136: Chapter 136 The Hilltop (Part Two)

At 3:00 PM, Director Bai Jie knocked on Xu Weidong's door.

She didn't bring any documents, holding only a notebook in her hand, with several key points scribbled densely on the open page.

She sat down across from Xu Weidong, her back straight, her ponytail tied meticulously; she looked neat and efficient.

"Secretary Xu, I am Director Bai Jie of the Comprehensive Management Office. I've come today to report to you on a few issues regarding the Forestry Station in handling forest rights disputes."

Xu Weidong glanced at her. He knew Director Bai Jie—the Iron Lady of the Comprehensive Management Office, an expert at handling mass incidents, and an annual award winner for excellence.

He had heard this woman's name several times, but today was their first one-on-one conversation.

"Comrade Bai Jie, go ahead."

Director Bai Jie opened her notebook. Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear.

"The first case involves a forest land boundary dispute between villager Li Dashan from Hukuang Village and his neighbor, Wang Laosi. In March 2012, Li Dashan reported to the Comprehensive Management Office that Wang Laosi had encroached upon three mu of forest land next to his family's ancestral graves."

"The Comprehensive Management Office transferred this matter to the Forestry Station."

"Station Chief Sun Changhe went to the site once, and upon returning, he told me that the boundaries were unclear and impossible to define."

"Later, the matter was left unsettled."

"In August 2012, Li Dashan and Wang Laosi got into a fight on the mountain. Wang Laosi had two ribs broken, and Li Dashan was detained for half a month."

"If the Forestry Station had been able to provide a clear resolution when the matter was first reported, the subsequent fight could have been avoided."

She turned the page and continued.

"The second case concerns the issuance of forest rights certificates for the 'Grain for Green' plots in Shiqiao Village."

"In 2013, seventeen households in Shiqiao Village had their 'Grain for Green' plots pass inspection, but their forest rights certificates were never issued."

"Villagers went to the Forestry Station multiple times to inquire, and Station Chief Sun Changhe's answer was always that they were being processed."

"In 2014, some villagers went to the county to petition, claiming the Forestry Station was negligent. The county conducted an investigation and discovered that the Forestry Station had lost the application materials for the seventeen households."

"They had to reapply, and it took over half a year to get them issued."

"Among these seventeen households, three were unable to apply for forest interest-subsidized loans because they didn't have their forest rights certificates, which delayed their production development."

Xu Weidong listened, his pen making a few notes in his notebook.

He didn't interrupt Director Bai Jie, letting her continue.

"The third case involves a communication issue between the Forestry Station and the Land Resources Office."

"Last year, in Liushugou Village, there was a plot of land. The Forestry Station designated it as forest land, while the Land Resources Office designated it as arable land. The conflicting designations meant the villagers couldn't obtain any ownership certificates."

"This matter dragged on from March last year until January of this year. The villagers made no fewer than ten trips, with both departments passing the buck to each other."

"In the end, it was the Comprehensive Management Office that had to step in, call both departments together, and hold a coordination meeting to resolve the issue."

"If the Forestry Station had proactively communicated with the Land Resources Office when the issue was first discovered, this matter wouldn't have needed to drag on for nearly a year."

Director Bai Jie finished speaking, closed her notebook, and looked at Xu Weidong.

Her gaze was calm; there was no intention of seeking credit or lodging a complaint—it was just like a perfectly normal work report.

Xu Weidong was silent for a few seconds. He looked at Director Bai Jie, his gaze carrying a sense of scrutiny.

This woman's logic was too clear. Three issues, each with time, process, and consequences; it was as if she had specifically organized them.

He remembered when Committee Member Luan Ping came earlier; he also brought materials and was equally clear-headed.

The two of them came back-to-back, both talking about Station Chief Sun Changhe's problems—it didn't seem like a coincidence.

But he didn't expose it. The issues Director Bai Jie reported really did exist; he was aware of that.

As for why she came to say this now, and whether someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes, that was a different matter.

"Comrade Bai Jie, the issues you've reported are very important. Forest rights disputes, forest rights certificate issuance, inter-departmental coordination—these are the things the common people care about most."

"The fact that you were able to organize these situations shows that you do solid work."

"Leave a copy of the materials with me, and I will take the time to study them carefully."

Director Bai Jie nodded, pulled two pages from her notebook, placed them on Xu Weidong's desk, stood up, and walked out.

Her steps were steady, neither hurried nor slow, just as they were when she arrived.

Returning to the Comprehensive Management Office, she closed the door and sent a message to Committee Member Luan Ping.

