In name only: I will break the chess game in Handong

The two chatted for a few more minutes before hanging up.

Office of the Secretary of the Beiyue Provincial Committee.

Xue Zhengping hung up the phone with an unusually calm expression, while on the sofa opposite him, Deputy Secretary Yue Chi looked somewhat curious.

"Secretary Xue, you called me here just to have me pick up a comrade from Handong at the airport?"

Xue Zhengping rolled his eyes upon hearing this.

"Comrade Yuechi, do you think I would be so bored?"

The comrade you were asked to pick up is no ordinary person; his name is Chen Luo. You should have heard of him.

"It's him? The Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission of Handong Province and the Secretary of the Luzhou Municipal Party Committee? What's he doing in our Beiyue?"

"It's really lucky that Guangming County, which is under the jurisdiction of Xinzhou City, is being helped. Luzhou is a large and powerful state, and even a small amount of help from Luzhou is enough to make Guangming County very prosperous."

"Even so, does it warrant me, the deputy secretary, personally going to the airport to greet you?"

"I haven't finished yet. Chen Luo's senior is the county party secretary who used to work with me. He's now Director Xu of the Development and Reform Commission. He also has other connections. More importantly, he's only thirty-nine years old. I'm giving you this opportunity to build a good relationship. You don't want it? If you don't go, I'll have Governor Guan arrange for someone to go."

"Go away! I didn't say I wasn't going..."

Deputy Secretary Yuechi smiled broadly.

"Yes, remember not to put on airs like a deputy secretary. They won't fall for that. Putting everything else aside, coming to Beiyue is ultimately for the benefit of the people. As cadres, if we just lower our heads, the people can enjoy the benefits. No matter how you look at it, it's worth it!"

"Okay, Secretary Xue, don't you trust me? It's a two-day inspection, right? I'll accompany you the whole time!"

Just as you said, even if Luzhou only brings in one or two hundred million yuan in the end, it will be invaluable to the hundreds of millions of people in Guangming County!

"Yes, I'm relieved that you're aware of this."

By the way, I've already had the office issue an emergency document to New South Wales; how much funding is left is up to you.

......................................................

At 12:30 pm, Chen Luo and his group walked out of the airport. As soon as they got off the plane, two Toyota Coaster cars were waiting for them, including an Audi with a provincial license plate.

From afar, Chen Luo saw an elderly comrade around sixty years old walking briskly toward him. Chen Luo didn't delay the man and quickened his pace until they met up victoriously.

"Comrade Chen Luo, Beiyue welcomes you!"

"I am Yue Chi, the deputy secretary. Secretary Xue should have already told you."

The two shook hands firmly, and Chen Luo was very enthusiastic.

"Secretary Yuechi, you're too kind. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to pick us up!"

After exchanging pleasantries, Yue Chi and Chen Luo gradually became acquainted. "Comrade Chen Luo, would you like to rest for a day in the provincial capital first, or go directly to Guangming County, Xinzhou City?"

Chen Luo shook his head.

"Secretary Yuechi, let's go directly to Guangming County for the inspection. I can't stay here for too long this time. The work in Lüzhou can't be done without me. I only have three days for the inspection."

"Alright! Let's set off now!"

"us?"

“That’s right. I personally accompanied you to Guangming County for the next few days of inspection, which also served as a good opportunity to check whether the poverty alleviation work in Xinzhou has been effectively implemented!”

Chen Luo could understand this reason.

Soon, a delegation of more than ten people from Luzhou, along with more than ten local cadres from Beiyue, a car in an Audi and two Toyota Coaster vans, headed to Guangming County, Xinzhou City.

In Xinzhou City, after receiving an urgent document from the Provincial Party Committee Office, Gu Wenzhang, Secretary of the Xinzhou Municipal Party Committee, Ma Guangqun, Mayor, and other members of the Municipal Party Committee were all dumbfounded.

Despite being dumbfounded, the reception work had to be done properly. This time, it wasn't just issuing guidance documents to Guangming County, but the Party Secretary and Mayor personally traveling to Guangming County to make arrangements for the reception. Who invited not only Chen Luo, but also Yue Chi, the Deputy Party Secretary!

Who would dare to be negligent? Who would dare to be careless? Unless they didn't want their official hat on their head!

The Xinzhou Municipal Party Committee was in complete chaos, and Guangming County wasn't much better off. Party Secretary Mei Xiaoge and County Head Ai Xianzhi were like ants on a hot pan. They really hadn't expected that Lüzhou's assistance to Guangming County would go on such a big scale, with the Lüzhou Party Secretary even coming to inspect the situation in person.

Chapter 272 When counties and prefectures are well-governed, the world is at peace.

At 3:40 p.m., two Coaster buses drove into the county town of Guangming. At the same time, in the Audi at the very back, Yue Chi, the deputy secretary of Beiyue Province, was soliciting Chen Luo's opinion.

"Comrade Chen Luo, you haven't eaten anything since this morning. You've been too busy traveling. This won't do. People need to eat to survive. I think we should eat something in the county town before heading to the county party committee and government."

Chen Luo chuckled upon hearing this.

"Secretary Yue, then I'll go along with your arrangements."

"No problem! Perfect timing. Guangming County is famous for its mutton soup. The goats are all raised by local farmers. The soup is white and the meat is fragrant. Let's go have a bowl to warm ourselves up first."

"Xiao Tang, find a mutton soup restaurant to stop for a while."

Yue Chi then instructed his secretary. He took this trip very seriously and did not bring a driver, instead having his secretary act as the driver.

