149: Chapter 149 Impressive Reorganization

The car door opened, and sunlight poured in.

Xiao Bei watched the black Audi carrying Qin Ruoxi disappear around the street corner before he withdrew his gaze.

"County Magistrate Xiao, shall we go to the Town Government first?"

Team Leader Zhang Yining asked softly.

Xiao Bei nodded, opened the insulated lunch box, which was neatly packed with several steaming buns, with soy milk in the layer below.

He finished his breakfast in a few bites, wiped his hands, and said, "Let's go, it's time to get to work."

The area in front of the Town Government building was quiet, a stark contrast to the usual hustle and bustle.

Clearly, the news that Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua and Secretary Hao Fanren had been taken away had already spread, and the entire Town Government was shrouded in an eerie atmosphere.

Team Leader Zhang Yining walked quickly in front.

When she pushed open the door to the conference room, more than twenty people were already seated inside.

Seeing Xiao Bei enter, everyone stood up in unison.

"Please, sit down."

Xiao Bei walked to the head of the table and scanned the room.

He recognized a few relatively familiar faces—Deputy Party Secretary Li Mingliang, Deputy Town Mayor Wang Qiang, Propaganda Committee Member Zhao Fang...

Everyone's expression was different; some were uneasy, some were observing, and a few clearly held feelings of resistance.

Li Mingliang cleared his throat: "County Magistrate Xiao, in accordance with your instructions, the heads of all departments in the town are present.

Party Secretary Qiao and Director Hao... er... are temporarily absent, so I will preside over the meeting."

Xiao Bei noticed the subtle pause when Li Mingliang said "temporarily absent"; clearly, this Deputy Party Secretary was still clinging to some sort of fantasy.

"Good, then let's begin."

Xiao Bei cut straight to the point, "I'm sure everyone knows about what happened this morning.

But that's not what I want to talk about, nor is it the issue of the livestreaming to assist farmers.

It is the long-standing problem of formalism in Hongxiang Town!"

The conference room instantly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Xiao Bei opened his notebook:

"According to the report from the county government comrades who came for research last week, they saw over a dozen cleaners squatting by the roadside, using toothpicks to pick dust out of the cracks between bricks.

I just asked a few members of the public on the road, and they said the town requires shopkeepers to wash their storefronts three times a day.

If they don't clean them well, especially during inspections, they aren't allowed to open for business, which has caused many small business owners to be overwhelmed."

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over everyone present:

"This morning, I witnessed firsthand how this formalism has evolved into an act of abuse of power and oppression of the people!"

In the corner, a young cadre couldn't help but applaud softly, but after being glared at by the leader beside him, he quickly lowered his head.

Li Mingliang wiped the sweat from his forehead:

"County Magistrate Xiao, these... these might be due to some cadres having a deviation in their understanding of the policy; we will certainly strengthen education..."

"It is not a deviation in understanding!"

Xiao Bei slammed the table, his voice echoing in the conference room,

"The fundamental direction is wrong! Serving the people is not a slogan, and it is certainly not an excuse to harass the masses!"

He stood up, walked to the window, and pointed to the street outside:

"Look at these roads, they are so clean that there isn't even a single fallen leaf.

In a town that needs poverty alleviation, the streets are as clean as a living room in a house, but how much dust has accumulated in the hearts of the common people? How much resentment?"

Team Leader Zhang Yining handed over a document at the right moment, and Xiao Bei took it and slammed it heavily onto the table:

"This is the record of petitions from Hongxiang Town over the past three years, increasing by 40% every year!

Even if you managed the sanitation so well that you could take first place in the city, what use is that kind of first place?"

In the back row of the conference room, an old cadre with graying hair suddenly stood up:

"County Magistrate Xiao, may I say a few words?"

Li Mingliang immediately reprimanded him: "Old Zhou, the leader is speaking..."

"Let him speak."

Xiao Bei raised his hand to stop Li Mingliang, "I came here today to hear the truth."

Old Zhou straightened his back:

"I am Old Zhou from the Town Sanitation Station, and I've been working here for over twenty years.

In the past, sweeping the floor just meant cleaning up the trash so it was comfortable for the common people to walk.

But these last two years, the requirements have become more and more outrageous—there can't be dust in the cracks between bricks, fallen leaves in tree pits must be cleared within five minutes, and they even specified the number of dust and stone particles per square meter!"

His voice trembled slightly:

"The thirty-something of us cleaners get up at three in the morning every day just to cope with these inspections.

Our wages haven't increased, but the work has tripled!

Some of the old guys got so tired they were hospitalized, and the leaders still said it was because our 'ideological awareness wasn't high enough'!"

Xiao Bei noticed several grassroots cadres nodding secretly.

"Party Secretary Li,"

Xiao Bei turned to Li Mingliang, "who formulated these regulations?"

Li Mingliang stammered: "It was... it was collectively researched by the town..."

"Collectively researched?"

Xiao Bei sneered, "Then why did the seven people I asked all say it was a direct order from Secretary Hao Fanren?

And as far as I know, after these regulations were introduced, Hongxiang Town has spent an extra few hundred thousand in 'special funds for urban appearance maintenance' every year.

Where did that money go?

We are here to alleviate poverty and assist farmers so the common people can live good lives, not to accumulate political achievements for certain people!"

The atmosphere in the conference room suddenly became tense.

Xiao Bei knew he was taking a risk—questioning the funding issue without concrete evidence could easily lead to being bitten back.

But thinking of the red marks on Old Chen's wife's hands at the breakfast shop, he decided to take the gamble.

"This... this requires checking the accounts..."

The sweat on Li Mingliang's forehead increased.

"Of course we need to check."

Xiao Bei's tone softened, "But today, let's first resolve the most urgent issue.

I announce the immediate abolition of all unreasonable urban appearance management regulations and the restoration of normal sanitation standards."

He looked at Old Zhou: "How do you think we should change it?"

Old Zhou was stunned, clearly not expecting to be asked for his opinion.

After hesitating for a moment, he said:

"Actually... it's just giving the time back to the common people.

Cleaners are also common people!

Let us work normal hours and put our main energy into real sanitation dead zones and trash collection..."

Xiao Bei nodded and turned to everyone:

"Did you all hear that? This is real professional advice!

From today on, Hongxiang Town's urban appearance management must follow three principles:

First, do not interfere with the normal business and lives of the masses;

Second, do not formulate standards that exceed actual needs;

Third, do not apportion expenses under the pretext of inspections."

He paused, his voice raised:

"Whoever feigns compliance and continues with that 'dust-free brick crack' nonsense, I will be the first to punish them!"

There was a moment of silence in the conference room, followed by a burst of enthusiastic applause.

This time, even a few mid-level cadres joined in the applause.

Li Mingliang's expression changed repeatedly, and finally, he managed to squeeze out a smile:

"County Magistrate Xiao's instructions are very timely; we will certainly implement them earnestly..."

After the meeting, the cadres left in twos and threes.

Xiao Bei noticed a few people gathered around Li Mingliang whispering something, their eyes occasionally glancing toward him.

"County Magistrate Xiao, you were so handsome just now!"

A crisp voice came from behind.

Xiao Bei turned around and saw the Town Youth League Secretary, Xiao Lin, looking at him with shining eyes.

Team Leader Zhang Yining gave a light cough: "Comrade Xiao Lin, mind your wording."