"Seeing that the villagers are unsure, let me elaborate. Star grass is a rare medicinal herb and landscape plant in the province. It's simply unavailable elsewhere. It's very precious as a medicinal herb, and its medicinal uses are extensive. I've made a preliminary estimate: if one acre of star grass grows for ten months, with good quality, it could fetch 30,000 to 40,000 yuan. Even with average quality, one acre could easily earn several thousand to nearly 10,000 yuan. I won't say more; everything depends on the test results from the higher authorities and the township's response." Zhang Guodong glanced around, seeing the confused looks on everyone's faces, and immediately added.
I know it in my heart. To convince these people, the testing of this medicinal herb and the support from the township government must be genuinely implemented. Without tangible benefits and guarantees, everyone will be confused.
Zhang Guodong has put a lot of thought into this.
Thirty or forty thousand yuan per mu? This immediately drew gasps from the crowd.
After spending about an hour at Zhao Sanshun's house and briefly answering everyone's questions, Zhang Guodong and Zhao Sanshun set off. The Party Secretary and Township Head were both in their positions. The fat man was extremely busy; this matter required seizing the opportunity. Moreover, it was September, and the corn and other crops in the fields were almost ready for harvest. If they were delayed any longer, they might miss the planting season. After all, the growth period for Star Grass to reach medicinal and pill-refining stages was ten months, and there was no room for negotiation. Unless you could also create a spirit-gathering array to greatly shorten the growth period.
The two walked along the road, talking as they went. This marked the beginning of their gradual integration into the countryside. Zhang Guodong believed that the pleasure of walking allowed them to better appreciate the beauty of nature.
This land has the potential to become a leading green village, but it is currently far from that goal. In summer, the fields are lush and green, but in winter, the weeds and trees wither and turn yellow, leaving the area quickly barren. This is nothing like the rural landscape Zhang Guodong envisioned.
The phrase "green countryside in northern winter" is more likely to illustrate the excellence of the environment here.
“Zhang, if this star grass project really shows promise, how do you think we should establish this company?” Zhao Sanshun said, mentioning the company. This was one of the key aspects of the development!
"Third Uncle, what's your opinion?" Zhang Guodong smiled slightly and passed the ball back. To be honest, he didn't care about the profits generated by this company at all. Firstly, it would take too long, and he didn't have that much time to manage it. Secondly, he could already make a considerable profit just by providing seedlings, so there was no need to get involved in the profits from the sales process.
Zhao Sanshun was probably worried that he would be asked for an exorbitant price. After all, he had provided everything so far, and now he wondered where they would find the star grass, whether the township would support them, and how they would do so, and where the sales channels would be. All of this depended on him.
“I have a preliminary idea. Your role in this is self-evident: providing seedlings, connecting with policies, and opening up sales channels. In the future company, you can own 35% of the shares. What do you think? The remaining 65% can be shared equally by all the villagers,” Zhao Sanshun said after a moment’s thought.
Thirty-five percent for him personally. That's quite a lot. But from another perspective, none of this would exist without Zhang Guodong. So, this percentage of shares isn't much.
They can leave anyone, but they can't leave Zhang Guodong. However, Zhang Guodong didn't want to argue about the shareholding, because he didn't agree with this way of joining, and whether it was reasonable or not was naturally not within his consideration.
Zhao Sanshun grew anxious as Zhang Guodong remained silent. He knew that the shares weren't actually that many, but if everyone in the village shared them, it wouldn't amount to much either.
“I won’t get involved in the company, I won’t take any shares. You guys can run the company. I’ll just be responsible for providing the seedlings,” Zhang Guodong said slowly after a moment of contemplation, feeling that the atmosphere was just right.
"What's the price of those seedlings?" Zhao Sanshun asked hurriedly.
"Hehe, Third Uncle. It's still early, isn't it? Let's discuss the price after we've settled the sales channels and such. After all, talking about the price now is just empty talk," Zhang Guodong said with a smile.
