Chapter 80: First Arrival
The way to make choices in politics often lies in the promotion and demotion of positions. If you advance, you gain; if you retreat, you give up. It is difficult to tell the difference between gains and losses.
Hu Jiao sat in the off-road vehicle, quietly watching the Longtong City in the autumn colors.
From Nanzhao to the southwest, across two provinces, whether it is the topography or the customs and practices, they are completely different.
The people here speak in a very interesting way, with an upturned accent. It's not a northern language, nor a southern fast tongue. It has the boldness and passion of the West, as well as the characteristics of minority pronunciation.
Blended together, they form Longtong's unique dialect.
The capital city of the southwestern province is called Fufeng. It is 700 kilometers from Fufeng to Longtong, and more than half of them are rural dirt roads. Of the remaining half, three-quarters are secondary roads, and there are only less than 80 kilometers of expressways.
Hu Jiao's first feeling when he arrived in Longtong was that time had gone back. He drove off the highway to the secondary road, and then off the secondary road to the rural road.
Entering Longtong, the air was thick with fog and smoke, and the smell of coal and livestock feces was mixed in. The shops along the street were hung with colorful clothes and rechargeable speakers. Listen carefully, "Big sale! We can't open anymore, big sale at a loss!"
There is a "click" sound, and then the playback is repeated.
Hu Jiao felt helpless about going to the village market in Tieshu. In Nanzhao, rat poison was sold with a loudspeaker, but he didn't expect that the shops here would also use this thing.
The impressions of a city are usually arranged like this: air, colors, smells, and architecture.
Needless to say, the air in Longtong is gray in color, which is of course related to the weather and the lack of greenery. Most of the main buildings are covered with dust. From a distance, they still look somewhat sleek, but up close, they are really dirty.
Longtong Basin is not small, but the streets are not wide. Apart from the buildings facing the street, you can occasionally see earthen walls, green tiles and thatched houses when passing through the alleys between the streets.
Hu Jiao sighed softly, and finally struggled forward and kicked it in front of Jiefang.
On September 29th, he reported to the Organization Department of the Provincial Party Committee. He was a stranger in the place and had just arrived. He was ignored by the Provincial Party Committee for the whole morning. He knocked on the office twice and was turned away both times.
With the letter of introduction in hand, Hu Jiao sat in the corridor helplessly, waiting for the people in the office to finish the meeting. When they opened the door, Hu Jiao was about to go forward, but they had already waved and said, "It's time to get off work. Anything? Come back this afternoon."
I have no relatives, not even any college classmates.
Wang Haixing, this fat thief, is so cunning. He reported for work early and then ran back to Sanmei in a flash, saying that he would officially start work after National Day.
Hu Jiao had no choice but to book an hourly room in a nearby guesthouse. After eating and taking a nap, he showed up outside the Organization Department office a few minutes late for work.
This time I was lucky enough to meet the deputy director of the office, and Hu Jiao handed him a letter of introduction.
The other person was a middle-aged man in his forties. He frowned and looked Hu Jiao up and down. "Is it you?"
Hu Jiao still had a faint smile on his face, appearing calm and humble.
"That's true, Mayor Hu..."
Hu Jiao quickly corrected, "Hu Jiao, just call me by my name."
"Oh, that's good. My last name is Zhang. Comrade Hu Jiao, today only Deputy Minister Li is at home. I'll go ask for you."
Hu Jiao nodded, took the other's hand affectionately, and shook it vigorously a few times, showing a special enthusiasm, "Sorry to bother Director Zhang."
He forced a smile on his face and called out to the people behind him, "Make some tea. This is the new deputy mayor of Longtong, his last name is Hu."
The person who sent Hu Jiao away in the morning took the teacup, smiling, and looked at people while making tea. Seeing that Deputy Zhang had left, he offered his seat and said, "Don't mind, Mayor Hu. There have been some troubles in the department these two days, and everyone is angry about the criticism. Please forgive me if I have offended you."
Hu Jiao nodded and moved his butt. "No, no. I came at the wrong time. The leaders were in a meeting. What's your name?"
"Come, have some tea. What's the big deal? My name is Wu Yinshan. Haha, I work as an office handyman. Mayor Hu..."
Hu Jiao interrupted Wu Yinshan, "Hu Jiao! Not yet."
Wu Yinshan chuckled a few times, "Okay. Judging from you, you are less than 30 years old, right?"
"Thirty at the latest, just turned thirty."
"Are you from Nanzhao? I seem to have heard that you have a high degree?"
Another older lady in the office, who was in her early forties, quickly answered, "Three degrees! Doctorate, Master's, and Bachelor's, spanning three majors. Right?"
Hu Jiao moved his butt again, "Hey, I just studied too hard and don't have enough work experience. I'm far behind you. A degree doesn't mean anything . What really matters is that you do a good job at work."
Wu Yinshan had a slicked-back haircut, a double-breasted suit, white casual pants, and a pair of sneakers on his feet. He smiled, revealing a mouthful of cigarette-stained teeth. "Be modest, be modest. You are now a deputy director, so what are we? Haha, you are just kidding."
