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

"Can the bank still lend money for working capital?" Qi Tongwei asked.

Xu Hongbin shook his head: "It's difficult. The county still has a lot of outstanding loans for those real economy projects, which has affected its credit rating, and the higher-level banks are unwilling to increase the credit line."

Qi Tongwei frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then decisively said, "Pay wages first, on time and in full. This is the foundation for stabilizing the team and advancing the work. I'll figure out the money."

Upon hearing this, Xu Hongbin felt relieved and immediately nodded: "Okay! With your words of encouragement, Secretary, I will go back and arrange for the Finance Bureau to implement it. Everyone will receive their full salary, and their motivation will definitely be different. They will all remember the Secretary's kindness."

He took the opportunity to offer a few words of flattery. Since Qi Tongwei was willing to take on the most pressing financial burden, he was happy to cooperate and would never be the "bad guy" who withheld wages and offended everyone.

“Okay.” Qi Tongwei turned to the newly appointed Organization Minister, Liu Xingwang. “Minister Liu, next we need to establish a ‘County Mayor’s Hotline’ system. Print the phone number on posters and put them on bulletin boards in every village committee and community. The slogan will read—” He paused,

"If there are any problems, talk to the county head directly."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Hongbin replied with a wry smile, "Secretary Qi, are you trying to kill me with work? If all 300,000 people in the county have an emergency, they'll all call this number. I won't be able to do anything else."

Qi Tongwei waved his hand: "You don't need to handle it personally. Minister Liu, please arrange for the establishment of a dedicated 'County Mayor's Hotline Office.' You can recruit some contract workers, who, after training, will be responsible for answering, recording, and classifying calls. All reported issues should be transferred to the relevant bureaus or townships according to their assigned responsibilities, and they should be required to provide a preliminary response or handling opinion within 7 days. For issues that can be handled, a clear timeframe should be set; for issues that cannot be handled temporarily or do not comply with policies, a reasonable explanation should be provided. The hotline office should summarize and analyze the complaint hotspots and handling status every month, and units that are repeatedly complained about, shirk responsibility, or fail to resolve issues effectively should be publicly criticized. County Mayor Xu, you will take the lead in this work."

This was a simplified version of the 12345 system from later times. However, since the efficiency of this period was not as good as later times, it no longer copied the three working days for replies from later times.

Xu Hongbin's eyes lit up after hearing this. He immediately realized that this "county mayor's hotline" was not only a means of collecting public opinion and solving problems, but also a real and tangible achievement project that could greatly improve the government's image among the people.

If done well, it will greatly benefit his personal reputation and the perception of his superiors.

He immediately replied, "Okay, Secretary Qi, I will definitely do this well! Make it a true bridge connecting the government and the people."

Qi Tongwei nodded.

He was certainly aware of the achievements of the "county mayor's hotline".

But he was the one who came up with the idea, and as the county party secretary and the head of the leadership team, the greatest credit naturally goes to him.

However, he doesn't need to "take it all for himself" and keep all the operational details and government coordination under his own control.

Firstly, the issues raised by the people mostly concern bureaus and townships, which are government-level matters, making it legitimate for the county head to take the lead. Secondly, giving Xu Hongbin a real sense of participation and achievement would facilitate cooperation in subsequent work. Thirdly, from the perspective of superiors, a team leader who understands division of labor and cooperation and does not seek to seize power will leave a higher impression.

As for the name, "Secretary's Hotline" is unclear, and "County Party Secretary's Hotline" is awkward to pronounce. Using "County Mayor's Hotline" is more pleasing to the ear and also conforms to convention.

He then turned to Liu Xingwang: "The Organization Department should cooperate in the selection and training of hotline staff to ensure that calls are answered in a standardized manner, records are accurate, and cases are transferred in a timely manner."

Liu Xingwang quickly agreed: "Secretary, don't worry, I'll personally oversee this matter."

Qi Tongwei's gaze immediately fell on Qin Wenrui, the secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission: "Secretary Qin, the Discipline Inspection Commission must also follow up at the same time. If it is found that any members of the public have been retaliated against for reporting problems through the hotline, no matter who is involved, the Discipline Inspection Commission must intervene immediately and deal with the matter strictly and quickly. We must not let the county mayor's hotline become a vanity project!"

