The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 329 Cadres Going to the Countryside

Back at headquarters, after submitting the required documents and completing all the necessary tasks, Qian Jin took advantage of lunchtime to have lunch with the two commanding officers and hold a short meeting.

"Leader, I believe the Wangjiagou incident has served as a wake-up call for us. The drought relief efforts have reached their most critical stage; water is life!"

Han Zhaoxin took a bite of the chive pancake and nodded: "Yes, that's how it is. What are your thoughts?"

Qian Jin quickly explained: "My idea is that when it comes to the allocation of things like lifelines, relying solely on issuing documents, setting rules, and the awareness of brigade cadres is sometimes not enough in the face of enormous survival pressure."

"I believe we must truly dedicate our efforts and shoulder our responsibilities!"

Zheng Guodong asked with interest, "What do you think should be done?"

Qian Jin firmly stated, "I believe that an extraordinary mechanism of 'cadres being assigned to specific teams and responsibilities being assigned to individuals' should be implemented immediately throughout the city!"

Poverty alleviation for all, cadres go to the countryside!
Cadres use their skills, connections, and influence to provide one-on-one assistance to impoverished villages in order to help them escape poverty.

Based on this concept, Qian Jin elaborated on his ideas in detail:

"I think the specific approach should be like this: draw all available cadres from municipal and county-level government agencies, enterprises, and factories—of course, drought relief is not the only task; maintaining the basic operation of government agencies is the priority."

"Then, regardless of department or rank, each person was assigned to a production brigade or even a production team based on the principle of 'proximity and convenience, and pairing of strong and weak'. Cadres then directly moved into the production team they were assigned to, eating, living, and working alongside the commune members!"

"Their core tasks are: to ensure the implementation of all drought relief instructions for the production teams they are responsible for, to ensure the safety of drinking water for people and livestock, to coordinate and resolve water disputes, to organize self-help production, and most importantly, to report the exact drought situation in the area to higher authorities as soon as possible!"

This idea is absolutely domineering in the current climate.

Zheng Guodong and Han Zhaoxin initially thought he was making a mountain out of a molehill, but after the idea came out, the two looked at each other in disbelief.

I was shocked.

Is this another way to do it?

Qian Jin said to the two men in a firm tone, "In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken!"

Han Zhaoxin hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

After hesitating for a moment, Zheng Guodong waved his hand and said, "Go on."

Upon seeing this, Han Zhaoxin nodded silently.

Qian Jin continued, "Just like how Commander-in-Chief Han arranged for me to be a special envoy in Anguo County, the responsibilities and powers of the cadres in charge of the teams should be commensurate."

"Therefore, I believe the command should grant the officers in charge of the teams three powers: first, the right to report information directly!"

"The cadres in charge of the production teams have the right to report directly to the command center or the district/county drought relief office regarding the drought situation, water demand, and any emergencies. If necessary, they can report to higher levels to ensure unimpeded information flow!"

"The second is the right to make suggestions on resource coordination. That is, within the framework of the unified allocation by the command, the cadres in charge of the team have the priority to make suggestions on the allocation and use of drought relief materials for the production team they are in charge of—whether it is water, water pumps, irrigation equipment, seeds, etc."

"Under the same conditions, the command center will give priority to the suggestions of the cadres in charge of the teams."

"Third, and most importantly—the power of supervision and constraint!"

Qian Jin looked down at his notebook, licked his dry lips, and continued speaking.

Upon seeing this, Han Zhaoxin quickly poured him a glass of water.

Qian Jin thanked him and continued, "The cadres in charge of the production teams have the right to supervise whether they strictly implement the command's various drought relief instructions, especially water use discipline."

"If any production team under your supervision is found to have engaged in unauthorized water interception, water grabbing, disrupting water use order, or refusing to comply with rotational irrigation or water delivery arrangements, the cadre in charge of the team has the right to report it directly to the command center. After verification, the command center will reduce or even suspend the allocation of drought relief materials to the production team, depending on the severity of the circumstances!"

"Water, water pumps, diesel fuel, seeds, and all other priority resources will be affected! This is a red line!"

He then shifted his tone and clarified the responsibilities of cadres:
"At the same time, responsibilities should be linked together."

"If a production team under your supervision makes a major mistake in drought relief work due to improper command, poor coordination, or concealment of information by the team leader, the command headquarters will directly hold the team leader accountable!"

"Minor offenses will result in a public reprimand, while serious offenses will result in disciplinary action!"