Hu Jiao smiled bitterly, "Brother Wu, I am just taking advantage of my diploma. What's your name, sister?"
"Shui Yuqun, you call me Lao Shui. Don't speak in official language to us. What place is this? The Organization Department of the Provincial Party Committee! You have been the secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Secretary. You have been the county party secretary there for three years, right? The county's fiscal revenue has increased more than ten times. It's a pity... Haha, it's nothing. Look at me talking nonsense. It's good to come here to help with poverty alleviation. Our poor places need great people like you."
Shui Yuqun's series of local accents made Hu Jiao's eyebrows twitch. He listened but didn't understand everything. She babbled and made vivid facial expressions while she spoke. She rolled her eyes, squinted, blinked, and the corners of her mouth pulled the flesh on her face and rolled it back and forth. She looked exaggerated and a little childish.
But his tone was teasing, without any sarcasm.
Hu Jiao could only laugh. Wu Yinshan saw something was wrong and asked tentatively, "You, don't quite understand Fu Feng's words, do you?"
Hu Jiao looked at Shui Yuqun and said, "I'm sorry, Sister Shui, I didn't understand everything."
Everyone in the office couldn't help laughing. Shui Yuqun shouted "Hi" and just as she was about to speak, she hummed twice and then began to speak in Mandarin, "What I mean is that you were very capable in the past. We have all read your resume. You are exactly the talent that Longtong needs."
When Hu Jiao was about to answer, Deputy Director Zhang came in with a big smile on his face, "Mayor Hu, you're lucky. When I went there, Minister Shen happened to come back. He wants to talk to you in person."
Before coming, Hu Jiao had memorized the basic information of all . Minister Shen was not the deputy minister that Deputy Director Zhang just mentioned, but Shen Yifu, the genuine member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and the head of the Organization Group.
Although Hu Jiao had learned about the basic situation of these leaders, it would still take time for him to find out the close relationships among the members of the provincial party committee.
Hu Zhongzhi and Hu Jianguo will no longer provide him with any convenience in this regard.
Hu Jiao no longer had any illusions. Anyway, from now on, it was the first step of a long march. This Shen Yifu had the same position as his father Hu Jianguo.
But the person is completely different. Hu Jianguo is more profound, calm and composed, not anxious or irritable, and speaks with force.
Shen Renfu had lost his hair early, and the hair above his left ear was very long, which was curled over to cover his bald spot. He was also very well dressed, wearing a well-ironed suit and a dark red tie.
His eyebrows were short and thick, with a few long eyebrows curling down at the corners, his eye bags were slightly deep, and the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes revealed a smile.
Holding hands, Hu Jiao felt a little awkward. The minister's hands were too soft, with thick flesh and fat palms, which felt a bit soft and boneless. An old man with such hands.
He doesn't sound like a scholar or a businessman. His voice is a little hoarse, but it is very special. Once you hear it, you will remember it forever.
"Comrade Hu Jiao, welcome to join the revolutionary army that is building the Southwest."
After Deputy Director Zhang left, Minister Shen's secretary made tea and the formal conversation began.
Hu Jiao said a few humble words, and Minister Shen smiled and asked, "First time in the southwest, right?"
Hu Jiao nodded, "It's my first time here, the scenery is much more beautiful than ours."
Shen Yifu waved his hand, "I've been to Nanzhao, a real Jiangnan water town, it's incomparable. The development of the southwest is unfavorable and it lags behind. This time we applied for support from the east, and talent recruitment is one of the key points. Among the department-level cadres who came this time, you are the youngest and have the highest diploma. You have it all. Secretary Chen of the Provincial Party Committee attaches great importance to you. At the department level and above, you are the only one with a formal and famous doctorate. So, you must give full play to your role. After you go down, feel free to come to me if you have any difficulties, unite with your comrades, use your talents and strive to open up the overall economic development of Longtong. How is it? Do you have confidence?"
After sitting down, Hu Jiao kept his back straight, his eyes level, and his hands on his knees. "First, I will work hard to unite with my comrades, obey the orders of the provincial party committee, and obey the arrangements of the municipal party committee and government. Secondly, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to guide me. I was born and raised in Nanzhao, and I don't know much about the southwest. I only know the basic situation of Longtong City before the battle. After receiving the notice, I looked for information from some written materials. I believe that under the correct leadership of the provincial party committee and government, the members of the municipal leadership team will be able to seize the opportunity, catch up, and fully realize the fundamental goal of building a greater southwest."
Shen Yifu nodded repeatedly. It seemed that Hu Jiao was not the kind of person who was unable to pour out the dumplings in the teapot.
From what he just said, we can tell that he has a very good attitude, behaves very modestly and low-key, and is mentally fully prepared, so there is no need to put too much pressure on him.
"Very good. You are aware and calm. I believe you should be able to make progress in your work soon. Of course, you have come all the way to the southwest by yourself. It will take some time for you to get used to the living habits and the climate. I will call Zhao Mingfang in person and ask him to take some time to take care of your living problems. He is an old Longtong who has worked there for eight years and is also the squad leader. It is reasonable for him to do so."
