Reborn as a Noble’s Son

Chapter 347: Chapter 338 Secretary’s Office Meeting_1
The financial power of Liangxi City was not in the hands of Nie Zhenbang. Liu Qingquan was just a deputy director of the Finance Bureau, and he was the kind who was ranked at the end of the list.

Nie Zhenbang was well aware of some tricks about financing. If they say there is no money, then there is no money. No matter how it looks on the outside, even if everyone knows there is money in the Liangxi City finance account. However, if Fan Changsheng does not agree, then there is virtually no money. Even if one is well aware that there is money in the finance account. If he doesn’t wish to give it, he still won’t. Naturally, Fan Changsheng has hundreds of reasons to dodge responsibility.

Nie Zhenbang contemplated briefly before speaking in a solemn tone, “Very well. I understand. You may return to your tasks.”

At this point, Nie Zhenbang couldn’t appear unprepared in front of Liu Qingquan. This was a matter of principle. If he showed any signs of helplessness, in Liu Qingquan’s eyes, it would be a sign of incompetence. Such behaviour could demoralize his subordinates. Nie Zhenbang was not a novice, so he naturally wouldn’t make such a basic mistake. In fact, his statement gave an impression of profound mystery.

As a superior leader, you have to be approachable in front of subordinates. Yet, you also need to maintain a certain authority and deterrence. In this respect, Nie Zhenbang was doing a proper job.

After hanging up the phone, Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment and had made up his mind. He then went to meet the old secretary and said, “Old Secretary, I cannot give you a definite answer to this matter at the moment.”

Nie Zhenbang’s words changed the complexion of the old cadres present at the venue. Among the crowd, a 72-year-old man pursed his lips, grumbling discontentedly in a low voice, “Such a mayor, I thought he could solve practical problems. After all this fuss, he is just the same as those guys like Fan Changsheng. What a waste of my time.”

Though he spoke in a low voice, many people nearby heard his words. These old cadres, with their qualifications and some old faces, were on par with the municipal party secretary and the mayor. They weren’t afraid of anything during their tenure, and now that they are retired, they fear even less.

Nie Zhenbang heard these words. When he glanced sideways, he recognized this old man, who had once served as a deputy mayor of Liangxi City. It was clear that the old man said these words deliberately for Nie Zhenbang’s ears.

Nie Zhenbang, however, responded calmly and with a slight smile. He then walked over to the Old Secretary and spoke with a smile, “Old Secretary, as for the matter of purchasing vehicles and building Elderly Activity Center for the retirees, this matter concerns whether all our veteran cadres will have a stable retiree life. Regarding this matter from the perspective of physical and spiritual civilization, I am supportive.”

He paused for a moment, then looked at the expressionless face of He Dingbang and continued, “Old Secretary, although the funds involved in this matter are not substantial, this is still a project. You are an experienced leader, old secretary, and you are well aware of the procedures of the municipal party committee and government. I can only assure you that I will fully support and operate this initiative with my utmost effort.”

After saying this, Nie Zhenbang felt himself at the mercy of fate. Upon his arrival in Liangxi City, nobody was paying him any heed, which was expected. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also prepared to be lectured by these old cadres.

However, to Nie Zhenbang’s surprise, as he spoke, a change flitted over He Dingbang’s age-spotted face. With a wave of his hand, he said solemnly, “Old comrades, let’s all calm down and listen to me.”

Undeniably, He Dingbang still had considerable influence among the senior leaders of Liangx. His words immediately quieted the noise, and he said, “We are all familiar with the system since we’ve all held leadership positions before. Therefore, I’ll keep it brief. The current attitude of Mayor Nie makes me feel a lot more relieved. We can all wait for a while longer. I believe that Mayor Nie will strive to achieve a satisfactory result for us.”

While helping Nie Zhenbang out of the difficult situation, He Dingbang also subtly put more pressure on him. Indeed, experience counts.

…

“Mr. Mayor, He Dingbang has pushed you into the corner with this move. By now, I’m afraid the cadres in the city know about your situation at the old cadre bureau. Neither Li Guohua nor Fan Changsheng will be of any help, and if the matter does not go as we wish, our trip to the old cadre bureau will become a joke.” On the return trip, Yi Jun, who was in the front passenger seat, turned his head and said to Nie Zhenbang.

At this moment, however, Nie Zhenbang pinched the bridge of his nose. The situation in Liangxi City was unexpectedly surprising. Upon arriving in Liangxi, Nie Zhenbang was ambitious; however, he didn’t expect the situation to be so hard to handle. The feeling of loss of control made Nie Zhenbang a little uncomfortable.

