Chapter 48: Speaking with the Top Two Leaders During the Inspection Tour

He Shiming replied, "Understood, Secretary Wu."

He opened the car door and stepped out, while Zhou Beiye was already preparing to go forward and open the door for Wu Yunqiu.

Seeing He Shiming step out, Zhou Beiye paused his steps, intending to shake hands with He Shiming.

However, He Shiming didn't dare to shake his hand—the county party secretary was still in the car!

"Secretary Zhou, Secretary Wu invites you into the car."

Hearing this, Zhou Beiye was momentarily stunned.

Yet, having spent many years in political circles, he possessed strong adaptability.

He asked in a low voice, "How is the boss's mood?"

He Shiming gave him a side-eye: whether her mood is good or not, shouldn't you know best in your own heart?

Zhou Beiye seemed to understand, cautiously pulled open the door of the commercial vehicle, and climbed inside.

He Shiming followed right behind him.

The Iveco could seat fourteen people, but Wu Yunqiu had no intention of inviting Zhou Beiye to sit down.

He stood awkwardly in front of Wu Yunqiu, looking at so many empty seats, yet not daring to take a seat.

Wu Yunqiu let out a cold hum and said, "You standing in the aisle—where is Shiming supposed to sit?"

Seeing this, He Shiming pointed to the seat diagonally behind Wu Yunqiu and said, "Secretary Zhou, please take a seat."

Zhou Beiye cast a grateful look at He Shiming, sat down, and said, "Secretary Wu, I'll sit a bit closer to you so it's convenient for me to make my self-criticism."

Wu Yunqiu, however, wore a frosty expression and said, "Secretary Zhou, are you saying that my instructions as the county party secretary carry no weight, or is it that you, esteemed Secretary Zhou, prefer to act on your own whim?"

Zhou Beiye had not anticipated this.

The moment he got into the car, he was subjected to a barrage of reprimands from Wu Yunqiu, a county party secretary at least six or seven years his junior.

His face burned with humiliation, and the taste in his mouth was thoroughly bitter.

Still, he was a seasoned veteran of officialdom, having immersed himself in politics for years; what kind of situation hadn't he seen?

Faced with the accusations, he offered self-criticism after self-criticism.

Wu Yunqiu snorted again and continued, "The members of the government leadership team actually organized a motorcade to welcome me—what a grand display. You, esteemed Secretary Zhou, have truly brought great honor to the ordinary people of Guantian Town!"

"I have repeatedly emphasized that we must stamp out these unhealthy tendencies of fawning receptions and superficial send-offs, yet your Guantian Town has deliberately defied the ban. What exactly are you trying to accomplish?"

"Are you trying to show the common folk your mighty prestige, or are you trying to make a laughingstock out of me, Wu Yunqiu?"

"Secretary Wu's criticism is entirely correct. I make my self-criticism; I deeply self-criticize."

Zhou Beiye's complexion was extremely unsightly, but a smile remained plastered across the corners of his mouth.

After venting her anger for a while, Wu Yunqiu let out a long breath, ceased her accusations, and asked, "What are the arrangements?"

Following that, Zhou Beiye laid out his plans and arrangements.

Upon hearing them, Wu Yunqiu dismissed them outright.

"I think the first item on the agenda can be skipped. As for Guantian Town's work report, you can take some time and come directly to the county committee."

"Right now, we will head straight to the Zhuangzi River Reservoir, the Wen's breeding base, and the mining operations. Comrades, please bear with the hardship and use the noon hour to summarize our findings."

Hearing this, Zhou Beiye was slightly taken aback, but still said, "Very well, Secretary Wu, I will make the arrangements immediately."

"Among the four major leadership bodies, the secretary and the town mayor are enough to bring a few accompanying personnel. The people's congress, the political consultative conference, and the rest of the comrades should head back. Go back to your respective duties, avoid bureaucratism, and do not put on grand spectacles."

Wu Yunqiu had completely upended Zhou Beiye's itinerary, forcing him to get out of the car and rearrange everything from scratch.

Wu Yunqiu remained inside the vehicle throughout, refusing to step out.

This left the crowd waiting outside in a state of extreme embarrassment.

Especially Town Mayor Bai Lianpeng, whose expression was remarkably grim.

Before long, Zhou Beiye completed the reassignments.

The vehicles proceeded in an orderly fashion toward Zhuangzi River.

Next, as planned, Wu Yunqiu inspected the Zhuangzi River Reservoir, the Wen's breeding farm, and several mining companies.