He then quickly added, "Major mistakes must be addressed by establishing rules and regulations in advance, and we should try to avoid patching things up afterward, in order to increase the authority of the team-based cadres' work mechanism in rural areas."

"So what constitutes a major mistake? I think it includes situations like the interruption of drinking water supply for people and livestock, collective conflicts over water, and avoidable crop failures."

Han Zhaoxin nodded: "What you said makes sense. I've noted it down. Is there anything else you want to say?"

Qian Jin concluded by saying, "Let me summarize one more point. I believe the core of this mechanism is to extend the command center's reach directly to every production team, and to break down and assign the responsibility and pressure of drought relief to every specific dispatched cadre!"

"Let the relevant cadres truly become the 'bridgehead' and 'stabilizer' connecting the command center and the grassroots, and let every production team clearly understand that only by abiding by the rules and considering the overall situation can they receive support; those who act recklessly and only care about themselves will pay the price!"

This proposal is a decision-making bombshell.

Before it was even implemented, it sparked heated discussions at the command headquarters.

Some worry about insufficient cadre strength, some are concerned about too much backlash from the grassroots, and some question the feasibility of the restrictive measures.

In short, they were completely dumbfounded when they learned that city officials were going to the countryside to fight drought.

However, this system is indeed highly feasible.

Zheng Guodong and Han Zhaoxin reached a consensus internally, and then, overcoming all objections, made the final decision:
"Comrade Qian Jin's suggestion hits the nail on the head! Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures!"

“‘Cadre-led teams’ should work, but you can’t rush things.”

"In this way, the organization department takes the lead, and people..."
"First, send some urban cadres to the countryside to assess the results. Also, the command center must immediately draft an 'Emergency Notice on Implementing a Cadre-Based Responsibility System During Drought Relief,' clearly defining responsibilities and authority! Issue it immediately for implementation!" Departments and commissions should cooperate to complete the transfer of a group of young cadres with rural life or work experience within three days. I will personally assign and mobilize them!

At the meeting, Qian Jin volunteered to raise his hand and said, "Leader, I am currently working on the front lines of drought relief. I would like to request assistance from a production brigade in a severely affected area!"

Han Zhaoxin grew to like him more and more, and cherished him more and more:
"Forget it, you're still the frontline commander in Anguo County. You have too much work to handle and can't be in two places at once. You should focus your energy on the overall command work in Anguo County."

Qian Jin insisted, "Thank you for your concern, Commander Han, but I can do it. I am a special envoy, and I must set an example!"

Han Zhaoxin wanted to persuade him not to work so hard.

Zheng Guodong, smoking a cigarette, agreed with his idea of ​​setting an example. He said, "Old Han, this idea of ​​cadres taking charge of teams to fight drought is good, but it will probably be very difficult to implement."

"We need good role models, and you and I are actually the most suitable to be those role models, but there's no way around it, we can't leave."

“You have to be in charge of the overall drought relief work, and I have to oversee the normal operation of the city. Under these circumstances, it is very necessary for Xiao Qian to personally go to the front line.”

"Not only him, but Director Zhenbang should go too. They are the best role models!"

"Of course, Director Zhenbang is very busy, so just find a nearby production team to do a token gesture..."

Han Zhaoxin said with a wry smile, "How could I not understand this principle? But I really can't bear it. Look at Xiao Qian, he used to be such a handsome and spirited young man, but now his skin is as black as a turtle shell, and it's even glowing!"

Qian Jin laughed and said, "Black is healthier, and it saves electricity by emitting light."

The two leaders burst into laughter.

Zheng Guodong stubbed out his cigarette and said, "Then you can be even darker. If you have the power, shine a little brighter for the people. The farmers are having such a hard time right now. They probably see only darkness in the future!"

Currently, it's not just farmers who feel the future is bleak; many government officials also feel the outlook is bleak.

As the top leaders reached a consensus, an unprecedented campaign to send cadres to lower levels was quickly launched, starting with relevant units in the city.

Hundreds of government officials, from section chiefs to staff members, from directors to clerks, all received the "Emergency Notice on Implementing a Cadre-Based Responsibility System During Drought Relief" issued by the command center.

This was like a boulder crashing into the orderly surface of municipal and district-level government agencies, creating huge waves.

As required by the notice, all units must submit the list of cadres for the first batch of rural support teams within one day, giving priority to key personnel from departments closely related to drought relief work, such as water conservancy, transportation, and agriculture, especially Party members and cadres.

