53: Chapter 53 The Mayor Extends an Olive Branch

Gao Qing was stunned, and it took him a while before he said, "He dares?!"

"I have the clearest judgment of the current situation. This time, you must listen to me and stop reporting him. During the National Day holiday, the Federation of Literary and Art Circles will arrange for you to travel, so just take your family and enjoy life to the fullest." Zhang Huaijing revealed his trump card, "At the same time, I will talk to the Mayor tomorrow about the protection and excavation of cultural relics at the Ancient County Government Office."

"Didn't you say you couldn't communicate with him?"

"If I use your agreement to stop reporting the election irregularities as a condition, he will certainly agree."

Gao Qing lowered his head and thought for a while, then admitted defeat. He nodded and said, "Alright, I'll listen to you and won't report him anymore, but Niu Panlong must stop the project and let the cultural relic excavation be finished first."

"Good, it's a deal!"

Besides protecting his old classmate's personal safety, Zhang Huaijing's move was also a way to protect himself. His relationship with Gao Qing was so close, and with Gao Qing making even more noise after he took office, people would suspect that he was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. If he failed to take down Niu Panlong, he would only end up getting himself into trouble.

Another even more important point was that if Gao Qing continued to report him to higher authorities and Niu Panlong was truly found guilty of election bribery, then the Mayor would inevitably step down.

The problem was that Zhang Huaijing had just taken office and hadn't even been at the deputy department level for three years. Regardless, it wouldn't be his turn to succeed him. If the province sent someone else or the Executive Vice Mayor took over, wouldn't he just be doing the work for someone else's benefit?

It was better to bury this landmine for now and detonate it when the time was right. By then, he could naturally succeed as Mayor.

The next day at noon, Gao Qing took his family and joined a group of painters, boarding a cruise ship to head to Guixi for sketching.

The matter of the report was thus properly resolved.

In the afternoon, Niu Panlong personally invited Zhang Huaijing to dinner that evening, and he accepted.

Just as he was about to leave, a call from Minister Meng Zhaodi came in:

"Secretary, I heard you're going to tonight's event?"

"Yes, the Mayor organized the gathering, and Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai will be there too, so I have to go."

"Then I'll go too." Minister Meng Zhaodi's voice was soft, with a hint of laziness, "I had originally made an excuse to turn it down."

"Then it's no longer a case of 'having to go,' but 'a must-go.'"

Minister Meng Zhaodi's gentle and graceful laughter came through: "I'm looking forward to it. I'll be able to dance with the Dance God again. Oh my, you know, I haven't danced much in years, but since arriving in Haizhou, I've become obsessed. I always want to dance; it's ridiculous, an old woman trying to look young."

"Me too." Zhang Huaijing repeated that "running gag" from last time.

"There you go again!" Minister Meng Zhaodi said, her tone becoming coquettish, "And another thing, you must ask me to dance more tonight. That way, you can dance less with someone else."

"That sounds perfect."

"Have you left yet? Let me hitch a ride with you."

"Aren't you afraid of what others might say?"

"What's there to be afraid of? You're my supervisor, so it's only natural for me to accompany you for food and entertainment."

The banquet was held at the private club of Shen Meizhu's Damei Group; it was luxurious and private.

In addition to the Mayor, Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai, there was also the Deputy Division Chief of the Second Division of the Provincial Organization Department, Executive Vice Mayor Zuo Youfa, Director Qiao Xinmin, as well as the Office Director of the Municipal People's Congress, Shen Meizhu, and her beautiful female Secretary. Including Zhang Huaijing and Minister Meng Zhaodi, there were 10 people in total, exactly five men and five women.

The Mayor did not invite the other members of the investigation team.

The leaders' secretaries, drivers, and others were eating in a smaller private room.

The seating was not strictly arranged by rank, but rather arranged with men and women interspersed.

