43: Chapter 43 Provincial-level Selected Cadres

Zhu Wenhao stopped in his tracks, his gaze falling on the cover of the document, making no immediate move to take it.

"Division Chief Zhao, stop joking."

"This kind of top-tier training class organized by the province has always been prepared for the pillars of each department."

"I'm just a soldier who hasn't even passed his probation period. How could I be qualified to sit at this table?"

Officialdom has its own ironclad laws: seniority rules, and each rank presses down on the one below it.

A newcomer fighting for such a limited gold-plating spot would break everyone's rules and attract countless jealous glares.

Division Chief Zhao Desheng vigilantly scanned the empty corridor and lowered his voice.

"Zhu Wenhao, it's not convenient to talk here. Come to my office."

The two entered the division chief's office one after the other, and with a click, the heavy security door completely shut out the outside world.

Division Chief Zhao Desheng spread the red-headed document across the wide solid-wood desk, his fingertip tracing the paper and tapping heavily on a supplementary clause on the second page.

"We indeed didn't plan to join the scramble for those regular provincial spots."

"Look closely here."

Zhu Wenhao looked down, his eyes sweeping over those few lines of printed text.

[Special Recruitment Nurturing Quota].

Targeted recruitment pool: Outstanding probationary staff members who have been on the job for less than a year.

Looking at all of Linjiang City, the newly recruited young staff members this year were already few and far between.

"This spot is a real golden pastry."

Division Chief Zhao Desheng pulled out a chair, sat down, and began to break down the pros and cons item by item.

"A three-month fully closed training. As long as your assessment results are outstanding, you will be directly included in the Jiangnan Province Young Cadre Talent Pool and enjoy the treatment of a Provincial Selected Graduate."

"With this status, this will be the basis for your exceptional promotion across departments, cities, and prefectures in the future."

Division Chief Zhao Desheng raised a finger and lowered his voice.

"The most critical part is, as long as you are an outstanding graduate, your probation period will end, and you will be directly appointed as a Level One Staff Member."

"This is equivalent to saving you half a year of time!"

In officialdom, being one step ahead means being steps ahead at every turn.

This half-year is enough to seize a fate-deciding head start in an important personnel reshuffle.

Division Chief Zhao Desheng took a sip of the strong tea from his thermos and continued to lay his cards on the table.

"Of course, there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world." He flipped to the last page of the document.

"Within one year after the training ends, you must go down to the grassroots level, first taking a temporary post at the village level, and then working in a substantive post in a township."

"As long as you land smoothly during these two years, once your file is transferred back to the city, your rank will automatically become a Level Four Executive Staff Member, officially giving you the hard qualification for promotion to a deputy section-level leadership position."

"Counting further, once you survive four years and reach Level Two Executive Staff Member, a full section-level position will be secure. During this period, if you investigate major or important cases, or make outstanding contributions to economic construction, the time limit can be further shortened."

This was the swiftest path to promotion within the current system.

Zhu Wenhao listened to Division Chief Zhao Desheng talking eloquently opposite him, but another picture emerged in his mind.

The halo of a Provincial Selected Graduate was equivalent to the Shujishi status in the ming dynasty, a stepping stone to entering the grand secretariat and becoming a chancellor in the future.

As for being sent down to the grassroots.

With sixty years of imperial life, he knew better than anyone that imperial power did not extend below the county level.

True power was never about sitting in the high halls reviewing memorials, but rather in the muddy grassroots, fighting with real swords and spears against those deeply entrenched clans and local magnates.

The games played in the Linjiang Municipal Party Committee compound were merely political games of using others' strength against them.

Only by reaching the county and township levels, becoming a local official with the power of life and death in one's hands, and building a core team entirely loyal to oneself, was the true long-term plan.

This was not just an opportunity.

It was an excellent springboard for him to leap out of the vortex of high-level infighting in Linjiang City and secretly build up his strength.

Having thought through all the connections, Zhu Wenhao reached out and took the red-headed document.

"Thank you for the guidance, Division Chief Zhao."

Division Chief Zhao Desheng took a blank registration form from his drawer and handed it over.

"As long as you know what you're doing. Fill out the form today and give it to me tomorrow morning. I'll personally run the process."

Zhu Wenhao took the form, folded it neatly, and put it in his pocket.

He turned and walked toward the door.

As his hand gripped the cold metal doorknob, his steps paused.

"Division Chief Zhao."

"Is there still a vacancy for a member of the Organization Department's ministerial committee?" Zhu Wenhao asked, his back turned to him.

