Chapter 47: Welcoming Motorcade, Secretary's Anger

After He Shinian reported the matter to Ou Huasheng, it was clearly visible that the latter's expression sank, revealing deep displeasure. However, unable to show his dissatisfaction with Wu Yunqiu's arrangement right in front of He Shinian, he had no choice but to restrain himself as much as possible.

Watching him like this brought a profound sense of satisfaction to He Shinian's heart, though he quickly masked that smug, petty expression.

"Very well, Comrade Yang Qialing, the deputy director of the county committee office, is quite suitable. Let's assign the task to her!"

He Shinian said, "Understood. I will communicate the specific details with her shortly."

Ou Huasheng let out a muffled grunt from his nose, taking it as a reply.

Once He Shinian left, Ou Huasheng's face completely collapsed. Wu Yunqiu's dissatisfaction with him was now out in the open; sitting there felt like being on needles and pins, and he was in utter agony. There was anger, resentment, and unwillingness... but above all, the helplessness born of authoritative oppression. Gradually, his eyes were overtaken by a venomous look.

Yang Qialing was one of the deputy directors of the county committee office. At the junior-deputy section chief rank, around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, she had a petite frame yet possessed considerable clout and exceptional working capability. For a woman to reach such a position at this age purely on her own merits spoke volumes.

Upon receiving the notice, she took the initiative to come to He Shinian's office, carrying a box of tea in her hand.

"Secretary He, I hope I'm not interrupting your work?"

As one of the deputy directors of the county committee office, Yang Qialing was specifically in charge of the confidentiality bureau. Given that the relationship between He Shinian and Ou Huasheng could no longer be mended, He Shinian knew he could not afford to make any more enemies within the county committee office. Consequently, his attitude toward Yang Qialing had become much more respectful.

He Shinian stood up to welcome her, saying, "Director Yang's gracious presence brings immense honor to my humble office; I couldn't be more welcoming. Please, have a seat."

Yang Qialing smiled and said, "I brought you a box of tea. Have a taste."

Knowing this was standard interpersonal courtesy in official circles, He Shinian expressed his thanks and brewed a cup of tea for her.

"This time when Secretary Wu goes down to the townships, Director Yang will be leading the delegation. I was just about to look for you to discuss the specific itinerary, but I didn't expect you to come first. My proactive initiative at work is clearly lacking."

Yang Qialing smiled, revealing a neat row of porcelain-white teeth.

"Knowing that Secretary He is busy, I took the opportunity of climbing the stairs for exercise to drop by. It's the same either way."

Next, the two exchanged views on the specific itinerary, precautions, and other details, eventually reaching a unified consensus.

When she left, He Shinian reciprocated the courtesy by presenting her with a box of the pre-Qingming tea stir-fried by his maternal grandmother.

"Director Yang should also have a taste. This is pre-Qingming tea from Panlong Township."

Yang Qialing smiled and said, "Thank you. I've heard that the pre-Qingming tea from Panlong Township is authentic, so I won't decline your kind offer."

After Yang Qialing left, He Shinian hesitated over whether to inform Li Chaoyang that Ou Huasheng had deliberately arranged Nanping Town as the final stop. In the end, he decided against it. Even without him saying anything, Li Chaoyang would likely find out through other channels very soon.

Over the weekend, many township officials called He Shinian. Their purposes were twofold: first, to cozy up, arrange banquets, and manage personal connections; second, to probe into which specific sectors Wu Yunqiu's inspection tour would primarily focus on, allowing them to make preparations in advance.

Wu Yunqiu had not explicitly stated which areas she would look into, as that was not her primary objective. Therefore, He Shinian brushed off such inquiries with perfunctory responses.

However, among these calls, there was one that commanded He Shinian's focused attention: Hu Shaoming, the secretary of the Party committee of Jiangshui Town.

Hu Shaoming had started his career in Panlong Township. When He Shinian was still studying, Hu Shaoming had served as the deputy township head of Panlong Township. This official had grand visions, dared to strive and take action, and had achieved notable accomplishments, executing several practical projects for the ordinary people of Panlong Township. He had raised the villagers' incomes and improved their livelihoods. Notably, the large-scale cultivation, promotion, and marketing of Panlong Township's pre-Qingming tea—which eventually made it famous throughout the entire Donghua Prefecture—were achievements in which Hu Shaoming played an indispensable role.

It was precisely because of this that He Shinian was able to drink the pre-Qingming tea stir-fried by his grandmother every year. Later on, Hu Shaoming went to Jiangshui Town to serve as the full-time deputy secretary, then as the township mayor, and finally rose to become the secretary of the Jiangshui Town Party committee.

He Shinian held a favorable impression of Hu Shaoming, so his tone upon answering the call was much more courteous.

"Hello, Secretary Hu."

"Secretary He, hello, I am Hu Shaoming."

After exchanging a few casual pleasantries, Hu Shaoming took the initiative to ask, "Secretary He, there is a matter I'd like to consult your opinion on."

He Shinian replied, "Please go ahead and share any instructions you might have, Secretary Hu. There's no need to be so polite."

Hearing this, Hu Shaoming said, "Oh my dear younger brother, how would I ever dare to give you instructions? I am sincerely asking for your guidance."

He Shinian responded, "I am well aware of the deeds accomplished by Secretary Hu in leading the people of Panlong Township out of poverty toward prosperity. Such a heart for the people commands respect, so please feel free to speak your mind without reservation."

After exchanging a couple of polite pleasantries, Hu Shaoming said, "As you know, Jiangshui Town is a major agricultural and populous town, as well as an important export base for vegetables and fruits in Ninghai County. This time, I'd like to take Secretary Wu to walk through the orchards and fields to take a look. I wonder if that would be appropriate?"