The list must be specific to each individual and clearly define the production brigade responsible for each task.

Then, the personnel who submit the list must arrive at their respective production teams within two days and must begin drought relief statistics work within three days!

The news instantly shattered the usual warm atmosphere of drinking tea, reading newspapers, and chatting in the offices of various government agencies.

Some leading cadres still have a strong sense of national and familial responsibility, and they have taken the initiative to go to the countryside to support agriculture and fight drought.

For example, Qian Jin's elder brother, Qian Cheng, was the first to respond to the call and sign up at the Industry and Commerce Bureau to go to the countryside.

For example, Wei Desheng, the manager of the chicken farm where his third brother Qian Lie worked, handed over the operation of Hongxing Farm to Qian Lie, who had become his confidant, after learning about this matter, and took the initiative to pack his bags and actively request to go to the countryside to fight the drought.

However, most organizations are unable to find suitable candidates because everyone knows how difficult life is in rural areas and doesn't want to suffer.

In the Planning Section of the Water Resources Bureau.

Deputy Section Chief Li Deyu paced back and forth in his office, carrying an enamel mug with the words "Advanced Worker" printed in red, sighing repeatedly.

"What kind of situation is this? Do you think all these reports and plans can be handled without me? I'm going down to that remote mountain village, with no phone or telegram, completely in the dark. How am I supposed to get anything done? Who's going to be responsible if things go wrong?"

He emphasized the words "mistakes" and glanced at the section chief.

However, the head of the planning department was no pushover either, and immediately laughed and said, "Old Li, you're just reluctant to part with your newlywed wife, aren't you?"

Li Deyu is over forty years old this year. He was a cadre on loan from the countryside. After arriving in the city, he performed outstandingly. At that time, various government agencies were short of talent, so they kept him in the city.

His wife was a village woman he married in the countryside. After moving to the city, she was not used to city life and did not have a job in the city, so she stayed in the countryside.

His wife passed away from illness this year, and after waiting for a few months, Li Deyu quickly married a new wife. They have been married for less than a week now.

From this perspective, it was indeed inappropriate to send him to the countryside. After all, the couple had just gotten married and were enjoying a sweet and loving relationship; it would have been unsuitable to separate them.

Unfortunately, Li Deyu's hometown, Xiaolizhuang, was also a severely affected area by the drought. In addition, he had a secret disagreement with the head of the planning department. As a result, the planning department put him on the list and directly asked him to be sent to his hometown to fight the drought.

Li Deyu has little attachment to his hometown.

The main reason is that he is not a native descendant of Xiaolizhuang, but rather someone who married into Xiaolizhuang during the special period of the 1960s, and therefore changed his surname.

Therefore, he always felt that his life in Xiaolizhuang was a stain on his life.

In addition, his relationship with his wife, who stayed behind in Xiaolizhuang, was not good in previous years, which led to his bad reputation in the Xiaolizhuang production brigade. This time, going back is like a lamb entering a tiger's den; he'll be in for a beating.

Considering all these factors, Li Deyu was restless in his office.

After thinking about it for an afternoon, he still felt that he absolutely could not go to the countryside, so he decided to go and talk to the bureau chief Zhang Chengnan on his behalf.

Li Deyu and Zhang Chengnan had a good relationship, mainly because Li Deyu was very capable at work, especially in terms of numerical sensitivity. He had made many contributions to the Water Resources Bureau and was highly appreciated by Zhang Chengnan.

This is also why he dares to scheme against the section chief on ordinary days.

So he thought that Director Zhang was usually a very amiable person who cared about him a lot, and now he was the deputy commander of the drought relief command. Perhaps by using this connection, he could avoid being assigned to work in the countryside.

Gritting his teeth, after get off work he went to the department store and took out his saved liquor and cigarette coupons to buy a bottle of Wuliangye liquor and a carton of Peony cigarettes.

He had the salesman carefully wrap the cigarettes and alcohol in old newspapers, put them in his black faux leather handbag, and then, under the cover of darkness, knocked on Zhang Chengnan's door.

Director Zhang lives in a new building allocated by his work unit, a two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, which is considered quite comfortable.

A 12-inch black and white television, branded as Peony, was playing the news in the living room.

When he entered, Zhang Chengnan was watching the news.

When Zhang Chengnan saw Li Deyu carrying things, his brows furrowed:
"Old Li, what are you doing?"

