novelnext Chapter 194 Moral Depravity
Chapter 194 Moral Depravity
Wu Zhiyuan simply gave a faint "hmm." With Lin Keke's fate uncertain, he had no intention of getting a girlfriend.
Although the one-year agreement with Lin Keke had long passed, he still had a deep-seated feeling that Lin Keke was not dead.
Perhaps he was just trying to comfort himself.
However, the possibility of another miracle cannot be ruled out, just like Su Taohong.
Hu Lijing continued, "Yu Yue has a lively and cheerful personality, and she has excellent writing skills. She has published many news articles, essays, and poems in newspapers. She is a beautiful woman and a talented woman."
Wu Zhiyuan simply said, "That's excellent."
Taking the opportunity, Hu Lijin said, "Secretary Wu, I think you two are a good match."
Wu Zhiyuan laughed and said, "Director Hu, since you like matchmaking so much, why don't you open a marriage agency?"
Hu Lijin laughed heartily: "Secretary Wu, to be honest, I've brought together quite a few couples over the years."
If civil servants were allowed to hold part-time jobs, I would definitely open a marriage agency.
Wu Zhiyuan changed the subject: "Director Hu, what's the story behind the abandoned Qingshanxia Scenic Area project?"
Hu Lijin said, "Secretary Wu, I used to work in the town's economic development office, so I know a little about this matter."
Five or six years ago, the county and town launched a vigorous campaign to attract investment, aiming to develop Qingshanxia into a 4A-level scenic spot.
Wei Guochun was invited there at that time, treated as a god of wealth.
He is a successful entrepreneur from Zhejiang who engages in industrial and tourism development, and is said to be worth several hundred million yuan.
When they came to inspect, county and town leaders were surrounded by a large entourage, making quite a scene.
"Qingshan Gorge has mountains, water, and canyons. The water is clear, the canyons are deep, the vegetation is lush, and there are many cultural attractions. It certainly has development potential."
The county leaders at the time promised many preferential conditions, such as building a secondary highway from the county seat to Xindian within a year, which would lead directly to the entrance of the scenic area;
The land was sold at a price that was practically given away for free;
The local tax portion of the tax revenue from the first three years will be fully refunded;
All approval procedures are handled in one stop, with special processing for special cases…
"Wei Guochun conducted three inspections in total and finally decided to invest several hundred million yuan in tourism development."
The county signed an investment agreement with Wei Guochun, with a planned investment of over 100 million yuan in the first phase to develop attractions such as rafting, cable cars, sightseeing boardwalks, and bamboo forests.
The signing ceremony was a grand affair, attended by city and county leaders, and covered by the media throughout.
"For the first few months, the project went smoothly. Planning and design, land acquisition and demolition, and construction teams were all working hard."
At that time, we all thought the new store was really going to turn things around, and how many jobs it would create.
"But the good times didn't last long. Once Wei Guochun's money was used to build steel and cement on the construction site and to pay the workers' wages, all sorts of monsters and scoundrels started to emerge."
First, they are relatives of certain leaders in the county.
The leader's nephew wanted to contract the earthwork project, and his quote was higher than others;
The leader's nephew wanted to open a local specialty store in the best location in the scenic area, but only wanted to give a symbolic amount of rent.
I heard that a leader's brother-in-law came directly to Wei Guochun's door, saying he wanted to cooperate with him, meaning he wanted to take a stake without investing a single penny and receive annual dividends.
"Of course, Boss Wei wouldn't stand for it. He's a respectable businessman; he's never been treated like this before."
The consequence of refusal is endless trouble.
Today, people from the Environmental Protection Bureau came and said that the environmental protection standards were not met, the construction was making noise, and they would impose a fine of 100,000 yuan.
The forestry bureau will come tomorrow and say that the logging permits are incomplete. Not only will we have to pay a fine, but we will also have to stop work for rectification.
Two days later, people from the cultural relics bureau arrived and said that they had discovered what appeared to be ancient tomb remains in the construction area. In reality, it was just a few fragments of pottery, and they demanded that a rescue excavation be carried out, thus indefinitely delaying the construction period…
"And there are also safety supervision, quality supervision, fire protection... taking turns to step in."
Every time a department arrives, without mentioning the size of the problem, they immediately demand that work be stopped and that the inspection be conducted.
The shutdown lasts for ten days to half a month, and the workers' wages and equipment rental fees are burning money every day.
The project manager that Wei Guochun brought from Zhejiang was so angry he almost got into a fight with those people.
"Wei Guochun did try to contact the leaders who made the promise."
