290: Chapter 290 Paying Off the Debt

The twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

On the main street of Heishi Town, the festive atmosphere of the New Year had fully permeated the air.

On the newly paved asphalt road of South Street, merchants hung red lanterns, and stalls selling couplets, melon seeds, and peanuts stretched all the way to the crossroads.

The townspeople carried mesh bags, picking and choosing items.

Second floor of the Town Government building.

The Deputy Secretary's office.

Zhu Wenhao sat behind his desk, his fountain pen gliding across the final payment request form to sign his name.

The pen cap clicked shut with a soft sound.

He pushed the document to the corner of the desk.

Director Xu Jie pushed the door open and walked in, holding a few new documents.

"Zhu Wenhao." Director Xu Jie pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down. "The final payment for the South Street road construction has been disbursed. The contractor has settled the workers' wages. The merchant representatives sent over a silk banner, which I've placed in the mailroom."

Zhu Wenhao picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Have the holiday supplies been distributed?"

"They have," Director Xu Jie replied. "The progress is updated on the whiteboard every day. Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan has been overseeing it personally, and not a single cent is missing. The townspeople's attitude toward the new administration has turned around."

Zhu Wenhao set down his teacup.

"Winning or losing the hearts of the people all comes down to the basics of daily life."

The internal telephone on the desk rang, the sound piercing.

Zhu Wenhao pressed the speakerphone button.

"Secretary Zhu." The voice of the duty officer came through, sounding somewhat urgent. "People have arrived at the gate of the compound. Dozens of miners are blocking the entrance and refusing to leave, saying they are here to demand the wages owed to them by Ma Yunlong. The security guards couldn't stop them; they have already entered the compound."

Director Xu Jie looked at Zhu Wenhao.

"Miners demanding wages?" she asked. "Ma Yunlong is in custody, and his assets have been seized. How is this bad debt supposed to be settled?"

Zhu Wenhao stood up and picked up the overcoat draped over the back of his chair.

"It will be settled exactly how it should be."

He walked out of the office.

The Town Government compound.

Fifty or sixty miners, covered in coal dust and wearing worn-out work clothes, gathered at the foot of the office building steps.

The leader was a thin, elderly man clutching a stack of crumpled IOUs.

Town Mayor Luo Xingbang ran out from the building, two buttons of his military-style overcoat misaligned.

"Folks, folks." Town Mayor Luo Xingbang stood on the steps and shouted, "Let's talk this over properly! It's almost the New Year, blocking the Town Government compound looks bad! The town is working on a solution, everyone please go home and celebrate the New Year first!"

Town Mayor Luo Xingbang was anxious.

During his assessment period as Acting Secretary, if a mass wage-demand incident broke out, a single word from Secretary Lu Guoliang of the County Party Committee could wipe out all his political achievements.

The miners below didn't buy it.

"Town Mayor Luo! Boss Ma is in custody, where are we supposed to go to get our six months of wages?" the thin old man held up the IOUs. "We don't even have money to buy two catties of pork at home, how are we supposed to spend the New Year!"

"That's right! If we don't get paid today, we aren't leaving!"

The crowd surged forward, and the two security guards were pushed until they could barely stand.

Zhu Wenhao walked down the stairs from the second floor with a steady gait.

He crossed the lobby and walked directly to the front of the steps.

The noise died down.

The people of Heishi Town recognized this Deputy Secretary who had taken down the local tyrant.

"Town Mayor Luo." Zhu Wenhao spoke up. "It's windy outside, don't make everyone stand."

He turned to look at the officer behind him.

"Open the doors to the auditorium. Invite everyone inside. Turn on the heat and pour hot water."

Town Mayor Luo Xingbang lowered his voice: "Zhu Wenhao, if we invite them inside and can't come up with the money today, this matter won't be able to be resolved."

"Will hiding outside resolve the matter?" Zhu Wenhao looked at him.

Town Mayor Luo Xingbang shut his mouth.

Inside the auditorium. The lights were bright.

Dozens of miners sat on folding chairs, holding paper cups with steam rising from them.

Zhu Wenhao walked to the front of the stage, pulled up a chair, and sat down without taking the microphone.

"The town knows about everyone's difficulties." Zhu Wenhao looked levelly at the people below. "The money Ma Yunlong owes is in the IOUs you hold. Today, we will settle the accounts right here."

He turned his head to look at Director Xu Jie.

"Notify General Manager Zhou Shutong and have her bring her people to the auditorium."

Director Xu Jie dialed the phone.

Half an hour later, General Manager Zhou Shutong, wearing a high-end cashmere coat and accompanied by legal and financial personnel, walked into the auditorium.

Her high heels clicked crisply against the wooden floor.

General Manager Zhou Shutong looked at the room full of miners and walked to the front of the stage.

"Secretary Zhu." General Manager Zhou Shutong's tone was efficient. "Ma Yunlong's old debts are historical legacy issues. We, as the capital investors, are taking over the future earnings of the new mining operation. According to commercial rules, this money should be paid out proportionally by the court after Ma Yunlong's assets have been liquidated."