Listening to Shen Yifu's earnest words and his caring attitude like a spring breeze, if Hu Jiao had not grown up in a high-ranking official family, she would have been moved to tears at this moment.
Hu Jiao looked at Minister Shen sincerely, his tone a little excited, "Thank you Minister Shen for your concern! To be honest, before coming here, I was worried that I would run into obstacles everywhere and be hated by others. I didn't expect the leaders in Southwest China to be so generous. This makes me more confident in my future work!"
Shen Yifu nodded with a smile. He knew that Hu Jiao was flattering him, but he accepted it calmly. However, he was laughing in his heart, boy, others may not know your background, but don’t I know it?
But he didn't intend to expose the truth. He followed the advice of his old friend and threw him to that hellhole in Longtong to be beaten.
Thinking of the situation in Longtong, Shen Yifu couldn't help but have a headache. The members of the two teams of the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government were divided into many factions. In one word: chaos!
Hu Jianguo said, the world is in chaos, heroes are rising, whether you are a dragon or a worm, you will have to roll down and see.
"I'll ask Vice Minister Han to send you to take up your post. Calm down and do a good job of research. Well... don't act rashly and listen more to Zhao Mingfang's opinions."
After saying that, Shen Yifu began to look at his watch.
Hu Jiao hurriedly stood up and said goodbye. Shen Yifu arranged for his secretary to notify Deputy Minister Han to set a time and personally sent Hu Jiao to the door.
The last few sentences of today's conversation are the key. Hu Jiao is no longer a humble man. Shen Yifu's hint that he should lean towards the municipal party secretary shows that the provincial party committee still prefers the top leader. The situation in Longtong is not optimistic. To win in chaos, we must first win a strong ally.
Han Anding is in his early forties and is the first deputy minister of the Organization Department . Hu Jiao did not have time to inquire about his specific background.
Longtong did not hold any grand welcome ceremony. Everything seemed very low-key. Secretary Zhao Mingfang of the Municipal Party Committee, several major leaders at home, and some cadres of the Municipal Government were present.
There were about twenty people. Han Anding quickly announced Hu Jiao's appointment. Zhao Mingfang made a brief speech on behalf of the Municipal Party Committee. Mayor Zhou Shengling was on a business trip. The municipal government was represented by Standing Committee Deputy Mayor Liu Mengjie, who expressed his welcome.
Finally, Hu Jiao gave a very insightful and modern speech. "I am Hu Jiao. I am very happy to work with you. Thank you all!"
After he finished speaking, the temporary meeting place fell silent for nearly ten seconds. Then Zhao Mingfang took the lead in applauding, and the applause began to spread sparsely.
Sitting in the car, Hu Jiao looked at Liu Luo, the deputy director of the Municipal Government Office, who was sitting in the front row.
It was a headache, and Longtong's dialect gave him an even bigger headache. He knew a little about Fufeng dialect, and by half guessing and half listening, he could still understand most of the meaning, but he could not understand Longtong dialect at all.
Liu Luo was the only one who spoke Mandarin to him at the welcome party today. In this regard, Zhao Mingfang personally instructed that Hu Jiao's personal life arrangements would be left to her to take full responsibility.
The car slowly stopped and looked at this domestically assembled off-road vehicle. There was no need to guess, it must be the same as Tong County and Sanmei County before, the road was too bad, so they had to buy an off-road vehicle.
The 70% new off-road vehicle was only average in the city government's eyes and was not even as good as the secretary-general's special car, but Hu Jiao had no objection to this.
A car is equivalent to half of a leader's face. If a car is too good and too expensive, it will attract attention, cause slander, and appear domineering. Even if you do a good job, it will be difficult for people who are not familiar with the situation to like you.
The Longtong Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse is located in the city center, adjacent to the municipal government. There are eight buildings of varying ages in the courtyard.
Other leaders in the city all have corresponding residences. Among the leaders living in the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse, besides Yao Qisheng, the second secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, there is Hu Jiao.
Yao Qisheng has the same name and surname as Yao Qisheng, a famous minister of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. This Yao Qisheng, like Hu Jiao, is a tall and thin man and graduated from Northwest University.
Yao Qisheng is from Fufeng. His wife and children are all in Fufeng. He is 46 years old this year.
At the welcome party, there were only three members of the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee: Zhao Mingfang, Liu Mengjie, and Yao Qisheng.
Yao Qisheng gave people a very energetic impression, with a hooked nose, slightly sunken mouth corners, and slightly protruding brow bones. When he smiled, he was gentle, reserved, and polite. He looked at people very attentively and kept smiling when listening to others.
So Hu Jiao has a special liking for Yao Qisheng, who is a career-oriented man and also a very charming and infectious person.
Although Han Anding is a man of few words, he still briefly commented on the local leaders on the way to Longtong. Regarding Yao Qisheng, he only said one sentence, "He is a very hardworking person."
Liu Luo sat in the passenger seat and secretly looked at the new deputy mayor through the rearview mirror.
Young, handsome and very polite.
Even with her discerning eyes, she had to admit that Hu Jiao was a handsome man with both good looks and beauty.
Especially those long eyebrows and crescent eyes, they are so charming when she smiles.
