121: Chapter 121 Hu Ming's Thoughts

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming arranged the dinner at the farmhouse restaurant behind the Township Government. The location was secluded, the owner was tight-lipped, and most importantly, it was close to the Township Government—a five-minute walk away.

He had his wife book a private room in the afternoon, specifically requesting the one furthest inside, with a window facing the backyard, making it convenient for conversation.

When he arrived, Secretary Zhou Song was already there. The Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission was sitting in a seat against the wall, with a cup of tea in front of him and two cigarette butts in the ashtray.

Seeing Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming enter, he lifted his eyelids slightly without getting up, merely pushing the cigarette pack towards the opposite side.

"You're here."

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming sat down opposite him and pulled out a cigarette to light it. He had worked with Secretary Zhou Song for two years and knew his temperament. He spoke little but knew what was what.

During the days when Township Head Jiang Tiansheng was presiding over the work, Secretary Zhou Song had a hard time. The position of Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission was important if one said it was important, but it was just a decoration if one said it wasn't.

Township Head Jiang Tiansheng was the type of person who gripped everything in his hands; in his eyes, the work of the Discipline Inspection Commission was just causing trouble. Several leads that Secretary Zhou Song submitted were suppressed and delayed again and again by him. Secretary Zhou Song didn't say anything, but he had long been unhappy in his heart.

The door was pushed open again, and Committee Member Gao Jin poked half his body in, saying with a grin: "Secretary Hu, Secretary Zhou, I'm late."

He walked in quickly, sat down next to Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming, and took the menu to flip through two pages.

"Have you ordered yet? I'll add a pickled fish dish; this place makes it well."

"You certainly know how to eat."

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming scolded him with a smile, took the menu from his hand, and handed it to the waiter.

"Bring a few cold dishes first; we'll wait until everyone arrives for the hot dishes."

Committee Member Gao Jin chuckled twice and didn't respond. He was someone arranged by the Executive Deputy Director of the County Party Committee Organization Department, Jia Ming, from the County Party Committee Propaganda Department, and he was on the same line as Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming.

Secretary Zhou Song stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and suddenly said: "Old Hu, is this dinner today representing your personal intention, or…"

He didn't finish his sentence, but Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming understood. He was asking if this dinner was something Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming wanted to organize himself, or if someone from above had instructed it.

"It's my intention."

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming flicked the ash and said: "The new Secretary is here; we have to meet up to align our thinking."

"This doesn't count as forming cliques, does it? It's just normal work communication."

Secretary Zhou Song gave a hum and didn't say anything else.

The waiter came in with cold dishes—smashed cucumbers, peanuts, spiced beef, and wood ear salad—setting half a table full.

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming opened a bottle of white liquor, poured some for Secretary Zhou Song, and then for himself. Committee Member Gao Jin helped himself, pouring a small half-glass.

"Old Zhou, let's have a drink first."

The three of them clinked glasses and each took a sip. Secretary Zhou Song put down his glass and picked up a piece of spiced beef, chewing it slowly.

Once Committee Member Gao Jin had some alcohol, he became talkative, starting from everyone's performance at today's Party Committee meeting. How Committee Member Chen Ruo followed Township Head Jiang Tiansheng in, how Luan Ping echoed him from behind, what those impartial words from Deputy Township Head Gong Zizhen meant, and what the meaning was behind Zhou Lan's phrase, "not adding trouble or holding back."

"That remark from Chairperson Zhou Lan, it sounds polite, but it's actually showing her cards."

Committee Member Gao Jin analyzed it articulately: "She has worked at the Renmin University of China for so many years; what kind of storms hasn't she seen? She doesn't pick sides, but she doesn't cause trouble either."

"People like that are the most worry-free."

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming nodded and said: "Don't worry about Chairperson Zhou Lan."

"She's retiring soon and won't get involved in these matters. The key is Committee Member Chen Ruo and Luan Ping."

When these two were mentioned, the atmosphere in the private room subtly sank. The scene of Committee Member Chen Ruo and Luan Ping following Township Head Jiang Tiansheng in—everyone at today's Party Committee meeting had seen it. That wasn't a coincidence; it was a demonstration of power.

"This Committee Member Chen Ruo…"

Secretary Zhou Song rarely spoke proactively, his voice unhurried: "He has ability, but his mind is too heavy."

"He spent over a year in the position of Propaganda Committee Member and was close to Township Head Jiang Tiansheng; Township Head Jiang Tiansheng put in effort for his promotion to Organization Committee Member this time."

"He owes Township Head Jiang Tiansheng a favor, and he won't change course in the short term."

Committee Member Gao Jin added: "And Luan Ping goes without saying."

"The position of Political and Legal Affairs Committee Member was recommended by Township Head Jiang Tiansheng in the first place."

"That guy Luan Ping, he doesn't say it, but he's crystal clear in his heart."

"He knows who he belongs to."

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming held his glass without drinking, his gaze falling on the plate of peanuts on the table. He went over everyone in the leadership team in his mind again. Township Head Jiang Tiansheng had Committee Member Chen Ruo and Luan Ping; both held positions of real power, one managing the organization, the other managing political and legal affairs. On his own side, Secretary Zhou Song was the Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission, and Committee Member Gao Jin was the Propaganda Committee Member. Three against three, on the surface, they weren't at a disadvantage. But Deputy Township Head Gong Zizhen was a variable, and Zhou Lan was a bystander. Most importantly, Xu Weidong's attitude was still unclear.

"After all, Township Head Jiang Tiansheng has worked in Hukuang Township for over a decade."