Yi Jun’s words were clear to Nie Zhenbang. Moreover, the consequences were not as simple as being a laughingstock. This matter, it is fair to say, was a pivotal one for him. If he succeeds, he could remain unshakeable. However, if he fails, it could be difficult to turn things around afterwards. Nevertheless, at this moment, a strong sense of determination surged in Nie Zhenbang’s heart.

With that in mind, Nie Zhenbang nodded, “Xiaoyi, knowing is easy, but acting is difficult. After returning, draft a report on the problems of the Elderly Activity Center. Highlight the problems and difficulties. This time, I plan to bring it up for discussion at the Standing Committee.”

Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang’s words, Yi Jun was slightly taken aback. He couldn’t quite make out the Mayor’s intentions. However, knowing that Nie Zhenbang would have his plans, Yi Jun nodded in agreement, “Yes, Mayor, rest assured, I will prepare it as soon as I return. It should be ready for you by tomorrow morning.”

After he finished speaking, a lightbulb seemed to go off in Yi Jun’s mind. Isn’t tomorrow the regular Secretary’s Office meeting?

The Secretary’s Office is not a primary decision-making body, it cannot make significant decisions. It serves as a forum for the Secretary and several Deputy Secretaries to discuss and set the agenda for the Standing Committee meetings. It does not replace the Standing Committee. When discussing issues at the Standing Committee, previous discussions at the Secretary’s Office should not be brought up to influence other committee members’ opinions. If the majority of committee members disagree with the Secretary’s Office’s opinions and have reasonable arguments, they should abandon the Secretary’s Office’s opinions and adopt the majority’s views. It can be convened as needed for work. The meeting topics are: (1) Discussing issues for consideration at the Standing Committee; (2) Coordinating the implementation of the Standing Committee’s decisions; (3) Exchanging information about daily work.

Generally, the Secretary’s Office meeting is held weekly. In Liangxi City, besides Fan Changsheng, others eligible to attend include Zhu Zhuozhen, Nie Zhenbang, Lei Dingguo and Huang Jiang.

According to tradition, these individuals were all Deputy Secretaries. Although the role of Deputy Secretary was abolished due to recent reforms in the cadre system, the system itself has been retained.

In the small conference room of the Municipal Party Committee, aside from the five leaders attending the Secretary’s Office meeting, Secretary-General Hu Youquan was also present to serve as the meeting’s recorder.

At this moment, Fan Changsheng sat in the central position, his gaze sweeping over everyone. He seemed to completely ignore the presence of Nie Zhenbang.

After a slight clearing of his throat, Fan Changsheng began, “Comrades, the main points of this Secretary’s Office meeting are as follows. First, reconsider the reopening of Liangxi Airport; second, responding to the call from the Provincial Party Committee’s Organization Department, how can we properly arrange selected personnel. Let’s discuss these two issues, which we can use as the agenda for the next regular Standing Committee meeting.”

As soon as his words fell, Nie Zhenbang set down his pen, looked up and said, “Secretary Fan, respected leaders, may I have a word?”

Nie Zhenbang’s remarks caused Fan Changsheng’s expression to darken. However, no matter how overbearing Fan Changsheng may be, he wouldn’t deny Nie Zhenbang the right to speak. As Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and Acting Mayor of Liangxi City, if he didn’t have the right to speak, then Fan Changsheng’s days as Secretary would be numbered.

With that, Nie Zhenbang slowly said, “Secretary Fan, in addition to these two topics, I would like to add another. It’s about the Elderly Activity Center needing additional dedicated vehicles and a new activity center. I feel this also relates to a significant matter affecting our city’s stability. I suggest we discuss this at the next Standing Committee meeting.”

When his words left his mouth, Fan Changsheng’s face changed. Nie Zhenbang was not simple. If this issue were discussed at the Standing Committee, no member would refuse. The matters of the Standing Committee have never been secrets. As soon as the meeting ends, every leader’s behavior, even a sneeze, would be known. Adding to that, matters concerning the Elderly Activity Center were, in reality, matters concerning the retired leaders. To approach each one individually, each person could use numerous reasons to evade the issue. However, once brought up at the Standing Committee, no one would oppose. This includes Fan Changsheng himself. If anyone were to do so, they would become the target of criticism, and attacked by these retired cadres. These were all retired leaders and cadres from Liangxi City, who didn’t have countless relatives and friends? Offending them would be offending over half of the city’s cadres.

With this in mind, Fan Changsheng slowly said, “Mayor Nie, the issues with the Elderly Activity Center are legacy issues. I think we should discuss it next time.”

PS: I’ve had no time to write during the day, only being able to do so after my children go to bed. Here’s the first update. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to qidian.com to vote and support. Your support is my greatest motivation.)