"Haha, I was too hasty," Zhao Sanshun said, his face flushing.
When the two arrived in the township, they encountered officers from the local police station on patrol; the officer in charge was none other than Zhao Wang. The streets were now completely transformed. The appearance of the streets had improved considerably. Sanitation was one improvement, but the biggest change was in public security. Since the new police chief took over, the morale of everyone at the station had changed dramatically.
It's clear at this moment.
Zhao Xiaowang saw Zhang Guodong. However, the two didn't exchange a word; Zhang Guodong smiled and nodded at him. Then they passed each other.
"Hey Zhao, isn't that Zhang Guodong, the college classmate who's close to Secretary Wang?" The auxiliary police officer next to him said with a bright look in his eyes.
“That’s right! I heard that Zhang Guodong and Secretary Wang have a very good relationship. Even Jin Suo would have to greet him warmly.” Another person nodded in agreement.
"Alright, be careful someone hears us. This isn't something we should be discussing!" Zhao Xiaowang frowned and said. The leaders' affairs were indeed not something small fry should be discussing. If word got out, it could bring disaster. The two guards' expressions changed slightly, and they immediately stopped talking. They only breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that no one around them had noticed their conversation.
Following a recent major crackdown, the Renren Zihang Joint Defense Member was caught red-handed.
Zhao Xiaowang glanced at Zhang Guodong's retreating figure, then led the two men to continue their patrol. When he had free time, Zhao Xiaowang would go to the streets or wander through the villages, getting a thorough understanding of the entire township's environment.
The position of deputy director of the police station had been delayed, and many people were vying for it, frantically trying to pull strings. Zhao Xiaowang was one of them. He didn't know that the position was actually reserved for him. But now he was focused on his work, and it was a lucky accident.
From the moment he entered the township party committee compound, Zhao Sanshun remained silent. He seemed somewhat reserved. Although he could stand up to Zheng Chun, who was already in prison, it didn't mean he could act recklessly in the township. Now was a crucial time for Jixing Village to develop, and Zhao Sanshun maintained a respectful attitude towards the township leaders, seeking their support.
"Zhang Guodong?" He was walking along when a voice called out to him, stopping him in his tracks.
Turning around, they saw a middle-aged man. It was Chen Baoguo, the deputy secretary of the township party committee and secretary of the discipline inspection commission, with a warm smile on his face. Since Chang Lin and the others had fallen, it was said that Secretary Chen's smiles had become less frequent, though still rare, they were still surprising.
"Secretary Chen." Zhang Guodong smiled and went over to shake his hand. The two had met before, or rather, they were comrades-in-arms in the same trench when they fought against Chang Lin and others. Chen Bao'ao also knew perfectly well that Zhang Guodong's secrets were not to be told to outsiders.
"Looking for Secretary Wang? Perfect timing. Secretary Wang is in his office. I'll still call you Guodong. Want to grab a drink sometime after you're done?" Chen Baoguo's enthusiastic invitation left Zhao Sanshun, standing nearby, a little bewildered.
He naturally recognized Secretary Chen; he had been in Zhangba Township for many years. But his enthusiasm towards Zhang Guodong surprised and puzzled him.
"No problem, it's my turn to invite Chen."
"Don't be so formal, just call me Brother Chen, no need for all this 'Secretary' stuff," Chen Baoguo said sternly. Those around him nearly popped their eyes out; was this really the same stern-faced Secretary Chen?
"Brother Chen!" Zhang Guodong called out with a smile.
"Haha, that's more like it. You go ahead and get busy! Give me a call when you have time," Chen Baoguo said to Zhang Guodong like old friends. They said goodbye. Zhao Sanshun, standing next to Zhang Guodong, seemed a little dazed.
He was a little intimidated when he saw Chen Baoguo. The other man hadn't even noticed him, and besides, this wasn't a place for chatting and catching up, except for Zhang Guodong.
“I’ve had drinks with Secretary Wang, and Secretary Chen was there too,” Zhang Guodong said with a smile, glancing at Zhao Sanshun.