"Director Zhang, this is just a small token of my appreciation. Well, I'd like to report something to you." Li Deyu smiled apologetically, his face full of embarrassment. "You know my family situation. My elderly mother is bedridden, and my wife just got married and isn't very familiar with her yet."

"So if I'm gone for a few months, it'll be really difficult to manage things at home. Do you think it's possible to contact the command center..."

Zhang Chengnan had anticipated this.

He sighed and gestured to the sofa for his trusted subordinate to sit down: "Old Li, it's not that I don't want to help you."

"What time is it now? The drought is a war, and the disaster area is like a battlefield! We are fighting a war now. The command has given a death order. We just started reform and opening up, and this year's drought relief work can only be victorious, not defeated!" "The policy of cadres being assigned to teams to carry out drought relief work in the countryside is a policy of collective consultation between our top two leaders. If I, Zhang Chengnan, make an exception for you today, I won't be able to keep my position as deputy commander tomorrow!"

He pointed to the things on the table, "Take these back. Drought relief is the top priority, and the people from the Water Resources Bureau should take the lead."

"Go down there and do your job properly, don't embarrass my Water Resources Bureau. If your family is really having difficulties, I'll talk to the office later and see if we can organize someone to help you out."

Li Deyu was rebuffed. Seeing the unyielding look in Director Zhang's eyes, he could only slink back with his cigarettes and alcohol, feeling a mix of emotions.

Ou Chenggong, deputy director of the Agricultural Bureau's Technology Extension Station, was very annoyed when he learned that he had been recommended by his unit to be among the first batch of cadres to be assigned to specific teams.

Unfortunately, he wasn't well-liked at work, and by the time he heard the news, he had already left work. By then, it was too late to go to his superiors to refuse the assignment.

Although young, he was a timid and cowardly urban youth who couldn't endure hardship; he was a technically-minded leader.

At this moment, there was a bottle of sunscreen clam oil in front of him, but he had no intention of wiping it off. He just muttered to himself, "This team-building job is very easy to cause problems. Then all the responsibility will fall on my head. If something goes wrong, how can I expect to get promoted in the future?"

He shook his head: "No, no. Aren't there enough fights and brawls down there over water these days? If I go down there, I'll be like a rat caught in the bellows, suffering from both sides!"

"Besides, what if I really get into a fight and get beaten up? Who am I supposed to complain to then?"

He was timid but quick-witted. He knew that Han Zhaoxin was the person in charge of the drought relief command. If he could get through Han Zhaoxin, he wouldn't need to go anywhere else.

Coincidentally.

Han Zhaoxin was his distant cousin, and the two had some connection. Han Zhaoxin was also one of the reasons he was able to get into the Agricultural Bureau.

However, Han Zhaoxin was very protective of his reputation and had given him a strict order not to reveal their relationship to anyone, so his colleagues at work were unaware that he had a powerful figure behind him.

In addition, he felt that Han Zhaoxin was a very approachable person in private. Every year when he went to pay New Year's respects to the old man of the Han family, Han Zhaoxin would personally make tea for him.

A few days ago, when the weather was hot, he bought some popsicles from the wholesale department to send to Grandpa Han to help him cool down. Han Zhaoxin happened to run into him and even warmly invited him to have some sweet soup.

Remembering that the old man of the Han family liked sweets and desserts, he didn't dare to give an expensive gift. So he bought two bottles of orange soda and a pack of animal crackers, and knocked on Han Zhaoxin's door after dinner.

The person who opened the door was Han Zhaoxin, wearing a faded blue crew-neck t-shirt and holding a document in his hand.

"Commander Han, are you home? I came to visit my uncle." Ou Chenggong smiled and handed the net bag he was carrying through the door. "It's just a small token, a little something for my uncle..."

Han Zhaoxin was very welcoming to him: "Come in, come in. Xiao Ou, if you hadn't come today, I was planning to call your technical station tomorrow."

“I just looked at the list of cadres assigned to specific teams submitted by your unit, and your name was at the top of it.”

“Good, good! I mentioned this to my father, and he praised you highly, saying that he had long seen that you were a good comrade who never forgot his roots!”

Ou Chenggong: "Huh?"

He was stunned.

Han Zhaoxin pulled him inside, more enthusiastic than ever before: "Xiao Xu, serve the guest a cup of green tea."

The nanny, who was wiping the table, quickly agreed and wiped her hands to get to work.

Ou Chenggong originally wanted to use the old man's connections to get him to intercede on his behalf.

