Nominal: Starting with an entrance exam for a PhD in Economics at Peking University

Qi Chunwang demonstrated remarkable courage and determination. He convened village meetings for three consecutive days, speaking in the fields during the day and in the threshing ground at night, breaking down the pros and cons for everyone.

He used his own reputation as collateral and gambled with the future of Qijia Village. In the end, with most villagers doubting him, a few strongly opposing him, but more choosing to believe the old village chief, the village finally made a difficult decision: tighten their belts, find a way to apply for a loan from the rural credit cooperative, and get the tea plantation developed!

The day after the resolution was passed, Qi Chunwang began his journey of "begging for alms".

He went to the town every day, persistently pleading with the mayor, telling him about the plight of Qijia Village and the hope for the tea plantation. The mayor was eventually moved by the old village chief's persistence and sense of responsibility towards the villagers, and personally went to the county to invite two experts from the Agricultural Bureau.

Experts arrived at the back mountain of Qijia Village and carefully examined the soil, slope, water source, and sunlight conditions. After several days of detailed analysis, they reached a conclusion that thrilled everyone in Qijia Village—the soil on the back mountain of Qijia Village is slightly acidic, shrouded in mist year-round, and has a moderate temperature difference between day and night, making it indeed a high-quality area very suitable for planting "Yunwu Maojian" tea!

When the news reached the village, the villagers were overjoyed, as if it were New Year's Day. Their faces lit up with long-lost, tearful smiles, as if they could already see the lush green terraced fields, fragrant with the aroma of tea, in the future. For the first time, hope had truly descended upon this impoverished mountain village.

However, the financial problem remained a heavy burden on everyone's minds. Just seven days before the Lunar New Year, Qi Tongwei suddenly packed his bags and left Qijia Village. When questioned by the villagers, Qi's parents only vaguely explained that "there was an urgent matter to attend to at the child's school."

As the days passed and Lunar New Year's Eve approached, the loan issue remained unresolved, and an atmosphere of anxiety permeated the village.

On the 29th day of the Lunar New Year, Qi Tongwei returned to Qijia Village. He didn't bother to go home first. Instead, carrying his luggage and a bulging old cloth bag, he stepped through the snow and knocked on Qi Chunwang's door.

“Uncle Chunwang,” Qi Tongwei said, his face showing fatigue but his eyes shining brightly. He solemnly placed the cloth bag on the table and carefully opened it. Inside were four neatly bundled stacks of hundred-yuan bills. “This is the research funding I managed to secure from my mentor, Professor Li, after I returned home. It’s a total of forty thousand yuan!”

"We...we don't need to rush to borrow so much money!"

Chapter 32 Departure

The 40,000 yuan that Qi Tongwei brought back was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up huge waves in Qijia Village.

The news spread from the village head Qi Chunwang's house on the evening of the 29th of the twelfth lunar month. Several households in the village had already seen Qi Tongwei knock on the village head's door that night. The next morning, the whole village was buzzing with the news.

"Have you heard? Tongwei brought back 40,000 yuan from Beijing!"

"Forty thousand? My God, I've never seen so much money in my life!"

"They said it was funding for his research group, specifically to support our tea plantation project."

"Isn't it obvious that Tongwei paid for it out of his own pocket? What research group would allocate funds to a poor mountain village like ours?"

"That's why Tongwei is so successful! He knows all the big shots in Beijing!"

"Tongwei is such a kind and righteous boy!"

On New Year's Eve, a time when people should be busy preparing for the reunion dinner and putting up Spring Festival couplets, every household in Qijia Village was talking about the 40,000 yuan and the tea plantation that was about to be developed. The festive atmosphere of the New Year was somewhat overshadowed by this sudden "big event," replaced by a complex mix of excitement, anticipation, and unease.

Qi Tongwei didn't intentionally create such a sensation. The 40,000 yuan was indeed the result of his careful calculation and consideration.

According to his preliminary estimate, the fixed costs of cultivating 100 acres of tea plantation, purchasing high-quality Yunwu Maojian tea seedlings, plus initial fertilizer and simple road repairs, would be around 80,000 yuan. With the village chief's encouragement and the allure of the tea plantation's future profits, it's possible for the hundred or so households in Qijia Village to scrape together 20,000 yuan.

