Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 331 - 235: Hometown Officials

9:00 a.m., People’s Hospital dormitory building.

Today is Sunday. Zhang Jiangkun doesn’t have work and is bringing tools, along with electrical wires, switches, sockets, pipes, and faucets he bought a few days ago, to help his brother-in-law rewire and replumb the house.

Han Shuqun, using the iron shovel borrowed from the institution’s handyman yesterday, is busy clearing the small yard of overgrown weeds.

Little Dongdong is using a small screwdriver like a tiny shovel, digging here and there in the courtyard.

Han Ning, along with Xiang Fan and Han Xiangning, is measuring the living room, bedroom, and kitchen with a tape measure, taking notes while measuring, in order to buy furniture from the furniture city.

The in-laws are paying for it and the elder sister and her husband are contributing their labor. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Han Xiangning puts down the tape measure and laughs, "Sis, let’s go buy later, what’s the rush?"

The brother is twenty-two this year and his wife twenty-four, which according to the late marriage and childbearing policy, means they can marry next year.

The marital home is secured, but it can’t go undecorated.

With both parents working on ships on the river and having entrusted all these matters to her, Han Ning wants to get the bridal home ready early and laughs, "This is an old house. Pre-made furniture might not be suitable, we may need to have it custom-made."

Xiang Fan also feels a little embarrassed and quickly changes the subject, "Han Ning, how is your unit doing now?"

"Reform has left us unloved by both father and mother, not great at all."

"Why unloved by both father and mother?"

"Technically, we’re now part of the Changhang navigation police, but the Changhang Police Bureau is far in Hanwu, and funding is still entirely reliant on the Port Authority, just like before, yet the Port Authority is managed by the city. The city doesn’t consider us one of their own, and the Changhang Police Bureau feels pretty much the same. Isn’t this a case of being unloved by both father and mother?"

"Can the funding ensure operations?"

"Only the basic salary is guaranteed."

Previously, the Port Authority was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport, and their port police were managed by the Ministry of Transport Police.

Now the Port Authority has been transferred under the city’s control, and for various reasons, they haven’t been transferred over. They’ve moved from being directly under the Ministry of Transport Police to the Changhang Police Bureau, which, like before, is under the Ministry of Transport Police.

Before, not only were they part of the same organization as the Port Authority, but they also had a "voice that reached the heavens."

Now, they’ve become "outsiders" and have an extra layer of superior management, making their situation quite awkward.

Xiang Fan takes a small sip of water from his thermos and probes further, "What about personnel matters?"

With a bitter smile, Han Ning says, "Similar to before. Even though we’ve separated from the Port Authority, we still get their salaries, so for the appointment and dismissal of our bureau leaders, the Changhang Police Bureau has to respect the views of the Port Authority."

"If personnel matters are managed by the Port Authority, and you also get funding from them, why not merge into the City Police Bureau?"

"We’re different from San’er. We’re institutionally affiliated, not administrative police. Also, we now have more staff than before, so the City Bureau probably has to consider official staffing and therefore doesn’t want us."

As for this matter, Han Xiangning sees it more clearly than her elder sister and turns around with a smile, "It’s not just because of staffing or funding."

"What is it then?" Han Ning asks, puzzled.

"Sis, your situation is similar to ours in Port Supervision. The main concern of the superiors is the management of the Yangtze River. If you were entirely incorporated into the local police, how would the jurisdiction for river security be divided?"

"But now we barely have anything and can only manage this ten-kilometer stretch of the city’s shoreline."

"Just because you’re managing ten kilometers now doesn’t mean you’ll only manage ten kilometers in the future. Once the relationship is sorted out, with secured funding and full staff, the superiors will surely hand over the security of the entire Yangtze River waterfront section to you."

Afraid her elder sister won’t believe it, Han Xiangning adds with a laugh, "Managing the Yangtze is chaotic precisely because it crosses provinces and regions. Only by entrusting the 2,500-kilometer main channel to one organization can it be properly managed."

"Like how the City Bureau has let San’er manage the Bin Qi River and Kuzi Port River, to prevent passing the buck between the Chonggang Branch, Development Zone Branch, and Changzhou Police Bureau?"

"Pretty much."

"If it could really be reformed like that, it would be good, but then there would be no need for the Water Police Station to exist."

