheming hearts makes you leak air!"

"Hehe~"

Seeing Wei Zaike leave his seat and head toward the restroom, Xu Sinian couldn't help but chuckle, then poked Li Li Xuewu and asked, "This old guy really knows how to keep his cool."

"The more he acts like this, the more it proves the point~"

Li Li Xuewu let out a long breath, then lifted his teacup for a sip, looked at Xu Sinian, and asked, "Didn't you receive any wind?"

"Nonsense, I'm just a worker!"

Xu Sinian didn't know how to answer Li Li Xuewu, so he could only use Wei Zaike's words.

"I can see all the preliminary meeting materials because we produced them, but I cannot see the materials generated during the meeting, because those are handled by the Party Organization Department in communication with the meeting."

After saying this, Xu Sinian pointed toward Wei Zaike, who had gone to the restroom, and said, "This old thing must know something; pretending to be dead just now and not daring to go out was simply because he feared someone would ask."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and nodded, also casting a glance at Wei Zaike.

No matter what spreads from the conference hall, it will make the leaders think he leaked the news, which is truly a dilemma for him.

Actually, Xu Sinian wasn't that eager to know what accidents would occur in a moment, because no matter what accidents arise, they have nothing to do with him.

His path has already reached its end; the road ahead has already been determined, and what limits his future is not age, but ability.

Having been busy in the agency office for half his life, doing this kind of document work since he was young and still doing it now, what else can he do?

Advancing one more step is possible, but it would still be a nominal position; he would absolutely not remain in the Factory Office.

Xu Sinian has thought it over; he probably has to work for a few more years, no matter who the factory director is, until he is around forty-five, when he will directly take over Xiong Xiong Bencheng's shift.

Without professional business management experience, and without frontline work experience, his choices are few.

Compared to the young man beside him, his start lacked much, missing something called a foundation.

Now, seeing those young people in the office becoming complacent just because they work in the office, looking down on and despising those who work on the frontline, one really doesn't know what to say.

Today's them are yesterday's self.

Although frontline workers might spend their entire lives on the frontline, they can still walk step by step to the front.

Those in the office are different; if they stay in the office forever without going down, they will never be able to stand at the front.

Xu Sinian took a drag of his cigarette, glanced at Li Li Xuewu, and wondered where this rising star who came up from the frontline might end up in the future.

He couldn't guess, but he knew Li Li Xuewu's future was limitless.

Watching Li Li Xuewu seem very unconcerned about the upcoming changes, in his opinion, Li Li Xuewu's inner heart should also be unsettled.

Having just resolved the identity of a Party Committee Member, Li Li Xuewu ought to make some achievements.

But looking at the current situation, someone is changing the chessboard; once the situation changes, all arrangements change, and the situation to be faced tomorrow also changes.

Who is the one moving the chessboard?

Xu Sinian naturally knows the answer; he is the Office Director, so how could he not know what the Factory Director intends to do?

Even if he wasn't present during the meeting, and even if he didn't know the content of the meeting, he could still guess some things from the clues.

This change is particularly obvious: from after the working group arrived, from after problems appeared at the Rolling Steel Factory because of the working group, and from after the Factory Director went to see the high-level leader.

Xu Sinian can feel the change in the leader's style of action, and he can also feel what the Factory Director intends to do.

Weakening the influence of a person, or a group, isn't only achieved through suppression and destruction; there is also a method called highlighting and dismantling.

A transfer of positions inevitably brings ideological impact; if your subordinate becomes your colleague, will their relationship with you still be what it was before?

This applies to Li Li Huai De, and it also applies to Li Li Xuewu; Yang Yang Fengshan is using a method of gentle influence to dismantle the influence of certain people.

Asking Wei Zaike this question today was not only to probe Wei Zaike, but also to probe Li Li Xuewu.

Li Li Xuewu is a dangerous person, a bad boy with strong methods and an unconventional style of handling affairs; no one dares to deny this point.

Now Li Li Xuewu is stepping onto the chessboard, gradually participating in the direction of this game, so it is essential to clearly investigate Li Li Xuewu's attitude toward this matter.

Isn't Xu Sinian Li Li Xuewu's good big brother? Isn't he wearing the same pair of pants as Li Li Xuewu? Hasn't he always been providing information to Li Li Xuewu? So why would he do such a thing?

As long as one is human, one is an independent individual, and thus will have complex thoughts and stances.

Xu Sinian's stance was, first and foremost, that he was Xu Sinian; secondly, he was the Office Director; and only lastly did his network of connections matter.