Now that the old man has praised him for this, it wouldn't be appropriate for him to use that step-back move again.

But if he didn't follow the old man's route and had to personally plead with Han Zhaoxin to get things done through back channels, he wouldn't have the guts.

So he sat on the wax.

He kept nodding and stammering.

Who is Han Zhaoxin?

He was a high-ranking official with an extremely accurate grasp of people's hearts and human nature, and he was also particularly good at reading people's expressions.

Seeing that his distant relative was not only unhappy with his praise but also seemed embarrassed, he guessed why Ou Chenggong had come to visit.

Immediately, the second-in-command's face darkened.

He pointed to the net bag on the table and said in a serious tone, "Comrade Ou Chenggong, you're not here to see your old uncle, are you? There must be something else going on."

"Then get to the point, but take the gifts with you. The government just issued regulations this year regarding officials giving and receiving gifts. With things so sensitive right now, don't create trouble for yourself!"

Ou Chenggong hurriedly nodded and bowed: "Yes, yes, Commander Han, well, I really have something to do."

"It's like this, you see, about the rural team assignment... You see, my wife is newly pregnant and has a very bad morning sickness, she's vomiting a lot and can't be left alone..."

"I... I mean, if I go down here, she'll be home alone, and if something happens to her... So, could you... I don't mean I don't want to go down, sir, I just want to go down in a later batch? Or maybe find a brigade in the suburbs?"

Han Zhaoxin's face looked very grim.

Therefore, Ou Chenggong changed his requirements and provided an explanation midway through the process.

But the explanation was useless.

Han Zhaoxin couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

Looking at the slick-haired, powdered young man with a new watch on his wrist, and his fair and tender skin, and then thinking of Qian Jin's dark and miserable appearance, a nameless anger rose up.

But given their familial relationship, he suppressed his anger and spoke in an icy tone:
"Comrade Ou Chenggong, the command has its own rules. Once the list is finalized, it cannot be changed. The organization will take your wife's difficulties into consideration."

"Currently, drought relief is the most important political task, and Party members and cadres should take the lead. As far as I know, the command center has contacted the Women's Federation and the street offices to organize neighborhood mutual assistance and volunteer services for the families of cadres who are going to the countryside and who are in genuine difficulty."

"Then tomorrow I will tell your neighborhood committee about your situation and ask them to help take care of your spouse."

"In my opinion, you should be thinking about how to pack your bags and how to get the job done, not how to shirk responsibility! Go back!"

After saying that, without waiting for Ou Chenggong to speak again, she stood up, picked up the gift, and stuffed it back into his hand.

The maid, who was pouring tea leaves, smiled secretly and closed the tea box again.

Ou Chenggong, unwilling to give up, said with a mournful face, "Commander Han, how about I go see my uncle? You see, I've come all this way..."

"Your uncle has also gone to the countryside to fight the drought," Han Zhaoxin said forcefully, completely disregarding the fact that he had just said things like, "My father speaks highly of you."

Ou Chenggong was unable to go out.

Then, the villa door slammed shut.

Ou Chenggong was completely dumbfounded when he saw the closed door and the awkward gift in his hand.

In fact, it wasn't just Han Zhaoxin; many managers were dealing with visiting guests at this time.

Qian Jin had anticipated this situation when he first devised the strategy of assigning cadres to rural areas to combat drought, so he strongly insisted on being the first to be assigned to a team, and even assigned to a team facing difficulties.

He wants to book the Xiamapo area.

But he didn't expect that even after he returned to the front-line command post in Anguo County, he would still receive harassing phone calls.

At that time, he was discussing a solution for settling mud and water with leaders such as Liu Changgui and Zhong Jianxin and the technicians when the crank-operated magneto telephone in the warehouse suddenly rang shrilly.

Zhong Jianxin ran over, shook the phone a few times to connect to the city's main switchboard, and then covered the microphone to shout to Qian Jin, "Commander Qian, it's the city's phone, they're looking for you."

Qian Jin walked over with a puzzled look, took the heavy black receiver, and heard a male voice with a slightly ingratiating tone:

"Hello? Is this Comrade Qian Jin? Oh, I've finally found you. This is Lao Liu from the fire brigade, Liu Zhiqiang!"

Qian Jin was taken aback. He searched his memory for the name and vaguely remembered that there was such a person. When the training school inspected the fire safety work, this person had been there to inspect the site.