The remaining 60,000 shortfall was originally planned to be covered entirely by credit union loans.

But now, he has brought 40,000. This means the village only needs to borrow 20,000, greatly reducing the interest burden and drastically lowering the project risk.

Why not just take out 60,000 or even 80,000 to completely forgive the village's debts?

Qi Tongwei had his reasons.

On the one hand, if he (or his research team) takes on all the work, the villagers become mere "beneficiaries" rather than "participants."

Without investment, there is no real pain; things easily obtained are often not cherished.

Only when they invest real money themselves, and even take on part of the loan, will they truly regard the tea plantation as their own business, and devote their efforts to the subsequent reclamation, planting, and management.

This model of "shared investment and shared risks" is more likely to stimulate endogenous motivation.

On the other hand, he also needs to consider "sustainability." This time it's a tea plantation, but what about next time?

He cannot and should not become an endless "cash cow" for the village. Establishing an image as an "assistant" rather than a "savior" is more conducive to long-term rural governance.

On the morning of Lunar New Year's Eve, Qi Chunwang, wearing an old cotton-padded coat, came to Qi Tongwei's house again. This time, he was carrying a red paper package.

After exchanging pleasantries, the old village chief pushed the red paper package in front of Qi Tongwei, his expression solemn: "Tongwei, this 40,000 yuan is a great favor to our village. The village committee and several clan elders have discussed it, and the tea plantation is considered village collective property, but your family will be credited with 30%. This is the share certificate. Don't think it's too little. After calculating the labor and land costs, it's reasonable for your family to contribute 40,000 yuan and take 30%. No one in the village will gossip about it."

“Uncle Chunwang,” Qi Tongwei began, his voice calm yet firm, “this money is funding from Peking University’s research group to support research on rural specialty industries. It belongs to the public, not to Qi. My use of it for the village was approved by the university, on the condition that the money must be used for collective production and construction and cannot be converted into any personal shares or profits. If I take even 30% of it, that would be misappropriation of research funds, a mistake that would lead to serious problems.”

Qi Chunwang was taken aback; he clearly hadn't thought that far ahead: "This...this was given with everyone's consent in the village, so is that considered a mistake?"

“Yes.” Qi Tongwei nodded. “And it’s a very serious mistake. Uncle Chunwang, I have a long road ahead of me, and I can’t leave such a hidden danger at the very beginning. I absolutely cannot accept these shares.”

Upon hearing that it would affect her son's future, Qi's mother immediately became resolute: "His uncle, Tongwei is right, we can't take this money. The child's future is more important!"

Qi Chunwang frowned, puffing on his pipe one pipe after another. While offering shares was partly out of gratitude, his deeper intention was to bind Qi Tongwei, this "capable man," more closely to the Qi family village's cause.

With shares, they become a community of shared interests. When the tea plantation encounters technical difficulties or sales obstacles in the future, Qi Tongwei will naturally have to work even harder to help.

But now, that road is blocked.

"Well..." The old village chief tapped his cigarette ash, then offered a compromise, "Is this money considered a loan from the village to the research team? Once the tea plantation generates profits, we'll pay it back with interest?"

“No need.” Qi Tongwei shook his head. “What the research team needs is research data and results, not economic returns. As long as the tea plantation is really developed and the process data is complete, that’s the best return. Just treat it as the government’s support funds for our village. Don’t feel any burden. Just lead everyone to get things done.”

Having said all that, Qi Chunwang knew further persuasion was useless. He sighed and put the red packet back into his pocket.

“If you don’t want the shares, the village can’t just leave empty-handed.” The old village chief thought for a moment. “Here’s what we’ll do: once the tea plantation is up and running, we’ll need people to collect the tea, keep the books, and manage the warehouse. These jobs are easy, but we need reliable people. Let your dad and mom do them, and they’ll still get their work points. That shouldn’t break any rules, right?”

This time, Qi Tongwei didn't refuse. His parents were getting older and couldn't do heavy physical labor anymore. Having a relatively easy job that still contributed to the collective would supplement their income and allow them to hold their heads high in the village—it was a good thing. He nodded: "Thank you for taking care of me, Uncle Chunwang."

