In the name of supernatural powers

Chapter 119 Zhao De's Plan
Fangshi, Municipal Executive Office.

Wei Jiahong has been living here for two days now. He sits in a chair, maintaining the airs of the city's top official, listening to the report from his subordinate, the head of the agricultural department.

The transfer of agricultural rights is inviolable; 130,000 mu of arable land must be handed over to the Ant Ridge Border Garrison, otherwise it would be disobeying the federal order.

If Zhao De had promoted one of his subordinates to the position of border station chief, Wei Jiahong could have managed to get rid of him. After all, this was a suspended official, and orders issued before his departure should have been refuted.

But the person Zhao De promoted was named Lu Zhao, and behind Lu Zhao was the Lin family, and above the Lin family was the chief of the South China Sea Circuit.

Wei Jiahong proposed submitting the proposal, but it was rejected that same day.

It doesn't matter, as long as Lu Zhao makes a mistake, that can be used as an excuse to get rid of the other party.

We'll deal with the border garrison troops then, gradually.

They might be able to send their own people in, and maybe even make some extra money. The border garrison troops don't need to hand over their grain, and they don't even necessarily have to go through the federal distribution agency.

It's too easy for an independent production unit to falsify accounts.

For example, they could falsely report the amount of cultivated land by border garrison troops, increase the allocation of seeds and fertilizers through internal channels, and then repackage and sell the high-quality seeds and fertilizers from the federal government.

The problem of surplus grain production is easy to solve; simply mix in some old rice. This also creates another avenue for income, allowing for the exchange of new and old rice harvested each year.

With his mind racing and the sight of gleaming federal banknotes already in his head, Wei Jiahong was somewhat distracted by his subordinates' reports.

"...I have now instructed all regions to delay the grain production as much as possible. If it is delayed for half a month, a large amount of rice should become moldy."

The head of the agricultural department worried, "Isn't this a bit too much? These days everyone is focused on food, and 130,000 mu could yield tens of thousands of tons of rice."

If these food supplies run into problems, no one can afford to take responsibility under federal accountability.

Wei Jiahong waved his hand and said, "That kid is protected by the Lin family, so ordinary methods won't work. We can buy the missing grain from companies; there won't be any problems."

Wei's Grain Company was run by his youngest daughter, so he could take the opportunity to make a fortune.

He's got a knack for making money.

"But what if these things we've made are discovered..."

The head of the agricultural department was interrupted halfway through his sentence by Wei Jiahong, whose tone became stern. He said, "No buts. Do you think I, a city magistrate, am afraid of a mere minor official? The grain depot is my man, and the local security office is my man too. What makes him think he can fight me?"

“A temporary official dares to fight me? Does he really think he can do whatever he wants just because he has connections?”

They have soldiers and law enforcement authority.

Ant Ridge falls under the jurisdiction of the border defense. The border station has every right to exercise law enforcement power under the pretext of combating smuggling. Before Zhao De fell from power, Lü Jinshan was a local tyrant.

Moreover, Lu Zhao is not without a background.

The head of the agricultural department couldn't bring himself to say these words; he could tell that his superior had gone somewhat mad since becoming the head of the municipal government.

After all these years, it's hard not to go crazy when you finally make it big.

Another reason is arable land.

The farmland that was allocated originally belonged to the Agriculture Department, but by some reckoning, it belongs to the Wei family!

"Have you forgotten how he turned the city upside down a while ago? If he gets control of some of the grain depots and finds any clues, he might just report us."

The head of the agricultural department had no choice but to nod.
He was promoted by the other party, and Wei Jiahong now holds the power of life and death. Even if he has grievances in his heart, he dares not speak out.

After leaving the municipal office, the head of the agriculture department seemed somewhat absent-minded.

I kept thinking about what the consequences would be if this year's harvest had a major problem.
The grain supply is only enough to keep people from starving each year. If there is a shortage of 130,000 mu of arable land, how many people will go hungry?
The total arable land within Fangcheng District is only 1.2 million mu, with 130,000 mu accounting for one-tenth of the land.

He only followed Wei Jiahong in embezzling some money, but it was just the usual red envelopes; that doesn't mean he was rotten to the core.

If you don't take a single penny and act all high and mighty, how are you going to get into the circle?

"Commander Liang."

A deep, unfamiliar voice came from behind.

A tall man in a police uniform walked over. He was Xu Zhenhua, the current captain of the Special Counter-Strike Team, and one of the few remaining members of the former city police force.

"Is it convenient for me to take a step to talk?"

Before the head of the agricultural department could refuse, Xu Zhenhua took out a photo, a photo of him with a woman.

That was his mistress.

"What do you want to do?"

Xu Zhenhua interrupted with a snort, then said with a smile, "My car is right outside. Would Manager Liang do me the honor of coming in for a meal?"

The head of the agricultural department eventually got into a white sedan with the other party.
-
Fangshi, a villa area.

Zhao De sat on the living room sofa, his wife and son opposite him, their heads down, looking bewildered.

A divorce agreement was laid out on the table, which Zhao De had already signed.

Taking advantage of a break, he answered Xu Zhenhua's call.

"Sir, the matter has been taken care of. That guy has agreed to testify for us. Should I take him directly to the supervisor?"

"Cast a long line to catch a big fish; don't be too hasty in everything."

"But if this drags on any longer, the early rice harvest will be in jeopardy."

Even a rough man like Xu Zhenhua cares a lot about the crops in the fields; food is so important these days.

It's heartbreaking to watch 130,000 mu of rice fields go moldy, even if it's not your own.