She made it clear; the capital investors were unwilling to pay this unjust expense before the New Year.

The miners below understood, and a buzz went through the crowd; it looked like it was about to explode again.

"That is your commercial rule." Zhu Wenhao sat in his chair, not rising. "The rule in Heishi Town is that the rice bowls of the common people must be protected."

He took a document from the table.

"General Manager Zhou, when the framework agreement was signed, there was a clause for a workers' security fund."

Zhu Wenhao pushed the document to the edge of the table.

"The initial funding of 25 million has already arrived. This money is specifically designated to resolve the miners' historical wage arrears and work-related injury compensation."

"It is now the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, and the first batch of this money must be disbursed today."

General Manager Zhou Shutong's brows furrowed.

"Secretary Zhu, asset liquidation has not ended, and the specific details of wage arrears have not been verified. If this money is distributed now and there are bad debts or errors, who will bear the losses of the capital investors?"

"Verifying accounts is the business of the Town Government." Zhu Wenhao replied.

He looked toward the door.

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan carried his briefcase and strode into the auditorium.

"Town Mayor Liu." Zhu Wenhao instructed. "You are in charge of finance; bring your people and set up a temporary liquidation desk on-site."

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan placed his briefcase on the long table.

He had received the notice today and had come straight over.

He took out a calculator and spread out the ledger.

Liu Zhiqiang from the Finance Office brought two officers and stood on either side.

"Whoever has IOUs, come up to register and verify the accounts." Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan shouted.

The miners formed a long line.

The thin old man was the first to step forward and hand over his IOU.

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan took the IOU, glanced at it, and then opened the mine area ledger left behind by Ma Yunlong.

His fingers tapped rapidly on the calculator.

"Zhang Jinshui. 120 days of attendance, principal wage arrears of 9,600 yuan." Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan verified it was correct and signed the slip.

"Next."

The registration proceeded quickly.

General Manager Zhou Shutong stood to the side, watching this assembly-line operation, unable to find a reason to object.

In the middle of the line, a large, stout man stepped forward.

He was a small foreman at the mine, named Director Li Qiang.

Director Li Qiang slapped a stack of IOUs on the table.

"Town Mayor Liu, these are the IOUs for the eight people in our group, totaling 52,000."

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan picked up the IOUs and lowered his head to verify the accounts.

He flipped through two pages, and his movements stopped.

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan pushed up his glasses, looked up, and stared at Director Li Qiang.

"Which month did these eight people work?"

Director Li Qiang stiffened his neck: "October to December!"

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan turned the ledger around and pointed to the records on it.

"In October, the mining area had a large-scale shutdown for maintenance; only two maintenance teams were on duty. The names of the eight people in your group are not on the maintenance list at all."

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan threw the IOUs back onto the table.

"Including fake names to siphon off the security fund—this money cannot be approved."

Director Li Qiang panicked and slapped the table.

"Who do you think you are! This was signed by Boss Ma himself! If you dare not pay, I'll flip your table!"

Before the words were out, a sharp shout came from the back of the auditorium.

"Try flipping it and see what happens!"

Police Chief Zhao Gang, with two police officers, strode over.

His police uniform was crisp, one hand resting on the equipment belt at his waist.

Police Chief Zhao Gang walked up to Director Li Qiang and looked at him coldly.

Director Li Qiang's arrogant air deflated instantly, like a balloon pricked by a needle.

He recognized Police Chief Zhao Gang; this Deputy Town Mayor and Police Station Chief was a tough character.

"Take him away." Police Chief Zhao Gang ordered.

Two police officers stepped forward, grabbing Director Li Qiang from the left and right.

"Forging IOUs, defrauding relief funds. We'll get the details cleared up back at the station."

Director Li Qiang was dragged out of the auditorium, not daring to say a word.

This thunderous display of authority made the few foremen behind him, who had also intended to fish in troubled waters, silently tuck their fake IOUs back into their pockets.

The verification of accounts continued.

Two hours later.

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan handed the summary list to Director Xu Jie, and Director Xu Jie brought it to General Manager Zhou Shutong.

"General Manager Zhou, the first batch of verified wage arrears totals 830,000." Zhu Wenhao said. "Make the payment."

General Manager Zhou Shutong took the list and looked at Zhu Wenhao, who was sitting opposite her.

She turned her head and told the Financial Director to handle the transfer.

"Secretary Zhu." General Manager Zhou Shutong said. "You're using capital's money to buy the hearts of the local people. You've calculated this account well."

"I am not buying the hearts of the people." Zhu Wenhao replied. "I am buying order."

"Once order is established, the path for you capital investors will be smooth in the future."

4:00 PM. Heishi Town Agricultural Bank branch.

The miners held their bank cards and lined up to withdraw money.

The thin old man took the stack of red banknotes from the counter, his hands trembling.

He counted them twice and carefully tucked the money into his inner pocket.

Walking out of the bank door, the old man bowed deeply in the direction of the Town Government.