"Binjiang doesn’t only have the Yangtze River; it has inland rivers too. Just think about the jurisdiction division between us and the local Port Supervision, and you’ll understand."

Port Supervision is ahead in this regard.

River traffic falls under the jurisdiction of the Yangtze River Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau, while inland river traffic is managed by the Transportation Bureau’s Port Supervision Department and the various districts’ and counties’ Port Supervision Stations. Although there are contradictions in approval powers and enforcement standards, resulting in many problems, the jurisdiction of each is clearly defined.

This is a "new house," and it doesn’t even have a chair inside.

Xiang Fan brings a large stack of newspapers, unfolds one to sit on, and suddenly notices a report by Reporter Wang.

"Old Han, your fellow countryman has offended people again."

"Which fellow countryman?"

"Reporter Wang."

Xiang Fan says while looking at the newspaper, "This typhoon has triggered an urban flood, and several towns in your Sigang County have been flooded. Officials and citizens are all busy with flood drainage and disaster relief. The Sihe Town Commercial Department Store actually took advantage of the situation to profiteer, not only failing to ensure the supply of disaster materials and necessities but also forcing customers to buy moldy and rotten dates and other side foods while selling scarce items like oil and salt."

Friend Han subconsciously looks inside the house, frowning, and asks, "This is profiteering from a national disaster; how could those people be so excessive?"

"They even publicly claimed that the national salt fields were flooded, leading to no salt availability for several months, causing people in Sihe and the surrounding towns to panic and engage in panic buying."

"Did the superiors handle it?"

"They did. The Si Gang County Office for Industry and Commerce, the Consumer Association, and the Bureau of Epidemic Prevention conducted a joint investigation. They found that during the flooding, a total of 800 kilograms of moldy side foods were sold, and they ordered a public self-criticism, a recall of the moldy foods sold, and compensation for the losses of the public."

"Is it just a public self-criticism?"

"That’s what the newspaper says."

Dinghu and Liangzhuang are two townships in the northwest corner of Si Gang County, while Sihe is the northernmost township of Si Gang, with economic development lagging even behind Dinghu. The poorer the place, the easier it is for such incidents to occur.

The cadre from his hometown was a letdown, leaving Old Han feeling quite embarrassed. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Ningning, did San’er help out with the task Secretary Lu assigned?"

"He did."

"How did it go?"

Mentioning this, Han Xiangning couldn’t help but chuckle and said at the door, "San’er introduced a big client to Liangzhuang Oil Mill. They thought they could wrap it up, but then Secretary Lu sent the sales deputy director of the building materials machinery factory to Linghai instead."

Old Lu was respected not only in Liangzhuang but also held prestige in Dinghu.

The people of Dinghu admired Old Lu. Although the cadres in Dinghu always cursed him in public, they still respected him deep down, especially when it was time to distribute salaries.

Old Han felt that it was an honour for Secretary Lu to ask his son-in-law for help, and he pressed, "What happened next?"

"Didn’t San’er and Uncle Zhang have dinner with Secretary Lu when they were in Liangzhuang on a case? Upon hearing that the leadership from the building materials machinery factory was visiting, the two of them worried for days about how to host them. After all, as hosts, they had to provide hospitality, but the station was out of money."

"Hosting a meal can’t cost that much!"

"The client came for business and couldn’t just leave after a day. They had to arrange for several meals and accommodation. You know how stingy San’er is. He and Uncle Zhang discussed it for a long time and finally bit the bullet and decided each would cough up a hundred yuan."

"If it needs to be spent, then spend it. I’ll reimburse him!"

"Dad, you don’t need to reimburse."

"Will their bureau reimburse?"

"They don’t need to get reimbursed by their bureau either."

Han Xiangning looked back at her mother and Han Ning, and explained with animated expressions, "They were all prepared to bleed a lot of money, but it turned out the client arrived in an Audi and didn’t cost them a dime as they stayed at a hotel themselves."

Old Han was momentarily stunned, then laughed and said, "Actually, he should have expected this. What kind of person is Secretary Lu? He wouldn’t let the leadership of the building materials machinery factory spend their own money."

"That’s right, not only did they not spend any money, but they also got to join in for several meals."

"They joined them for several meals?"

