Generation Z Artists

Chapter 234 The Ultimate Application of Money Power
In contemporary China, the sheer scale of spending 3 million yuan in one go has surprised everyone.

Black Brother and Liao Brother immediately started licking him.

The provincial education department director and the vice minister in charge of education drove up to Fang Xinghe's house and invited him to the local area to attend the foundation's founding ceremony.

Unable to refuse such hospitality, Fang Xinghe had no choice but to go.

In fact, the Fang Xinghe Poverty Education Fund is not an independently operated formal fund, but rather more like a donation model.

However, following Gigi's operational experience, Blackie directly set up an internal structure within the education sector to specifically manage this fund.

The department head enthusiastically explained: "Our model has largely followed a comprehensive poverty alleviation process involving multi-departmental cooperation, education fund management, and local government management."

Civil affairs statistics, education approval, school advance payment, enrollment in advance, subsequent payment, community confirmation, local aggregation, audit and review, annual settlement...

We must ensure that all impoverished students receive the education they are entitled to, minimizing disruption and hassle, and allowing them to study with ease…

The department head spoke a lot of official jargon and platitudes, but he also did his job very well in a down-to-earth manner.

The three northeastern provinces have many bad habits and are not very open, but the importance that Fang Xinghe attaches to education is extremely high.

This place is very poor, but Fang Xinghe felt very comfortable with both the cooperation of the people and the care of the government.

Having explained everything, the vice-commander asked Fang Xinghe for his comments.

Fang Xinghe didn't stand on ceremony; this wasn't the time for politeness.

"Okay, then I'll just mention one thing briefly—is there any way for the school to also profit from this?"

This will motivate them and ensure that the living and psychological well-being of impoverished students is properly addressed on the front lines of the fight against the epidemic.

I don't quite understand your work process, but I think that honors or practical benefits will ultimately be of some use, so that frontline staff won't suffer and feel wronged.

The high level of cooperation in the three northeastern provinces does not mean that other provinces and cities are the same.

If a mature model can be developed that can be easily promoted anywhere, then this work will be completely finished.

"Excellent! A visionary and comprehensive idea, indeed a brilliant one!"

A burst of applause erupted around me; it was a little awkward, but also kind of satisfying.

The relevant leaders of the Black Brother immediately held a meeting to discuss how to motivate the school.

Ultimately, it was initially decided that the care for impoverished students should be included as an indicator. At the school level, this involves resource allocation, and at the local level, it involves performance evaluation by supervisors.

In the words of the deputy commander: "When we were broke, we complained about being poor, but now that we have money, we're telling you to get things done. If you can't do it well, you're all out of a job!"

Fang Xinghe ignored such remarks and simply made a promise.

"According to the final standards we have determined, 1.5 million will only be enough to cover three years. Two years from now, I will come to see the results of the leaders. As long as I have the capacity, I will continue to do this."

The group was overjoyed.

Spending 1.5 million over three years is a completely different concept from spending 5000 million over nine years.

Initially, Fang Xinghe was involved in helping extremely impoverished children with their education.

Thanks to the foundation laid in the past, there are not many extremely poor school-age children in the three provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning. The first donation to Jilin was enough to cover the cost of nine years of compulsory education for all of them.

Later, as he earned more and more money, he simply expanded the scope of his educational assistance to include the national standard poverty standard.

This is not the same thing as "extreme poverty." It's more like the number of people receiving assistance has increased tenfold.

For Fang Xinghe, this was purely educational funding.

However, for local governments, this is not just a matter of decoupling from education.

At the final formal donation meeting, the leader made a special appearance and delivered an emotional speech.

"Many of our people, as poor families, have very simple hopes for a better life. Where do they place their hopes?"

It will be in the next generation.

Our people are truly going to great lengths, even selling their possessions, to support their children's education. In some areas, there may even be instances of people selling blood, stealing, or committing fraud.

If you can properly solve their children's schooling problem, it's like relieving a family that can't support itself, letting them off a huge burden, and the impact will be far-reaching.

For example, ordinary people might be more willing to take a couple of pills, stop trying to tough it out when they're sick, be willing to cut off a piece of meat during holidays, and stop pushing themselves to the limit when they're working...

