119: Chapter 119 Taking Office

The County Party Committee Standing Committee met on a Wednesday morning in January, and the conference room was packed.

The members of the County Party Committee Standing Committee took their seats, with folders and teacups placed before them, and the air was filled with the solemn atmosphere typical of formal meetings.

Secretary Yang Wei sat at the head of the table, closed the document in his hand, swept his gaze over everyone present, and spoke unhurriedly.

"Comrades, there is an important agenda item today."

"Minister Sun Ping from the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department has made a special trip to Changyuan County to convey the latest guiding principles from the Provincial Party Committee regarding the training and employment of young cadres."

"The province emphasizes that cadres need to gain experience in multiple positions, especially in grassroots positions."

"This guiding principle is highly valued by Secretary Wan of the Municipal Party Committee and Mayor Lin, who require us to implement it without any compromise."

"Everyone, the rejuvenation of the cadre force has always been a key focus of our Party's work, and I believe this does not need to be emphasized by me."

"Now that our superiors have brought these instructions to the forefront, we naturally must do our job well."

Secretary Yang Wei paused, picked up his teacup for a sip, and allowed a few seconds for those present to digest the weight of his words.

The Provincial Party Committee's guiding principles, the Municipal Party Committee's emphasis, and a special delivery by a minister.

With these key points combined, everyone knew that today's meeting was unusual.

Having someone backing them really makes a difference; they always manage to get the superiors' instructions so quickly, forcing everyone else to be reactive when responding.

"Old Zhou, you are the head of the Organization Department and know the situation of the county's cadres best. Do we have any young cadres in our county who meet the requirements of our superiors?"

Secretary Yang Wei put down his teacup, and his gaze fell on the Minister of the County Party Committee Organization Department, Zhou Pingping.

Zhou Pingping cleared his throat and opened the notebook in front of him.

He was a cadre who had come down from the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department and had a close relationship with Secretary Yang Wei. They had already coordinated yesterday, so he spoke calmly and clearly at this moment.

Of course, his ability to come here to serve as the Minister of the County Party Committee Organization Department was largely due to the support of his old leader, Minister Sun Ping, so his inclination and stance were beyond doubt.

"Secretary Yang Wei, members of the Standing Committee, our Organization Department has conducted a review of all the young cadres in the county."

"There are mainly two comrades who meet these conditions."

He held up his first finger and said, "The first is the Director of the County Public Security Bureau, Xu Weidong."

"Xu Weidong is twenty-six years old this year and holds a regular section-level rank. During his tenure at the Public Security Bureau, he has had outstanding achievements in the Crackdown on Organized Crime, dismantling the Sihai Group, and handling the barbecue restaurant case. The Provincial Department has even recommended him for a first-class individual merit."

"Everyone has witnessed this comrade's ability."

"Moreover, this comrade performs very well in handling mass incidents and emergencies, often receiving praise from the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government, and his ability is extremely outstanding."

He held up his second finger and said, "The second is the Secretary of the County Committee of the Communist Youth League, Secretary Du Qing."

"Secretary Du Qing also holds a regular section-level rank. He has worked at the County Committee of the Communist Youth League for many years, organized many youth activities, and is diligent and responsible in his work."

Zhou Pingping finished speaking, closed his notebook, and returned his gaze to Secretary Yang Wei.

Indeed, that was all there was to the introduction of Secretary Du Qing; even if he had done any other earth-shattering deeds, that was all the Minister of the County Party Committee Organization Department had to say.

Those who understood knew that since a certain leader had fallen, it was already an extraordinary act of leniency from the organization for Secretary Du Qing to be able to keep his current position.

The conference room was quiet for a few seconds. Everyone present was a veteran who had been struggling in the officialdom for many years, so who couldn't hear the weight of these two names?

One was the Director of the Public Security Bureau who had earned his position through hard work, a young general who had made a name for himself in the Crackdown on Organized Crime.

The other was the Secretary of the County Committee of the Communist Youth League, a cadre who had been marginalized in the county after his father's recent incident.

Put the two together, and one was the real choice, while the other was just there to make up the numbers.

This was a common tactic used by the Organization Department; it made the procedure look standardized and comparative, while ensuring there was no suspense about the result.

Secretary Yang Wei nodded and turned his gaze to County Head Secretary Wei Kuan.

"Secretary Wei Kuan, what is your opinion?"

Secretary Wei Kuan had long known this result; after all, he had also been notified by someone behind him, so his statement at this moment was both decisive and appropriate.

"I agree with the opinion of Minister Zhou Pingping."

"Xu Weidong's achievements at the Public Security Bureau are there for all to see. It is only right for the organization to place more responsibility on such a cadre."

"Secretary Du Qing is also very excellent, but in terms of job matching, Xu Weidong is more suitable for the position of Party Committee Secretary of Hukuang Township."

Secretary Yang Wei looked at the other Standing Committee members and said, "What are the opinions of the other comrades?"

Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee Qiu Ping was the first to express his stance: "I agree."

"I understood Xu Weidong's ability when I was at the Political and Legal Affairs Commission."

"The situation in Hukuang Township is relatively complex, and it needs a comrade with courage and methods to open up the situation."

He had watched Xu Weidong go through the anti-trafficking operation all the way, and he knew this young man's ability, so his tone carried a natural certainty when he expressed his stance.

Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission Secretary Huang Hao nodded and said, "Xu Weidong has worked in the political and legal system for more than two years, and everyone can see his achievements."

"Sending him to a township to train will be beneficial for his growth. I agree."

The other Standing Committee members also expressed their opinions one after another, their voices following one another like they were queuing to walk through an already opened door.

After all, who didn't know how powerful the background of that little ancestor was?

If they really made him unhappy, let alone the fact that their seats weren't even warm yet, even if they had achieved great merits, they could be kicked out in an instant...

The officialdom has always been a place that values reality. When your vision and position do not match, you naturally have to give up your position.

"Good."

Secretary Yang Wei finally made the decision: "Since the comrades all feel that Xu Weidong is more suitable for this position, then it is settled."

"Xu Weidong will transfer from the Director of the County Public Security Bureau to the Party Committee Secretary of Hukuang Township."

"As for Secretary Du Qing, the Organization Department will consider another suitable position."

When he said the four words 'suitable position', his tone was as plain as if he were talking about today's weather. Everyone present understood that after the incident with Secretary Du Qing's father, his political life in Changyuan County was basically over.

Minister of the County Party Committee Organization Department Zhou Pingping smiled and said, "Old Zhu from the County Federation of Literary and Art Circles has always felt that his energy is not enough and has repeatedly greeted our Organization Department, wanting to resign as the Party Group Secretary of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles to focus on his work as the Chairman of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles."

Some of the Standing Committee members present were already secretly laughing; sure enough, the Organization Department was the most realistic place.

What kind of place was the County Federation of Literary and Art Circles?

Everyone present knew clearly that there were not many people in the entire unit, so how tired could a Party Group Secretary be?

It really takes someone who does organizational work to be able to speak; he just lightly shared the workload for the Chairman of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles...

A Secretary of the County Committee of the Communist Youth League, what else could he do after going to the Federation of Literary and Art Circles?

In a place like the Federation of Literary and Art Circles, for a thirty-year-old young man to go there, it was no different from being exiled.

But no one said anything more. The officialdom is like this; some people go up, and some people go down.

Those who go up have their reasons, and those who go down have their causes.

Instead of caring about someone who had already lost his backing, it was better to care about how to get a position of real power like the Director of the County Public Security Bureau.

Less than an hour after the meeting ended, the news had spread throughout the entire Government Compound.

When Xu Weidong received the notice, he was sorting out the handover materials in his office. He put down the folder in his hand, glanced at the desk calendar, and arranged the remaining work in his mind.

Personnel arrangements in the bureau, follow-ups on a few cases on hand, the normalization mechanism for the Crackdown on Organized Crime—all these needed to be explained clearly before he left.

He picked up the phone and dialed Director Li Zhongmin's number.

"Director Li Zhongmin, come to my office."

At the same time, Secretary Du Qing was also packing up things in his office.

His movements were very slow, putting the documents on the desk into cardboard boxes one by one, as if he were dressing a corpse.

The office of the County Committee of the Communist Youth League was not big. He had sat here for three years, and the banners on the wall, the trophies on the desk, and the certificates of honor in the drawer all looked like sarcasm at this moment.

Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Party Group Secretary; it still sounded like a regular section-level rank, but who didn't know what the Federation of Literary and Art Circles did?

He gave a wry smile, put the last folder into the cardboard box, stood up, took one last look at this office, and turned to walk out.

A week later, Xu Weidong officially took office.

Secretary Yang Wei specially arranged a motorcade. He sat in one car, County Head Secretary Wei Kuan sat in one car, and Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee Qiu Ping sat in one car. The three cars set off from the Government Compound and drove toward Hukuang Township in a grand procession.

This specification was rare in the history of Changyuan County. When a township Party Committee Secretary took office, the County Party Committee Secretary, the County Head, and the Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee all accompanied him. This was giving him plenty of face.

The cars left the county seat and got on the provincial road. The scenery outside the window changed from buildings to fields, and then from fields to hills.

Hukuang Township was in the northeast corner of Changyuan County, more than forty kilometers away from the county seat. The mountain roads were winding, and it took more than an hour to drive there.

Secretary Yang Wei sat in the car, closing his eyes to rest, going over the speech he was about to give in his mind.

When they arrived at the gate of the Hukuang Township Government, the courtyard was already full of people.

The cadres of the township were lined up in two rows, and a man in his fifties stood at the very front.

He was slightly chubby, his hair was combed neatly, he was wearing a faded jacket, and the expression on his face was somewhat complicated.

