10: Chapter 10 Welcome Banquet

The final item on the agenda was a speech by the Municipal Party Committee Secretary.

Secretary Man Chaojian not only had a high level of writing but was also extremely eloquent. He spoke for over ten minutes without a script, looking radiant as he expressed his welcome, support, and high expectations for Zhang Huaijing's arrival, his excitement clearly visible.

What was impressive was that at such a serious cadre meeting, Secretary Man Chaojian was full of excessive praise for Zhang Huaijing, even citing an inappropriate example:

"Comrade Huaijing and I have known each other for a long time. Back then, I was writing drafts at the Provincial Party Committee's Policy Research Office, and he was a Secretary at the General Office. Our work overlapped. Even then, Comrade Huaijing was a typical 'Three Highs' cadre: high education, high quality, and high level. Not to mention his later experience in important leadership positions such as Deputy Director of the Provincial Party Committee's Policy Research Office and Deputy Director of the General Office of the Provincial Party Committee..."

He was telling everyone that Zhang Huaijing was an old acquaintance of his, both coming from the same provincial organs. In reality, Secretary Man Chaojian was an academic-turned-official; he had been a professor at Dongshan University, a sub-ministerial level university, then transferred to be the Deputy Director of the Provincial Party Committee's Policy Research Office. After less than a year there, he returned to Dongshan City to serve as a Standing Committee member and Vice Mayor.

He and Zhang Huaijing actually had no overlap in their work.

"I thank the organization for sending us such an outstanding leading cadre. When I heard Comrade Huaijing was coming, I was so excited I couldn't sleep a wink, hoping he would arrive a day sooner. This reminds me of the historical anecdote from the Battle of Guandu, where Cao Cao ran out of his camp barefoot to welcome Xu You's arrival. Oh, this... what I mean is that the Municipal Party Committee is thirsty for talent..."

The Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Party Committee Secretary sometimes mean the same thing and sometimes are two different concepts, depending on how the leader uses and expresses them. One cannot help but marvel at the profound depth of the Chinese language.

However, the example was somewhat inappropriate. Some people below laughed, some discussed it, some curled their lips in disdain, and some didn't catch the underlying meaning at all...

Zhang Huaijing looked down with a gentle gaze, but his heart was filled with doubt: What does Secretary Man mean by this? Is he trying to use me to defeat Yuan Shao's superior forces with a smaller army?

As soon as he arrived, the Municipal Party Committee Secretary had pulled him into his camp in front of everyone, putting him in a passive position.

And the Municipal Party Committee Secretary's blatant recruitment would naturally provoke resistance from Mayor Zhu Panlong.

However, everyone was a seasoned veteran of officialdom and wouldn't show it on their faces.

Zhu Panlong maintained a single expression throughout: serious and calm.

The meeting ended after half an hour. The leaders of the city's four major bodies took their respective vehicles to the Haizhou Grand Hotel for the evening's welcome banquet.

Except for two Standing Committee members and two Vice Mayors who were on leave or away, the heads of the four major bodies were all there. It was crowded and lively, filled with laughter and conversation.

Zhang Huaijing knew very well that if it were simply a welcome for him, not everyone would have shown up so consistently. Everyone was there for Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai, who was in charge of city and county cadres at the Organization Department of the Provincial Party Committee. They wanted to get close to him over drinks and leave a good impression; perhaps Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai would put in a good word for them in the next competition.

So, after declining several times, he eventually followed the host's arrangements, and the Municipal Party Committee Secretary took the seat of honor.

The Mayor and Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai then went back and forth over the second seat. Again, it was several times. Behind them stood two department-level officials: ... (Cannot be written, so it was deleted)

In the end, the Mayor pressed Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai into the second seat. Although he was a deputy department-level official, he represented the Provincial Party Committee and, crucially, was in charge of cadres.

Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai was a bit plump, with fair skin, and appeared refined and elegant.

He always had a smile on his face and spoke in a slow, deliberate manner. He seemed very easygoing, but in fact, every word he spoke was carefully chosen and left no loopholes.

Working in the Organization Department requires such qualities.

However, his alcohol tolerance was average. He was all smiles for anyone who came to toast him, saying "good, good, good," but when the wine reached his lips, he only took a tiny sip.

After three rounds of drinks, Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai had only consumed five or six small cups.

