Chapter 128: Huang Haitao's Fury

  Chen Dengxiang is a seasoned veteran, and he wouldn't change his mind completely just because of Xu Shaojie's few words. However, there are three things that have started to tip the scales in Chen Dengxiang's mind. Firstly, Chen Mubiao's choice is clear: he has made up his mind, and if he wants to change, he can only do so by leaving Huaiyang City, which would cast a shadow over his future prospects. Moreover, Chen Mubiao's words and Xu Shaojie's words prove that their relationship is not just an ordinary friendship, but rather a special one in the officialdom. Secondly, Xu Shaojie's performance and the relationships behind him are not to be underestimated. His ability has already been revealed through his previous words, and the fact that Tang Wenyu and Xu Shaojie have come together indicates that Tang Wenjun's attitude is very clear: if Xu Shaojie encounters any trouble, Tang Wenjun will definitely not stand idly by. Furthermore, Xu Shaojie is also Ding Yuan's secretary, and Ding Yuan's ability should not be underestimated. Thirdly, Chen Dengxiang knows that the provincial leaders are dissatisfied with Huaiyang City, which has been stagnant for years despite its advantageous location. The main reason for this stagnation is internal consumption, as there have always been two opposing forces within the city: one faction wants to reform and develop, while the other wants to maintain the status quo. The contradictions between these two factions will eventually erupt.

  "Xiao Xu, I know what you're saying makes sense, but when facing specific problems, we still need to be cautious. Tuo Bie is a good friend of yours, so take care of him more often in the future. Although he's older than you, I can tell that he's not as capable as you."

  Huang Haitao was pacing back and forth in his house, feeling somewhat anxious. He had been the mayor for six years and thought that by the time he was 40, he would have become a political star, possibly even being promoted to secretary of the municipal party committee after one term. With good luck, he could then become a provincial-level leader. When Ding Yuan came to Huaiyang City as the new secretary of the municipal party committee, Huang Haitao had genuinely supported him. Ding Yuan was one year younger than Huang Haitao and had come directly from the provincial government. In Huang Haitao's opinion, Ding Yuan was just here to gain experience and would leave soon.

  However, as time passed, Huang Haitao found that his judgment had been wrong. Ding Yuan didn't seem like someone who would come and go quickly; instead, he seemed to be preparing to take root in Huaiyang City. As a local official, Huang Haitao naturally became the leader of the local officials. Over time, Huang Haitao's mindset began to change.

  He wanted to build up Huaiyang City and make its future brighter, but he didn't want this to happen under Ding Yuan's leadership. His goal was to make Ding Yuan leave without achieving anything and then take over the construction of Huaiyang City himself. Therefore, in his later work, Ding Yuan consistently adhered to a policy of "big stability, small adjustments," making no major changes.

  As an official from the provincial capital, Ding Yuan's primary concern was still the unity of the team and social stability. Huang Haitao took advantage of this, solidifying his own position step by step and implementing his own decisions. This was like a contest between a gentleman and a petty person. Ding Yuan acted according to the usual rules, but Huang Haitao didn't follow common logic in his actions, leaving Ding Yuan feeling helpless.

  This year's situation has changed, Huang Haitao thinks that all the changes are because Ding Yuan replaced his secretary. Now, Huang Haitao is somewhat regretful, although Li Ming has slowly become familiar with the work and may have some opinions and suggestions, but Li Ming is after all a person who follows the rules, can't stir up any big waves. If only I had known earlier, I would have set up a plan to squeeze out Li Ming, which was originally a very successful plan, unknowingly damaging Ding Yuan's image and establishing my own prestige. Who would have thought that the new secretary Xu Shaojie is actually the real trouble?

  Huang Haitao felt Ding Yuan's change, especially the alliance between Ding Yuan and Lu Changzheng, which made Huang Haitao furious. Ding Yuan's attitude has become increasingly tough, and recently he has been brewing plans for industrial restructuring, involving structural adjustments. Once the working direction and plan are determined, it is likely that some county or municipal governments will be adjusted, which is something Huang Haitao does not want to see. This change may have an inseparable relationship with Xu Shaojie.