Qi Chunwang waved his hand, his wrinkles seeming to deepen. He hadn't given away the shares, but a weight had been lifted from his heart—if he couldn't bind Qi Tongwei, would he be able to rely on him to do the same thing in the future if the tea plantation encountered real difficulties?

Even after the village chief left, the Qi family's discussion about the matter did not stop.

Mother Qi said with some regret, "Thirty percent is a share... If we could earn tens of thousands a year, our family would be much better off."

Mr. Qi glared at her: "Long hair, short brains! Can Tongwei's future be compared to tens of thousands of yuan? He's studying under a big professor in Beijing; he's destined for great things! Is it worth tarnishing his reputation for such a small gain?"

Qi Tongwei comforted his mother: "Mom, money is something you only need enough for your needs. You and Dad have worked hard for most of your lives, so it's time for you to enjoy your retirement. If the tea plantation does well and the village prospers, how could our family fall behind? Why insist on those shares and give people something to talk about?"

He understood the situation clearly. If he accepted the 30% today, he might seem to have gained an advantage in the short term. But what about the long term? If the tea plantation truly developed into a multi-million dollar industry as he predicted, this 30% would be far too significant.

When the time comes, there will be no shortage of envious people in the village. Even if they dare not openly rob him because of his status, gossip and alienation are inevitable. Why put your parents in such a predicament when they still need to live in the village?

What he wants is a clean and honest background, and a position where he can move freely. Only in this way can he refuse unreasonable requests with a clear conscience in the future; and only in this way can his future political enemies find no fatal excuses to attack him, such as "abusing his power for personal gain" or "embezzling research funds."

Having been reborn, he understands better than anyone the weight of "innocence" in a political career. Some shortcuts, if taken too long, become dead ends.

The Spring Festival passed amidst visits to relatives and friends and discussions about tea plantations. On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, while many migrant workers had not yet set off, Qi Tongwei had already packed his simple belongings.

At the village entrance, his parents and many villagers came to see him off, more than when he returned home for the first time after making a meritorious contribution.

Qi Chunwang grasped his hand and shook it vigorously: "Tongwei, go and study with peace of mind. Uncle will definitely lead everyone to make a name for ourselves with the tea plantation, and we won't let your hard work go to waste!"

"Uncle Chunwang, thank you for your help. Please feel free to contact me if you need anything," Qi Tongwei said with a smile.

He then looked at his parents: "Dad, Mom, take care of yourselves. As for the tea plantation, do what you can, don't overwork yourselves."

Mother Qi wiped her eyes and nodded repeatedly.

With his hometown affairs settled, he's now heading to Beijing to begin a new chapter.

Chapter 33 Graduation

The author hasn't pursued a doctorate, so we'll have to skip over Qi Ting's doctoral journey o(╥﹏╥)o

Time flies like an arrow, quietly passing by amidst the interplay of morning reading by Weiming Lake and the night lights of the library.

For Qi Tongwei, who was devoted to his studies, the two and a half years were a precious journey filled with highly condensed knowledge acquisition and the cultivation of relationships.

Under Professor Li Yiqing's almost rigorous yet all-out guidance, he relied on his unique problem-solving awareness given by his vision that transcended the times, as well as the amazing focus and perseverance honed after his rebirth, to compress the doctoral career that usually takes three to five years into two years, and put on that heavy doctoral cap a year ahead of schedule.

At the graduation ceremony, as the tassel on his hat was moved from the right side to the left, he felt not only the satisfaction of having achieved academic success, but also a profound sense of clarity, as if he had been reborn.

What he learned from Li Yiqing was far more than just profound economic theories and policy analysis frameworks; it was a mindset that focused on the big picture while paying attention to the details, a wisdom that prudently balanced academic ideals with the realities of the country, and the profound sentiment of a scholar who truly cared about the fate of the nation: "to establish a heart for heaven and earth, and to establish a destiny for the people."

However, the greatest gain from Peking University may not be the knowledge itself.

What truly made Qi Tongwei feel that the trip was worthwhile was the extensive network of connections surrounding Professor Li Yiqing, a figure of immense academic stature, which could be described as "hidden talents and hidden masters."