Zhao Sanshun suddenly realized. No wonder Secretary Chen was so enthusiastic!
The fat man had been spending his time in the Party Secretary's office lately; although his government office was still open, he rarely went there. Zhang Guodong and Zhao Sanshun were walking in the courtyard when they saw the fat man's driver, Xiao Ba, appear.
"Xiao Liu, is Secretary Wang here?" Zhang Guodong called out.
"Yes, yes, I'll go report to Secretary Wang right away, please wait a moment," Xiao Liu said respectfully, his eyes lighting up.
"Okay, thank you for your help!" Zhang Guodong nodded with a smile.
"It's no trouble at all. I'm Secretary Wang's clerk now," Xiao Liu said modestly.
Clerk? So the roles of driver and secretary can be switched so easily? Zhang Guodong was also quite surprised by the fat man's personnel choices.
"Secretary Wang, Mr. Zhang and Secretary Zhao from Jixing Village are here to see you," Xiao Liu said even more respectfully as he entered.
The fat man was working at his desk. He looked up from a pile of documents. He looked thinner and tired. It seemed that managing both party and government affairs wasn't so easy.
"Guodong? Quickly, invite them in!" The fat man said, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.
When Zhang Guodong entered, the first thing he noticed was the luxuriousness of the secretary's office, which seemed somewhat out of place in Zhangba Township. The fat man emerged from behind the desk with a grin. This was also due to Zhang Guodong's presence.
"How about it? My office is luxurious enough, isn't it? All the office supplies cost over two hundred thousand yuan," the fat man said with a hint of sarcasm as he watched Zhang Guodong look around with interest. "This was left behind by the person before me. Selling it secondhand would be too much of a loss, and buying a new one would cost money, so I just kept it!"
"So that's what happened." Zhang Guodong nodded. He casually smiled and said, "No wonder your predecessor had trouble; just look at this office, and then at the village exhibition."
The fat man smiled. Little Liu, quick-witted, served tea to the three of them and immediately withdrew.
"Guodong, sit down. Old Zhao, please sit down too!" The fat man sat down on the sofa. "I don't have any good tea here, just make do with this. Drinking tea is just a matter of etiquette." Zhang Guodong lost interest in the tea as soon as he saw it. But Village Chief Zhao Sanshun could drink this tea and politely took a couple of sips. That's how it is in the township; if they offer you tea, you drink it. You're used to village officials coming to the township.
"What's up?" the fat man asked. If it were personal matters, Zhang Guodong would call him. Now that Zhao Sanshun was here, it seemed to be business.
“That’s how it is,” Zhang Guodong said without any formalities, getting straight to the point and explaining the path and plan for Jixing Village to get rich. Zhao Sanshun also expressed his opinion, explaining that this was something the whole village was looking forward to and that he hoped to get the support of the township.
“I am also a member of Jixing Village, so when Secretary Zhao talks about the way out for the village, I must do my part. Wang Kang, your township must support this!”
"Policy support is no problem, and the township can handle sales channels. However, I can't help with the quality of the products. Also, starting a company is a good thing; it concentrates resources and reduces costs. However, the village management must solve the problem of how to start the company. The township's finances are severely depleted right now. I'm not afraid to tell you, the township doesn't even know how to cover two-thirds of its normal fiscal expenditures by the end of the year—that's two million!" The fat man thought for a moment, somewhat troubled. He was saying this to Zhao Sanshun.
The phone rang.
"Wait a minute, I need to take this call." The fat man immediately became serious upon seeing the phone, stood up, and answered it right there in his office. After a few "uh-huhs" and "okay," he hung up.
"Old Zhao, here's the thing. I can give you a preliminary answer now. In terms of policy, we can offer preferential treatment to your township enterprise in terms of taxation, and provide smooth support all the way. As for sales channels, the township can also help you connect with them to ensure your products have a market and can be sold. I can agree to these two points now! But you need to be careful with the product selection. The township can't provide financial support for setting up the company, but we can introduce you to loans. That's the current situation. I have some things to do today, I'll discuss this with you later," the fat man said to Zhao Sanshun. It could be said that his attitude was clear: support. But how much support, and to what extent, still needed to be discussed later.
