Chapter 19: Unveiling the Truth, Confrontation Ensues
Page (1/3)
It was clear that the crowd was highly agitated. If pushed too far, they might truly do anything.
Ou Huasheng searched the crowd but found no sign of Feng Zhikuan, the executive deputy county magistrate in charge of land and agriculture.
He cursed inwardly: That damned bastard had hidden himself at the critical moment like a frightened turtle.
Despite his anger, Ou Huasheng kept his emotions under control and said, “I want to solve your problems, but please consider my earlier suggestion. Choose representatives to explain your grievances, and then we can address them one by one.”
Someone in the crowd shouted again, “You should step down! Can you speak for the County Party Committee?”
“Can you represent the interests of us villagers?”
“If you really wanted to solve our problems, you wouldn’t have dragged this out for so long. Let Secretary Wu come down! If we don’t see Secretary Wu today, we’re not leaving.”
By the time they reached this point, Ou Huasheng’s old face had turned as dark as liver.
He had worked in the County Party Committee Office for many years, but this petition had left even its director feeling utterly helpless.
He Shinian stood behind the crowd, listening carefully.
When he realized that the situation was beginning to spiral out of control, he had no choice but to retreat from the crowd and report everything to Wu Yunqiu.
After listening, Wu Yunqiu said, “The sun is so intense. Leaving the villagers exposed to it will only lead to trouble.”
After a moment of thought, she continued, “Shinian, if I entrust this matter to you, how confident are you that you can handle it?”
He Shinian was stunned.
He understood that this was the greatest test he had faced since becoming Wu Yunqiu’s secretary.
If he passed, he would have an excellent chance of earning her trust.
If he failed, his future as her secretary would be thrown into doubt.
With that thought, He Shinian straightened his back and promised, “Thank you for trusting me, Secretary Wu. May I ask what standard I should use to resolve the matter?”
Wu Yunqiu considered for a moment before replying, “Act according to the law and uphold justice for the people.”
He Shinian understood at once, accepted his orders, and left.
He pushed through the crowd, went to Ou Huasheng, and relayed Wu Yunqiu’s instructions.
Ou Huasheng’s face changed dramatically. He stared at He Shinian in utter shock.
But He Shinian had already become resolute and fearless. He took the loudhailer from Ou Huasheng, cleared his throat, and said, “Fellow villagers, I am Secretary Wu of Ninghai County’s secretary. Would you be willing to listen to me for a moment?”
The crowd was startled. Then every eye turned toward He Shinian.
Page (1/3)
Page (2/3)
He Shinian continued, “Secretary Wu is tied up with other matters and cannot come in person, but he has appointed me to come in his place. I hold the imperial sword of authority and speak for Secretary Wu.”
The villagers were not fools. They understood what He Shinian meant.
“All right, then,” one villager said. “How do you intend to resolve our problems?”
“That’s right. We don’t believe in empty promises. We only want our problems solved in a real and concrete way.”
He Shinian continued, “I already know what you are here to demand, and I understand it more thoroughly than most of you do.”
The villagers looked at him suspiciously.
“I can tell you this: before I became Secretary Wu’s secretary, I worked at the Land Bureau. The issue that brought you here concerns the land transfer in Goubei Bend, Nanping Town, doesn’t it?”
The villagers nodded one after another in confirmation.
“To be frank, I was responsible for the transfer of those 2,300 mu of land in Nanping Town.”
What?
The villagers were horrified.
The crowd immediately began to stir.
One man challenged him, “So you colluded with unscrupulous businessmen and transferred our farmland to Jinchang Agriculture at a dirt-cheap price?”
“If that’s the case, then you’re the chief culprit, birds of a feather flocking together! What right do you have to stand here and speak to us?”
“That’s right! If that’s so, on what grounds do you claim to represent Secretary Wu? Could this also be Secretary Wu’s intention?”
As he watched the crowd grow restless, with some even glaring at He Shinian hatefully, Ou Huasheng’s lips curled into a cold smile.
He did not believe that a rookie secretary like He Shinian could resolve this matter.
In the face of the villagers’ abuse and accusations, He Shinian stood firm, his expression unchanged.
He said, “Fellow villagers, I only want to tell you this: when I was responsible for the matter, no approval had been issued. Not only that, I strongly opposed approving the transfer by any means or under any circumstances.”
“Since you were responsible for it and never approved it, why did Jinchang Agriculture enter the area and forcibly consolidate the two parcels of land?”
“That’s right! If you didn’t approve it, then who did?”
“You must give us an explanation today. Otherwise, we’ll sit here in the County Party Committee compound and refuse to leave.”
The noise surged like a boiling sea, almost swallowing the entire County Party Committee compound.
He Shinian had no choice but to gesture for everyone to quiet down. Then he said, “I still don’t know who at the Land Bureau approved this parcel after I left. But I can tell you this: whoever approved it, the procedure was improper and the price was unfair.”
Page (2/3)
Page (3/3)
Seeing that the villagers were waiting for him to continue, He Shinian did not waste time. He went straight to the point.
“Of the 2,300 mu of land, only 1,320 mu could legally be transferred for commercial use. The remaining 980 mu, under the regulations governing the restoration of cultivated land, could not be transferred for commercial use.”
“So whoever approved it acted improperly and illegally.”
“Furthermore, based on market prices, the annual transfer fee for the 1,320 mu should have been between 385 and 425 yuan per mu. Yet the price submitted at the time was only 191 yuan—far below market value.”
“In other words, that price deprived all of you of your rightful interests. I am the first to oppose it.”
Hearing the indignation in He Shinian’s voice, the villagers were visibly moved.
One of them asked, “Since you are Secretary Wu’s secretary, shouldn’t you uphold justice for us, return our land, and make up the transfer payments we were owed?”
He Shinian nodded. “This fellow villager has put it well. When I came here, Secretary Wu told me: act according to the law and uphold justice for the people. I am here today to uphold justice for you.”
The villagers were simple and sincere by nature. Hearing him say this, their eyes lit up.
But He Shinian continued, “However, the sun in Ninghai is unbearably hot, and I don’t want any of you to continue standing here under it.”
“On behalf of Secretary Wu, I promise you that the two matters you have raised—the transfer payments, which must be no lower than the market rate, and the return of the 980 mu of land—will be resolved within one week.”
At that moment, someone stepped forward and said, “That sounds good, but what if you can’t resolve it? Who are we supposed to hold responsible?”
He Shinian’s expression did not change as he promised, “If these two demands cannot be resolved within a week, I will resign in disgrace. At the same time, I will issue a public apology through newspapers, radio, television, and every other major form of media.”
A short distance away, the corners of Ou Huasheng’s mouth and those of the others twitched violently.
What He Shinian had said represented him personally, but in a certain sense, it also represented Wu Yunqiu.
One week.
If the matter was resolved, everyone would be happy.
If it was not, there would be quite a spectacle to watch.
At the thought, a mocking smile appeared in Ou Huasheng’s eyes.
“All right. We’ll believe you this once. If you can help us resolve this, you’ll be our benefactor, and we’ll remember your kindness for the rest of our lives.”
“If you can’t resolve it, we won’t blame you. After all, you’re only a secretary. But we still reserve the right to continue petitioning.”
He Shinian declared firmly, “All right, I agree. Now, I ask all of you to return to wherever you came from. Will you do that?”
With that, He Shinian bowed deeply to all the villagers at a ninety-degree angle.
Page (3/3)