"In the next couple of days, go to Minister Zhou's office more often to report on your insights from Division Two's work."

With those words spoken, the door opened, and he left.

In officialdom, people always speak in half-sentences; the rest depends entirely on one's ability to "comprehend."

Sitting alone in his executive chair, Division Chief Zhao Desheng's palms instantly broke out in a thin layer of sweat.

A member of the ministerial committee!

That was a ticket into the core decision-making circle of the Municipal Organization Department, a threshold that countless full section-level cadres worked until their hair turned white without ever touching!

He had been coveting this position for three whole years!

Zhu Wenhao's casual hint meant that this position was secure.

This investment in human relations had yielded a return rich beyond imagination!

Returning to Division Two's large office area.

The atmosphere was a bit unusual.

In front of Old Sun's workstation, two half-man-high corrugated cardboard boxes were piled up. He was bending over, carefully packing policy compilations and his personal tea sets from the bookcase into them.

Wu Dehai, with his sleeves rolled up, was vigorously sealing the boxes with tape nearby.

Old Sun was the mentor who had introduced Wu Dehai to the profession. With a five-year friendship, they were both mentors and friends.

Zhu Wenhao walked to his seat and pulled out his chair.

Just yesterday afternoon, Executive Deputy Minister Zhou Mingyuan of the Municipal Organization Department had personally held a talk with Old Sun.

With the department's cadre personnel adjustments, the chief of Cadre Division 1 was about to be transferred to serve as a deputy district mayor, and the First Division could not be left unattended.

On behalf of the organization, Executive Deputy Minister Zhou Mingyuan asked Old Sun to temporarily take charge of the overall work of the First Division.

Taking charge of the work meant acting as the division chief.

Once the observation period passed and the word "acting" was removed, he would rightfully be the full section-level number-one leader with real power.

At that time, Old Sun was completely dazed in Executive Deputy Minister Zhou Mingyuan's office.

He had spent twenty years in the government organs, working until he went bald, only to end up with an idle deputy division chief post in Division Two that didn't manage anything.

The First Division was the core hub managing city-controlled cadres, and successive division chiefs had all been the absolute confidants of the minister. He wouldn't even dare to dream of that position.

It wasn't until the end of the conversation, when Executive Deputy Minister Zhou Mingyuan casually mentioned Zhu Wenhao's performance in Division Two and praised Division Two for having "a very good atmosphere for mentoring newcomers."

Only then was Old Sun struck as if by lightning, completely realizing what was happening.

This was not a pie falling from the sky at all!

It was the true Buddha behind him, whom he had always carefully served, exerting his power!

For Zhu Wenhao to promote Wu Dehai to succeed as the deputy division chief of Division Two, he first had to free up a spot for Old Sun.

But he was extremely meticulous in his actions, not relying on his power to kick him to the archives room to sit on a cold bench.

Instead, he had used a higher, more powerful position to steadily lift him up.

This was called a win-win situation for everyone.

And even more, it was a display of both grace and authority!

Old Sun put his last tin of treasured Longjing tea into the cardboard box, straightened up, and immediately saw Zhu Wenhao taking his seat.

He quickly walked forward; the pride of an old government official was worth absolutely nothing in the face of such a tangible favor of promotion.

"Zhu Wenhao." Old Sun stood by the desk, his voice kept extremely low. "If you don't have other plans tonight, let's go to Laojiekou. It's my treat."

He glanced at the excited Wu Dehai beside him and continued.

"Minister Zhou spoke with me yesterday, and the handover over at the First Division is starting soon."

"You must have this drink with your old brother, no matter what."

Zhu Wenhao looked up, glancing at the white-haired Old Sun, and then at Wu Dehai, whose face was flushed with excitement standing nearby.

The personnel reshuffle of the Organization Department had already begun to take shape according to his vision.

With Old Sun heading the First Division and Wu Dehai assisting in Division Two.

Once these two nails were driven in, any movement within the Municipal Organization Department in the future would not escape his eyes.

"Alright," Zhu Wenhao nodded in agreement.

In the afternoon, Zhu Wenhao filled out the registration form for the Young Cadre Training Class at his workstation.

The tip of his pen moved across the paper, the ink strokes neat and sharp.

In the resume column: half a year since joining.

In the main work achievements column, only one line was written: Assisted in completing the mid-term research of the Development and Reform Commission's leadership team, and independently drafted the initial profile.

Just as he folded the registration form and put it away, the phone on the desk vibrated.

The caller ID showed: Old Sun.