"Guodong, come with me to the district."
Although Zhao Sanshun didn't receive a definitive answer, the fat man's statement was undoubtedly a good start. So he took the opportunity to say goodbye and go back to relay the township's stance to the other village representatives. This matter was showing signs of progress!
Zhang Guodong got into the fat man's secretary's car. The driver found another person, Xiao Liu, who got into the passenger seat with a briefcase, while Zhang Guodong and the fat man were in the back seat.
As soon as they got in the car, Zhang Guodong couldn't help but ask, "Setting up a township enterprise will cost at least several hundred thousand to a million yuan. The township won't provide funding. Will this be difficult to do?"
The fat man chuckled and said, "The township really doesn't have any funds. By the end of the year, even the normal financial expenditures of various departments will be a problem. I'm still looking for ways to raise money, so it's impossible for the township government to provide support."
"That difficult?" Zhang Guodong asked with a surprised laugh. "I thought you were just complaining about being poor!"
"Playing the poor card? If you were really rich, why would you play the poor card? The township enterprises were recently reorganized and consolidated, and the township government even subsidized hundreds of thousands of yuan. Although it will be good, the tax revenue is a long-term solution that can't solve the immediate problem. We won't know for sure until the second half of next year!" The fat man rolled his eyes and said bitterly.
Only when the pressure actually hits you do you realize how difficult it is to be an official, especially a good one.
"Then let's attract investment. Isn't that how your government usually solves financial problems? Get a few big companies to move in, and two million, or even more two million, will be a piece of cake," Zhang Guodong joked.
"Easier said than done! If attracting investment were that easy, I wouldn't be crying poverty like this. But you're right, the township will go all out to attract investment in the last few months of the year, otherwise we won't be able to get through the year!"
"Let's not talk about this anymore. I have absolutely no interest in your government's affairs," Zhang Guodong said, waving his hand. The affairs of government officials are extremely complicated; hearing about them too much is just too much of a hassle!
"Isn't that a bit much? Your sister-in-law is the deputy director of the personnel department of the provincial propaganda department now, isn't she an official?" The fat man was a little indignant. This Guodong was simply out of touch with reality and didn't know the value of money. Did he think that being a public servant was so easy?
Although Xiao Liu in the front seat didn't look back—being a secretary and fulfilling his duties—he could hear everything. It turned out Mr. Zhang's wife was actually the deputy director of the personnel department of the provincial propaganda department? Wasn't that the same level as Secretary Wang? Deputy director level?
As for a deputy director at the level of a full-fledged division chief, that's impossible; how old is Zhang Guodong anyway? However, this information is very important. I must be even more respectful to Mr. Zhang from now on. I initially thought Zhang Guodong was getting ahead through his wife's connections, so while I was respectful, my true feelings were quite different. But I never imagined his wife was actually the deputy director of the Personnel Department of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department! At the same level, she's Secretary Wang's superior!
Zhang Guodong smiled slightly. Zheng Le's maternity leave was over, and she had already taken up her post at the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department. They kept in touch by phone every day. He wasn't worried about her there; with the second-in-command of the Propaganda Department looking after her, Zheng Le's career would be very stable within the department, and no one would dare to harass her.
The more Zhang Guodong wore this expression, the more frustrated the fat man became. He was seething inside! That expression was just asking for a beating; comparisons are inevitable. Sister Xiang was practically his sister-in-law, right? But she was now the Executive Deputy District Head, his actual superior. Of course, this couldn't be said in front of his subordinates.
"By the way, who called you just now?" Zhang Dedong changed the subject.
The fat man's expression turned serious, and he frowned slightly as he said, "Minister Chu from the district's organization department said he wants to introduce me to two business owners."