As a result, Minister Meng Zhaodi was deliberately arranged between Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai and Director Qiao Xinmin, while Zhang Huaijing ended up sitting diagonally opposite her, sandwiched between Shen Meizhu and Executive Vice Mayor Zuo Youfa.

As per custom, the leader with the highest position or status proposes the first three toasts.

Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai didn't look like much, but he possessed the qualities of an Organization Department leader; he knew how to be humble and low-key, and he adamantly refused to propose the first toast: "Mayor Niu, you forced me into the seat of honor, and I'm already flattered and walking on thin ice. Now you're asking me to propose the first toast—this is really too much. You should do it; you're the host, and it's your duty."

Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai had just been promoted to Director of the Provincial Office of Public Sector Reform, while concurrently serving as Deputy Minister of the Organization Department, at the full department level, but he still ranked behind the Mayor and the Director of the Municipal People's Congress.

The Mayor didn't decline any further and said with a smile, "Then I will obey the organization's arrangement and offer a few opening remarks. The theme of today's gathering is actually a cliché, but it's a matter that must be brought up again and again—no matter how much we do, it's not enough. That is to express our thanks and gratitude to Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai for his care, support, and love for our Haizhou cadres. Everyone, just count them up: under the guidance of Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai and the Provincial Organization Department, how many cadres have emerged from our Haizhou over these years..."

Mayor Niu began counting on his fingers, and others echoed and added to his list.

It was true. Although Haizhou's economy was underdeveloped and it was located in a remote area, for some reason, a vice-provincial level cadre really did emerge every few years. The Municipal Party Committee Secretary from ten years ago was now the Governor of a province in the north.

Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai laughed, "Mayor Niu, don't flatter me. The fundamental reason is that Haizhou's cadres have high quality and strong abilities, and besides, Haizhou has good feng shui."

"Once Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai arrived, the scenery got better, the mood improved, official careers flourished, and life just kept getting better." Director Qiao Xinmin said in a loud voice.

"So, everything is thanks to Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai! Come, let's all toast the Deputy Minister together!" Niu Panlong raised his glass, and everyone drank the first round in a lively atmosphere.

The drinking party continued to heat up in this atmosphere, and two hours later, four bottles from a case of Moutai had been finished.

Zhang Huaijing naturally couldn't avoid the custom and began the second round. After drinking with Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai, he came to the Mayor.

Niu Panlong had something he wanted to say to him earlier, but he was the protagonist and was too busy accepting toasts from everyone to do so.

He took the opportunity to stand up and led Zhang Huaijing to the side to talk, appearing quite close. He said with burning eyes, "Regarding Gao Qing's matter, thank you, brother!"

"Mayor, you're too polite. The Secretary and you personally arranged and deployed it, so I must implement it properly. However, Gao Qing raised a condition."

"Oh, what condition?"

Zhang Huaijing said, "He is requesting to suspend the development of the land at the Ancient County Government Office and let the Archaeological Research Institute carry out rescue excavations, and only proceed with construction after that is finished."

"Excavate what?"

"Those old wells at the Ancient County Government Office. Experts believe that deep inside the wells are buried precious cultural relics from thousands of years ago. If they are dug up, it will break the embarrassing history of Haizhou having no first-class national cultural relics."

"Are there really cultural relics?" The Mayor toyed with his wine glass, his eyes full of suspicion.

"As the saying goes, whether there are dates or not, just let them take a swing at it first. If there aren't any, they'll give up."

Niu Panlong turned his head to look at Shen Meizhu, who was drinking and laughing with Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai. He thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I'll tell Shen Meizhu."

After a while, the Mayor called Shen Meizhu to the balcony; separated by glass and curtains, the people inside could not see them.

He explained Gao Qing's condition and asked her to suspend construction.

Shen Meizhu immediately raised her objections: "Mayor, you're not joking, are you? I've already built one floor; you can't just stop it like that. Besides, what if the foundation is damaged? What if the feng shui is ruined? What if the commercial center develops structural safety hazards?"