Nominal: Intercepting Zhong Xiaoai, Dominating Handong

In October 1992, autumn was in full swing, and the mountains and forests of Jinshan County were ablaze with color.

After being promoted ahead of schedule, Gu Mingyuan did not slack off at all; on the contrary, he became even more diligent.

He knew that this high praise was both recognition and invisible pressure, with countless eyes watching him, this young man who had risen like a rocket.

In addition to routine tasks such as document circulation, meeting minutes, and information reporting, Deputy Director Zhao Dahai began to entrust him with more significant tasks—participating in drafting the initial draft of important work summaries to be reported to the city and the work plan for the coming year.

This work may seem tedious, but it is an excellent window into understanding core policy trends.

Gu Mingyuan hunched over the mountain of documents and internal reference materials, studying them word by word, keenly capturing the information revealed between the lines.

He possesses a vision ahead of his time, enabling him to more clearly distinguish between fleeting slogans and emerging trends.

On October 7, he repeatedly saw the phrase "infrastructure first" in a situation report from the province.

Combined with recent extensive reports in national newspapers about the economic boom in certain regions due to road construction, a clear signal formed in his mind:

The theory that "to get rich, build roads first" is rising from grassroots practice to a higher level of consensus, and a large-scale transportation construction boom is about to sweep the country.

"A storm is brewing."

Gu Mingyuan closed the file, rubbed his temples, and muttered to himself.

He walked to the window and looked out at the gray streets of Jinshan County and the distant, impoverished mountains.

The significance of road construction for Jinshan County is self-evident.

The poor transportation is the biggest shackle trapping this poor pheasant.

But the joy was fleeting, and more worries welled up in his heart.

He knew all too well the state of Jinshan County—the fiscal deficit was high, cadres' salaries were often delayed, and the salaries of teachers and doctors were even more strained.

Road construction, especially the construction of trunk highways that can revitalize the economy, requires astronomical amounts of money.

While some funding from higher authorities might be secured, the majority of the funds will inevitably have to be raised by the county itself.

Where does the money come from?

The answer is almost obvious: fundraising.

Raising funds from enterprises and institutions, and from the cadre ranks, will inevitably put pressure on the already impoverished farmers.

"People's roads are built by the people" means that, under certain circumstances, every family needs to invest real money.

Gu Mingyuan seemed to see the faces he had met during his research: farmers living in dilapidated mud houses, rarely having meat on their tables throughout the year, and having to scrape together money for their children's tuition.

Asking them to part with even a few dozen yuan could mean selling their only food rations or the piglets they depend on for survival.

Under immense pressure, grassroots cadres often resort to distorted work methods in order to complete assigned tasks, making coercion, forced labor, and even more intense conflicts almost inevitable.

He vividly remembers the troubles that occurred in his hometown of Lincheng when water conservancy projects were being built in the early years.

He could also foresee County Magistrate Li Dakang's attitude toward this matter.

Li Dakang was too eager to improve himself and wanted to tear off the label of Jinshan County as an impoverished county at all times.

Road construction, a project that can significantly boost GDP and leave behind visible political achievements, held a fatal attraction for him.

Given Li Dakang's autocratic style, once he has identified a direction, he will forcefully push it forward, and any obstacles will be overcome by him.

At that time, the entire cadre team in Jinshan County will be under tremendous work pressure.

Gu Mingyuan knew that road construction was an inevitable trend that could not be stopped.

Opposing road construction is going against the tide; it is not only unwise but also unable to truly solve the problem.

His responsibility is not to stop this torrent, but to find ways to channel it, reduce the damage it may cause, and ensure that the cost of this wealth is borne as little as possible by the most vulnerable groups.

Empty talk is useless; we must have practical and feasible solutions.

This plan must be based on a thorough understanding of the county's situation and the opinions of the people.

Starting that weekend, Gu Mingyuan appeared more frequently in various towns and villages of Jinshan County.

He gave up his rest time, riding his clanging secondhand bicycle or taking a bumpy tractor, to go deep into the fields, visit farmers, and talk with some township entrepreneurs.

He no longer simply inquired about the harvest and burdens, but instead sought to understand the maximum amount of funding they could afford.

"Fellow villager, if the county government were to build a road, what do you think about everyone chipping in some money?"

"Boss Wang, your brick and tile factory is doing well. If you were to raise funds for road construction, how much could you support?"

"Secretary Li, if your township were to estimate how many households definitely couldn't afford to pay if it were entirely based on apportionment?"

The questions are direct and specific, often catching the respondent off guard, but they also better reflect the true situation.

In two weeks, he traveled to more than a dozen townships throughout the county. His notebooks were filled with dense data and case studies. The soles of his shoes wore thinner and he became even thinner, but his eyes became sharper and more determined.

Through extensive visits, he gradually sketched out a vague map of the distribution of social wealth in Jinshan County: the vast majority of farmers were in abject poverty or struggling to make ends meet, and asking them to contribute funds would be tantamount to adding insult to injury.

Some self-employed individuals and capable people who run small businesses, engage in transportation, or contract mountain forests and orchards in the market town have some spare cash.

A very small number of owners who rely on local resources to open small factories and mines have strong investment capabilities.

The idea of ​​a wealthy person who had endured hardship gradually took shape in his mind.

The core issue is to establish a relatively fair and differentiated fundraising scheme, rather than simply and crudely allocating funds based on the number of people.

Back in his small dormitory in the county party committee office, Gu Mingyuan worked late into the night, condensing his research findings and reflections into a nearly 10,000-word report entitled "Reflections on Several Potential Problems and Tiered and Categorized Fundraising Paths in the Implementation of the Road Repair Plan for All in Jinshan County".

In his report, he first fully affirmed the necessity and urgency of road construction, which was consistent with Li Dakang's development strategy.

He then bluntly pointed out five major risks that could be caused by forcibly apportioning the burden equally: strong public resistance, strained relations between officials and the public, rampant false data, the risk of extreme events, and difficulties in subsequent maintenance and management.

Then, he proposed his core solution:

I. Accurate identification and differentiated treatment: It is recommended to conduct a rapid assessment of the economic capabilities of all families within the jurisdiction of each township and divide them into four levels.

II. Policy guidance and honorary incentives: For individual businesses and enterprises that invest more capital, priority may be given to them in operating roadside ancillary facilities for a certain period in the future, and the county government may issue them honorary certificates such as road construction meritorious service certificates to enhance their sense of social recognition and gain.

Third, transparent operation and full supervision: A fund supervision group composed of the county discipline inspection commission and representatives of the people will be established to ensure that every penny of the funds raised is used for road repairs, and the accounts will be published regularly to prevent misappropriation and corruption.

Fourth, work-for-relief programs with flexible participation: For impoverished farmers who cannot afford to contribute money, they are encouraged to participate in road construction by contributing their labor. Their labor hours are converted into funds to offset the cost of the project, which solves the labor problem and provides a way out for impoverished families.

The report is logically sound and data-rich, providing both warnings of potential risks and actionable solutions, reflecting Gu Mingyuan's consistent composure and pragmatic spirit.

After finishing the report, Gu Mingyuan did not intend to submit it immediately.