227: Chapter 227 Zhou Wenbin's Exam Paper

Xu Weidong came to the provincial capital this time to pursue a project with an auto parts company.

This enterprise is considered a seasoned veteran in Shengjing City, possessing strong technical capabilities, with products exported overseas.

Changyuan County has put great effort into investment promotion in recent years, but the auto parts field is almost a blank slate.

If this project can be secured, it won't just fill a gap; it will drive the supporting development of the entire industrial chain.

The negotiation went smoother than expected. The General Manager on the other side was surnamed Zhao, a capable woman in her early fifties.

She highly approved of Changyuan County's geographical advantages and business environment, making the decision on the spot and saying she would send a team to Changyuan County for a field inspection next week.

County Mayor Bai Weijun was not there, so Xu Weidong was in charge of this investment promotion. He signed the letter of intent, shook hands with General Manager Zhao, and they agreed to meet again in Changyuan County.

Leaving the company gates, it was already getting dark.

The driver asked where to go. Xu Weidong thought for a moment and said, "To The Government Compound."

Governor Zhou Wenbin laughed and scolded him over the phone, saying, "You brat, you only remember to come see us old folks when you're running projects."

When the car drove into The Government Compound, the armed police at the gate saluted.

Xu Weidong had been here many times, and the guards recognized the car with the Changyuan County license plate.

He told the driver to wait downstairs and went upstairs carrying two boxes of tea.

The tea was not the expensive kind; it was grown and pan-fried by local tea farmers in Changyuan County.

Governor Zhou Wenbin had mentioned it was good when he inspected the area last time, so he remembered and brought two boxes every time he came.

Governor Zhou Wenbin lived in the No. 2 Compound of the Provincial Party Committee, right next to the Provincial Party Secretary, while Minister Ma Fuqiang lived in the No. 3 Compound.

On the coffee table in the living room sat a plate of fruit. The TV was on with the volume turned very low, broadcasting the News Broadcast.

Governor Zhou Wenbin was wearing a dark jacket, leaning on the sofa, holding a document and reading it.

Seeing Xu Weidong enter, he put down the document and pointed to the sofa next to him.

"You're here? Sit."

Xu Weidong sat down on the sofa and placed the tea on the coffee table.

"Uncle Zhou, this was grown by our local tea farmers. You said it was good last time, so I brought you two boxes."

Governor Zhou Wenbin glanced at the two boxes of tea. The packaging was simple with no labels, but it was precisely this simplicity that made him feel comfortable.

In official circles, there are plenty of people who give expensive gifts, but few dare to give this kind of local specialty.

It's not that it isn't valuable, but people are afraid it's not presentable enough. Xu Weidong wasn't afraid, because he didn't need to rely on gifts to maintain relationships.

"Alright, put it there. Have you eaten? If not, I'll have the cafeteria make you a bowl of noodles."

"I've eaten. I had a boxed lunch with General Manager Zhao and the others."

Xu Weidong picked up the water glass on the coffee table and took a sip. It was plain boiled water, neither hot nor cold, just the right temperature.

Governor Zhou Wenbin leaned back on the sofa, looking at Xu Weidong, a hint of teasing in the smile at the corner of his mouth.

"When was the last time you, brat, came to Shengjing? Three months ago, right?"

"That time during the investment promotion conference. I had a meal at the Provincial Party Committee guesthouse and left the next day."

"You don't even make a phone call usually. Your father said you call him often; how come it becomes a mountain area with no signal when it comes to us?"

Xu Weidong scratched his head and smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

"Uncle Zhou, what I have there are all minor matters. How could I keep bothering busy people like you and Uncle Ma with these trifles?"

"You are in the province worrying about major affairs for tens of millions of people. Compared to what you do, the affairs of my county aren't even worth a sesame seed or a mung bean."

Governor Zhou Wenbin shook his head, his smile fading slightly. His tone became solemn, carrying the earnest instruction of an elder to a junior.

"Comrade Weidong, that's not the right way to put it. There are no small matters when it comes to the masses; it's all about serving the people."

"In the county, you are in contact with the most grassroots ordinary people, solving their most direct and realistic difficulties."

"In the province, I am in contact with documents, meetings, and macro-level data and indicators."

"You tell me, whose affairs are bigger? Whose are smaller? You can't distinguish them, and you shouldn't."

"If your work is done well and the ordinary people are satisfied, the provincial work becomes easier to do."

"No matter how well the provincial policies are formulated, if they are not implemented effectively below, they are just castles in the air."

Xu Weidong nodded. He knew Governor Zhou Wenbin wasn't criticizing him; he was teaching him.

Teaching him how to look at problems and how to position himself.

He had worked at the grassroots level for so many years, from a township Party Committee secretary to the Executive Deputy County Magistrate, every step taken firmly. However, his vision was sometimes still limited to that small plot of land in Changyuan County.

Governor Zhou Wenbin was reminding him to learn to look at problems from outside Changyuan County and to think about his work from a higher vantage point.

He picked up the water glass and took another sip without speaking.

Governor Zhou Wenbin clearly didn't intend to stop; he leaned back on the sofa and changed the subject.

"You know about the Zheng family's affairs?"

Xu Weidong nodded and said, "I know some."