  What made Huang Haitao most angry was Chen Mubiao's affair. Huang Haitao recalled his relationship with Chen Dengxiang, and the two had no conflicts when they worked together in Huaiyang City. Later, Chen Dengxiang was transferred to work in Xilin City, and Huang Haitao made sure to maintain a good relationship with him. Whenever they met at conferences in the provincial capital, they would find opportunities to drink and chat together. Recently, there were rumors from the province that Chen Dengxiang might be promoted, and Huang Haitao sensed that this was an excellent opportunity to build connections and expand his own power. Coincidentally, Chen Dengxiang wanted to transfer Chen Mubiao out of Xilin City, so Huang Haitao took on the task voluntarily. The initial operation was very successful, and everything went smoothly. However, he never expected that Chen Mubiao knew Xu Shaojie, and their relationship was not bad either. Huang Haitao felt angry and painful, thinking that it was all because of Xu Shaojie.

  County Party Secretary He Xuxiong and County Magistrate Chen Dazhi of Shalon County came in under the leadership of Yu Huaixiang.

  Today is a rest day, Huang Haitao thought about understanding some situations in Shalong County, so He Xuxiong and Chen Dazhi came to his home. Huang Haitao rarely invited cadres to his home, and the cadres who received invitations and came to his home had an unusual relationship with him. Of course, except for those who actively come to visit during normal times, now is early morning, and the family is relatively quiet.

  "Old He, Old Chen, take a seat."

  Yu Huai Xiang was very familiar with the situation in the living room. He had been serving as Huang Hai Tao's secretary for a long time, and his scope of work had already gone beyond that of an ordinary secretary. Yu Huai Xiang found the teacups and after Hei Xiong Chen and Da Zhi Chen had their tea, he left the living room. His residence was in the building across from them, if there were any arrangements, Huang Hai Tao would call him.

  "Old Chen, tell me, how's Chen Goal's performance?"

  "Secretary Chen works very hard, is humble and eager to learn. After arriving in Shalong County, he often asks his comrades for advice and is generally cautious, usually not expressing any views."

  Huang Haitao's face showed no expression, he obviously didn't want to know about these situations.

  "Has Chen's goal been in touch with you recently?"

  "Lately, there has been less contact. After Secretary Chen returned from the provincial city last time, he had more contact with Li Ming. Secretary Chen thought that he was familiar with all the members of the county team, and we didn't pay much attention to it."

  "How is Li Ming's performance?"

  "Li Ming's performance has undergone a significant transformation, which was after Secretary Ding came to Shalong County for inspection and guidance at the beginning of the year. When Li Ming first arrived in Shalong County, his spirit was not good, with some self-pity, and he was not very dedicated to his work. Later, we heard from the hotel service staff that Li Ming had a long conversation with Director Xu, Secretary Ding's secretary, and since then, Li Ming's attitude has changed, and he began to actively take charge of his work."

  Huang Haitao's face didn't look good, he had just found out about this situation.

  "Lao He, Lao Chen, in this kind of situation, you should inform me earlier from now on."

  He Xuxiong and Chen Dazhi lowered their heads, not speaking. In their opinion, this was a good thing. Team members always had to do something. If they were listless for a long time, it wasn't a good thing. Besides, Li Ming's identity was quite special. When he first arrived in Shalong County, the two of them had some ideas, but since the organization arranged it, they couldn't say anything. In their opinion, Li Ming was trouble. Why did this kind of trouble come to Shalong County?

  "You are the main responsible persons of the Shalong County Party Committee and Government, you must do your best to do all the work well. If you cannot understand the situation of the team members in time, how can you carry out the work? Shalong County is so big, you cannot care about every cadre. Your responsibility is to grasp the thoughts of the team members, let all team members' thoughts be highly unified, and resolutely implement the decisions of the county party committee and government, only then can you achieve twice the result with half the effort."

  The situation in Huaiyang City is very clear to He Xuxiong and Chen Dazhi. The municipal party committee and the municipal government have always had contradictions in their development direction. In the past, Huang Haitao has never said such things before. The two of them suddenly felt a little unusual. Could something be happening? It shouldn't be, should it? Since the beginning of the year, everything has been developing normally, without any changes.

  "Mayor Huang, Li Ming is the vice county head in charge of culture and education. Generally speaking, he can't make any decisions. The county party committee has a deputy secretary in charge of social development, and the heads of county-level units report to the county party committee when they need to ask for instructions or report on their work. All decisions are carefully studied by the county party committee before being implemented."

  "The situation in Shalun County is clear to me. I invited you here today just to understand the relevant situation and remind you of some things. I am not denying your work. Your biggest task is to continue maintaining stability, with Shalun County's economic growth rate at a mid-level in the city, keeping such speed, you are meritorious."