His initial decision to humble himself and befriend Li Li Xuewu was because the assets in Li Li Xuewu's hands threatened him personally, so he knew enough to be sensible.

Later, his efforts to help Li Li Xuewu during their interactions were also just work; the purpose remained the same, only the method had changed.

If Xu Sinian had truly wanted to help Li Li Xuewu out of pure intentions, or selflessly pushed Li Li Xuewu to a higher position, would he still be the Office Director?

I fear Yang Yang Fengshan would not have allowed it, nor would others have permitted it.

Conversely, even if he had done so, would he have gained Li Li Xuewu's trust?

Hehe~ Say it aloud and no one would believe it; Xu Sinian himself didn't believe it.

Li Li Xuewu was merely a very important link in his network of connections; it was simply mutual exploitation.

To have a particularly pure friendship, one might have to wait until Li Li Xuewu attended his funeral.

So, whose orders was Xu Sinian following when he probed Li Li Xuewu's attitude, or rather, paid attention to Li Li Xuewu's stance on this matter?

There was no specific person; Yang Yang Fengshan certainly never said such words, nor did he ever arrange for him to do such a thing; it was his own doing.

Yes, it was Xu Sinian himself; he was intentionally observing the attitudes of everyone within the bureau, including key figures like Yang Yang Fengshan and Li Li Huai De—everyone.

Why?

Because this was his job; he lacked a frontline position, or rather, a foundation in operational duties, so he could only rely on the shifting attitudes of these people to judge the direction of the situation and make the most appropriate, as well as the most reasonable, decisions.

This was also the reason he had stood firm as Office Director for so many years without falling.

He was neither the most calculating nor the most capable fighter, but he was the best at reading people's cues.

Today, Li Li Xuewu's cues were very difficult to read, yet he still managed to decipher some of them.

For instance, Li Li Xuewu was not very satisfied with the position of member on the Discipline Inspection Commission, and he also felt worried about this situation.

For instance, Li Li Xuewu had long suspected the arrival of the new leadership; from Li Li Xuewu's face, he saw no surprise or astonishment.

And for another example, Li Li Xuewu seemed indifferent to the upcoming changes, as if no matter how things shifted, he remained unconcerned.

Was that really the case?

"Good, let us continue the meeting."

Yang Yang Fengshan and the rest of the leaders returned to their seats according to schedule, and he spoke into the microphone: "The plenary session of representatives is now formally convened to arrange and deploy key tasks for the second half of the year."

The venue instantly fell silent; the only sounds were the faint noises of those who had returned late from the restroom making their way to their seats.

"First, please invite Secretary Yang to arrange the key tasks."

Clap~

As Yang Yang Fengshan's voice dropped, applause erupted from below the stage.

Yang Yang Yuansong swept his gaze over the crowd below; hearing that the current applause was much more enthusiastic than before, he knew the people below were waiting anxiously.

Indeed, that was the case; everyone was waiting for him to announce the cadre adjustment plan, their eyes staring straight ahead, so how could the applause not be enthusiastic?

Yang Yang Yuansong did not waste words with excessive chatter; once the topic came before him, he opened the document and began to read aloud:

"In accordance with the various spirits of the mid-year meeting, combined with the current work task requirements of the Rolling Steel Plant, and following the arrangements and instructions from superiors, the list of main responsible persons for the Rolling Steel Plant Party Committee and Plant Office is now announced."

"The list is as follows:"

After giving an opening, Yang Yang Yuansong glanced at the crowd below once more, then proceeded to read: "List of members of the Rolling Steel Plant Party Committee: Yang Yang Yuansong, Yang Yang Fengshan, Gu Gu Weijie, Xue Xue Zhifu, Cheng Kaiyuan, Xiang Xiang Jingyu, Li Li Huai De, Nie Nie Chenglin, Dong Wenxue, Xiong Xiong Bencheng, Wei Zaike, Bu Bu Qingfang, Kuang Kuang Yusheng, Li Li Xuewu."

As soon as the list was announced, murmurs of discussion rose from below, but this was a normal phenomenon and did not cause a major reaction.

Some people below were discussing; what they discussed and found surprising was not Li Li Xuewu appearing at the end, as he had just been elected, so his appearance on this list was naturally normal.

What was abnormal was the ranking in the front part of the list; it was easy to understand that Cheng Kaiyuan was placed behind Xue Xue Zhifu, but why was Xiang Xiang Jingyu ahead of Li Li Huai De?

