17: Chapter 17 The Newly Appointed Deputy Secretary of the Township Party Committee, Acting Township Head

Secretary Xue Hongtao led everyone to the township's large conference room.

Fortunately, the venue had been prepared and the personnel were relatively orderly; otherwise, Organization Department Head He Wenqiang would surely have been so angry today that he would have slammed the table.

On the podium of the large conference room, Section Chief Hou loudly read out the organizational appointment document.

"Sun Ning, born in 1979, holds a master's degree from Yanjing University, and began working in 2003... Comrade Sun Ning is appointed as Deputy Party Secretary of Mishui Township, Gongfan County, and is nominated as a candidate for Township Head."

This Section Chief Hou had tried his best to make Sun Ning's resume sound as impressive as possible.

In reality, although Sun Ning had been working for over a year and had many achievements, there wasn't much that could be put down on paper.

Many cadres in the township were moved upon hearing Sun Ning's educational background and work experience.

Of course, out of respect for this educational background and origin, everyone gave a polite round of applause to welcome him.

When the applause died down, Organization Department Head He Wenqiang, who was sitting in the center, began to speak.

Fortunately, the township had a nameplate for the Organization Department, which allowed Li Jincai to successfully remedy the situation.

"Comrades, today, entrusted by the Municipal Organization Department, the County Party Committee, and the County Government, I have come to deliver talent to Mishui Township."

"Comrade Sun Ning graduated from one of our country's finest universities, and I believe he brings the most advanced concepts to build our Mishui Township."

"Do not assume that just because he is young, you should take him lightly."

"How many stories of young heroes have you heard? Did our predecessors not achieve great things at a young age?"

Perhaps it is because leaders all enjoy giving long-winded speeches.

Organization Department Head He Wenqiang spoke for a full forty minutes before finishing.

He had come today to show support for Sun Ning, and also took the opportunity to take a jab at Secretary Xue Hongtao.

He vented the frustration he had been holding inside.

Secretary Xue Hongtao, however, showed no expression on his face, possessing a spirit of stoically enduring humiliation.

After Organization Department Head He Wenqiang finished speaking, the applause from the audience became a bit more enthusiastic.

Everyone hoped that this leader in charge of personnel would notice their performance.

Next was Secretary Xue Hongtao's speech, which was standard and conventional, without a single overstep.

This also made Organization Department Head He Wenqiang breathe a sigh of relief inwardly.

He believed his warning had been successful.

Next was Sun Ning's inaugural speech.

Looking at the familiar faces below, Sun Ning felt deeply emotional.

In his previous life at this time, he was still running errands at the Administration for Industry and Commerce.

People in the township all knew he had offended a big shot and would never be able to turn his life around; no one ever looked him in the eye, and certainly no one would come near him.

But now, whether they were willing or not, Sun Ning was the protagonist.

"Hello everyone, I am Sun Ning. I feel deeply honored that the organization has appointed me as the Deputy Party Secretary of Mishui Township."

"I have come to Mishui Township for one purpose, and that is to lead the township's fifty thousand residents toward a moderately prosperous life."

...

"I will not let the organization's trust down and will forge ahead with determination."

Sun Ning's speech was neither too long nor too short, but his inaugural address was relatively pragmatic.

This was just what he considered to be pragmatic.

Secretary Xue Hongtao probably considered him a young man who spoke without thinking.

He might also have thought he was just a callow, unreliable playboy.

In fact, Sun Ning inwardly approved of this arrangement by the County Party Committee.

With the experience from his previous life, he knew that this old man was a bit stubborn.

As long as Sun Ning worked wholeheartedly for the development of Mishui Township, it would be easy to gain the old man's approval.

When the appointment came down, he had thought that if the old man retired to the second line, the person he would be working with might be that former Township Head.

He knew very well what that former Township Head was like.

He was just someone who occupied a position without doing any work.

This Township Head was a product of the internal struggles in the county, and was not favored by anyone in the county.

His family was in the county seat, and he spent all his time operating in the county seat, submitting reports every day to go back; he was unwilling to stay in this remote, impoverished place.

