Chapter Seventeen: Preparing for the Unexpected

  As soon as the campaign speech ended, Han Qin returned to Dongfang City and waited for notification. According to the public nomination and election plan, the Xiping County Standing Committee would vote on these six candidates.

  On the afternoon of the day when the job speech was held, the deputy secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission in charge of supervising the vote handed over the election results to Yang Yang, the head of the Organization Department. Six candidates were elected with five unanimous votes, and only one deputy director of the office received a few opposing votes. It seems that these evaluators are all very capable, we can't make decisions on our own, so let's just leave it to your Standing Committee to handle.

  Holding the evaluation results, Yang Yang walked into County Secretary Li Chenfeng's office. Yang Yang smiled: "Secretary Chenfeng, the evaluation results from Fenghuang Township are out, please take a look."

  Li Chenfeng took the form handed over by Yang Yang, glanced at it roughly, and suddenly his eyes lit up. Han Qin also got a unanimous vote from all five people. Li Chenfeng was not surprised, as they were all local cadres. In such an unimportant evaluation, they would give each other a nod, and getting a unanimous vote was not difficult.

  It's already impressive that Han Qin can get a unanimous vote. The fact that this outsider can gain recognition from these people shows that this young man indeed has talent. When Han Qin was giving his speech in the morning, Li Chenfeng carefully examined his governance plan and it was indeed very innovative with unique insights. Moreover, Li Chenfeng seemed to have sensed an unusual aura from this plan.

  After being approved by the State Council, Xiping County was transferred from Bincheng City to Dongfang City two years ago. In the past two years, the Xiping County Committee has been making great efforts in attracting investment and trying to narrow the gap with other districts under Dongfang City, striving for an early withdrawal of county status and establishment as a city. However, the foundation is too weak, and there hasn't been a single bright spot in the achievements over the past two years.

  The economy has not made a breakthrough, and various signs indicate that the municipal party committee is very dissatisfied with the work of Xiping County. There are even rumors that the city is preparing to adjust the county party committee's main leadership team. Li Chenfeng is the class leader, and as long as there is an adjustment, he will have a good place to go. If things don't go well, he may end up going to the People's Congress to retire.

  Since then, Li Chenfeng has also been reflecting on whether there is any deviation in the work direction of Xiping County. Is it that the city does not want Xiping to become an industrial powerhouse later on, but has another way? Han Qin's background is very profound, and he came up with this efficient agricultural plan. Did someone guide him?

  Li Chenfeng had made up his mind to climb up the ranks through Han Qin and become the Party Secretary of Fenghuang Township, using this as a gift for their meeting. He didn't think he would get many votes in favor of Han Qin, but now that he has unanimous support, it will save him a lot of trouble. An outsider like Li Chenfeng getting unanimous support shows that he has earned recognition through his own abilities.

  Li Chenfeng pointed to the sofa next to him and said to Yang Yang, "You sit down first. After Comrade Youmin arrives, we'll discuss the candidate selection and submit it to the Standing Committee tomorrow." Then Li Chenfeng picked up the phone and said to his secretary, "Xiao Tian, notify Secretary Wang to come to my office."

  Li Chenfeng and Yang Yang were both heavy smokers. Yang Yang handed Li Chenfeng a Zhonghua cigarette, and they had just smoked half of it when Wang Youmin walked in. As soon as he entered the office, Wang Youmin sniffed his nose and laughed: "I know you're trying to tempt me with Zhonghua because I quit smoking."

  Li Chenfeng pointed to the evaluation form and said casually, "The results of the competitive election are out. Let's deliberate on the candidates and submit them to the Standing Committee tomorrow."

  The personnel of Xi Ping County are basically coordinated. The head of the Organization Department, Yang Yang, is a cadre from the province and has no faction, and he strongly supports Li Chenfeng's work. Wang Youmin is more familiar with the city government and is closer to County Mayor Su Jin, but as long as it doesn't violate his fundamental interests, the coordination at work is still okay.

  Before the election, Wang Youmin had already informed Li Chenfeng and wanted Zhang Tiancheng to take over. At that time, Li Chenfeng did not have any objections either. According to Zhang Tiancheng's qualifications, it was just a normal promotion procedure, and others couldn't say anything about it. With this public nomination and election, it actually put pressure on Zhang Tiancheng instead.

  Wang Youmin took a look at the evaluation form, all five votes were in favor of Zhang Tiancheng being ranked first, everything was normal and did not exceed his expectations. Wang Youmin said: "Comrade Zhang Tiancheng has worked in Fenghuang Township for many years, whether it is theoretical knowledge or practical experience, he is suitable to be the party secretary, I suggest that Comrade Zhang Tiancheng can be a candidate."

  Li Chenfeng nodded silently. Six people had already been selected, and Zhang Tiancheng took the next spot. Only one more person could be chosen, and since he had already promised Wu Xiaofan, that last spot would go to Han Qin.

  Look at Yang Yang, Li Chenfeng said: "Director Yang, do you have a suitable candidate?" When he heard the secretary ask him, Yang Yang said: "Zhang Tongqi, the deputy secretary of Qilin Town Party Committee, can be considered." Zhang Tongqi's elder brother and Yang Yang were university classmates, and a few days ago, he specially called to ask him to take care of his younger brother. Yang Yang then indicated that he could help nominate, but the possibility of being elected is not great, after all, Zhang Tiancheng's strength is there.