At first, the leaders tried to appease them with words and make a phone call to coordinate, but it had little effect. Those who actually carried out the tasks were outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant.
Later, the leaders started avoiding us, or saying things like, "We have to follow the laws and regulations, and we can't interfere with the specific enforcement." It was a game of passing the buck.
None of the promised infrastructure support has been implemented.
The road is still the same road; it's not even a secondary highway, let alone widened.
When it rains, building materials can't be brought in, and tourists can forget about coming in.
The power capacity expansion project has been delayed for a long time, making it impossible to implement the planned cable car and nighttime lighting projects in the scenic area.
"Wei Guochun invested a total of 70 million yuan, but less than one-third of the first phase of the project was completed."
Seventy million! It's like throwing it into the Qinghe River; it's gone without even a splash.
"Wei Guochun felt that investing in Qingshanxia was a bottomless pit. No matter how much money he invested, it would be a waste. He left in disgrace overnight."
"Last year in Hangzhou, I heard that someone saw Wei Guochun. Wei Guochun didn't want to say much, just consider it a lesson learned from spending 70 million."
Although Hu Lijin looks alluring, she speaks very logically and has a strong sense of justice.
"Secretary Wu, some of what I'm saying I know, while some I've only heard about secondhand, so it may not be accurate."
But Wei Guochun was forced out in a roundabout way; this basic fact is undeniable.
After the Qingshanxia tourism project was signed, the nearby villagers were overjoyed, thinking they would no longer need to go out to work and could make a living from tourism. They never imagined it would turn out like this; it's truly heartbreaking.
Wu Zhiyuan nodded and asked, "Director Hu, what is the biggest obstacle if we want to restart this project now?"
Hu Lijin said with a wry smile, "Secretary Wu, to be honest, the biggest obstacle may not be money or the market, but people's hearts and the kind of business environment that makes people hesitate to enter."
Wei Guochun's case is too typical. The news has already spread, and the reputation of Qingshan County and Xindian Town in the investment circle is probably already ruined.
Unless there are fundamental changes that demonstrate the rules and sincerity of this place, who would be willing to invest?
Investing any amount of money is like throwing good money after bad; it's gone forever.
"Yes, bad money drives out good money, and once the damage is done, it is extremely difficult to repair."
Director Hu, thank you for telling me all this.
In the afternoon, Wu Zhiyuan was in his office reading the "Qingshan County Annals" to learn about the county's situation.
Sun Dewang knocked on the door and came in.
Wu Zhiyuan stood up.
Logically speaking, as a leader, he shouldn't need to stand up to greet his subordinates.
Wu Zhiyuan disliked the kind of cadre who flattered and fawned over their superiors, but acted arrogantly and domineeringly towards their subordinates and the masses.
His standing up was both a polite gesture and a sign of good manners.
"Director Sun is here, please have a seat." Wu Zhiyuan pointed to the chair opposite the desk, sat down himself, and smiled.
"Secretary Wu, I said a few extra words in the cafeteria at noon today, and I may have been a bit presumptuous."
But what I said was the truth, something many comrades wanted to say but dared not.
Wu Zhiyuan nodded, his tone gentle: "Director Sun, your suggestions this morning were very pertinent and insightful. It seems you have some expertise in managing the staff canteen?"
Sun Dewang shook his head: "It's not really research. I just used to be in charge of logistics when I worked in the Party and Government Office, so I know some of the inside story and don't like some of the practices."
Sometimes I just can't control my tongue; I like to speak the truth and be blunt, and then…”
He hesitated for a moment, but still said, "To be honest, Secretary Wu, I used to be the deputy director of the Party and Government Office. It was because I was too particular about some expenses and reception standards and raised different opinions a few times, which did not meet the wishes of some leaders, that I was transferred to the Agriculture, Forestry and Water Resources Office as the deputy director."
Anyone with eyes to see can tell this is a demotion. The Party and Government Office is the central government, close to the leadership, and has abundant resources. The Agriculture, Forestry and Water Resources Office, on the other hand, is a peripheral department.
Wu Zhiyuan listened quietly.
When you first arrive, it's a time when you need people who understand the situation, are capable, and dare to speak up.
Sun Dewang took the initiative to approach him. In the eyes of some people, he was a "troublemaker," but perhaps he was someone who could be used.
Of course, one should also observe their temperament, character, and abilities.
"Director Sun, you've worked in the Party and Government Office and the Agriculture, Forestry and Water Resources Office, so you should be quite familiar with the situation in the town."
What do you know about the abandoned tourism project at Qingshan Gorge?
Wu Zhiyuan steered the conversation toward his main concerns.