This person was Township Head Jiang Tiansheng, the former Deputy Party Committee Secretary of Hukuang Township, who had been appointed as the Town Head this time.

According to convention, when the position of Party Committee Secretary was vacant, the Deputy Party Committee Secretary would preside over the work.

Township Head Jiang Tiansheng had worked in Hukuang Township for more than ten years, step by step from an ordinary staff member to the Deputy Party Committee Secretary, and had even avoided the involvement of the previous two leaders!

He was fifty years old this year and had thought that he could take over the position of Secretary this time, but he didn't expect that a young man would be parachuted from above.

After all, the two leadership positions in Hukuang Township had been vacant for quite some time, and he had always thought that his superiors wanted to hone him...

He never expected that as he was being honed... the position of Secretary would be moved to a young man.

What surprised him even more was that this young man was not an ordinary young man.

He was the Director of the County Public Security Bureau, a hero of the Crackdown on Organized Crime, and he was personally sent to take office by the County Party Committee Secretary, the County Head, and the Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee.

The car stopped, and Secretary Yang Wei was the first to get out.

Township Head Jiang Tiansheng hurried to meet him and held Secretary Yang Wei's hand with both hands: "Secretary Yang Wei, welcome, welcome."

Secretary Yang Wei shook hands with him and turned aside to let Xu Weidong behind him out.

"Township Head Jiang Tiansheng, this is your new Party Committee Secretary, Xu Weidong."

Township Head Jiang Tiansheng's gaze fell on Xu Weidong. The young man was wearing a dark jacket, his face was thin, his eyes were steady, and he stood there unhurriedly, like a blade that had not yet been unsheathed.

He had spent most of his life in the township and had seen all kinds of cadres, but this was the first time he had seen a young man with this kind of temperament.

He reached out his hand, and his voice carried a deliberate enthusiasm.

"Xu Weidong, welcome, welcome. I have long heard of your great name."

Xu Weidong held his hand, with a grip that was neither too light nor too heavy.

"Township Head Jiang Tiansheng is too polite. We will work together in the future, please give me more guidance."

Township Head Jiang Tiansheng nodded with a smile, but the smile on his face faded the moment he turned around.

He led the leaders to the conference room, his footsteps heavier than when he came.

The township cadres following behind were whispering. Some were curiously looking at Xu Weidong's back, some were exchanging meaningful glances, and some were secretly watching Township Head Jiang Tiansheng's expression.

An old township cadre who had worked in Hukuang Township for more than ten years, fifty years old, did not wait for the hat of the Secretary, but a twenty-six-year-old young man to be his immediate superior.

Whoever it was, they wouldn't feel good.

In the conference room, the middle-level cadres of the township were already seated.

Secretary Yang Wei sat at the head of the table, with Secretary Wei Kuan and Qiu Ping on his left and right, Xu Weidong sat next to Qiu Ping, and Township Head Jiang Tiansheng sat on the other side.

Secretary Yang Wei's opening remarks were not long, but every word was powerful.

"Comrades, today I, along with Secretary Wei Kuan and Qiu Ping, came to Hukuang Township to send your new Party Committee Secretary, Xu Weidong, to take office."

"Xu Weidong previously served as the Director of the County Public Security Bureau. He has strong work ability and outstanding achievements, and is a young cadre that the County Party Committee focuses on cultivating."

"Sending him to Hukuang Township this time shows the high importance the County Party Committee attaches to the work of Hukuang Township."

Applause broke out, not enthusiastic, but not cold either.

Xu Weidong stood up, bowed slightly to the audience, and when he sat down, his gaze swept over every face present.

Some were sizing him up, some were bowing their heads to take notes, some were looking at the desktop expressionlessly, and Township Head Jiang Tiansheng sat next to him with a decent smile on his face, but the smile did not reach his eyes.

After the meeting, Secretary Yang Wei called Township Head Jiang Tiansheng aside and talked to him alone.

No one knew exactly what was discussed, but when he came out of the conference room, Township Head Jiang Tiansheng's expression was calmer than when he went in.

He shook hands with Secretary Yang Wei, then with Secretary Wei Kuan and Qiu Ping, and finally walked in front of Xu Weidong.

"Xu Weidong, I have already asked someone to clean up the office. Do you see if there is anything else you need to add?"

Xu Weidong shook his head and said, "No need to trouble, as long as it can be used."

Township Head Jiang Tiansheng nodded and turned to greet other leaders.

After walking two steps, his footsteps suddenly slowed down, his shoulders slumped slightly for a moment, as if he were sighing in his heart.

This action was very small, so small that only he himself knew.

When the motorcade left, Secretary Yang Wei took one last look at the gate of the Hukuang Township Government from the car window.

Xu Weidong stood at the door, with Township Head Jiang Tiansheng and several township cadres beside him, and the afternoon sun shone on him, casting a long shadow.

"Let's go."

Secretary Yang Wei said to the driver.

The car drove out of Hukuang Township, and the hills outside the window gradually faded from view.