Power and Wealth

Morning.

Ring, ring.

Ring, ring.

The phone hasn't stopped.

Dong Xuebing answered greetings from many friends and colleagues. Even the Discipline Inspection Secretary, Pu An, personally came to his office to ask what was happening. People had various speculations about Dong Xuebing's actions this time. Some thought there was a conflict with Mayor Jiang, some believed it was a compromise between the Jiang faction and the Meng faction, and others suspected hidden interests they were unaware of. Some even thought Dong Xuebing couldn't control the Development and Reform Bureau situation, so he decided to hand it over to others instead of waiting for problems to arise. However, nobody was naive enough to believe Dong Xuebing's claim about health issues. When Pu An asked, Dong Xuebing stuck to his story of being tired, weak, and anemic, portraying himself as seriously ill. Pu An was skeptical but didn't press further.

The county leadership roles had been adjusted at the mayor's meeting, but it hadn't reached the Standing Committee yet. A vote might reject this adjustment, so Dong Xuebing was cautious. He pretended to be unwell and took a day off, going to the hospital in the morning for a check-up.

CT scan.

X-rays.

Blood tests.

Everything that could be checked was examined thoroughly. Dong Xuebing almost wished to stay in the hospital for a few days.

At noon, Ci Boyang answered a call from the County Party Secretary, Meng Rui, and didn't go downstairs to eat. Instead, he went directly to Meng Rui's office, knocked on the door, and entered. "Secretary Meng."

Meng Rui pressed his hand, "Sit down and talk."

Ci Boyang sat in front of his desk. "Have you heard?"

Meng Rui nodded, looking at him, "What's going on?"

Ci Boyang smiled bitterly, "I don't know either. Mayor Jiang suddenly convened an office meeting, announced the adjustment of duties, and then adjourned."

Meng Rui frowned, "Wasn't the work progressing well in the Development and Reform Bureau?"

"Exactly. There hasn't been any problem. I even made a phone call just now to inquire. I heard nothing. I don't understand why Dong Xuebing would hand over the responsibilities of such an important department and whether it was his initiative."

Meng Rui said, "I heard Mayor Dong went to the hospital."

"Yeah, he asked for leave. But his health should not be a big problem." Ci Boyang was puzzled, "Even if he had some health issues, how could he give away the Development and Reform Bureau, such an important department? Even if he doesn't have time to handle the work there, the bureau has a leader and deputy leaders to manage it. I don't understand. When Mayor Jiang mentioned the adjustment of duties, I thought it was aimed at me. Who would have thought they would distribute and take away Dong Xuebing's authority and give it to me."

Meng Rui remained silent for a while, "Go and have your lunch first."

"Okay." Ci Boyang then left.

Meng Rui sat alone in his office, contemplating more than Ci Boyang had anticipated. With Dong Xuebing's move, Meng Rui first considered whether Jiang's faction wanted to remove Ci Boyang. If Ci Boyang had deep connections with the Science and Technology Bureau, Dong Xuebing, by taking over and investigating the bureau's accounts, could potentially undermine Ci Boyang. However, Meng Rui quickly dismissed this possibility because the Science and Technology Bureau had no significant resources or funds. Even if Ci Boyang was not clever, there was nothing to gain. Moreover, Ci Boyang's attitude suggested he had nothing to hide. Excluding this possibility, could it be that Jiang Fangfang or Dong Xuebing's side wanted to negotiate something with him? This seemed to be the most plausible explanation. Two days ago, he received a disability retirement application from a deputy township head in Qing Shui Township. Could Jiang's faction have targeted him? However, Meng Rui was puzzled because he had not received any communication from Jiang Fangfang beforehand. How could they hand over the Development and Reform Bureau without any notice? The Development and Reform Bureau was less dispensable than the Science and Technology Bureau. Meng Rui remained vigilant.

But, no matter how puzzled he was, Meng Rui could not find a reason to reject the work distribution during the upcoming Party Committee meeting in two days. There was no reason to refuse the offered benefits. If he rejected the adjustment decided by the county government, not only might Ci Boyang have thoughts, but it would also be equivalent to slapping Jiang's faction in the face. At this moment, when both Meng's and Jiang's factions were enjoying a honeymoon period, Meng Rui didn't want to create conflicts. Both sides knew that Zhen Shui County had entered a period of rapid economic development, and intense internal conflicts were detrimental to everyone.

After careful consideration, Meng Rui made a decision.The source of thɪs content is novelenglish.net . Fir(e).nᴇt

Two days later.

At the County Party Standing Committee meeting, the adjustment of duties for Comrades Dong Xuebing and Ci Boyang was approved. Regarding selecting the deputy township Chief of Qing Shui Township, Dong Xuebing, showing fairness, proposed Comrade Yao Cui, who was successfully approved. Other appointments and work adjustments were also passed. The meeting proceeded harmoniously, and both Meng's and Jiang's factions benefited.

Five days later.

When almost everyone had forgotten about Dong Xuebing's inexplicable decision to voluntarily resign, a sudden call from the Chinese Academy of Sciences informed the county. Following that, a call from the deputy provincial governor in charge of science and technology confirmed the location of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' latest 503 experimental base in Qing Shui Township, Zhen Shui County. The project would officially commence next month on the 1st, and they requested full cooperation from Zhen Shui County. As for the site selection, communication with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and coordination with the local government all fell under the responsibilities of Dong Xuebing, who was in charge of science and technology.

When this news reached the county, everyone was shocked.

No one had expected such a huge opportunity to fall into Zhen Shui County's lap.

They hadn't even lobbied for it. How could such a significant project land in their county? Such good fortune was beyond anyone's expectations.