"Zheng Ze has gone in, and there hasn't been much movement from the Zheng family side."

"The Cuican Fireworks matter has also been handled. The new factory has started production and is operating normally."

Governor Zhou Wenbin grunted, was silent for a moment, and his gaze paused on Xu Weidong's face.

"Comrade Weidong, let me tell you the truth. The reason we didn't wipe out the Zheng family in one go this time isn't because we couldn't touch them, but because we felt it wasn't necessary."

"Zheng Dongguo is already terminally ill and doesn't have many days left."

"His eldest son, Zheng Xin, is the mayor of Baishui City. He hasn't made any major mistakes all these years. He might not be exceptionally outstanding, but at least he hasn't embarrassed his father."

"Chairman Zheng Yan is a businessman. Business is business, and he is not on the same path as us."

"The only one we truly needed to take action against was Zheng Ze."

"That animal—they have already sent him in. He will have to spend the rest of his life in prison, which can be considered an accounting for all the evil he has committed over the years."

Governor Zhou Wenbin paused and picked up his teacup.

"However, the Zheng family, this big tree, although it has entrenched itself in Lvjiang City for decades with lush branches and leaves and deep roots, is ultimately an old tree."

"Its roots have started to rot, and its branches and leaves have started to wither. We don't need to chop it down; it will fall on its own."

"If we take action now, we'll end up with a reputation for taking advantage of someone's misfortune. It's better to wait for it to fall on its own, to fall completely, and be uprooted."

"Therefore, we didn't touch the Zheng family—not because we couldn't, but because we didn't want to."

Xu Weidong's fingers moved slightly. He vaguely guessed what Governor Zhou Wenbin was going to say next.

Governor Zhou Wenbin looked at him, his gaze holding more profound meaning.

"Comrade Weidong, do you know why I wanted to leave the Zheng family to you?"

Xu Weidong was silent for a moment and shook his head.

Governor Zhou Wenbin leaned back on the sofa and said in a low voice, "Because the Zheng family is an excellent touchstone."

"Your achievements in Changyuan County over these past few years are obvious to all."

"The Crackdown on Organized Crime, investment promotion, work safety—you fought every battle beautifully."

"However, the opponents you faced were all individual. Township Head Jiang Tiansheng, Director Qi Heng, Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde—they came one by one, and fell one by one."

"These people were not in your weight class. There was no suspense in you winning against them."

"The Zheng family is different."

"The Zheng family has operated in Lvjiang City for decades, and their network of relationships spreads to every corner of the city."

"Although Zheng Dongguo has retired, his influence remains."

"His eldest son, Zheng Xin, is the mayor of Baishui City; his second son, Chairman Zheng Yan, is a private entrepreneur in Hannan Province; and his daughter, Zheng Wan, married into Yancheng and is also a respectable family."

"An opponent like this cannot be mentioned in the same breath as those you have encountered before."

"If you can manage to clean up the Zheng family, this old force that has entrenched itself for decades, on your own without relying on us old folks, then you will have truly grown up."

"We, as your uncles, will then be able to answer to your father with a smile."

Xu Weidong remained silent, his expression not changing much.

Governor Zhou Wenbin looked at his reaction and was satisfied in his heart.

No chest-thumping, no declarations of determination, no empty, pretty words.

This kind of composure is more persuasive than any statement.

"Uncle Zhou, I have no personal grudges against the Zheng family."

"The Cuican Fireworks matter was a requirement for work safety, not targeting anyone. The Zheng Ze matter—he committed too many evils and brought it upon himself; it has nothing to do with me."

"If the Zheng family accounts for this by blaming me, then they are the ones who are confused."

"I won't refrain from doing what I should do because I'm afraid of offending the Zheng family, but I also won't actively provoke them just because the Zheng family is a touchstone."

"I am the Executive Deputy County Magistrate of Changyuan County. My duty is to do the work in the county well, not to compete and fight with anyone."

Governor Zhou Wenbin looked at him and suddenly smiled, that smile carrying a sense of relief and satisfaction.

"If you can think this way, I am relieved. The Zheng family is not a good thing. The Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection has long grasped quite a lot about their situation over these years; it's not because of you that we started investigating."

"When Zheng Dongguo was in charge of Lvjiang City, those development zone projects, land transfers, and engineering bids—which one could withstand close scrutiny?"

"We haven't touched them all this time because we considered the political impact; we didn't want to trigger unnecessary turmoil at this critical juncture."

"However, not moving doesn't mean not managing."

"We are keeping a record of every one of their accounts."

"Now that Zheng Ze has gone in and Zheng Dongguo is also dying, the Zheng family's influence is disintegrating bit by bit."

"You don't need to actively do anything. You just need to do your own job well; time will take care of the rest for you."

"Once the Zheng family completely falls, there will be a new landscape in the political arena of Lvjiang City."

"By then, you will still be young, the road ahead will be long, and there will be plenty of opportunities."

Xu Weidong stood up and picked up the car keys from the coffee table.

"Uncle Zhou, it's getting late. Get some rest early."

"I have to go run another project tomorrow, so I'll head back first."

Governor Zhou Wenbin didn't ask him to stay; he stood up and saw him to the door.