Nominal: Energy sector enters Handong, breaking the deadlock

Wang Fuzhen smiled and said, "That's true. Last time, Tian Guofu said that Xiao Jinzi has a lot of influence in the provincial party committee, and all the standing committee members give him some face."

"The provincial party secretary, the top leader, who wouldn't give him face?" Chen Yanshi sneered. "But, with Hai Zi's move, we can't just rely on Xiao Jinzi. You still need to urge Hai Zi to return to Jingzhou as soon as possible. Some relationships are only effective when discussed face-to-face."

"Should I call him now?" Wang Fuzhen stood up.

"Go ahead and call him," Chen Yanshi waved his hand. "Tell him to come back in the next couple of days. Don't wait until the Standing Committee meeting to start scrambling for help at the last minute."

Wang Fuzhen entered the house, picked up the landline, and dialed a number.

It rang a few times, then the call connected.

"Hai Zi, your father told me to urge you to return to Jingzhou immediately. They're about to discuss your cadre appointment. Aren't you worried about staying down here?"

There was some noise on the other end of the phone, then a male voice came through, "Mom, I understand. I'll get back as soon as possible."

"Don't just tell me. Your dad said that at this critical juncture, you have to see all the people you need to see."

"Mom, I understand, don't worry."

After hanging up the phone, Wang Fuzhen came out and nodded to Chen Yanshi. "Haizi said to come back as soon as possible."

Chen Yanshi snorted, "Fine, Qiangzi's matter can't delay Haizi's."

"Alright, it's good that he's back." Wang Fuzhen sat down again.

The sun was still shining brightly, and the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms wafted through the air.

Provincial Public Security Department.

In the conference room, Qi Tongwei stood in front of the whiteboard, drawing several names on it with a black pen.

Wang Baocheng

Guo Quande

Qi Zhenwu

Cao Qingping

These four names were provided by Lu Guifen, the elderly director of the Women's Salvation Association.

He was over eighty years old, and his recollections were fragmented, but he still managed to clearly state the key information.

Back then, she was the director of the Women's Salvation Association, and these four were veterans responsible for covering the transfer of the wounded.

The organization arranged for them to hide the wounded in a mountain gully, and then they lost contact with them.

During wartime, getting separated and sacrificing one's life are common occurrences.

But since Lu Guifen had this wish, Qi Tongwei took it very seriously.

Taking on this task was originally just a task assigned to me by Song Yunhui and Zhou Tiejun.

Upon investigation, I was truly filled with many感慨 (feelings/reflections).

I came from that poor mountain village myself, and being able to help the old man find his long-lost comrade-in-arms is a good deed.

But the search took him by surprise.

These veterans are truly unsung heroes.

During wartime, one is required to carry a gun and fight, but during peacetime, there are no such requirements.

"Chengdu, what have you found out?" Qi Tongwei put down his pen and looked at Chengdu across from him.

Cheng Du is efficient and decisive in his work, especially in sorting out clues.

Cheng Du opened his notebook and said calmly, "Director Qi, based on the names you provided, I had my colleagues in the bureau screen them within the public security system. They focused on the household registration system, veterans' files, and the list of martyrs."

"Wang Baocheng, we've found it," Cheng Du said.

Qi Tongwei's eyes lit up. "Where is he?"

Cheng Du paused for a moment, then said, "He passed away. Three months ago, due to illness."

The meeting room was silent for a few seconds.

Qi Tongwei put the pen back into the whiteboard tray. "Confirmed?"

"It's confirmed." Cheng Du's tone was flat. "We found the death certificate issued by the local health center. It was a cerebral infarction, and he couldn't be saved despite all efforts to save him. The old man was 88 years old and lived in Xiahe Village, Fenxi County."

"Eighty-eight years old..." Qi Tongwei read the number, a feeling he couldn't quite describe welling up inside him.

At the advanced age of 88, it wouldn't be surprising if he passed away.

But it happened just before I found the clues. Only three months short. If I had found the name three months earlier, the old man might still be able to see her.

Have you contacted the family?

"We've made contact," Cheng Du said. "With the help of the local police station, we were able to meet his eldest son. The old man's health has been poor for years. A few years ago, he could still go out for walks on his own, but he became bedridden last year. Before leaving, his eldest son said that his father kept muttering the name of someone."

"Who?"

"Lu Guifen".

Something touched Qi Tongwei's heart.

What a pure revolutionary friendship!

Qi Tongwei listened without saying a word.

Cheng Du closed his laptop. "Director Qi, I've had someone send me his address. Would you like me to send someone over to take a look?"

"Go and take a look," Qi Tongwei said. "Whether the person is still alive or not, we need to close this loop. Arrange for two comrades to go to Fenxi County. Even though the old woman is gone, we still need to offer our condolences to her family and explain the situation to them. I will personally call Lu Guifen."

"Okay," Cheng Du replied.

Qi Tongwei then looked at the remaining three names on the whiteboard.

Guo Quande, Qi Zhenwu, Cao Qingping.

These three names are all harder to find than the last.

Especially Qi Zhenwu. He shares the same surname as Qi Tongwei.

His heart skipped a beat when he first saw the name.

The surname Qi is not common in Handong, so Qi Zhenwu should be a local.

If you go back three generations, you might even be from your own clan.

"What about the remaining three?" Qi Tongwei asked.

Cheng Du shook his head. "I have no clue yet. The system doesn't have any completely matching information. There are four people with the same name, Guo Quande, in Hanxi, but their ages don't match."

Cao Qingping is listed among the martyrs, but his death year is 1947, and the location is within the Northwest Field Army. Whether this is the same person requires further verification.

"Where is Qi Zhenwu?"

Cheng Du flipped through his notebook. "I couldn't find it. This name isn't recorded in the public security system or the veterans' system."

Qi Tongwei remained silent for a moment.

There are two possibilities if there is no record.

One possibility is that the person is still alive, but not registered.

During the war years, many veterans' files were incomplete; some even had their names passed down orally without being recorded in any official system.

Another possibility is that the person has passed away and, for various reasons, was not included in the list of martyrs or the veterans' system.

Like some veterans, their achievements would never have been recorded if it weren't for this investigation.

"Director Qi, do you think this Qi Zhenwu is related to your family?" Cheng Du asked tentatively.

Qi Tongwei didn't respond to that question, but simply said, "Keep investigating. Expand the scope. If we can't find it in Handong, we'll check the archives of neighboring provinces. If all else fails, we'll place missing person notices in the newspapers. We have plenty of ways."

"clear."

Qi Tongwei walked out of the conference room, stood at the window at the end of the corridor, and took out a cigarette and lit it.

The setting sun painted the horizon a golden-red hue.

He remembered that small mountain valley. He remembered his grandfather sitting on the heated kang (a traditional brick bed) when he was a child, slowly telling him stories from those days.

Qi Zhenwu.

The name churned in his mind.