Qin Wenrui's expression turned serious: "Understood, Secretary. We will definitely do a good job in supervision and safeguards, and we will never let the people who report problems feel disheartened."

"Okay." Qi Tongwei picked up his teacup, took a sip, put it down, and then asked, "Also, Secretary Qin, how is the progress of the investigation into the discipline and conduct of all cadres in the county that I asked you to lead last time?"

Qin Wenrui was prepared and pulled out a brief report from the folder: "The initial review is complete, and I'm planning to give you a special report on it."

Qi Tongwei asked directly, "Are there any individuals with particularly prominent issues regarding their personal conduct?"

Qin Wenrui hesitated slightly, but still nodded: "...Yes."

"Who has the worst moral character? Who has the most negative impact?" Qi Tongwei pressed, his gaze sharp.

Qin Wenrui flipped through the report and named someone: "Hou Zong, the head of Dianqian Township. According to the information we have so far, he has maintained improper relationships with multiple women, with evidence for five or six cases. He has a very bad influence in the township."

"What about economic issues? Are they corrupt?"

"He was corrupt too. But the amount... compared to some other officials, it wasn't particularly huge," Qin Wenrui answered truthfully.

Qi Tongwei tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a decision: "Let's start with him. In cracking down on Party conduct and integrity, besides protecting the benefits of civil servants, we also need to 'make an example of him' to establish authority!"

Qin Wenrui was puzzled: "Secretary, why was Hou Zong chosen? There are many people with more serious economic problems than him."

As the secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission, he naturally had more clues at his disposal.

Often, the discipline inspection commission is fully aware of the situation of certain cadres, but it holds back, waiting for the right opportunity or clear instructions from higher authorities.

This is almost the norm in officialdom—just like in the TV series "In the Name of the People," Zhang Shuli, the secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of Jingzhou City, reported the problems of Vice Mayor Ding Yizhen to Li Dakang many times, but Li Dakang suppressed them with various reasons.

Or, like Li Dakang himself, whose ex-wife Ouyang Jing had irrefutable evidence of bribery, Sha Ruijin simply brushed it off by saying that "the divorce had been reported in advance."

Whether to act or not often depends not on the issue itself, but on political considerations and timing.

Qi Tongwei calmly explained, “If it were just about cracking down on corruption and maintaining integrity, we would naturally choose the case with the largest amount of corruption and the most egregious nature. But we are now using a ‘combination punch’ approach. We need to not only rectify discipline but also demonstrate our firm determination to optimize the business environment and reshape the political ecosystem. Choosing someone with the worst personal conduct will have a greater impact on public perception.”

Those present were all seasoned veterans of officialdom, and they immediately understood Qi Tongwei's intentions.

As the saying goes, "Pornography is the primary productive force."

These kinds of sex scandals are inherently sensational and more likely to become the focus of public opinion.

At that time, all that is needed is a little guidance in the publicity—for example, implying that he abused his power to benefit his mistress, or even fabricating a dramatic story that "an investor had a conflict with his mistress due to business competition, and was retaliated against by her using her power, so he angrily called the county magistrate's hotline to report her."

Coupled with Xu Hongbin's public statement that "we attach great importance to the business environment and have zero tolerance for bad actors," the publicity effect can be twice as effective, cleverly linking the two themes of "strengthening integrity" and "improving the environment" to maximize the impact of public opinion.

Qi Tongwei looked around at everyone: "Does anyone have any opinions or anything to add regarding this issue?"

This is an inquiry into whether anyone present has any deep-seated interests with Hou Zong. If so, this should be raised now, and the issue of who should be chosen can be discussed accordingly.

Everyone shook their heads, indicating that they had no objections.

"Then it's settled." Qi Tongwei made the final decision. "First, we should concentrate our efforts on establishing and operating the 'County Mayor's Hotline' to raise its awareness. After a period of time, once the hotline has received a certain number of complaints about the conduct of officials and the business environment, we can then take action against Hou Zong. The Publicity Department should prepare in advance and carefully manage the scale and degree of publicity, creating a deterrent effect while avoiding excessive sensationalism of vulgar details."

Jiang Chaokun, the propaganda minister, took careful notes and nodded in agreement.

