Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 16 The First Test for the Municipal Party Secretary

Wu Zhiyuan asked, "In your judgment, from which aspects will Secretary Xu make a breakthrough?"

"It's hard to say." Sun Runcai thought for a moment, "But for parachuted cadres to gain a foothold, they can never do without the words 'destroy' and 'build,' and Secretary Xu will most likely be no exception."

If I had to make a judgment, I would say that Secretary Xu would choose what he is good at and what Longcheng urgently needs: the crackdown on organized crime.

Wu Zhiyuan echoed, "That's what I think too. Secretary Xu was previously the deputy secretary of the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission, and he led the crackdown on organized crime."

Longcheng's economy has stagnated in recent years, its political environment has deteriorated, former municipal party secretary and other officials have been investigated one after another, and there are also many social security problems.

There is no doubt that there are criminal gangs in Longcheng.

How did these criminal gangs grow so powerful? There must have been protective umbrellas behind them.

Just like Zhang Wanlin, who transformed from a hoodlum into the richest man in Longcheng, it would be impossible for him to have no one backing him up. In fact, it's very likely that he had someone of high status and power supporting him.

Sun Runcai nodded and said, "Yes, the criminal gangs in Longcheng didn't appear overnight. They're like old tree roots, which have been intertwined and entangled in the ground for more than ten years. Every root could be connected to someone in some department."

The two talked for a while longer.

Sun Runcai was indeed well-informed, and Wu Zhiyuan obtained a great deal of information from him. This information was of great importance for his work as the chief secretary of the municipal party committee.

Back to the rental house.

Wu Zhiyuan searched online for Xu Youwei's past speeches.

He noticed that Xu Youwei didn't like piling up fancy words when he spoke; he preferred to use short sentences and colloquialisms.

For example, when discussing the fight against organized crime, he used the phrase "strike the snake at its vital point, eradicate organized crime at its root" to emphasize the need for precise targeting of the core networks of organized crime.

During the deployment phase, he used the analogy of "pulling out the rotten roots so that the good tree can take deep root" to illustrate the importance of eliminating the breeding ground for corruption in social governance.

Wu Zhiyuan's writing skills are beyond question. After gaining a general understanding of Xu Youwei's speaking style, he was able to keep it in mind. In the future, when writing materials, he would try to use short and concise sentences and intersperse these vivid folk sayings.

A butterfly hair clip belonging to Su Taohong fell onto the bedside table.

Although he and Su Taohong had parted ways, Wu Zhiyuan still wanted to know who the man who jumped from the second floor to escape that night was.

Judging from Su Taohong's opportunistic nature and the way she speaks, that man must be either rich or powerful.

……

a new day.

Wu Zhiyuan arrived at the Municipal Party Committee Office early and checked the time; there was still half an hour before he had to start work.

While getting on the elevator, I unexpectedly ran into Xu Youwei.

Wu Zhiyuan had never met Xu Youwei before, but because he had done his homework and searched for his photos online, he recognized him immediately.

"Good morning, Secretary Xu!"

Xu Youwei smiled and nodded, showing no airs of a high-ranking leader.

He wasn't wearing a suit, but rather a dark gray jacket.

He wasn't wearing dress pants, but jeans.

Most leaders are used to wearing formal attire, and jeans are not considered formal wear, but Xu Youwei seems to be an exception.

Wu Zhiyuan had seen many photos of Xu Youwei during his field research trips, and without exception, he was wearing jeans and sneakers instead of dress shoes.

Xu Youwei's casual and approachable attire seems to hint at his unconventional and unpredictable way of doing things.

"Secretary Xu, I am Wu Zhiyuan, and I am officially reporting for duty today."

Xu Youwei nodded again, his gaze lingering on Wu Zhiyuan's face for a few seconds, and said in a calm tone, "Yes, your writing is very good, and you look very energetic. I'll be working hard for you from now on."

"It is my honor to serve you, and I will do my best to do my job well," Wu Zhiyuan replied respectfully.