Jiangshui Town was indeed a major hub for population and arable land. Among Ninghai County's 1.1 million residents, Jiangshui Town alone accounted for 290,000—a figure comparable to some smaller counties and cities.

He Shinian approved of Hu Shaoming's plan. Wu Yunqiu attached great importance to land and arable land... and by extension, to green agricultural products, including vegetables and fruits. Hu Shaoming's proposed arrangement happened to align perfectly with Wu Yunqiu's intentions.

However, He Shinian did not dare to speak too definitively, so he replied, "Secretary Hu, I believe every township has its own distinct characteristics, and showcasing those unique traits is always the best approach."

Being a seasoned veteran deeply immersed in officialdom for many years, Hu Shaoming naturally understood the underlying meaning of He Shinian's words. He expressed his gratitude profusely and exchanged a few more polite remarks before hanging up the phone.

In the blink of an eye, the day of Wu Yunqiu's inspection tour to the townships arrived. Early that morning, He Shinian arrived at the county committee courtyard. To his surprise, Yang Qialing had arrived even earlier than him, which slightly startled him.

"Good morning, Director Yang."

"Good morning. I only arrived a moment ago myself. Had I known we would arrive back-to-back, I should have waited for Secretary He."

He Shinian thought to himself that it was no wonder she had managed to secure the position of deputy director of the county committee office; she certainly knew how to speak. With a single simple sentence, she preserved his pride regarding his later arrival while simultaneously narrowing the emotional distance between them.

Before long, other vehicles successively drove into the courtyard. Among those accompanying the tour were representatives from the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, the Water Resources Bureau, the Education Bureau, and others. Naturally, the Policy Research Office and the Investigation Office of the county committee, responsible for drafting written materials, were also present.

Upon arrival, everyone stepped out of their cars to greet and pay their respects to He Shinian. For a moment, He Shinian felt as though he were the moon surrounded by a host of stars, while simultaneously feeling a sense of guarded caution.

Fortunately, it wasn't long before Wu Yunqiu came downstairs. She was dressed in a slightly casual business suit, combining the steady dignity of formal business attire with the elegance of casual wear, creating a distinct and eye-catching look. If no one introduced her, an ordinary person standing among a crowd would simply take her for a pretty girl next door.

No one would ever imagine that this youthful, seemingly delicate woman was actually the party committee secretary of Ninghai County—a county with a population of 1.1 million.

After all, Wu Yunqiu came from a military background, and the well-fitted casual business suit also displayed the crisp, spirited posture of a soldier. Coupled with her tall stature, delicate eyebrows, and skin as fair as snow, even without a trace of cosmetics, she radiated a vibrant feminine beauty.

"Has everyone arrived?"

He Shinian stepped forward to take her suitcase and replied, "Yes, everyone is here."

"Very well, let's set off."

With that, she walked toward the Iveco van driven by Fang杰. Just before boarding, she turned around and said, "Comrade Qialing, on this trip, the two of us are the only female comrades. Come over, we'll ride in the same car."

Hearing this, Yang Qialing's expression lit up with joy, while the rest of the group cast looks of envy. However, having no time for idle thoughts, they quickly turned and boarded their respective vehicles.

The convoy rolled out of the city.

Wu Yunqiu instructed, "Shinian, we won't be taking the original route. Let's go to Guantian Town first."

A slight shock rippled through He Shinian's heart, but he promptly responded, "Understood. I will notify the leadership team of Guantian Town."

The vehicle made a turn, heading onto the national highway leading to Guantian Town. Although the people trailing behind found the sudden itinerary change peculiar, none dared to ask questions and closely followed behind.

Though it was a national highway, the road conditions were actually quite poor, pitted and marred by heavy trucks hauling minerals and stones. For a certain stretch, it was somewhat bumpy. Although there wasn't an overwhelming volume of traffic, he had to remain constantly alert to ensure Fang Jie's driving route stayed normal and to guarantee Wu Yunqiu's safety.

Fortunately, the journey passed without incident, and an hour or so later, the vehicles finally arrived at Guantian Town.

As soon as they entered the town limits, He Shinian, sitting in the front passenger seat, spotted from afar a convoy of vehicles waiting at the street corner. The crowd stood rigidly upright in front of their cars, neatly aligned as if they had undergone military training.

The Iveco instinctively reduced its speed. At a single glance, He Shinian recognized the leaders at the very front: Zhou Beiye, the secretary of the Guantian Town Party committee, and Bai Lianpeng, the township mayor.

He Shinian turned around and said to Wu Yunqiu in the back, "Secretary Wu, it's Secretary Zhou and Mayor Bai."

Wu Yunqiu glanced coldly at the sea of people, her brows tightening slightly as she commanded, "Ignore them. Drive straight to the township government compound."

Hearing this, Fang Jie pressed down on the accelerator again, speeding past the middle of the waiting convoy and rushing ahead.

Witnessing this scene, Zhou Beiye, Bai Lianpeng, and the others panicked. Seeing the vehicle speeding away, they immediately scrambled into their own cars and urged their drivers to step on the gas.

Before long, Zhou Beiye's official town-government sedan overtook Fang Jie's Iveco. Activating its hazard lights, the leading vehicle slowed down, guiding the procession of cars in an orderly fashion into the Guantian Town government compound.

As soon as the car came to a complete halt, Zhou Beiye eagerly leaped out, walking briskly with large strides until he stopped about two or three meters away from the Iveco. The others successively stepped out of their vehicles and neatly lined up in a row.

Wu Yunqiu showed no intention of getting out of the car. She instructed, "Shinian, tell Comrade Beiye to come up into the vehicle."

He Shinian knew that Zhou Beiye was about to receive a severe reprimand.