County Mayor Xu Hongbin added, "The publicity for the 'County Mayor's Hotline' itself must be in place, especially emphasizing the protection of whistleblowers, clarifying the serious consequences of retaliation, and dispelling the public's concerns."

“County Chief Xu’s reminder is correct,” Qi Tongwei affirmed. “Minister Jiang, we need to cooperate well in this regard.”

“Yes, Secretary.” Jiang Chaokun replied again.

"That concludes our arrangements regarding the building of a clean and honest Party." Qi Tongwei concluded the first agenda item, leaned forward slightly, and scanned the attendees with his gaze before shifting to the next stage of planning:

"Next, we will focus on discussing the specific plans for the development of the tertiary industry in Daokou County."

Chapter 90 Tertiary Industry

Daokou County's tertiary industry, or service industry, is the area where it may achieve a breakthrough at this stage.

Industries such as finance and education have too high barriers to entry and are far beyond the reach of Daokou.

Qi Tongwei turned his attention to the tourism industry.

At this time, the importance attached to the tourism industry nationwide was far less than in later years, but the growing demand for leisure travel already existed, and the market potential was beginning to emerge.

Qi Tongwei cut straight to the point: "When I did my research before, I found that Daokou actually has good natural resources, such as Maling Mountain, Luoma Lake, and that ancient town from the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as lakeside hot springs. It has all the basics. But why has the tourism industry remained lukewarm and failed to take off?"

(Because of Crescent Lake, Luzhou is most likely based on Xuzhou, and Daokou County is most likely based on Xinyi.)

County head Xu Hongbin, deeply moved by this, chimed in: "Secretary, our resources, when viewed from the perspective of the province or the country, are indeed not outstanding. We lack the fame and uniqueness of places like Jingzhou Ancient City or Luzhou Crescent Lake. Without a 'brand name,' our appeal is limited. Currently, it's mainly people from surrounding counties and cities and a portion of Luzhou city who occasionally come to visit. We can't retain people, let alone generate any consumption."

“Take that hot spring for example, none of them are as famous throughout the country as the ‘Millennium Holy Hot Spring’ in Tangshan, Jingzhou.”

Qi Tongwei smiled and gave an analogy: "Jingzhou's salted duck is famous, and Beijing's roast duck is also famous, but does that mean people in other places don't eat duck? The key is not whether you have the 'Number One in the World' label, but whether you can create something unique that makes people want to come, so that they can have fun, eat well, and see something worthwhile."

He paused briefly before revealing his long-planned scheme: "Fame can be built. Through some connections, I've gotten in touch with the production team of 'Kangxi's Private Visits,' and we've reached a preliminary agreement. For their fourth installment, which will begin filming next year, some of the outdoor scenes will be shot in Daokou, and the location 'Daokou County' will be explicitly mentioned in the dialogue."

Upon hearing this, the eyes of everyone present lit up. "Kangxi's Private Visits" was one of the most popular TV dramas at the time, with period dramas enjoying immense popularity and even reruns achieving high ratings. If they could ride this wave, it would undoubtedly be a huge boost to Daokou's reputation.

Although Qi Tongwei disliked period dramas, that's just how society is now, and he wouldn't refuse them because of it.

It doesn't matter if it's a black cat or a white cat, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat.

Deputy Secretary Jiang Fei immediately chimed in with a smile: "Secretary, you really have a wide network and a flexible mind! With this popular national drama promoting it, our crossing point's name will be widely known, and it will definitely attract many tourists!"

Xu Hongbin also said excitedly, "When the crew comes to film, we will definitely do our best to provide logistical support and cooperation!"

Qi Tongwei nodded, then changed the subject: "Cooperation is the least we can do. However, there's no such thing as a free lunch. I talked to the production company, and they need to pay a sponsorship fee of 20 yuan."

20 is roughly the cost of one episode of a TV series, but you can't calculate it that way. Costumes, props, and actors' salaries are all fixed major expenses.

They only filmed some outdoor scenes at Daokou; the rest of the indoor scenes were filmed at the film studio. The production team definitely made a profit with the 20 yuan budget.

Qi Tongwei found an influential middleman, and Zhang Guoli, being a shrewd and diplomatic man, readily agreed as long as it didn't affect the plot.

The atmosphere in the meeting room froze subtly for a moment.

20 yuan was not a small sum in Daokou County at the beginning of the 21st century.