Previously, when arranging seats, one could understand it as deputy factory directors having no fixed order of precedence, with men and women seated in alternating positions, but what about now?

This list was not merely a list; it also represented the order of precedence among the Party Committee members.

Just as Li Li Xuewu was ranked last, it was because he was the youngest and had joined the factory Party Committee for the shortest time, so naturally he was placed at the end.

Previously, Xiang Xiang Jingyu was ranked behind Li Li Huai De; like Li Li Xuewu, she had also arrived later than Li Li Huai De.

But now? Half a year surely couldn't erase such a gap; something must have gone wrong somewhere.

Do not rush; everyone will know soon enough; the crowd waited with bated breath.

Yang Yang Yuansong knew that announcing this list would inevitably spark discussions, but he could not stop; stopping would imply agreement with the discussions below, which would cause even more serious problems.

Therefore, he continued to read aloud: "List of members of the Rolling Steel Plant Party Leadership Group: Yang Yang Yuansong, Yang Yang Fengshan, Gu Gu Weijie, Xue Xue Zhifu, Cheng Kaiyuan, Xiang Xiang Jingyu, Li Li Huai De, Nie Nie Chenglin, Dong Wenxue, Xiong Xiong Bencheng."

It was confirmed; the ranking on the list remained the same; Xiang Xiang Jingyu's ranking was indeed ahead of Li Li Huai De's; something had gone wrong.

Xu Sinian turned his gaze toward Li Li Xuewu; Li Li Xuewu remained immovable, looking straight ahead, as if he hadn't noticed the changes on the stage at all.

Looking again at Wei Zaike, this person was the same, frowning slightly while watching the stage, showing no reaction whatsoever.

Something must have gone wrong somewhere, or perhaps someone had known about this change long ago.

"List of Standing Committee members of the Rolling Steel Plant Party Committee: Yang Yang Yuansong, Yang Yang Fengshan, Gu Gu Weijie, Xue Xue Zhifu, Cheng Kaiyuan, Xiang Xiang Jingyu, Xiong Xiong Bencheng."

That was it, that was it; Li Li Huai De's status had been adjusted, and Xiang Xiang Jingyu's status had also been adjusted.

Everyone at the scene had guessed it; it was just that before this list came out, no one dared to think it, let alone say it aloud.

This change was simply too huge; Li Li Huai De and Nie Nie Chenglin were out, Cheng Kaiyuan was in, and the number of Standing Committee members was adjusted from nine to seven, reducing two slots.

If viewed solely from the perspective of identity and management responsibilities, there was no problem with Xiang Xiang Jingyu entering, as she managed finance and personnel, and to a certain extent, could be said to hold the status of Executive Deputy Factory Director.

However, the Rolling Steel Plant had never resolved this position and status, and since all deputy factory directors were within the Standing Committee, this resulted in the immense surprise and impact following the announcement of today's list.

It seemed as though the authorities had placed all opportunities before a few individuals, for them to compete together and race together; whoever performed well would stay, and whoever performed poorly would be eliminated.

Now the results were out; Xiong Xiong Bencheng's position was fixed, and his vote was one that no one could take away.

It was not because his abilities were superior, but because the trade union must have this one vote.

And bypassing Xiong Xiong Bencheng who remained unchanged, the Plant Office side retained three votes: Factory Director Yang Yang Fengshan, Executive Deputy Factory Director Cheng Kaiyuan, and Deputy Factory Director Xiang Xiang Jingyu.

But starting from the announcement of this list today, the two characters "Standing Committee" would have to be filled in before the title of Deputy Factory Director for Xiang Xiang Jingyu.

In other words, Li Li Huai De truly had either advanced or retreated; he failed to even keep the two characters "Standing Committee," becoming an ordinary deputy factory director.

This was a huge problem; Xu Sinian didn't know why such a massive change had occurred, but the impact was truly enormous.

Just thinking about Li Li Huai De's preliminary arrangements and actions, Xu Sinian knew there would be no peace in the days ahead.

There was no need to doubt who in the factory had arranged this list, nor to guess who had appointed it; the Rolling Steel Factory lacked the authority and qualification—it came from above.

Even the list of Party Group members wasn't decided by the Rolling Steel Factory itself but was reviewed and formulated by higher authorities: Li Li Huai De down, Xiang Xiang Jingyu up; it wasn't what Yang Yang Yuansong said, nor was it done by Yang Yang Fengshan.

Of course, whether this actually reflected support from above for them, or perhaps a lack of approval for Li Li Huai De's work, remained uncertain.