Secretary Tang was also quite sensible; the car maintained a steady speed and quickly broke away from the convoy of Coaster buses ahead.

Ten minutes later, the Audi slowly stopped in front of a mutton soup restaurant. Secretary Xiao Tang quickly got out of the car and went to the back seat to open the car door for Chen Luo and Yue Chi.

"Secretary Yue, Secretary Chen, this mutton soup restaurant is considered the best in the area."

Chen Luo smiled and nodded. He didn't really care what he ate; what mattered was who he ate with.

"Okay, Xiao Tang, could you park your car for a bit before coming over? You can't park in front of someone's shop and block their view, can you?"

After giving the order, Yue Chi gestured to Chen Luo and said, "Comrade Chen Luo, let's go, let's have a bowl of water to warm ourselves up first."

"Secretary Yue, please go first!"

"Hahaha, together, together!"

The two chatted and laughed as they entered the shop. As soon as they entered, the shop owner looked Chen Luo and Yue Chi up and down with a strange gaze.

The boss spoke after we got closer.

"You two aren't locals, are you?"

Chen Luo and Yue Chi paused, thinking that this boss had a good eye for people.

"Boss, we're not locals, but we heard your mutton soup is delicious, so we wanted to try it."

Yue Chi clearly didn't want to talk too much with his boss, and with one sentence he shut down whatever the boss was about to say.

After a moment of silence, the boss nodded and then went into the kitchen to serve mutton soup to Chen Luo and Yue Chi.

"Comrade Chen Luo, as you saw when we entered the city, the situation in Guangming County is not ideal."

The main problem is that our province is facing a severe funding shortage. Every county is applying for projects to ensure people's livelihoods, so removing Guangming County's poverty label will be quite a challenge!

This was the absolute truth, though it was also partly a lie. The purpose was to get Chen Luo to sympathize with Guangming County and attract more investment and industries to the county.

Chen Luo did not respond directly. He did not come to Guangming County simply to make a formality and then provide a lump sum of money and funds for assistance. Instead, he wanted to put the resources he was given into practice!

Just as the two were talking, an enforcement vehicle from the urban management bureau and a vehicle from the tax authorities parked directly in front of the store. Then, two urban management officers and two tax officials walked into the store. They glanced around and, although they saw Chen Luo and Yue Chi, they did not restrain themselves at all.

After all, although Chen Luo and Yue Chi had impressive presences, they didn't know the two of them at all.

"Where's the boss? Come out here for a second!"

Several staff members started yelling at the kitchen, and then the boss rushed out of the kitchen in a hurry. When he saw that it was the tax and urban management staff, his face turned black instantly.

Why are you here again?

I just paid last week.

The boss looked helpless and angry, but he could only suppress his anger when facing a government agency.

"Last week, your store only paid the kitchen waste disposal fee. We haven't checked and processed the environmental sanitation management fee, business tax, etc. We are doing everything in accordance with the law and regulations. Boss, you can just pay it directly."

"Give it to me? There are so many fees involved. Why don't you dare ask Old Xia's shop for it? Isn't it because the county party secretary often goes there for mutton soup?"

"They can't bully others, so they bully me. It's outrageous!"

"Shut up! What nonsense are you spouting!"

We are all acting in accordance with the law and regulations!

"According to the law and regulations? You're talking nonsense! You just say whatever you want, and that's how it is."

"Hmph! I can't take this anymore! I'm going to the county government to report you! I refuse to believe we can't deal with you! We've only had two years of peace and quiet, and you bunch of heartless bastards are truly incorrigible!"

"Sue us?"

The two urban management officers and the two tax officers exchanged a disdainful glance, then said indifferently, "I heard that Secretary Mei is about to leave Guangming County. If you want to sue, go ahead. If you go too late, Secretary Mei might be gone."

After saying that, the four of them laughed unrestrainedly, which infuriated the shop owner. At the same time, Chen Luo and Yue Chi, who had overheard the entire conversation, also frowned deeply.

Chen Luo merely lamented that the business environment in Guangming County was not very good, while Yue Chi felt that he had lost face big time. Wasn't this a slap in the face to Beiyue Province in front of Chen Luo?

My anger surged.

"Boss, bring us mutton soup first!"

Losing face can only be salvaged; Yue Chi's words directly interrupted the standoff between the boss and the urban management and tax authorities.

But this did not make the staff give up; instead, they looked at Yue Chi with disgust.

"Old man, what are you interrupting for? Can't you see we're dealing with a problem? Go drink mutton soup somewhere else! Stop yelling!"

Chen Luo initially felt it was affecting his mood, but when he saw these people actually reprimanding their province's deputy secretary, he was amused. The key was that he couldn't laugh out loud and had to hold it in.

Yue Chi could no longer restrain himself.

He slammed his hand on the table and pointed at the group of people.

"Who gave you the right to speak to ordinary people like this! Who gave you the right to be so unscrupulous!"

"You are state public officials, is this your work ethic? Is this your party spirit? Is this how you serve the people?"

Secretary Tang, who had just parked her car and rushed into the store, heard her boss's angry shouts from a distance.

After jogging into the store, his gaze was as cold as Cui Bing's. He went straight to the group and pulled out his work ID from his pocket!

It was then presented to the group in a blatantly obvious manner.

Although the group was domineering, they were still literate.

"Director of the Third Secretariat Division of the Provincial Party Committee General Office?"

With a thud, all four of them gasped, as if they had kicked a hornet's nest.

"Disappointing! Comrade Chen Luo, I'm sorry you had to see this."