I was married off to a disabled hero in lieu of marriage; my in-laws doted on me and I aspired to gr

The Provincial Party Committee Guesthouse was much more upscale than Zhou Zhonghai's dormitory guesthouse; there was carpeting in the corridors upon entering the building.

I heard that the practice of laying carpets was learned from the Soviet Union. It was cold in the Soviet Union, so laying carpets made the rooms warmer.

When they arrived at room 208, He Chengliang opened the door.

"Minister Zhou, please come in!"

Completely different from the picky and arrogant attitude of the previous days, he bent over and spoke humbly.

"What's wrong with the toilet? Let me take a look."

Zhou Zhonghai rolled up his sleeves and was about to run to the toilet.

"Old Zhou, you actually know how to unclog toilets?"

The usually reserved and deep-seated Meng Pingping stood in the living room with a smile.

"Yes, of course I can. To put it nicely, I'm a soldier, but really I do odd jobs. I know a little bit of everything."

Zhou Zhonghai chuckled, revealing a rare honest and down-to-earth demeanor.

"Come, sit down. The restroom is very good. I've been asked by Commissioner Pu to have a chat with you."

Meng Pingping politely invited Zhou Zhonghai to sit down, and He Chengliang quickly went to pour tea.

"Our interview team has already held a meeting. For ordinary farmers, the yield per mu is as high as 900 to 1100 jin, which is almost three times that of previous years."

"This has nothing to do with me. It's the new wheat varieties from the research institute and the ample fertilizer that led to the farmers' increased production."

Zhou Zhonghai told the truth that the credit for the increased production belonged to the research institute.

"Look at you, you don't even want the achievements right in front of you."

"Committee Member Meng, I want it, but I dare not accept it. Those brilliant researchers at the institute are crammed into a small building, working day and night to research new wheat varieties, and they can't even pay their salaries. If I were to steal their credit, would I even be human?"

"They can't even pay wages?"

"It's alright now, it can be sent out. Hehe, the wheat seeds, corn seeds, broiler chickens, and pigs from Tonggang County were all bought on credit. Now that the harvest is plentiful, the money owed has been collected, and the debts have been paid off."

Zhou Zhonghai explained that he actually still owed Xia Lei more than 300,000 yuan.

The money can definitely be repaid, but next year the whole province will be allocated land to households and everyone will need to plant wheat and corn. Those farmers won't have the money to buy seeds, so they will have to go into debt.

If a county owes more than 300,000 yuan, how much must a province owe? Xia Lei must chop him up.

But he couldn't say it; if he did, the province would have to handle it itself.

The country is poor, and Beijing doesn't have money either.

"You're quick-witted. This is a good idea—using someone else's resources to your advantage. It'll only be tough for a year. Old Zhou, to be honest, the central government doesn't have any money either," Meng Pingping sighed.

"I know we're all poor. Each family should take care of its own. Next year, with the province-wide agricultural reforms, we'll figure out a way ourselves."

"Old Zhou, you can't just think about your own family; you also need to think about sending some to Beijing."

Zhou Zhonghai was in a real bind. He was already being generous by not asking for central government funding, let alone asking us for it.

Everything is for the Party. As long as we have some money, we'll give it to them.

Money is definitely out of the question, so I'll ask for power.

"Committee Member Meng, there are many ways to make money, but we dare not. With the agricultural contract system implemented by individual households, everyone can have enough to eat. There are also a large number of unemployed youths in the cities; they are also a source of labor, and we must get them engaged in work."

"I understand what you mean. Committee Member Pu must have told you beforehand. Industry and commerce both need reform, but the documents haven't been issued yet. Of course, the documents don't seem to be of any use to you. There were no documents for contracting out land to individual households either, but you still did it, didn't you? And you did it very well."

Meng Pingping smiled calmly, but it was impossible to tell whether she was being sincere or not.

"Hehe, it's because Committee Member Pu is so tolerant of me."

"Your transfer order will be issued next month, Vice Governor Zhou."

"No, I'm doing a great job as Minister of Agriculture."

Zhou Zhonghai's insincere refusal.