During the banquet, when others came to toast him, Zhang Huaijing would deflect, saying, "Everyone should toast the provincial leader more; he is the guest of honor."

The comrades toasting would smile and say, "We've already toasted Minister Xue. I'm here to congratulate you! Welcome to Haizhou. Please look after us in the future."

Zhang Huaijing laughed and said, "You should be the ones looking after me. I've just arrived and I'm completely in the dark."

When the other party persisted, Zhang Huaijing would say, "I'm no longer a guest; I'm a person of Haizhou. So, we're on the same team, no need for formalities."

After several cups, Zhang Huaijing's face had turned red. He was the type who flushed easily, but it wasn't an exaggerated crimson, which gave people the impression that his tolerance was average. In reality, it was unfathomable.

On his first appearance, he naturally couldn't steal Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai's thunder, nor could he show off his abilities.

When someone else toasted him, he changed his wording: "I'm sorry, my limit is only about three taels. I've already had too much; any more and I'll collapse. It's my first day on the job, brother, you can't watch me make a fool of myself, can you? Let's keep things dignified and leave a bit of suspense. Next time we find a suitable occasion, we'll drink until we drop."

Once he said that, those offering toasts couldn't push him further.

This type of banquet, with many diverse people, usually doesn't last too long, but it also shouldn't end too early, or it would seem lacking in enthusiasm.

Where you sit determines how you think; your position determines your perspective.

Everyone's feelings toward Zhang Huaijing were somewhat complex. From the perspective of the General Office of the Provincial Party Committee, his coming down had a hint of demotion. Since the leadership transition had just ended, a Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee would have to wait four or five years to be promoted to Mayor, and even then, that position might not be yours. There were plenty of Deputy Secretaries-General and Deputy Directors in the General Offices of the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government waiting for assignments.

From the perspective of Haizhou cadres, Zhang Huaijing had taken their spot, like a cuckoo in the nest. And since it wasn't just a temporary posting to gain experience, they didn't know when he would leave.

Because of this, Secretary She Xionghan, a member of the Municipal Standing Committee and Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, had taken leave and didn't come out of spite.

People toasted back and forth; it was lively yet restrained.

At 9:30 PM, the three-hour banquet came to an end. Everyone went back to their own homes and families.

Later, Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai and Zhang Huaijing returned to their respective hotel rooms.

The two rooms were diagonally across from each other, both suites.

Zhang Huaijing had someone bring over some sobering medicine, liver-soothing pills, and imported fruit. He wanted to deliver them to Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai personally and take the opportunity to chat with him some more.

Just as he opened the door a crack, he heard the Mayor's voice outside: "Minister, it's Panlong. Please open the door."

The Mayor had come to see Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai.

In that case, it wasn't appropriate for him to appear, or it would be awkward for everyone. Zhang Huaijing quietly closed the door again, walked back to the living room, turned off the TV, and sat on the sofa quietly drinking tea, but his ears were pricked, listening for movement outside.

A few minutes later, Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai's door opened. The Mayor's voice wasn't loud, but it still came through clearly: "Old brother, that place will definitely be unforgettable for the rest of your life. Let's go, let's go."

Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai said with a smile, "Isn't it a bit late?"

"The later it is, the more exciting it gets!" the Mayor said, laughing heartily.

Then the door closed, and the voices and footsteps gradually faded away.

Zhang Huaijing quietly opened the door and glanced into the hallway. The Mayor and Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai were walking toward the elevator lobby with their arms around each other's shoulders, talking and laughing.

Zhang Huaijing closed the door again.

Clearly, the relationship between the Mayor and Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai was extraordinary. And the so-called "more exciting the later it gets" was probably to experience Haizhou's local specialties.

Zhang Huaijing shook his head and smiled. Just as he was about to take a shower, his phone rang. He picked it up and saw it was a landline number:

"Hello, who is this?"

"Huaijing, it's Man Chaojian."

"Secretary, were you looking for me?"

"I figured you wouldn't be able to sleep this early. Just now at the table, there were too many people, and I couldn't chat with you much. I'm in my office, having just finished processing some documents. Come over; I have some excellent Bingdao Ripe Pu'er tea."

Secretary Man Chaojian's Mandarin wasn't very standard, and his voice wasn't very loud, but his tone was sincere.

"Alright, Secretary, I'll head over right away."