  Seeing the two of them each taking one, Li Chenfeng was somewhat displeased. The two quotas were both taken by you two, and there's no room for me, Secretary Li. Actually, this can't be blamed on Yang Yang, as Secretary Li had never given him a hint that he had an alternate candidate.

  Li Chenfeng pointed to the form and said seriously: "When selecting cadres, we must not have regional biases, limited to local people. We should take economic development as the starting point. Any talented cadre, whether from this place or outside, should be treated equally. I think Comrade Han Qin is quite good. His governance plan has new ideas, and he dares to think and act boldly. He should be given an opportunity."

  Wang Youmin saw Li Chenfeng very dissatisfied, and unintentionally glanced at Yang Yang, meaning to let go of that quota. Last time at the welcoming party for the on-site inspection, Li Chenfeng specially praised Han Qin without avoiding suspicion. Can't you see that as the head of the organization department? It's really unjust to Director Yang. At that time, Secretary Li and Han Qin didn't have any relationship. Li Chenfeng said so at the time, purely improvising on the spot, but Wang Youmin had an exceptionally rich imagination.

  Everything still depends on strength, the two secretaries have their own candidates, Yangyang is an outsider, knowing that he doesn't have the strength to compete with the two big shots, so he insists on his own stance, tomorrow take it to the Standing Committee meeting for voting, can only be more embarrassing than this, had to bring down the classmate's cousin, will talk about it later when there is a chance

  The three-horse carriage was compromised, and when it passed through the Standing Committee the next day, there were no problems. Everyone knew that Fenghuang Township was Zhang Tiancheng's stronghold, and an outside cadre had no chance of winning over dozens of party representatives. Whoever went would just be going through the motions for the city committee. Li Chenfeng did this to show his face to the municipal party committee; we didn't discriminate against outside cadres. In the end, whether or not he was elected depended on what the party representatives said.

  The Municipal Committee Organization Department publicly notified Han Qin that the Xiping County Party Committee Standing Committee had studied and decided that Han Qin, as one of the candidates for Secretary of Fenghuang Township Party Committee, could go to Fenghuang Township to visit party member representatives according to the public recommendation plan.

  Upon receiving the notice, Han Qin smiled to himself. It seemed that Li Chenfeng had indeed made an effort, otherwise it wouldn't have been so smooth. To think of sitting in this party secretary position, the next battle is the final hurdle. To make the 68 party member representatives of Fenghuang Township exceed half support for themselves, it should be more difficult than flattening the Xiping County Party Committee Standing Committee.

  Han Qin thought for a moment and dialed Zhang Bin's phone. As soon as the call was connected, Han Qin had just greeted him when Zhang Bin excitedly said: "Brother Han Qin, congratulations to you, successfully advancing to the final round!"

  Han Qin smiled and said, "Zhang Ge, it's still a bit early to congratulate me. The key is the next step. It depends on whether the party representatives of Fenghuang Township can accept me, an outsider. I'm somewhat presentable, so if someone wants me as their son-in-law, they might consider it. But if they want me to be the Party Secretary, they may not necessarily take me seriously."

  Seeing Han Qin so relaxed, Zhang Bin smiled and said: "Brother, you can just come over to Fenghuang Township as a live-in son-in-law, isn't that becoming a local? Our propaganda committee is the party representative, and she doesn't have an object yet. If you're interested, I can let my sister introduce you, isn't this a ready-made vote?"

  Han Qin burst out laughing and said: "This idea of yours isn't bad either, two birds with one stone, I can consider it"

  After a pause, Han Qin said: "Zhang Ge, let's talk about something serious. Since I've participated in this public election, I don't want to lose miserably. Although Zhang Xiangzhang has great strength, I don't believe he has such high prestige in Fenghuang Township. Every representative trusts him to look at the development level of Fenghuang Township, and this township head should not have done anything."

  Zhang Bin thought for a moment and said, "What you said is right. What's so special about Zhang Tiancheng? He has a narrow mind, is jealous of others' talents, and relies on his father-in-law's foundation. Plus, there's a deputy secretary in the county who covers him up. Many party representatives don't have their own stance, they just follow the crowd. The number of people who truly support Zhang Tiancheng can't be more than twenty or thirty. He's not invincible yet."

  Hearing Zhang Bin say this, Han Qi smiled and said: "Zhang Ge, there are some things that can't be explained clearly in a few words over the phone. I'll go to Fenghuang Township the day after tomorrow, let's discuss it face-to-face when we meet. Brother, I want to ask you for a favor, this matter has a certain degree of difficulty and risk..."

  Han Qin deliberately didn't finish what he was saying, waiting for Zhang Bin's attitude. Zhang Bin asked: "Brother Han Qin, if you have something to say, just speak up. From the first time we met, I felt that you are a brother who can be trusted. You can sit in this party secretary position, and as long as it is something I can do, I will not decline."

  Han Qin said solemnly: "Zhang Ge, you are a local and work in the party and government office, this condition is very favorable. I want you to sort out the information of the 68 party member representatives from Fenghuang Township. Mainly what is the relationship between these people and Zhang Tiancheng? What background do they have? Which ones are Zhang Tiancheng's iron buddies? Which ones don't get along with Zhang Tiancheng? Which ones are middle-of-the-road? The more detailed, the better. Time is tight, I need you the day after tomorrow. You're a smart person, I've said this much, you should understand how important this information is to me."

  "On the other end of the phone, Zhang Bin said with deep feeling and solemnity: 'Brother, I understand. I believe you will definitely succeed.'"