The reasons were too complex to guess; no one could fathom the thoughts of those above, so the surprise was genuine.

After the three lists were announced, Yang Yang Yuansong, seemingly to give everyone time to think and react, lifted his teacup, took a sip, and continued reading aloud:

"List of Party Committee Institutions: Secretary: Yang Yang Yuansong; Deputy Secretaries: Yang Yang Fengshan, Gu Gu Weijie, Xue Xue Zhifu, Dong Wenxue."

"List of the Discipline Inspection Commission: Secretary: Xue Xue Zhifu; Deputy Secretary: Li Li Xuewu; Members: Chu Chu Yougong, Yin Zaiwei."

"Security (Confidentiality) Commissioner: Dong Wenxue."

"Propaganda (United Front) Commissioner: Bu Bu Qingfang."

"Youth (Masses) Commissioner: Wei Zaike."

"Organization Commissioner: Kuang Kuang Yusheng."

"List of Factory Office Meeting Members: Factory Director Yang Yang Fengshan, Executive Deputy Secretary Gu Gu Weijie, Executive Deputy Factory Director Cheng Kaiyuan, Deputy Factory Directors Xiang Xiang Jingyu, Li Li Huai De, Nie Nie Chenglin, and Deputy Secretary Dong Wenxue."

Good heavens, as Secretary Yang Yang Yuansong read out the list, murmurs from below rose and fell incessantly.

Because everyone wanted to keep listening, the voices were kept very low, mostly expressing surprise, as the formal discussion hadn't even begun yet.

Yang Yang Yuansong, for his part, read through all the lists in one breath, giving the crowd no time to react or discuss.

As soon as his voice dropped, the noise in the venue reached its peak; precisely because the loudspeakers had gone silent, the sounds from the audience stood out all the more prominently.

When the discipline officers stood up to maintain order, everyone in the hall noticed the situation and immediately hushed their voices.

Meetings at this time were different from those in later generations; with so many people present, saying a few words wasn't a big deal.

But now, if recorded by the discipline officers, one would face a circulated criticism.

Do not assume a circulated criticism is harmless; it would affect one's advancement.

Just think: if you were about to be promoted, but during the inspection from above, this circulated criticism appeared on your record, would you still have a chance for advancement?

Would you let half a year's opportunity for advancement slip away just because you couldn't control your mouth?

The noise in the venue instantly quieted down as the discipline officers rose; they were merely surprised in their hearts.

This list had basically no changes, yet the changes that did exist were the most critical and the most astonishing.

The first surprise was that Executive Deputy Factory Director Cheng Kaiyuan was not included in the Party Committee Institutions list, meaning he held no position within the Party Committee structure.

However, considering he had just arrived at the Rolling Steel Factory and was subject to a six-month probationary period, this became understandable upon reflection.

The second surprise was that Li Li Xuewu, Deputy Head of the Security Department, after being elected as a Party Committee member, directly assumed the post of Deputy Secretary in the Discipline Inspection Commission.

This was quite shocking; it wasn't that the title of Deputy Secretary carried immense weight—it was merely a difference in position—but what astonished them was the direction of Li Li Xuewu's appointment.

That morning, when Li Li Xuewu's election direction was announced, some had guessed he would take a position in the Discipline Inspection Commission, but they hadn't expected it to actually happen.

The third thing that made everyone's eyes pop was that the number of seats on the Factory Party Committee Standing Committee had decreased, while the number of seats in the Factory Office Meeting had increased.

Originally, the Factory Office Meeting consisted only of the Factory Director and Deputy Directors; now, two Deputy Secretaries had been added, bringing the total to seven people.

Viewed this way, the management power of the Rolling Steel Factory had contracted, indicating that higher authorities intended to strengthen their leadership and control over the factory.

To put it plainly, this meant reducing the number of votes while increasing individual power, thereby concentrating leadership authority even further.

While management authority had contracted, executive authority had expanded; the Factory Office Meeting grew from five people to seven, signifying that individual management authority had decreased while the number of people executing management had increased.

These two completely opposite adjustment directions directly disrupted the original management order of the Rolling Steel Factory and opened up more avenues for management.

The adjustments to the Party Committee represented dissatisfaction from above regarding recent problems at the Rolling Steel Factory, demanding that Party Committee members take responsibility and implement their work practically.

Now that the number of people was reduced, when the blame fell, it would land with much greater precision.

If you proved incapable, you would be removed; with someone watching closely from below, this sense of crisis would become immediately apparent.