"Secretary Wu, you've come to the right person. I wasn't involved in the entire process of this project, from attracting investment to it becoming a failed project, but I've seen a lot of things happen."
"Oh? Tell me about it," Wu Zhiyuan encouraged with a smile.
Sun Dewang spoke eloquently, and what he said was almost the same as what Hu Lijin said.
"...Many of the departments that went to cause trouble for Boss Wei did not do so without a reason."
Someone instigated it behind the scenes, or gave prior notice.
The goal was to get a share of the project, or to make Boss Wei back down and sell the project.
I heard that a local businessman wanted to take over the project at a low price, but Mr. Wei preferred to let it rot rather than sell it cheaply.
"Another issue is that there were significant problems with the distribution of compensation funds during the land acquisition and demolition process for the project."
Some villagers didn't take all the money they were entitled to, while others took a lot of things they weren't supposed to take.
At that time, some villagers petitioned the government, but the petitions were suppressed.
This involves some village officials, and even some officials in the town.
Sun Dewang sighed as he finished speaking: "A perfectly good project, an opportunity that could have brought prosperity to the local people, has been completely ruined! It's both a pity and infuriating!"
Wu Zhiyuan's expression was solemn.
The information revealed by Sun Dewang corroborated and supplemented Hu Lijing's statement, and also gave him a more concrete understanding of the intricate web of interests and deep-seated problems in Qingshan County and Xindian Town.
"Director Sun, thank you for telling me this. Seeing is believing."
I plan to visit the Qingshan Gorge Scenic Area this afternoon.
"You're familiar with that area, would you like to come with me if it's convenient?"
Sun Dewang's face immediately lit up with joy, and he nodded hurriedly, "Convenient, of course convenient! Secretary Wu, it's wonderful that you're willing to go see for yourself! I know the area well, I'll show you the way!"
"Alright, let's set off now. We don't need to attract too much attention, just the two of us, traveling light and discreetly. Anyway, I just arrived today, and not many people know me."
As Wu Zhiyuan spoke, he stood up.
"Secretary Wu, the road conditions over there are not good. It's a bit difficult for small cars to get in, and they're also a big target."
Or, how about I give you a ride on my motorcycle? That would be convenient and fast.
"Director Sun, I also have a motorcycle, let's each ride one. Let's meet outside the town compound."
Just as Sun Dewang had said, the road leading to the scenic area was narrow and rugged, in disrepair, and uneven in some places, making the motorcycle ride very bumpy.
Occasionally, you can see some signs that were originally built for the scenic area along the roadside, but now they are rusty and the words are blurred.
After riding for about twenty minutes, a fork in the road appeared ahead, with a crooked sign pointing to Qingshanxia Village.
Sun Dewang slowed down and said to Wu Zhiyuan, "Secretary Wu, the Qingshanxia Village Committee is just ahead. The scenic area entrance is behind the village. Would you like to go to the village committee first and take a look at the situation there?"
Wu Zhiyuan nodded: "Alright. Let's also check on the village officials' work performance."
The two parked their motorcycle outside the village committee compound.
The village committee building was a structure similar to a traditional courtyard house in northern China, with a large iron gate. However, the gate was closed at the moment and had a large lock on it.
A small iron gate next to it, used for people to enter and exit, was ajar.
Sun Dewang stepped forward and pushed the small iron gate, which creaked open.
The two went inside. The courtyard was quiet and empty.
The front side is a row of tiled houses, with several rooms on the east and west sides.
At that moment, a strange, faint sound came from a room on the west side that had a sign for a gynecological examination room.
Wu Zhiyuan, being an experienced man, immediately recognized the sounds as the seductive music of lovers.
Wu Zhiyuan and Sun Dewang exchanged a glance, both seeing astonishment in each other's eyes.
Sun Dewang's expression changed, clearly guessing what was going on, and he said in a low voice, "Secretary Wu, this..."
Wu Zhiyuan waved his hand, signaling him not to speak, and then quietly walked to the window of the gynecological examination room.
The window was drawn with old-fashioned floral curtains, but the curtains were not completely closed, leaving a gap.
Wu Zhiyuan leaned closer to the crack and peered inside.
In the center of the room was a gynecological examination bed covered with a disposable blue sheet.
At this moment, two naked people are entangled together on the bed.
The man had dark skin and a muscular build.
The woman was overweight, and her face was not clearly visible due to the angle.
In broad daylight, in the village committee office, in a room with a sign that reads "Women's Examination Room," someone actually committed this despicable act.
The working conditions and style of the village cadres in Xindian Town can be glimpsed from this.