He asked in confusion, "Oh, Captain Liu? Hello, what can I do for you? My signal isn't very good here."

This type of magneto telephone does indeed rely on signal communication.

Upon hearing this, the other person quickly said, "Oh, Comrade Qian, it's like this. I heard you're now a drought relief special commissioner in Anguo County? And you're also serving as a team leader? That's amazing! Going deep into the grassroots, you're a role model!"

Liu Zhiqiang started with a string of compliments, then got to the point: "Well, there's a small favor I'd like to ask you. I'm on the list of cadres who are going to the countryside to help specific teams. But, you know, my wife... she's always been in poor health, she has severe arthritis, and she can't get out of bed on rainy days."

"Besides, I have a young son at home who just started elementary school, and I really can't leave him alone. You see, you're now a favorite of Commander Han, and you've made great contributions on the front lines, so your words carry a lot of weight."

"So could you... could you please put in a good word for me with Commander Han? Maybe I could get a second chance?"

Money in mouth:

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle..."

"What's going on? Sizzle, huh? Sizzle, I can't hear you, what's wrong? This damn phone signal is all over the place again, damn it, you can't even make local calls with this phone, you can't even do this little job, I'll replace you sooner or later!"

He hung up the phone after saying that.

Not only was he being harassed, but because there were also cadres in the county responsible for assisting the teams, even more people turned to Liu Changgui for help.

Liu Changgui spoke righteously: "Officer Du, I'm currently at the command post, and the situation here is ten times, a hundred times, more difficult than your home situation! And the situation of the peasant comrades is ten times, a hundred times more difficult than the situation at our command post!"

"Let me tell you, the people in the disaster-stricken areas are now relying on drinking muddy water to survive; livestock are dying of thirst, and crops are dying of drought—this kind of situation is commonplace!"

"The city command organized cadres to form teams and sent cadres down to the front lines to save farmers' lives and fight the drought! They weren't there to pick and choose or haggle!"

"I, Liu Changgui, am merely a lowly county-level official. I have neither the ability nor the qualifications to plead for you! The command headquarters has made unified arrangements; who should be removed and how they should be removed are matters for the leaders to decide!"

"All I can think about right now is how to drill more wells and get some muddy water. Sorry, I have an emergency here, I have to hang up now!"

Before the other party could say anything more, Liu Changgui slammed the phone down.

The piercing "click" sound was particularly loud in the warehouse.

He rubbed his temples wearily and said to the group with a wry smile, "Seriously, while the front lines are fighting, those back home are still thinking about how to desert!"

Suddenly, all sorts of "difficulties" and "reasons" sprang up like mushrooms after rain.

Some people tried to pull strings and ask their superiors for leniency, some took sick leave with "diagnosis certificates" from the hospital, and others faced various emergencies at home that required someone to stay with them.

Whispers filled the offices of the officials, and the phones rang more frequently than usual, mostly about how to circumvent the upcoming rural campaign, much to the annoyance of the leaders at all levels.

The next day when Han Zhaoxin went to work, the command center no longer needed to receive disaster reports from the various district and county command posts; instead, it was full of pleas for leniency.

Han Zhaoxin slammed his fist on the table in his office in anger: "Nonsense! What kind of time is this to be doing this? It seems that what was said at the mobilization meeting wasn't enough! Some people just won't learn their lesson until they see the coffin!"

The Anguo County command center reported on the pleas for leniency they received, especially the calls received by Qian Jin.

When Han Zhaoxin learned of this, he felt both sorry for Qian Jin's situation and furious at those who tried to use connections to get to the front lines.

He never expected that Qian Jin would have to worry about such things after he went to the front line.

This only strengthened his resolve to promote the system of cadres being assigned to specific teams, and he prepared to take even stricter measures to rectify this trend of shirking responsibility.

Zheng Guodong also received several calls pleading for leniency, which caused him a great deal of trouble.

He and Han Zhaoxin quickly discussed the matter, and then held an emergency collective meeting of the cadres in charge of the teams the next afternoon. All the leaders on the list who had not yet gone to the countryside went to the auditorium of the Workers' Cultural Palace.

On the podium, Zheng Guodong's face was ashen. The microphone in front of him was polished to a shine, but he didn't say a word. He just stared at the crowd below.

That look in his eyes is like a sickle.

The eyes of the leaders were like wheat.

Wherever the sickle struck, the wheat lay flat and broken.

No one dared to meet his gaze.

(End of this chapter)