483: Chapter 483 Cutting off your market supply: a decisive blow

Jiangnan University.

Qin Chuan already knew the outcome and was in a good mood.

General Manager Meng Qingqiu herself had been placed under administrative detention, and her company's production had been suspended for rectification. It was estimated that production would not be able to resume in the short term.

This was only the first step. Another step was about to be implemented: the Jiangnan Province Market Supervision Bureau, the Department of Education, and other relevant departments were jointly issuing a document explicitly requiring that pre-prepared meals be banned from campuses. This was equivalent to a drastic measure that would cut the ground from under her feet.

The primary market for Imperial Feast was campuses, supplying pre-prepared meals to the cafeterias of various primary and secondary schools as well as universities across Jiangnan Province. Restaurants and hotels were secondary. As for government agency cafeterias, they couldn't get into those; those people didn't eat pre-prepared meals at all.

If they couldn't enter the campuses of Jiangnan Province, then even after General Manager Meng Qingqiu finished her administrative detention, her company would have no market even if it could resume operations and production.

The efficiency of the relevant departments in Jiangnan Province was quite high. Because Provincial Party Secretary Zhao Jiasheng had personally looked into the matter, a few days later, several departments, including the Provincial Department of Education, jointly issued a document. The official document was sent to every city, prefecture, university, and relevant department.

Shortly after the document was released, General Manager Meng Qingqiu finally emerged looking dejected. The seven days of administrative detention had caused her plenty of suffering. When she went in, she was a very refined person; when she came out, one might have mistaken her for an unkempt rural woman.

What caused her to nearly break down was that as soon as she got out, she learned that multiple departments in Jiangnan Province had jointly issued a document—pre-prepared meals were actually banned from campuses.

Losing such a massive market, what was the point of even trying anymore!

What she found even harder to accept was that as soon as the joint document was released, whether in society or on the internet, there was a wave of applause and support. pre-prepared meals seemed to have become something everyone denounced.

"I have to give the government departments a thumbs up for this; they've done a great deed for the common people!"

"My daughter's high school cafeteria served pre-prepared meals every day. I was really worried about her health. Now it's better; there finally won't be any more pre-prepared meals!"

"I went out to eat a couple of days ago and suspected I was eating pre-prepared meals. When I asked the hotel waiter, they wouldn't admit it. This document makes it clear: restaurants and hotels using pre-prepared meals must explicitly inform consumers."

"Haha, if they inform consumers, who would still eat pre-prepared meals? You'd have to be crazy."

"pre-prepared meals basically won't have a market in our Jiangnan Province anymore. This is excellent!"

Seeing these comments online, General Manager Meng Qingqiu was so angry she nearly coughed up blood.

Jiangnan University.

Qin Chuan opened his computer again, read the document issued by the various departments of Jiangnan Province, and called Secretary Zhao to express his gratitude.

Not long after he finished the call, there was a knock on the office door. The person who pushed the door open and entered was actually President Wang Shuguo.

"President Wang, why did you come over personally? If there was something, you could have notified me to go to your office."

"It's fine, it's the same if I come here," President Wang Shuguo waved his hand. "We don't need to be so formal. I came over to chat with you about our budget for next year and this application for state funding."

Every year around October, Jiangnan University has to submit the budget for the following year to the Ministry of Education for approval. Then, the following year is strictly carried out according to this budget; without special circumstances, it must not exceed the limit.

Additionally, there is the state funding, which Jiangnan University also has to report around October every year.

President Wang Shuguo said, "As a top-tier 985 university, our state funding has always remained in the top ten. Last year we were ranked eighth; this year, I hope to move up one or two more spots."

The school's expenses were large, including various national key projects, multiple key laboratories, infrastructure construction, and so on.

As the president, he naturally hoped for as much state funding as possible.

Qin Chuan inquired, "President Wang, how much state funding are you hoping for this time?"

President Wang Shuguo said, "This year our state funding was 8.67 billion. I hope it can grow by about 10% this time. Let's apply for around 9.5 billion. Specifically, we'll discuss it at the administrative meeting."

"I think that's too little. We should apply for at least 10 billion or more. In case the higher-ups cut it down during the approval process."

"Yes, you're right. Then we'll apply for a bit more to prevent the higher-ups from cutting a portion of it," President Wang Shuguo completely agreed.

The two of them chatted for a while about the application for state funding and then moved on to the issue of next year's budget.

Whether it's a university or a government agency, they all use a budget system. You apply for a budget first, the higher-ups approve it, and then you strictly execute according to the approved budget without exceeding it; otherwise, you will be held accountable or called in for a talk.

President Wang Shuguo said, "Many major things are waiting for us to do next year, especially the construction of the new campus. I think we should apply for a budget of at least 20 billion or more, hoping the higher-ups will approve around 18 billion."

Qin Chuan completely agreed. "I think we should apply for at least twenty-some billion. The new campus will enter its full construction phase next year and will require a lot of money."

The two school leaders sat together, first communicating and unifying their opinions. The next day, an administrative meeting of the school leadership was held specifically to discuss the application for state funding and the annual budget report. The day after the meeting ended, the relevant materials were sent to the Ministry of Education.

These materials also appeared on Vice Minister Meng Zhengguo's desk at the first opportunity.

Because he had specifically instructed that as soon as Jiangnan University's materials were submitted, they should be sent to him immediately. The people below found it a bit strange; why was Vice Minister Meng paying such special attention to Jiangnan University? Could it be that he wanted to open a back door for Jiangnan University and approve a bit more for them?

As the Vice Minister specifically in charge of this work, he had full authority to do so.

Sitting in his large office sofa chair, he scanned through the materials, and a cold sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Applying for 10.19 billion in state funding and an annual budget of 30.52 billion? Heh, they must not be awake yet; they're daydreaming.

Ordinarily, upon seeing such figures, Vice Minister Meng Zhengguo would call Jiangnan University to give them a reminder, telling them to lower the numbers a bit and resubmit the materials.

But this time he wouldn't. He already had a plan in mind. In at most two or three days, he would complete the approval and sign off.

As for how much he would approve, he already had a rough idea in his heart. Even if he didn't cut it in half, he would slash it severely. Whether it was state funding or the annual budget, Jiangnan University would be ranked in the lowest tier of all 985 universities.

He had the power, and he had already thought of some reasons. If the higher-ups inquired, he had the confidence and certainty to answer.

Damn it, you dare to shut down my daughter's company and dare to have my daughter arrested? Qin Chuan, this time I'll make sure you know who Vice Minister Meng Zhengguo is. I have a hundred ways to deal with you, especially your Jiangnan University.