For the relevant local departments, there is less resistance when you promote various policies, stability maintenance and prevention work is easier, financial pressure is reduced, and the back wages owed to teachers and staff can be paid...

Therefore, you should pay more attention to this and not think that this is just a task on the education line. Think about it more deeply, this is accumulating momentum for the development of the entire province.

Fang's act of kindness benefits impoverished children on a small scale, and on a larger scale, it represents a significant step forward in the province's efforts to build both material and spiritual civilization...

Let us give a warm round of applause to thank Fang for her sincerity and kindness!

The applause was thunderous and never stopped.

Fang Xinghe had to get up three times to thank him, but it was no use. Blackie gave him a full two minutes of screen time.

That's really cunning. Knowing there would be follow-up, Blackie was determined not to let the money slip away.

Then I went to Liaodi's place, and wow, the scene was even bigger. Leaders from the four major bodies of the government, the provincial government, and the provincial government were all present.

The department head was even more professional; when giving a report, he would just rattle off a bunch of data.

"The province's total education expenditure in the first half of the year was 52.83 billion yuan. Specialized expenditures related to poverty alleviation and education assistance, such as education subsidies, social assistance, and special funds, accounted for a very small percentage. The total amount of social assistance was 498 million yuan, and the total amount of special funds was 7355 million yuan. These figures failed to fully cover and resolve the problem of schooling difficulties for extremely impoverished families..."

Holy crap! The reporters in attendance scribbled down their notes, finally gaining a clear understanding of the level of Fang Xinghe's scholarship fund and the extent of its assistance.

These days, the country is short of money everywhere.

We do value education, but often teachers' salaries are not fully paid.

In the minds of Generation Z, teachers have always believed that being a tenured teacher is a top-notch job, with high income and status, and is especially sought after in the marriage market.

Actually, it wasn't always like this. There were fewer than 50 cities in the whole country where teachers could get their salaries of two or three hundred yuan a month on time. People from prefecture-level cities and below wouldn't even dare to dream of it.

Judging from Liaoning's total education expenditure this year, teachers' salaries will definitely not be fully paid.

After the massive layoffs in 98, too many cities in Northeast China were mired in difficulties, and the children suffered the most. Fang Xinghe deeply understood this, which is why he was so committed to helping impoverished students.

Now, with the release of detailed data, people in the southern coastal areas and economically developed regions are beginning to re-examine the significance of the money Fang Xinghe invested.

It sounds like he's being reckless and extravagant, but he's actually incredibly awesome.

It can cover more than one million impoverished children, which is dozens of times the total amount of social donations. What does that mean?
Without exaggeration, in the three northeastern provinces, your Brother Fang is at the level where even if he commits murder or arson, someone will take the blame for him.

Even so, the reporter from Nanfang Daily still asked several very targeted questions.

"Fang Xinghe, it seems you've never intended to participate in the specific process of how the donations are used, or even have any means of oversight. Aren't you afraid that this money will ultimately be misappropriated, and your good intentions will become a money-making opportunity for some people? You should know that unchecked power inevitably breeds corruption..."

The local reporters around immediately glared angrily at the guy.

But they weren't afraid at all, and even believed that they were completely righteous and unyielding.

Fang Xinghe thought about it and finally decided to answer directly.

I will answer your question from two perspectives.

First, I do have some concerns.

But the crux of the matter is whether we should refuse to do the right thing because of some potential downsides or some lingering worries.

What is the right thing to do?

To put it in the most extreme way, if even one-tenth of this money is actually used for the education of impoverished children, then it is the right thing to do.

I'll spend the 1.5 million myself; it'll just be enough to buy another villa and two more luxury cars to improve my material life.

Would this make me happier?

No, my happiness has never been related to material things, not before, and not now.

Second, it is right to worry about unchecked power, but should I be the one to worry about this?

Shouldn't.

Once this money is donated, it essentially has nothing to do with me anymore. How it is used is the business of the relevant departments, and whether it is used well or not is a matter for higher authorities to consider.

I cannot question, criticize, or accuse the relevant departments based on things that have not yet happened.

If corruption really occurs, I have a mouth, and I will curse.