  He Xuxiong and Chen Dazhi soon understood the meaning, they were Huang Haitao's confidants, how could they not understand the meaning of the words, Shalong County cannot have abnormal ideas, it must be highly unified, strictly implement Huang Haitao's decision, to put it bluntly, Shalong County should listen to Huang Haitao, not Ding Yuan.

  "Mayor Huang, after we return, immediately convene a county party committee standing committee meeting to further unify our thinking. The overall work plan for Salong County this year has been determined, with the general principle of 'big stability and small adjustments'. Currently, all work is proceeding in an orderly manner. Do you have any other instructions?"

  "Alright, that's all. From now on, you should pay more attention to Chen Mubiao. Chen Mubiao has just arrived in Shalun County and is going through a familiarization process. Agriculture is a vast field with complex and detailed work. It will take some time for Chen Mubiao to grasp the situation, so you should consider assisting him with his work."

  He Xuxiong and Chen Dazhi tactfully took their leave, but the shock in their hearts was far from being calmed down in a short time. When Chen Mubiao first arrived at Shalong County, Huang Haitao asked them to fully support him, so that Chen Mubiao could quickly become familiar with his work and take full responsibility for Shalong County's agricultural work. At that time, the two men even thought that Chen Mubiao might soon be appointed as the county magistrate of Shalong County or a government official in another city. After all, agricultural work is still very important in Huaiyang City at present. But now, the strategy has changed, and support has turned into assistance. Huang Haitao would not say such words casually. The difference between the two words is obvious: support means authorization, while assistance means withdrawal of power. In other words, Chen Mubiao's status had undergone a subtle change. The two men did not know why this was the case, and they absolutely would not ask questions about it. What Huang Haitao wanted them to know, he would certainly tell them; what he did not want them to know, asking about it would be pointless.

  Yu Huixiang quickly entered Huang Haitao's home.

  Yu Huixiang is 35 years old and has been serving as Huang Haitao's secretary for 5 years. Due to his intelligence and agility, he has gained Huang Haitao's deep trust. After Li Ming went to Shalong County to serve as vice county magistrate, Huang Haitao revealed his intention that Yu Huixiang might go down to serve as county mayor soon. Yu Huixiang felt that his age was just right, so he worked even harder and more diligently.

  "Xiao Yu, are you aware of the plan for industrial structure adjustment that the municipal party committee is about to propose?"

  "I inquired with Director Li of the General Affairs Section of the Municipal Party Committee Office, and the draft plan was mainly based on the model of Huai'an City, focusing on agriculture, and also mentioned the issue of attracting investment. The large greenhouse vegetables in Huai'an City have achieved good results, and the sales problem has been solved, with most of the vegetables being sold to the provincial capital and other cities and states. Recently, Huai'an City is preparing to draft summary materials, which were reported to you by Secretary Zhao and Mayor Xu last time, roughly meaning these things."

  "Uh, you'd better get a clear understanding of the situation soon. Industrial structure adjustment is a big deal and can't be decided casually. It requires thorough investigation and research. Every decision we make must be solid and reliable. Currently, Huaiyang City's overall development path is not bad, but Huainan City seized the opportunity and took a step ahead, which also involves great risks."

  Yu Huixiang nodded, he had already understood the meaning. It seemed that this time, the discussion on the industrial structure adjustment in Huaiyang City would not be smooth, and might even trigger intense collisions. Now, his task was to understand the situation and provide sufficient reasons for Huang Haitao to temporarily not support the industrial structure adjustment.

  After Yu Huixiang left, Huang Haitao thought for a moment and picked up the phone to dial several numbers. There was a lot of work to be done beforehand, and it would be too late if they waited until the meeting started to study it.

  In dealing with Xu Shaojie, Huang Haitao is not too concerned. Some things in the province, Huang Haitao also knows about it. For now, can't be impatient, there's still some time. If development goes smoothly and Ding Yuan leaves Huaiyang City, then dealing with Xu Shaojie will be a piece of cake. The most important task at present is to prevent Ding Yuan from changing his plan.

  Thinking of this, Huang Haitao's mood improved a bit. He believed that Ding Yuan also knew some things about the province. In official circles, the power behind the scenes is very important and sometimes even decisive.

  Huang Haitao has been the mayor for 6 years, he doesn't want to be the second-in-command forever, it's time for him to take over as the municipal party secretary, of course, this requires a lot of effort, Huang Haitao believes he has made all necessary preparations and is waiting for the changes in the second half of the year.