As a core member of a top-tier think tank that has long been involved in providing high-level economic policy advice to the nation, Professor Li's disciples have long since transcended the scope of mere academic inheritance.

There are promising young talents like Jiang Fan who are deeply rooted in academia, as well as a large number of in-service doctoral students selected by central ministries or local provinces and cities to cultivate high-end policy research capabilities.

Most of these senior fellows are over forty years old and hold key positions. At the very least, they are at the division level with real power, and many are at the bureau level. There are even a few who are big shots that Qi Tongwei heard about in the news in his previous life and who are sure to rise to the provincial or ministerial level or even higher in the future.

In his previous life, as a provincial official in a corner of Handong, his vision was inevitably limited to the factional entanglements of his own province, and he had no clear understanding of the power that Li Yiqing's faction had gathered.

Only now, having found myself in it, do I realize just how deep this pool is.

He cleverly used his youthful status as a "junior brother" to approach others with a humble, studious, and hardworking attitude.

Organizing materials, assisting with some trivial administrative tasks related to the research project, and proposing "bright ideas" that combine a grassroots perspective with future insights during discussions...

Qi Tongwei is young and inexperienced, but he keeps a low profile and is reliable in his work, so he gradually embeds himself into the periphery of this high-end circle.

The so-called "kindness and affection" gradually accumulated.

He never expected to receive the same kind of in-depth instruction and strong support from his senior brothers as those in cultivation novels.

In the adult world, especially for those in official positions, there is a sense of proportion and balance in their actions.

In most cases, friendship means offering a friendly suggestion at a critical juncture, or providing a fair opportunity within the bounds of compliance, without undermining one's own core interests and political stance.

That's enough. Qi Tongwei is very clear-headed. A solid alliance can never be maintained by the mere fact that they are from the same school. It requires an exchange of values ​​and a shared vision for the future.

The seeds he sows today, when they demonstrate extraordinary value and promising prospects in the future, can quickly catalyze this superficial camaraderie into closer collaboration.

This is similar to the "Handong University Clique" that later emerged in Handong Province. Its core ties were not simply alumni of the same university. It was more like a political organization that naturally formed around Gao Yuliang and others, due to their strong connection to political interests and career advancement.

Does that mean every graduate of Han University can join the Han University clique? What a joke!

Similarly, the network of relationships within Li Yiqing's school, which is based on academic inheritance but has developed special connections due to the high status and policy influence of their shared mentor, is also unique.

Only by consistently demonstrating competence and achieving results can one truly be considered a worthwhile member of this network to invest in. As for the deep, unwavering bond of shared destiny, that requires a longer period of time and more significant common interests to achieve.

With my doctoral studies nearing their end, choosing a future path has become the biggest challenge I face.

A senior classmate who greatly admired him was about to take up the post of mayor of a prefecture-level city, while his former secretary had reached the age limit and been transferred to another region.

He valued Qi Tongwei's clear thinking, reliable work style, and clean background with no factional ties, and sincerely invited him to accompany him as his secretary.

This is undoubtedly a tempting shortcut. The position of a personal secretary means close proximity and deep trust. If one can help the leader open up new opportunities, one's future will naturally rise accordingly.

However, after several nights of careful consideration, Qi Tongwei ultimately declined the offer.

Firstly, while the platform of a prefecture-level city can hone one's ability to handle specific affairs, the overall perspective and vision are ultimately limited. He has been reborn with lofty ambitions. If he stays in a national ministry, he can systematically observe and understand the macro-level context and top-level design logic of the entire national economy. This is a perspective and level of vision that was severely lacking in his previous life, which was limited to Handong.

Secondly, the prefecture-level city platform is low. That senior colleague has just taken office, so it is not convenient to directly promote him to the deputy director level. He can only be promoted to the section chief level for now, although he promised to promote him to the substantive deputy director level within two years.

Thirdly, while completing his doctoral dissertation, in addition to the tea plantations in Qijia Village, he also conducted research in various parts of Handong. Before the Gao Xiaoqin sisters went to work at Du Bozhong's restaurant in 96, he intercepted them, brought them to Beijing, and sponsored them to continue their studies.