"The client was there to conduct business, but they were unfamiliar with the construction sites in Linghai. Without someone to introduce them, they wouldn’t even know who to talk to. San’er knew few people, but Chief Ding had been the police station chief for many years and knew a lot of people. Plus, with Chairman Li’s introductions, they visited almost all the construction sites in over thirty townships."

"Did they secure any business?"

"They secured three deals and have already signed contracts. San’er said there are a few more interested parties planning to visit Liangzhuang for inspection in a while."

"As long as the visit wasn’t for nothing."

Han Xiangning could understand her father’s feelings but couldn’t resist muttering, "Dad, you may have gained face, but San’er now has a headache." fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

Old Han asked puzzledly, "Why does he have a headache?"

"The kind of tower cranes used on the construction sites are very expensive; the clients aren’t paying in full. Since San’er helped with the introduction, if the clients don’t pay up later, it will be San’er’s responsibility to chase after the payment."

Han Xiangning paused for a moment and emphasized, "These days, there are debts everywhere, and construction work has its risks. If they can’t pay up in the end, Secretary Lu will definitely turn to San’er."

Friend Han hadn’t expected that his son-in-law had to not only introduce clients but also chase up payments later on. He scratched his neck and said, "Since it was introduced by the police, those construction sites shouldn’t dare to delay the payment."

Han Xiangning replied with a wry smile, "That’s exactly what Secretary Lu told San’er over the phone."

Han Ning realized the seriousness of the issue and laughed, "This Secretary Lu is really clinging onto San’er. Xiang Fan, you’re colleagues with his daughter-in-law, right? Ask her later; who does things like her father-in-law!"

Xiang Fan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, unsure of what to say, when Old Han sighed, "Secretary Lu isn’t doing it for himself; his actions are all for the sake of the township. If the enterprises in the town don’t do well, where would the money come from to pay the cadres and teachers’ salaries?"

"For the sake of the township?"

"The building materials machinery factory is an enterprise run by the township. He’s not running it just to pay the salaries of cadres and teachers; he’s also aiming to relieve the burden on the masses. Little of the expenses for road repairs, bridge constructions, building schools, and the like are shared out among the public. I heard he even shouldered the donations requested from the public for building the airport. If the cadres at Dinghu had half of Secretary Lu’s commitment to the public’s interest and half his boldness, Dinghu wouldn’t be in its current state."

The development of an airport in Binjiang was led by the city leadership, and everyone from the municipal government officials to the general public had to donate. Zhang Jiangkun donated, Han Ning donated, Old Han donated, Xiang Fan donated, Han Xiangning donated, Han Yu donated. It was said to be a donation, but in reality, it was deducted from their salaries.

In the countryside, it was directly allocated, with everyone up and down the city chipping in.

Zhang Jiangkun couldn’t believe that there was actually a township that didn’t donate and was dumbfounded.

Old Han lit up a cigarette and said thoughtfully, "They say San’er’s master is quite wild, but compared to Secretary Lu, his master’s ways are truly tame."

Zhang Jiangkun asked curiously, "Does Secretary Lu have connections?"

"Secretary Lu doesn’t have much of a background. He hardly received any formal schooling; he’s just a cadre with his roots in the farmland. But Liangzhuang does have a background; many leading cadres have come from there. With so many leaders to support him, Secretary Lu is naturally fearless."

"How high-ranking are those cadres?"

"Locally, there is one at the minister level, and two in the military at the general rank. There are many more at the bureau level, and at the level of full and deputy division commanders, as well as full and deputy regiment commanders."

"That township is really something!"

"Liangzhuang places high value on education. As long as someone is a good student, the township will find ways to help fund their studies no matter how difficult their family situation is. Those not admitted to a university are sent to the military and later attempt to enter military academies. In Liangzhuang, one doesn’t simply join the military through conscription exams; it depends on educational background and whether the township approves."

"Doesn’t that seem unfair to young people without high educational qualifications?"

"This was a rule set by Secretary Lu when he was the deputy township chief, and the public is very satisfied with him, no one feels it’s unfair."

Friend Han tapped his cigarette ash and added, "One of my comrades was sent to the military by Secretary Lu and later got into military academy. He can’t thank Secretary Lu enough whenever he talks about him."

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