But now, I'm willing to believe them, to believe that most government workers are still willing to do their jobs..."

The reporter received such a detailed explanation, yet was still not satisfied.

The question was very direct: "What is the basis for your belief? You are from Northeast China, are you completely unaware of the bureaucratic atmosphere in the Northeast?"

Even expanding on this further, the entire environment in China is quite polluted. The darkness that our newspapers uncover through on-site investigations each year is too much to report!
"Your idea is extremely naive!" In fact, this is the question Fang Xinghe is most "afraid" of, because there is no standard answer and he cannot defend himself against it.

On a theoretical level, he cannot convince any idealistic person who firmly believes that "the best society must be clean and honest."

Even in a prosperous era like 2030, a large number of Chinese people still insist that the country is not good enough, this place is not good enough, that place is not good enough, and no matter how you compare, it is not good enough.

Then ask them, "How was this comparison determined?"

They replied matter-of-factly, "That's how it is there; they're much fairer than us!"

In reality, that place may not be like that at all; it's all hearsay, and people take rumors as gospel.

That won't work either. You can't correct them. If you actually produce evidence, they'll just call you an idiot.

In China in 2002, it would be even more impossible to persuade such a person.

Because at that time, there were indeed many problems in the country, and they had personally witnessed many unsatisfactory aspects.

Middle-class and even high-income earners who leave disappointed often have firsthand experience of this.

Fang Xinghe remained silent for a long time before finally deciding to explain.

Even if you can't win, you have to have the right attitude.

"In my view, the best society should be one that moves forward in a dynamic balance."

I don't focus on those details, such as fairness, corruption, or efficiency. Any large social model will have bugs. Overly focusing on details will only lead people into endless doubt.

As long as the gray areas are generally under control, eliminating a little today, adding a little tomorrow, and eliminating a little more the day after tomorrow, it's not a problem. Development is enough to solve this minor problem.

So in my opinion, the country is indeed not good enough now, but there is nothing particularly bad about it.

We are developing rapidly, and historical issues are being resolved one by one, which is enough to keep me looking forward to it.

Actually, I've been asked similar questions by many people in the United States.

The mayor of Washington even specifically asked: Have you ever considered getting U.S. citizenship and settling down in Washington? You are a hero here, and I guarantee you will have an incredibly comfortable life here.

I refused.

I am different from you. I am not without a choice but to stay.

I genuinely believe that our development model is very smart, our social structure is very healthy, and our civilization is very vibrant.

I personally experienced the great flood of 98. Some tributaries of the Songhua River breached, and the floodwaters inundated my courtyard. The despair I felt at that time is still vivid in my memory.

But what was the result? My life was actually not affected at all.

I was also a semi-witness to the disaster in the United States last September, but do you know the current situation of those heroic firefighters?

They were abandoned by the federal government, and the insurance company is using its massive legal team to drag out their due compensation through a series of lawsuits until they take their last breath at home.

So you ask me what I believe in...

I simply believe that my country isn't that bad, and that every penny I donate has meaning.

"But……"

The reporter seemed very angry; his face was flushed red, and his eyebrows were tightly furrowed.

"okay."

Fang Xinghe waved his hand, interrupting the other party.

"Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. I don't intend to say any more to you. If I report the facts, there will be people who support and believe in me. Those people are the hope."

And you... continue living in doubt.

Unsurprisingly, not many people were convinced after the report was published.

However, those who already believed in him now find him even more handsome.

This clash of ideas and values ​​will continue for a very long time, and Fang Xinghe is powerless to change the overall situation.

But in that tiny corner, the fans who take him as their role model, goal, and faith are forging a path of idol worship that has never been seen before.

……

After the grand donation ceremonies in Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning concluded, donations began to be made to Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan.

Fang Xinghe has already bought a house in Beijing, and the renovation has been completed for almost half a year. It is located in Ziyu Mountain Villa, a lakeside detached villa.

Although it was the most luxurious apartment, it was only priced at 1500 million RMB, which was not worth Fang Ge's special attention. Wang Chali suggested that he settle his home in the capital there, and he agreed. After that, the team took care of everything, and he didn't have to worry about it anymore.

This time, he returned to school and decided not to live on campus, so he finally started using the villa.