People started getting on the elevator one after another.

Xu Youwei's office is on the seventeenth floor.

Wu Zhiyuan followed Xu Youwei down the elevator.

"Zhiyuan, there's still a while before I have to go to work, so I'll chat with you for a bit."

Wu Zhiyuan was initially nervous, but seeing Xu Youwei's approachable manner, like a friendly older brother, he felt less nervous.

A 42-year-old municipal party secretary is very young, even by national standards.

According to Sun Runcai, everyone who gets promoted and given important positions at a young age has a powerful background. Who is Xu Youwei's backer?

Xu Youwei's office was a suite; there was an outer office, presumably his secretary's office, and the inner office was his own.

The inner office was spacious and simple, with documents and books arranged meticulously.

Wu Zhiyuan was about to refill Xu Youwei's water glass, but Xu Youwei politely declined: "Zhiyuan, officials are not government officials. In the future, you can get water, but there's no need to refill it. Sit down, let's chat for a bit."

Wu Zhiyuan sat down in the chair, with half of his buttocks on the seat and his body leaning forward.

Xu Youwei sat down on the opposite sofa, relaxed, as if chatting casually.

"Zhiyuan, I heard from someone that you have a very good writing style. I read a few of your articles published in the Jiangzhong Daily. They have both theoretical depth and the warmth of grassroots research, unlike those empty words and clichés that float in mid-air. This is very rare."

Wu Zhiyuan was taken aback. Who had recommended him to Xu Youwei?

This person is unlikely to be Geng Dongqing.

Because Geng Dongqing didn't understand him.

Wu Zhiyuan felt a warmth in his heart and said, "Thank you for your recognition, Secretary Xu. I will follow you from now on, learn from your pragmatic research style, and put my writing skills into practice to write materials that can truly help."

Xu Youwei nodded: "Zhiyuan, being a secretary is both difficult and easy."

Xu Youwei was easygoing and spoke in a plain tone, like an experienced senior sharing his wisdom: "Writing materials is just a basic skill, but being a secretary is not just about writing materials. I don't want my secretary to be a bookworm who can only write materials."

Xu Youwei took a sip of water and continued, "As a secretary, one must be observant and attentive; one must be a soldier in a military position but possess the strategic mind of a commander."

Next, Xu Youwei further explained the previous statement: "Being observant and attentive requires you to be an efficient information receiver and processor."

You must be keenly aware of any activity within the municipal party committee compound, the genuine voices from the grassroots, and even some street gossip—anything that concerns the development of Longcheng and the interests of the people—and be able to distinguish truth from falsehood and extract valuable information.

We cannot rely solely on reports and documents; doing so will easily turn us into deaf and blind.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded repeatedly and took notes in his notebook.

He knew that this was Xu Youwei giving him his first lesson and setting the tone for his work.

Xu Youwei continued, "Being in a military position but having the mind of a commander means you should think about problems from the perspective of the municipal party secretary and the overall development of Longcheng, not just from the perspective of a secretary."

When providing me with information, it shouldn't just be a simple compilation of information; you should have your own preliminary analysis and judgment. Even if this judgment is immature, it can still broaden my thinking.

What I need is an assistant with whom I can think, and even occasionally spark new ideas, not a subservient yes-man.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded solemnly: "Secretary Xu, I understand what you mean. I will strive to improve my perspective and vision, and adapt to your requirements as soon as possible."

Xu Youwei checked the time and said to Wu Zhiyuan, "Go ask Director Geng Dongqing what instructions and arrangements he has."

Wu Zhiyuan got up and was about to leave when Xu Youwei stopped him again and handed him a few sheets of paper: "There is a city-wide political and legal work conference next week, which I will attend. This is the speech prepared for me by Angyang. The basic content is clear, but the writing style needs to be changed and the language should be as plain as possible."

Those unrealistic official jargon, clichéd phrases, and redundant empty talk should be avoided whenever possible.

Wu Zhiyuan knew that this was Xu Youwei's first test for him.