Nominal: Intercepting Zhong Xiaoai, Dominating Handong

The next day, at the entrance of Wengang Steel Plant on the outskirts of Wenshan City, the snow fell more heavily than in Ningchuan. Fine snowflakes swirled in the gray-white sky, landing on the cement road in the plant area and quickly turning into wet streaks.

Gu Mingyuan's car stopped at the factory gate. The security guard on duty recognized the car and raised the barrier in advance. He quickly ran over to greet him: "Mayor Gu, you've arrived! Director Chen is waiting for you in the office building."

Gu Mingyuan nodded, drove the car into the factory area, and parked it in the open space in front of the office building.

As he got out of the car, a cold wind carrying snowflakes hit him in the face. He tightened the collar of his coat and strode into the building.

Wengang's new factory director, Chen Guodong—not the Chen Guodong who was the provincial party committee's organization minister, but another person with the same name—was already waiting at the stairwell.

Chen Guodong, in his early forties, was lean and wore silver-rimmed glasses and a dark blue work uniform. He was carrying a stack of documents. When he saw Gu Mingyuan come in, he quickly went to greet him: "Mayor Gu, it's so cold, you've come all this way in person. Thank you for your hard work."

"I won't feel at ease until the equipment issue is resolved," Gu Mingyuan said as he walked upstairs.

"Where exactly is that batch of equipment stuck? You didn't explain it clearly over the phone. I'd like to come over and hear it from you in person."

The two entered the factory director's office. Chen Guodong closed the door, poured Gu Mingyuan a cup of hot water, sat down in the chair opposite him, opened the document in his hand, and frowned slightly: "Mayor Gu, the situation is like this. After our Wengang resumed production, the original equipment was already operating at full capacity, but the production capacity still couldn't be increased."

"Before the Lunar New Year, we signed a contract with an equipment supplier outside the province to purchase a new steel rolling mill. The contract was signed, the deposit was paid, and the equipment was already manufactured, but it got stuck at the approval stage of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission."

Gu Mingyuan picked up his water glass and took a sip; the water temperature was just right. "Where is it stuck?"

"The Industrial Division of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission said that our project does not conform to the province's industrial layout plan and needs to be reassessed," Chen Guodong said with a hint of helplessness.

"I asked around and found out that the deputy director in charge of approving this project is one of Lin Yuanshan's men."

Gu Mingyuan paused slightly in the hand holding the water glass.

Lin Yuanshan.

It's Lin Yuanshan again.

Wang Rucheng had mentioned to him yesterday that Yu Huabei wanted to promote Lin Yuanshan to the position of deputy director of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission.

It now appears that although Lin Yuanshan has not officially taken office yet, he has already begun to create trouble for Wenshan's projects through his network of connections in the National Development and Reform Commission.

"Does the reason that it doesn't conform to the industrial layout plan hold water?" Gu Mingyuan put down his water glass, his tone calm.

"I can't stand still," Chen Guodong said.

"The equipment we purchased complies with national industrial policies, and we also have a technological upgrading filing certificate issued by the Provincial Economic and Information Commission. In principle, the Development and Reform Commission should only need to go through a formality to approve it."

"But the Industrial Development Department is dragging its feet. We've urged them several times, and they keep saying it's under evaluation. They haven't explicitly said they won't approve it, but they just won't give us a result."

Gu Mingyuan leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the snowflakes fluttering outside the window, and remained silent for a few seconds.

If the equipment approvals aren't granted, Wengang's production capacity won't be able to increase.

If production capacity doesn't increase, the economic data at the beginning of next year will not look good.

The achievements of Wenshan's reforms have been diminished. And Lin Yuanshan, even before taking office, has already begun to obstruct the approval process—if he does become the deputy director of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, project approvals in Wenshan and Ningchuan will only become more difficult.

"Guodong, please compile a complete set of materials for me, including the equipment purchase contract, the technical upgrade filing certificate, and the approval progress from the Industrial Department of the National Development and Reform Commission." Gu Mingyuan withdrew his gaze, his tone calm.

"I'll bring it back to Ningchuan and try to push it through from above."

Chen Guodong's eyes lit up: "Mayor Gu, do you have a solution?"

"There's always a way to overcome difficulties." Gu Mingyuan didn't make any definitive statements. "You prepare the materials first, and I'll have someone come and pick them up first thing tomorrow morning."

"Okay, I'll get it ready tonight."

Gu Mingyuan then inquired about Wengang's recent production situation. Chen Guodong reported in detail that production capacity was recovering faster than expected, and orders were steadily increasing. As long as the equipment was in place, full-capacity production could be achieved in the first quarter of next year. After listening, Gu Mingyuan felt more at ease.

When I left Wengang, the snow was falling even harder. A thin layer of snow had accumulated on the cement roads in the factory area, and it made a slight crunching sound when you stepped on it.

He got into the car, started the engine, but didn't leave immediately. Instead, he sat in the car, took out his phone, and dialed Wang Rucheng's number.

"Secretary Wang, I just came from Wengang and I have something to report to you."

"you say."

Gu Mingyuan recounted how the equipment approval process was stalled at the National Development and Reform Commission, and also outlined Lin Yuanshan's network of connections.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, then Wang Rucheng's voice came through: "Lin Yuanshan has already started using connections to secure projects even before he's officially appointed. If he really gets the position of deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, our work will become even more passive in the future."

"Yes," Gu Mingyuan said, "so this matter can't be delayed. The equipment approval needs to be resolved, and we also need to find a way to stop Lin Yuanshan's transfer."

"Come back first, and we'll talk in person at the office tomorrow," Wang Rucheng said. "This matter involves the provincial government's cadre arrangements, and it's not something that can be explained over the phone."

"Okay, I'll come to your office first thing tomorrow morning."

After hanging up the phone, Gu Mingyuan put his phone away, leaned back in his seat, and watched the snowflakes falling continuously onto the windshield.

The windshield wipers swung left and right at a fixed rhythm, scraping a fan-shaped trail of water, which was then covered by new snowflakes in the next moment.

He started the car, drove out of the Wengang factory area, and merged into the streets of Wenshan in the evening.

The streets of Wenshan were unusually quiet on a snowy day, with few pedestrians. The lights from the shops shone through the glass doors, casting warm yellow reflections on the wet asphalt.

As he drove, his mind raced—the equipment approval was stuck at the National Development and Reform Commission's Industrial Division, and behind the Industrial Division was Lin Yuanshan, and behind Lin Yuanshan was Yu Huabei. It was a clear chain.

To solve the equipment problem, we need to bypass this chain.

To bypass this chain, a higher level of impetus is needed.