As a result, after only two days of living there, the directors of the Beijing offices of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces all stood guard outside the manor like waiting stones for their husbands.

They really did wait day and night, just hoping to see him once.

As for how the secret was leaked...

No kidding, they still haven't found out.

The property management and developers assured him that Fang Xinghe wouldn't be used for publicity, yet on the day he returned to China, a group of reporters from the capital camped out at his door.

The security guards chased them away for dozens of meters, but it didn't work.

Until this wave of activity completely subsides, even Italian artillery won't be able to drive them away.

Having exhausted all other options, Fang Xinghe treated the three directors of the Beijing Liaison Office to a meal at the Peacock Garden Restaurant in the manor and accepted the materials they submitted.

Don't ask them why they're in such a hurry; you'd be in their shoes too.

The educational environments in the three southwestern provinces are quite different: Sichuan is a province with a huge population, Guizhou has a high concentration of extremely impoverished counties, and Yunnan has an alarmingly high illiteracy rate, making literacy education extremely difficult...

The materials submitted by the directors were shocking.

The campaign to eradicate illiteracy (Yunnan's illiteracy rate was 21% in 2001)

School building renovation (Sichuan Province has the largest renovation area in the country)

Impoverished counties rely entirely on central government funding (with some receiving as much as 38% of their funding).

What they have in common is that they have extremely weak self-financing capabilities.

Sichuan's total education expenditure this year is estimated to be over 210 billion yuan, but the per capita expenditure is much lower than that of Jilin, and there is still a huge gap.

Fang Xinghe's money could solve huge problems for Chuan Chuan, but if he poured it on Gui Gui, she'd be instantly killed.

Many, many years later, Yunnan is one of the most chaotic provinces in China, and Guizhou is a graveyard for foreign investment. It seems that it has developed, but it also seems that it has fallen further behind. Why is that?
It is certainly strongly positively correlated with the meager educational investment and the local educational philosophy.

Fang Xinghe had been planning to do something even before seeing the information, and after seeing it, he simply made a promise on the spot—

"Once I've settled all my income at the end of the year and have some spare cash, I'll immediately push this forward. We'll discuss the specific amount later. The next batch of poverty alleviation funds for students will definitely start in the Southwest."

He did not publicize this matter.

However, there is currently a fight going on outside.

It's understandable that the three brothers from Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning joined forces to charge forward, but the sudden surge of TV, media, and cultural figures from Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, acting like they were on steroids, has stunned many people.

Although their media had little influence, sometimes battles are about numbers and momentum. Suddenly, so many people came out chasing after the media and criticizing them, and the public opinion environment changed from 80/20 to 60/40.

Gradually, people in other provinces across the country found out the inside story—Holy crap, they're still throwing it?!
Judging from Fang Xinghe's attitude, it seems like every poor province in the country has a share!
A few days later, the Kuroshio Current split apart.

The economically developed regions like the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta don't care about those small donations for education—the local media don't care anyway, and the money doesn't end up in our hands—so they continue to hurl insults.

Other less developed regions either kept quiet or defected, fearing to displease the spendthrift son.

Suppress the media's stance and the public's opinions!

No matter how tough life gets, we can't let our children suffer; no matter how poor we are, we can't neglect education. Fang Xinghe is the education ambassador for our old, young, remote, and impoverished areas!
At this point, the power of money officially came into full play.

In fact, the trouble caused by the "Letter to Some Citizens" has not been eliminated, but the resentment has been suppressed. When Fang Xinghe is mentioned again, the three northeastern provinces give a thumbs up, the three southwestern provinces look expectant, the central region has a complicated expression, and the developed regions snort coldly.

That's interesting, really interesting.

In 2002, the fertile land of China was like a playground for the mischievous child Fang Xinghe, where he jumped and hopped about freely.

The gradually stabilizing environment finally allowed him to calm down and fully consider his next move.

If you want to keep the haters on the defensive, you still have to rely on your work.

So, was your first film or television work a movie or a TV series?

It just so happened that both Zhang Yimou and Gong Li were staying at Ziyu Villa, so Fang Xinghe strolled over to listen to their opinions and organize a gathering.

(End of this chapter)