127: Chapter 127 Personnel Turmoil

This sound shocked everyone.

A flash of sharp light appeared in Zhang Jinhui's eyes: "Big Brother, you mean..."

"Correct!"

Zhang Jinrong said decisively: "We still have bargaining chips in our hands! Although we have to pay a price, as long as we can secure a marriage of equal status..."

He paced to the window and looked at the parasol tree in the courtyard: "Remember, the power struggles of prominent families are never about temporary gains or losses."

"As long as the foundation remains, there will always be a day for a comeback!"

These words lifted the spirits of everyone present. Although the road ahead was difficult, they at least saw a glimmer of hope.

In recent days, a strange atmosphere had been permeating the Guantian Township Government building.

A rumor about an upcoming reshuffle of the township leadership team was quietly spreading among the various departments.

It was said that several deputy section-level positions would become vacant this time. As soon as the news emerged, undercurrents began to surge beneath the calm surface.

The leisurely footsteps in the hallways were gone, replaced by sounds that were deliberately quieted yet noticeably hurried.

When passing each other, colleagues wore subtle, tacit expressions. When they nodded in greeting, their eyes would flicker, as if every simple greeting hid unspoken calculations.

The tea rooms and stairwell corners, usually bustling "intelligence exchange stations," were now very quiet.

Occasionally, someone would stop, but only after vigilantly scanning the surroundings would they lower their voice to chat, looking just like they were conducting some secret rendezvous.

The liveliest round table in the cafeteria had also suddenly become deserted these past few days.

The few staff members who usually loved to gather together to chat and laugh were now holding their enamel mugs, sitting scattered in corners in twos and threes, occasionally whispering a few words while having to warily look around.

In the offices, the "clack-clack" sound of old-fashioned typewriters was much more frequent than usual.

In front of the file cabinets, there was always someone pretending to look through materials, while actually eavesdropping on the movements in the neighboring office.

Even Old Wang in the mailroom noticed that newspapers and letters were being delivered exceptionally diligently these days; those young cadres who were usually too lazy to run errands were now scrambling to deliver documents to various offices.

The ones who couldn't sit still were the "old cadres" who had spent many years in section-level positions. They would occasionally touch the cigarette boxes in their pockets, calculating which leader's home they should visit that night to "report on work."

Those "old oxen" who had been dormant for many years began to flip through dusty address books in their drawers.

The "jacks-of-all-trades" who were usually smooth and slick suddenly had more phone calls.

And the cadres in key positions were deliberating three times more than usual even when signing approvals. Everyone knew that at this critical juncture, one wrong step could mean losing everything.

The entire Township Government building was like a taut bow, with everyone secretly adjusting their arrows, waiting for that launch moment that no one knew when would come.

At this moment, Li Dakang sat in his office, his brows slightly furrowed, repeatedly pondering the source of the news.

Logically speaking, besides him, the Township Party Committee Secretary, the only other person in the township who knew about this was Director Su Zhiguo of the Party and Government Office.

But Director Su Zhiguo had served as the director of the Party and Government Office for so many years and had always been reliable in his work; he shouldn't have leaked the news.

Thinking of this, Li Dakang picked up his teacup and took a sip of strong tea. The tea had long gone cold, but the bitter taste made him feel more clear-headed.

He suddenly remembered that Township Head Mao Yungang must be aware of it; after all, County Party Secretary Yuan Kai was Township Head Mao Yungang's cousin-once-removed, so it was reasonable for County Party Secretary Yuan Kai to tip him off in advance.

"But these two people..."

Li Dakang muttered to himself.

Director Su Zhiguo was steady and prudent, and Township Head Mao Yungang was quite shrewd; neither of them were people with loose lips.

Could it be... that the news leaked from the county?

"Knock, knock, knock..."

A soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

Looking up, Finance Director Yu Changping had already pushed the door open and entered.

Ever since the financial situation in Guantian Township improved, the back of Finance Director Yu Changping, the head of the Finance Office, had straightened significantly.

Li Dakang noticed that he was wearing a brand-new navy blue Zhongshan suit today, and even his leather shoes were polished to a shine.

In officialdom, the power over personnel and finance had always been the two most important chairs.

Now that the finances of Guantian Township were abundant, the weight of the signature pen in Finance Director Yu Changping's hand was naturally heavier.

As the director in charge of the entire township's financial power, whether it was the approval of daily expense reimbursements or the allocation of funds for major projects, none could bypass his signature and gatekeeping.

There was a time when the finances of Guantian Township were stretched thin, and Finance Director Yu Changping, as the township's finance director, also found it difficult to move an inch.

Now that the township's finances were abundant, his status as the "God of Wealth" was naturally different from the past. Not only did village cadres nod and bow when they saw him, even those business owners who used to be arrogant had to offer cigarettes and smile ingratiatingly when they saw him.

In the power structure of Guantian Township, Finance Director Yu Changping's actual influence even exceeded that of some deputy township heads, and he had truly become a pivotal figure.

Yet, behind the seemingly glorious appearance, Finance Director Yu Changping knew better than anyone that the position of finance director was ultimately only a section-level post. In the officialdom that emphasized rank, it couldn't even be considered an "official" position.

If he wanted to advance further in his career, crossing the threshold of deputy section-level was the most urgent matter at hand.

Therefore, when the news of the township leadership team reshuffle came, Finance Director Yu Changping's mind became active.

He knew very clearly that if he wanted to compete for a vacancy in the township leadership in Guantian Township, it would be almost impossible without the nod of Li Dakang, the Township Party Secretary.