Why introduce a wealthy boss through official channels instead of personal connections? Zhang Guodong thought for a while before remembering that Minister Chu seemed to be the head of the Organization Department. As the leader of a powerful department, especially in charge of personnel, the fat man couldn't be ignored.
"Then it would be appropriate for me to go?" Zhang Guodong asked, somewhat puzzled.
"It's strange, how did Minister Chu know about you? He knows that you and I were college classmates and have a good relationship, and he asked me to bring you along. This matter is probably related to you, right?" the fat man asked, puzzled.
However, he had to go even if he didn't want to, since his superiors had invited him. Fatty couldn't refuse. That's what Zhang Guodong said. Thinking about it, there wasn't much else to do; he'd go home and visit his family afterwards. With Zheng Le at work, the two little ones would be cared for by their grandparents, and it would be irresponsible of him, as their father, not to show up.
Ye Yun and Xiao Zhanghao are also missing Zhang Guodong.
At a hotel in the district, Chu Xiaoming, a member of the Standing Committee of the High-tech Zone and Minister of the Organization Department, was chatting casually with two middle-aged men in gold suits. The food and drinks hadn't been served yet, and the waiter was also waiting; clearly, they were waiting for someone.
This hotel is considered quite upscale in the area, offering a full range of bathing services. Many business owners and officials like to eat and drink here, then take a hot bath, and ideally get a massage.
The massage girls at this hotel are quite attractive and young; apparently, many college students work part-time there. These massage girls only work occasionally, but their beauty lies in their youth and innocence, lacking the air of a prostitute.
The three chatted, with Chu Xiaoming occasionally smiling, while the two bosses were quite relaxed, seemingly very familiar with Chu Xiaoming, calling him "Old Chu, Old Chu" repeatedly, which didn't bother Chu Xiaoming.
"Back in school, Lao Chu, you were the envy of us all. The competition for the vice minister of the student union's academic department was fierce, but who would have thought that you, who was always the unsung hero, would take the spot?" Chen Hongxiao reminisced about his university days, which made the other two feel the same way.
University is an extremely valuable asset and a treasure trove of memories in one's life. Even now, as the head of the organization department at the division level, Chu Xiaoming still sighs with emotion when he occasionally reminisces about the past.
"Hehe, I didn't have much hope back then, and I'm still wondering about it now. But now you two are both old men, living a glamorous life. It's your turn to be jealous!" Chu Xiaoming said.
"Old Chu, don't be modest. Even businessmen like us can't do without government support these days; otherwise, we won't make money. I didn't expect you to have reached this position. You'll be promoted to deputy director next, won't you?" another person, Li Zhimin, said with a smile, his tone full of envy.
Nowadays, officials generally have a much higher status than business people, and this envy is genuine.
Chu Xiaoming was happy inside, but he said aloud, "My two old classmates, please stop trying to flatter me. Getting promoted again isn't that easy. I'm satisfied with my current position. As long as the next generation is doing well, that's all that matters!"
"By the way, Lao Chu, did you get Xiao Cheng the job I mentioned last time? If not, he can come with me and Lao Li. It's not as glamorous as being an official, but at least he won't be short of money in the future. Lao Li and I are planning to build a vegetable processing plant here. Why don't we let Xiao Cheng join us? Twenty percent of the shares is worth over a million. Once it grows bigger, we won't have to worry about money anymore!" Chen Hongxiao suggested with a smile.
"This...it's a bit inappropriate. The restrictions on officials' children engaging in business are very strict these days," Chu Xiaoming said, somewhat tempted but also hesitant. He understood what they meant; it was essentially a gift of money, but only in his son's name. However, this carried a bit of risk.
"I don't see anything wrong with it. The regulations only apply to areas under their jurisdiction. If the processing plant is located in Anchang District, there won't be any problem!" Li Zhimin thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Even if you get promoted later, it won't affect anything."
Comparison: Basically 6,000 words, a few dozen words short, this chapter is a bit long.
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