Zhao De hesitated for a moment, then sighed and said, "Then let's wait a week. If the Liu faction doesn't make a move after a week, then let's hand it over to the supervisor."

We cannot allow our compatriots to go hungry because of fighting; this is a matter of principle.

He believed that Lin Zhiyan would definitely take action, as long as she didn't want Lu Zhao to be punished.

Grain harvest has always been a top political priority. If problems arise in the border garrison's jurisdiction leading to a significant reduction in grain production, it will leave a huge political stain, affecting all future promotions and evaluations. This was a trap he had set for Lu Zhao.

The 130,000 mu of arable land is both a blessing and a curse; Wei Jiahong and Lu Zhao will inevitably fight over it.

Facing Wei Jiahong, who has been deeply involved in the agricultural system for many years, Lu Zhao would definitely be unable to withstand him. At that time, he would then do Lin Zhiyan a favor in exchange for the Liu faction not holding him accountable.

Picking something up high and then putting it down gently is a common occurrence in the Federation.

"Also, ask Huang Qifeng to give him some information, to spread the word that the Wei family is buying rice directly from farmers. Given his personality, he will definitely seize on the Wei family and attack them relentlessly."

Before leaving office, Zhao De made many personnel changes, and now most of the positions have been taken away by Wei Jiahong.

But those seemingly important positions are just a smokescreen; the real culprits have already been planted, hidden within the grain production and distribution system.

Led by Wei Jiahong, a core group comprised of the Municipal Agriculture Bureau, the Municipal Grain Bureau, and Wei's Grain and Oil Co., Ltd., has for years embezzled agricultural subsidies, maliciously suppressed grain prices, and sold substandard Federal rice.

As above, Lu Zhao is no match for the Wei family, who control personnel, at least not in the short term.

The phone hangs up.

Zhao De's gaze returned to the mother and son, and he said in his usual calm and gentle voice, "Sign the papers. I'll leave with nothing but a property and ten million in cash. You can take your son back to your hometown; that should be enough for you to live on."

As a federal city executive, his total assets during his five years in office amounted to only ten million dollars in cash and one property, making him relatively incorruptible compared to his peers.

He never cared much about money; as long as he could maintain a decent life, that was enough for him.

After suffering such a great calamity, Zhao De calculated for himself that the treatment of a federal official-level cadre already satisfied his desire for dignity.

So who made themselves lose face?

"husband……"

"If you don't sign, you won't get a single penny."

Zhao De immediately interrupted, his voice slightly stern.

The aura of the third-tier transcendent being was so overwhelming that the mother and son could hardly breathe.

His wife signed the document with trembling hands; she had no other choice.

Despite being suspended from his post, the city executive remains a full-fledged official and still a top-tier third-order superhuman in the Federation.

The commotion has been over, the furniture that needed to be smashed has been smashed, and the tears that needed to be shed have almost dried up.

Zhao De took an agreement, got up to leave, and stood in the entryway for one last look at the mother and son.

"Don't contact me again. You can handle things yourselves."

He then pushed open the door and left, striding away without any hesitation.

They have already affected their own political lives, and Zhao De still wants to stay in the federal power arena.

As long as he has a breath left, he will never leave the scene, even if it means abandoning his wife and children.
-
Border station, station chief's office.

Lu Zhao dialed the local police station's number.

If we can get help from the local police station, then we have enough manpower. While the police station is legally obligated to maintain order, it is not subordinate to the border patrol in terms of authority.

He contacted four police stations in total, but only one responded.

The police station in Maijiu Town near Huangshui Village was also the only police station chief who visited Lu Zhao recently.

His name is Huang Qifeng.

"Station Chief Lu, rest assured, I will take people to maintain order at the scene immediately and guarantee that there will be no problems."

A joyful voice came from the other end of the phone; Lu Zhao's request was a tremendous stroke of good luck.

The local security station and the border defense station were not subordinate to each other, but both were branches of the security system. Not to mention the establishment of the border garrison corps, Lu Zhao was in fact the top leader of the Ant Ridge jurisdiction.

The county magistrate is not as good as taking charge now.

With real power, people will naturally flock to you; not everyone has their own faction or clique.

No one can win everyone over, because the benefits are limited.

Lu Zhao seemed to understand something and said, "Thank you very much, Director Huang."

"Please rest assured, sir, we will definitely complete the mission!"

He hung up the phone. Lu Zhao looked thoughtful, searching for a way to break the deadlock.

Currently, the grain depot is paralyzed, and the border guards under its command are unfamiliar with the work procedures, so direct takeover would be of little use. The local security station is only one unit and largely ineffective; it can only be used to distinguish friend from foe.

Ant Ridge has a very large jurisdiction, comprising four towns, twenty-two villages, and a total population of 220,000.

Relying solely on border stations is insufficient to manage the situation.

Governance is not war; problems cannot be solved with guns and cannons.

Lu Zhao discovered that he was completely ignorant about official administration.

He can see clearly the demands of all parties, distinguish between friend and foe, and is already very familiar with the intricacies of the power arena.

But when it came to the specific methods, Lu Zhao was completely clueless.

You can't just pick up a stick and beat up your fellow villagers, can you?
Whether in his past life or this one, he has always been a soldier, and this is the first time he has held real power in a local area.

Personnel arrangements within the border station are hardly a means to an end; once you have the power to appoint people, even a pig could manipulate things if it were in that position.

Faced with a grain depot that outwardly complies but inwardly resists, chaotic farmers, and the approaching rainy season, how can I properly handle the situation in the shortest amount of time?

This is Lu Zhao's first test on his path to becoming an official.

"It's time to go see the teacher."

(End of this chapter)