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming put down his glass, his voice very low.

"His roots are deep and his leaves are lush. Many of the village branch secretaries below are his people. The heads of various stations and offices in the township also have deep relationships with him."

"Xu Weidong just arrived, he's unfamiliar with the place and the people, and he can't sort out all these relationships in a short time."

Secretary Zhou Song heard the meaning in his words and said: "You mean Xu Weidong needs someone to help him feel out the situation?"

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming didn't answer directly, instead picking up his glass and taking another sip.

"Old Zhou, you've also been in Hukuang Township for two years. You know those matters concerning Township Head Jiang Tiansheng better than I do."

Secretary Zhou Song was silent for a few seconds. His conflict with Township Head Jiang Tiansheng wasn't a matter of a day or two. Last year, he investigated a disciplinary issue involving a village branch secretary. The lead was reported to Township Head Jiang Tiansheng, who suppressed it for three months without action, finally dismissing it with a light comment about a "talking-to" as a reminder. That village branch secretary was an old connection of Township Head Jiang Tiansheng; Secretary Zhou Song knew it, but he couldn't find fault in the procedure, so he had to accept it.

"This Township Head Jiang Tiansheng has his own set of rules for doing things. In his eyes, no matter who it is, they have to follow his rules."

The words were subtle, but Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming understood. Township Head Jiang Tiansheng wasn't failing to cooperate with the work, but rather wanted to do it in his own way. If the new Secretary wanted to change his rules, it wouldn't be a question of cooperation anymore.

Committee Member Gao Jin interjected from the side: "Xu Weidong is no ordinary person. When he was at the Public Security Bureau, he even dared to move against Sihai Group."

"What is Township Head Jiang Tiansheng's meager family fortune compared to Sihai Group?"

Secretary Zhou Song glanced at him and said: "The Public Security Bureau is the Public Security Bureau; a township is a township."

"At the Public Security Bureau, he managed cases. In a township, he manages people."

"Cases just need evidence; people can't be managed just by having evidence."

The private room went quiet; Committee Member Gao Jin stopped talking and lowered his head to eat. Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming picked up his glass and put it down again. He knew what Secretary Zhou Song said was the truth; the difficulty of township work didn't lie in the tasks, but in the people. Township Head Jiang Tiansheng had operated in Hukuang Township for over a decade, and the relationships up and down were intertwined; it wasn't something a new Secretary could easily shake.

The door was pushed open, and the waiter came in with the hot dishes. The aroma of the pickled fish spread, and Committee Member Gao Jin perked up, picking up his chopsticks to grab a piece of fish.

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming took the opportunity to change the topic, chatting from work to daily life, and from daily life to gossip in the county. The atmosphere relaxed, and Secretary Zhou Song uncharacteristically spoke a bit more.

Halfway through the meal, Committee Member Gao Jin suddenly put down his chopsticks and looked at Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming: "Secretary Hu, do you think there's something to be said about Xu Weidong?"

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming was stunned: "What do you mean?"

"I mean, before Xu Weidong came, it's impossible that the county didn't brief him on the situation in Hukuang Township. Secretary Yang Wei personally escorted him here; it's impossible they didn't say anything on the way…"

Secretary Zhou Song's action of picking up food paused. Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming held his glass, not moving for a long while. Committee Member Gao Jin's words reminded him that Xu Weidong was no hothead. When he was at the Public Security Bureau, sweeping away dark forces, investigating cases, and arresting people, what kind of people hadn't he seen? Before coming to Hukuang Township, he must have done his homework. He might very well know about Township Head Jiang Tiansheng's affairs.

"Then it's even simpler."

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming put down his glass, a hint of certainty in his voice.

"Xu Weidong knows what kind of person Township Head Jiang Tiansheng is, and he also knows our relationship with Township Head Jiang Tiansheng."

"At today's Party Committee meeting, he didn't say anything, didn't express a stance; he was just simply testing the waters."

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming picked up his chopsticks and grabbed a piece of spiced beef.

"Township work cannot be done by one person alone. He needs someone to help him run errands, pass messages, and feel out the situation."

"Whoever leans in first will be his own person."

Secretary Zhou Song finished the last drop of liquor in his glass and stood up.

"I'm leaving first; there's a meeting tomorrow."

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming stood up to see him to the door. Secretary Zhou Song walked two steps, then suddenly stopped and said in a very low voice: "Old Hu, regarding Xu Weidong, go report your work as you should."

"Don't overthink it."

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming watched his back disappear at the end of the corridor and turned back to the private room. Committee Member Gao Jin was still eating fish; seeing him enter, he looked up and asked: "Secretary Zhou left?"

"He left."

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming sat down and downed the remaining liquor in his glass in one gulp.

"Secretary Hu, is Secretary Zhou acting like this because he doesn't want to board Xu Weidong's boat?"

Committee Member Gao Jin sneered: "This is the one thing I don't like about their Discipline Inspection cadres; they act like something every day…"

"Everyone came from the county; who doesn't know that Xu Weidong has connections to the heavens behind him?"

"There was no opportunity in the county before; now that we've finally run into one in the township, if you don't seize this chance to move up, do you really want to work in the township for a lifetime?"

Deputy Party Secretary Hu Ming chuckled: "Everyone has their own fate; as long as we seize the opportunity, that's enough."

Relying on a sister to get ahead is ultimately unreliable; if he could only rely on Xu Weidong… Isn't Director Li Zhongmin the best example? From a police station chief to the Executive Deputy Director of the County Public Security Bureau—whose lifetime is this?