"The greater the power, the easier it is to get things done. Agriculture can be piloted, and so can industry and commerce. Remember, it can only be piloted, on a small scale. If you make a mistake, Committee Member Pu can protect you. If it gets too big, no amount of committee members can protect you."

"Yes, thank you, Committee Member Meng. I, Zhou Zhonghai, accept the Party's mission. Please believe me, I will do my utmost to make a name for myself."

Zhou Zhonghai stood up, saluted, and made a pledge.

"Sit down, sit down, this isn't the military base." Meng Pingping waved his hand.

"Committee Member Meng, you also come from the military. A soldier's pledge is tied to his life. A soldier who fails to complete a mission is not one who doesn't complete it, but one who sacrifices his life."

"We're not in the military anymore; we're not facing the enemy, we're facing our own people. What do you want your life for? You want money, understand?"

"I understand, I understand. Hehe, Committee Member Pu, does Governor Feng still have a chance to move up the ranks?"

Since we're here, we have to do things for Governor Feng; after all, we're brothers in arms.

"Feng Shiguang is much more composed than you. He knows exactly what to say and how to say it. Old Zhou, you should learn from him. Construction requires brains, not brute force and insults," Meng Pingping said meaningfully.

"Yes, I fucking... I just can't control this stinking mouth of mine. I got used to swearing in the army. I'll change, I definitely will. And what about Governor Feng?"

Zhou Zhonghai needed a definite answer, otherwise he wouldn't be able to explain himself when he got back.

"When he gets promoted depends on you."

"Look at me? I'm the vice governor, it won't affect his promotion. No, it won't affect him going to a higher position to serve the people."

Zhou Zhonghai's mind is in a tangled mess; his words have hidden meanings, making them difficult to understand.

Meng Pingping chuckled: "You're starting to have the air of a vice governor. Old Zhou, I'm not one to beat around the bush, so I'll just say it directly: Old Pu's original words were..."

Meng Pingping paused for a moment, then mimicked Committee Member Pu's serious tone, saying, "When he is able to take over Feng Shiguang's position, Feng Shiguang will be promoted. If he continues to be incompetent, let Feng Shiguang work until retirement and go back to his hometown to live out his days."

Ah, you want me to be the provincial governor?

Although he is a division commander, he is, after all, a commander who leads troops into battle. How could he be a provincial governor?

With this temper... he really needs to change it, otherwise all the subordinates will be driven away by his temper.

What should we do? Have we offended Feng Shiguang?

The difference between a vice governor and a governor is only one word, but their weight is worlds apart.

The governor is in charge of all affairs in the province, the vice governor is only in charge of his assigned area, and I am only in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of Commerce.

How can this be good?

"What's wrong? Don't you have confidence?" Meng Pingping noticed Zhou Zhonghai's anxiety and asked.

"I'm different from you. I'm a rough guy who leads troops into battle, while you're a political commissar, a cultured person, and a strategist for the army. Whether you're dealing with the economy or fighting, you're always strategizing and planning. I'm just recklessly going all out."

Zhou Zhonghai and Meng Pingping were at the same rank, but Meng Pingping, as a political commissar, could go to Beijing, while Zhou Zhonghai could only serve as the Minister of Agriculture.

"You call yourself a division commander? Someone has to make the decisions, and someone has to do the work. The provincial governor has some decision-making power, but in reality, he's the one who gets things done. If you're afraid of taking responsibility, just do whatever the central government tells you to do. Don't be radical, don't make mistakes—isn't that what Feng Shiguang did?"

"But, but I'm often impulsive and often make mistakes," Zhou Zhonghai said, his head drooping.

"That's why I'm having you learn, not making you the governor tomorrow. We're both under Old Master Pu, are you really so useless that you can't even do a good job as a governor?"

Meng Pingping spoke with disdain, making it sound so easy, as if anyone could become a provincial governor. There are differences between people.

"Committee Member Meng, we can talk about the governor's matter later. Let's deal with Governor Feng first."

Zhou Zhonghai smiled and asked, "If I leave, who will be the Minister of Agriculture?"

"Do you have someone in mind?"