"Committee Member Luan, the report is finished. Secretary Xu didn't state his position, but he accepted the materials."

Committee Member Luan Ping replied with one word: "Good."

Over the next three days, Township Head Jiang Tiansheng's people took turns coming forward.

Deputy Township Head Liu Desheng went on the morning of the second day. He was in charge of agriculture and worked closely with the Forestry Station, so he spoke about Station Chief Sun Changhe's issues with great confidence.

From the lagging progress of spring afforestation, to inadequate forest fire prevention publicity, to the untimely distribution of pest control supplies—he listed them one by one, counting for a full twenty minutes.

Xu Weidong listened and nodded, saying only, "I see," and Deputy Township Head Liu Desheng left.

Station Head Zhu Yan of the Water Conservancy Station went on the afternoon of the second day. She was in her early forties, had a loud voice, and a straightforward personality.

She recounted the issue of Station Chief Sun Changhe's poor cooperation with the Water Conservancy Station during river channel management, saying that the data the Forestry Station should have provided was delayed by half a month.

The technicians who should have been dispatched were delayed by another week, causing the Water Conservancy Station's work to be criticized by the county.

She spoke with righteous indignation, as if she had suffered a great grievance.

Xu Weidong listened and only said it might be a matter of work coordination and that he would look into it later, and Station Head Zhu Yan left.

Station Master Liu Ping of the Animal Husbandry Station went on the morning of the third day. He was over fifty and spoke slowly, but every sentence felt like lighting a firecracker.

He said that during the implementation of the grassland reward and subsidy policy, the Forestry Station had messed up the basic data provided by the Animal Husbandry Station, which caused discrepancies in the issuance of reward funds for the entire township. The common people had complaints, and the Animal Husbandry Station took the blame.

Xu Weidong listened, said a few words, and Station Master Liu Ping left.

Station Master Zhao Sen of the Culture Station went on the afternoon of the third day. He didn't have much overlap in work with the Forestry Station, but he said that Station Chief Sun Changhe had problems with his work style.

Mainly, he didn't study the spirit of superiors' documents enough and was ineffective in executing the township's decisions and plans.

His words were rather vague, without specific examples, repeating the same few sentences over and over.

Xu Weidong listened without interrupting or taking notes. When he left, he closed his notebook and took a sip from his teacup.

Station Head Jin Ming of the Family Planning Station went on the morning of the fourth day. He was in his thirties and spoke very quickly, as if afraid of being interrupted.

He said that during the reform of the forest rights system, the Forestry Station had not cooperated well with the Family Planning Station, resulting in the failure to implement preferential forest land policies for some one-child families.

Xu Weidong listened and asked, "Where is the intersection between the work of the Forestry Station and the Family Planning Station?"

Station Head Jin Ming was stunned for a moment, then stammered, "It's all work for the township; we should cooperate with each other."

Xu Weidong nodded and said nothing more, and Station Head Jin Ming left.

Station Master Liu Hao of the Statistics Station went on the afternoon of the fourth day. He was forty and spoke very slowly.

He said that the statistical data reported by the Forestry Station often didn't match the actual situation, affecting the quality of the township's statistical work.

He gave a few examples, all minor issues with insignificant data discrepancies.

Xu Weidong listened and said, "Regarding the statistical data issues, I will verify them with the Forestry Station later."

In four days, eight people took turns, all talking about Station Chief Sun Changhe's problems.

Some were specific, some were general, some were filled with righteous indignation, and some were slow and methodical.

When everyone left, Xu Weidong didn't state his position, only saying things like "I see" or "I will look into it."

The materials from the eight people were stacked together—a thick pile placed on the top right corner of his desk.

Township Head Jiang Tiansheng listened to Committee Member Luan Ping's reports every day, the curve of his mouth growing wider day by day.

He didn't believe that after hearing from so many people, Xu Weidong could still sit still.

That man, Station Chief Sun Changhe, had plenty of faults; nobody spoke up before because nobody wanted to offend him.

Now that he, Township Head Jiang Tiansheng, had spoken, his subordinates would stand up one after another.

On the morning of the fifth day, Xu Weidong called Station Chief Sun Changhe into his office.

When Station Chief Sun Changhe entered, his legs were trembling. He had heard plenty in the last few days about people complaining about him to Xu Weidong—one after another, lining up to go.

He knew who was pulling the strings behind the scenes, but he dared not speak or ask.

Station Chief Sun Changhe only knew that if Xu Weidong believed those people, his time as Station Chief of the Forestry Station was over.

"Secretary Xu, did you want to see me?"