Everyone initially thought that Qi Tongwei had used his personal connections to get free publicity, but it turned out that it required real money.

Jiang Chaokun, the propaganda minister, had some knowledge of the film and television industry and tentatively asked, "Secretary Qi, with this 20 yuan sponsorship... can we get a share of the drama's revenue?"

Qi Tongwei shook his head and said frankly, "We can't take a stake. Everyone knows this show is a sure thing. If we could take a stake, it would have been snatched up by someone with more power long ago. We're just sponsoring it, in exchange for location shooting and exposure of the place names."

The faces of the crowd showed expressions of contemplation and weighing of options.

If the publicity is obtained entirely "for free," then everyone is naturally happy; but if county fiscal funds are used, even if it's not their own money, they need to weigh the return on investment.

In this era, although there are precedents for the effect of film and television dramas on tourism, it is not a common rule. Moreover, with inconvenient transportation at the border crossing, how high can the tourist conversion rate be?

How much GDP can be boosted by spending 20? More importantly, this practice of "sponsoring TV dramas" sounds a bit like "not doing proper business" and "wasting money," unlike Li Duohai's "large-scale development of real economy" back then, where at least the factory buildings and equipment were visible and tangible.

However, Qi Tongwei's authority is now unquestionable. After a brief silence, the crowd successively expressed their support.

Publicity Minister Jiang Chaokun was the first to offer his support: "The Party Secretary's considerations are far-sighted. This sponsorship is invaluable in terms of enhancing our city's image and reputation. The effects of the broadcast will be long-lasting."

Qi Tongwei knew that their concerns had not been completely eliminated, but what he wanted was this "passing" result.

He then elaborated on a more comprehensive plan: "Since we've decided to invest, we must make sure every penny is spent wisely, and we must avoid the 'one-off deal' mentality. Our goal is not only to 'attract' tourists, but also to do everything possible to 'keep' them here and 'build a strong reputation'."

The following day, Qi Tongwei made a special trip to the Luzhou Municipal Government to meet with Mayor Li Dakang.

Li Dakang's schedule was extremely full, so Qi Tongwei had made an appointment with Li Dakang's secretary in advance, and Li Dakang naturally still made time to meet with him.

He smiled and asked his secretary to make tea, jokingly saying, "Tongwei, why didn't you go to Secretary Gao first if you had something to do? Why did you come here to me?"

Qi Tongwei spoke respectfully and sincerely: "Mayor Li, Daokou is a county under the jurisdiction of Lüzhou, and I am one of your men. The county has come up with a development plan that it thinks has some merit, and for both public and private reasons, we need to ask you, an expert in economic work, for your opinion first."

Li Dakang's interest was piqued, and he leaned forward: "Oh? Then I'd like to hear what remedies you, the great talent from the State Economic Commission, have prescribed for Daokou."

Qi Tongwei was prepared; he handed over a detailed planning report with both hands and then began his presentation in a clear and organized manner:

"Mayor Li, we plan to integrate the existing core resources of Daokou—'one mountain (Maling Mountain), one lake (Roman Lake), and one ancient town (Ming and Qing Dynasty ancient town)'—to create a distinctive tourist destination. The plan is divided into three steps:"

The first step was to generate publicity. We contacted the production team of "Kangxi's Private Visits," who will film some scenes in Daokou in the fourth installment next year and mention the name of Daokou County in the series.

Our county's Maling Mountain was also inscribed with "The First Landscape of the Country" by Emperor Qianlong, which is a good opportunity for interaction. In addition, we are also in contact with the crew of the TV series "The Eloquent Ji Xiaolan" to try to film there as well, creating a synergistic effect.

At the same time, in addition to advertising in traditional media, we will also try some promotional activities on the emerging Internet. The Internet is still in its early stages of development, local forums are very active, and people who own computers now have a certain economic foundation and purchasing power.

The second step is to ensure a smooth experience for visitors. Promotion alone is not enough; tourists must have something to see, do, and spend money on.

We plan to carry out protective renovations and appropriate development of several major scenic spots, and to set up food streets in ancient towns and scenic areas. We will not only introduce local specialties, but also introduce snacks that are popular with young people, such as Changsha stinky tofu, grilled cold noodles, and local specialty barbecue skewers. The products should be rich and attractive.