She observed, inquired, and issued directives all along the way.

By the time the inspection concluded, it was already noon.

After having lunch at a fish restaurant near the Zhuangzi River Reservoir, Wu Yunqiu requested a private room to hold separate talks with the top two officials of the party and government.

The first person to speak with her was, naturally, Zhou Beiye.

While the two of them were talking, He Shiming chatted outside with Bai Lianpeng and the others.

At that moment, He Shiming's phone rang.

It was a call from Ou Huasheng.

Without needing to guess, He Shiming already knew what it was about.

Wu Yunqiu had altered Ou Huasheng's schedule, and he was undoubtedly here to interrogate He Shiming.

Lowering his voice, He Shiming answered, "Is there something Director Ou needs?"

Ou Huasheng questioned sharply, "Why did Secretary Wu suddenly change the itinerary? Since the schedule was altered, why didn't you inform me in advance?"

He Shiming replied, "This was Secretary Wu's decision. I was busy just now and hadn't gotten around to notifying Director Ou yet."

"Hmph! As the secretary's personal assistant, reporting any changes to the secretary's schedule to me at the very first instance is your fundamental duty. Keeping silent and failing to utter a word has put the County Committee Office in a very passive position—do you realize that?"

"Understood, Director Ou."

He Shiming offered a perfunctory response.

Ou Huasheng stated sternly, "For the subsequent arrangements, you must report to me immediately regarding Secretary Wu's itinerary, what activities take place, and whom she meets. Do you hear me?"

He Shiming countered, "When the itinerary changes, it's often a spur-of-the-moment decision by Secretary Wu. Sometimes it's inconvenient for me to inquire. Shall I ask for Secretary Wu's instructions first?"

Upon hearing this, Ou Huasheng flew into a rage, his eyes widening like a frog's, yet he had to suppress his fury.

If he were to report this matter to Wu Yunqiu for instructions, only to be slapped with the label of spying on her, where would that leave him?

"Forget it, forget it! Let's leave it at that for now!"

With that, he hung up the phone with a sharp snap.

After ending the call, He Shiming saw Zhou Beiye walk out of the room, looking rather cheerful.

The second person to be summoned for a talk was Town Mayor Bai Lianpeng.

Compared to Zhou Beiye, his conversation lasted a mere ten minutes, but when he left, he looked as though his entire being had relaxed considerably.

Is this the sense of oppression brought by absolute power?

He Shiming thought to himself that because he followed Wu Yunqiu every day, that oppressive feeling of power was much diminished.

However, lower-level officials rarely got the chance to even see the party secretary, so the sense of oppression went without saying.

Having concluded talks with the top two party and government leaders, Wu Yunqiu did not linger any longer, but instead hurried on to her next destination.

The next stop was Yuntou Township.

Inside the car, He Shiming originally intended to mention Ou Huasheng's phone call, but seeing Yang Qiaoling also present, he chose to keep his mouth shut.

Compared to Guantian Town, Yuntou Township was far more backward.

Ethnic minorities gathered here, the local customs were fierce and unyielding, and public security was comparatively much weaker.

Upon completing the inspection, Wu Yunqiu issued only a single directive.

Stability overrides everything.

This was to be the primary and core focus of Yuntou Township for the present and the foreseeable future.

Seek development amidst stability, and pursue progress through unity.

Before parting ways, Party Secretary Fan Chengming quietly pulled He Shiming aside and whispered, "Secretary He, please give your older brother some advice."

He Shiming said, "Whatever instructions you have, Secretary Fan, please go ahead."

"Oh my goodness, my dear brother, how would I ever dare to give you instructions! There is an unwritten rule whenever county leaders visit the townships: they come empty-handed, but they cannot return empty-handed. The township has prepared some local specialties. Look at this matter... how should we handle it?"

China is a human-relationship society built on reciprocity and the exchange of favors.

Inspecting work in the townships and logically bringing back a few local goods conformed to the unwritten rules of officialdom and was entirely harmless.

If it were any other leader, they might have turned a blind eye and let the matter pass.

Wu Yunqiu, however, was different. Coming from elite Beijing circles and accustomed to a life of luxury since childhood, she certainly lacked nothing.

It was even less likely that she would casually accept gifts bestowed by others.

He Shiming could only view the problem from Wu Yunqiu's perspective. After a moment of thought, he said, "Secretary Fan, I advise you best not to do this."