220: Chapter 220 Ningzhou Shaken

The Office of the Municipal Party Secretary.

The Municipal Party Committees first secretary was reporting to Secretary Kang Kewu.

"Leader, Mayor Zhang originally notified everyone of a meeting at three in the afternoon, but then he suddenly cancelled it. Many people are whispering that there might have been a change in Shenlong Automotive Group's investment."

Secretary Kang Kewu laughed heartily.

He felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

When Zhang Qun persuaded Liu Lianghai to have this investment settle in the Ningzhou High-tech Development Zone, Zhang Qun was in the spotlight for a time.

Many people believed that the investment settling in Ningzhou was entirely due to Zhang Qun's efforts, completely forgetting about Qin Chuan and him, the Municipal Party Secretary.

Secretary Kang Kewu believed that regardless of whether the investment landed in Wanshun County or the Ningzhou High-tech Development Zone, Qin Chuan deserved the primary credit.

But many people forgot this point and thought it was all Zhang Qun's credit.

Now, it was great; the investment had fallen through.

After the initial joy, Secretary Kang Kewu sighed slightly; the investment falling through was a significant loss for Ningzhou City.

It was a pity.

Unexpectedly, a moment later, his phone rang; it was a call from Qin Chuan.

"Secretary Kang, I have something to report. I've already picked up the guests at the Provincial Capital Airport and am heading back to Wanshun County."

Before going to the airport, Qin Chuan had indeed mentioned it to Secretary Kang Kewu, but he had kept it simple over the phone, only saying he was picking someone up without revealing their identity.

Secretary Kang Kewu hadn't taken it to heart, thinking Wanshun County had persuaded another enterprise to come for a site visit or something similar.

Since Qin Chuan had called specifically, Secretary Kang Kewu realized that the identity of these guests was likely not simple.

"Comrade Qin Chuan, they're here to invest, right? Which company are they from?"

Qin Chuan apologized first, "Secretary Kang, I'm sorry. I should have reported their identity to you earlier. They are Vice President Zheng Han and his party from Shenlong Automotive Group. They've come this time to sign an investment contract directly with Wanshun County. This twenty-billion-yuan investment has been finalized and will be placed in our county..."

Secretary Kang Kewu couldn't hear what came after.

The impact of this news was too great. Even as the Municipal Party Secretary who had seen many great storms, he felt his head go numb, as if he had been hit by a giant windfall.

Even Secretary Kang Kewu lost his composure slightly at this moment, his voice filled with obvious excitement as he asked loudly.

"Comrade Qin Chuan, are you saying a Vice President of Shenlong Automotive Group has come in person to sign the contract directly?!"

"Yes, Vice President Zheng Han is representing Shenlong Automotive Group to sign the contract directly in Wanshun County. The twenty-billion-yuan investment will settle directly in our Wanshun County!"

Having received a definite and clear answer, Secretary Kang Kewu said, "Good! I will lead the entire leadership team to Wanshun County to welcome your return!"

After finishing the call, Secretary Kang Kewu instructed his secretary, "Send out the notice. In ten minutes, all Standing Committee members currently in the office are to board the vehicles and depart for Wanshun County!"

The Mayor's Office.

Zhang Qun smashed his phone to pieces, gnashing his teeth in anger. This Qin Chuan was too much; he hadn't even told him about such a major matter.

Is what he said true?

Has a Vice President of Shenlong Automotive Group really led a team here to sign the contract directly?

That should be impossible.

Who does Qin Chuan think he is? Why would a Vice President come in person, and without any site visits or negotiations, sign the contract directly?

After Zhang Qun calmed down a bit, the more he thought about it, the more unlikely it seemed. Whether it was true or not, he could find out by calling Liu Lianghai.

Picking up the landline on his desk, Zhang Qun dialed Liu Lianghai's number directly.

However...

The call actually wouldn't go through?

That's impossible. As the head of Shenlong Automotive Group's Strategic Investment Department, his phone should be on 24 hours a day.

Then I'll call his office landline.

Alas, the landline rang for a long time, but no one answered.

Refusing to believe it, Zhang Qun called two or three more times, but still no one answered. A thought popped into his head: Could something have happened to Liu Lianghai?

Something had indeed happened to him.

Early this morning, Qin Chuan saw a piece of information refreshed by the system: Liu Lianghai had accepted a 500,000-yuan kickback from Zhang Qun.

As expected of the system, it not only provided information about Liu Lianghai receiving the kickback but even included the bank card number and the bank where the account was opened.

With such a thing happening, Qin Chuan certainly wouldn't let it slide. He had called President Ma Longfei early on to report Liu Lianghai's bribery.

President Ma Longfei thought to himself, "So that's how it is." Liu Lianghai had written off Wanshun County as worthless in his report while strongly recommending the investment be placed in the Ningzhou High-tech Development Zone.

Consequently, Liu Lianghai soon began undergoing an investigation by Shenlong Automotive Group's Discipline Inspection Commission; it would be strange if the phone call went through.

When this thought inexplicably surfaced in Zhang Qun's mind, even he was slightly startled, and then he comforted himself, "No, it won't happen. How could something go wrong?"

At this moment, his secretary knocked and entered.

"Mayor, Secretary Kang has notified everyone. The entire leadership team is to assemble and depart for Wanshun County in ten minutes to welcome Secretary Qin Chuan and the others back from the provincial capital."

What!

The entire leadership team is going to welcome Qin Chuan???

After being stunned for a long while, Zhang Qun grew furious. He wanted to throw a tantrum: "I'm not going! Why should I, a dignified mayor, go to welcome a lowly County Party Secretary?"

But he could only keep it bottled up; he didn't dare to actually do it.

It was already embarrassing enough; doing that would only make it worse.

If all the Standing Committee members went to Wanshun County and Zhang Qun didn't, what would others think? What would they say?

Zhang Qun could only swallow his pride and reluctantly head to Wanshun County with everyone, even having to pretend to be very happy, chatting and laughing with the other Standing Committee members.

"Comrade Qin Chuan is remarkable. He actually managed to pull off a twenty-billion-yuan investment!"

"That's not even the most impressive part. This time it's a direct signing; that's what's truly amazing!"

"..."

Hearing the other members of the Municipal Standing Committee discussing it so enthusiastically, Zhang Qun felt his face burning. It was a slap in the face, a total slap in the face.

The frustrating part was that he couldn't lose his temper at all. On the contrary, he had to pretend to be very happy and say words of praise.

"Comrade Qin Chuan is indeed excellent. He is a great hero of our Ningzhou!"

"Mayor Zhang is right," Secretary Kang Kewu said. "The twenty-billion-yuan investment settling in Wanshun County will play a huge role in driving the economic development of our entire Ningzhou."

Zhang Qun forced a smile, though it was very stiff. "Secretary Kang is right. Comrade Qin Chuan's contribution is indeed not small."

Inside the Coaster, everyone sat together chatting like this.

Suddenly, a Standing Committee member said, "Mayor Zhang, this investment was originally intended for Wanshun County. By persuading Liu Lianghai to recommend placing it in the Ningzhou High-tech Development Zone, wouldn't that be considered intercepting and stealing the investment that Comrade Qin Chuan brought in?"

This was a Standing Committee member from Secretary Kang's faction, so of course, he dared to say such things.

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone looked at Zhang Qun in unison.