However, this person was very power-hungry and loved to interfere in specific work without using his brain.

In his previous life, he had once ordered the Administration for Industry and Commerce to issue licenses to all small vendors and peddlers.

In the township, making small vendors obtain business licenses was such a ridiculous thing.

He even thought it was only right and proper, and that small vendors and peddlers had to be under government supervision.

He made the decision on a whim, but it was the Administration for Industry and Commerce and Sun Ning who had to take the blame.

Fortunately, he had a momentary lapse in judgment and went back to the county.

The Administration for Industry and Commerce did not actually implement his so-called policy.

If Sun Ning had to work with him, he would probably have to get rid of him before he could develop the township with peace of mind.

Sun Ning did not come here to fight for power, but to lead the masses toward a moderately prosperous life and to achieve political results.

Besides, there was nothing worth fighting over in a township.

However, that Li Jincai was the main culprit who had held him down in his previous life.

He decided that before seeking revenge on that bureau chief, he would first deal with Li Jincai to vent his own frustration.

After Sun Ning finished speaking, the meeting came to a temporary end.

Organization Department Head He Wenqiang politely declined the entreaties of Secretary Xue Hongtao and Sun Ning to stay, and left.

No leaders from the county dared to drink Secretary Xue Hongtao's alcohol.

If you drank a bottle of his alcohol, you would have to pay back a hundred times that amount in funding to Mishui Village.

If you didn't give it, the old man would go to your office every day to block you.

The key was that you couldn't hit him or scold him.

"Since the county leaders won't do us the honor, let's continue the meeting."

Party and Government Office Director Zhou Qiang sighed inwardly; this meal was not going to happen again.

However, the call to cancel the meal reservation was not made.

The truth was that Director Zhou Qiang hadn't made one.

Who didn't know Secretary Xue Hongtao's personality? Which county leader would be willing to come to Mishui Township to eat?

Moreover, the people in the conference room hadn't left; they were all waiting to continue the meeting.

So they could finish the meeting and go home, saving themselves from going hungry.

Secretary Xue Hongtao strode toward the conference room, with no intention of exchanging pleasantries with Sun Ning.

Sun Ning, however, deliberately slowed his pace by two steps.

He took two thousand yuan out of his bag.

"Director Zhou, please arrange a meal for the comrades. I'm new here, and it would be good for everyone to get to know each other."

Director Zhou Qiang was taken aback; were there really so many strange things happening today?

First, the Organization Department Head personally escorted a Township Head to take office in a remote township.

Then, before a welcome banquet for the new Township Head had even been arranged, he took the initiative to pay for a meal.

It was just that Sun Ning gave him the feeling of being too familiar too quickly.

It seemed like he understood Secretary Xue Hongtao's personality very well.

What kind of master move was this?

Director Zhou Qiang quickly said, "Township Head, how could we let you pay?"

"Eh, this is considered a welcome banquet held for me; it's a private matter, how could I let the public funds pay for it?"

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries.

Director Zhou Qiang had no choice but to accept.

He quickened his pace and whispered a few words into Secretary Xue Hongtao's ear.

It was likely that he had conveyed the whole story of this matter.

It was unknown what Secretary Xue Hongtao said, but Director Zhou Qiang went off to make a phone call.

Sun Ning watched this scene without saying anything, just shaking his head.

It wasn't that Sun Ning insisted on spending money to treat everyone to a meal.

This was Sun Ning playing a little tactical game.

He could not passively fall into Secretary Xue Hongtao's rhythm.

After the meeting ended, Secretary Xue Hongtao would inevitably tell everyone to go home.

It didn't seem to have any impact, and everyone was used to it.

In reality, this would leave a bad impression on everyone.

The news that the Township Party Secretary looked down on the Township Head would also ferment accordingly.

This would greatly affect Sun Ning's prestige.

And while Sun Ning taking the initiative to offer a treat might be a bit embarrassing,

it could also demonstrate his selfless side.

After all, eating and drinking on public funds and traveling on public funds were also tasks he intended to strictly crack down on in Mishui Township.