Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 981 - 649: That’s What They Said! (Part 2)

Captain Xia was puzzled and couldn't help asking, "Why?"

Vice Mayor Qin explained, "Your Deputy Division Commander Tao had called me earlier. He said at that time the Provincial Military District Commanders personally went to the highway exit late at night mainly because they were not familiar with our Binjiang Flood Control Rescue Camp and were worried that we might lack combat effectiveness and fail to complete the rescue tasks assigned by the superiors.

After all, we are representing the Provincial Military District in this mission. They had to see for themselves to be assured, and they even prepared to mobilize elite troops from the Jiangcheng Reserve Forces to strengthen our Binjiang Flood Control Rescue Camp."

Captain Xia really didn't know these details and pursued further, "What happened then?"

Vice Mayor Qin smiled, "After the two commanders saw we were equipped with a lot of engineering machinery, they were reassured, though still had some concerns."

"What were the commanders worried about?"

"It's not just Beihu facing flood threats; Jiangnan is also under threat."

Vice Mayor Qin sighed lightly and continued, "During the first flood peak, Yangzhou couldn't hold it. At first, we didn't know and thought Yangzhou had managed by themselves. Later, we found out that without support, Yangzhou couldn't have handled it, and the province urgently mobilized forces from Guzhou, Wuxi, and Zhenjiang to assist."

Captain Xia murmured, "Was it very dangerous at the time?"

"The city was nearly flooded. Would you say that was dangerous?"

"What does that have to do with us?"

"How can it not concern us? At that time, the Provincial Military District didn't know we had a professional rescue force in Binjiang; otherwise, they would have deployed us earlier. The flood prevention situation is so critical that even Jiangcheng suffered internal flooding, and who can guarantee issues won't arise with the Yangtze River embankments across the province? To put it plainly, the provinces and cities along the Yangtze are all focusing on their own areas first to ensure no problems arise."

Fearing Captain Xia might not understand, Vice Mayor Qin added, "The Provincial Military District must take instructions from both the provincial and Nanjing Military Region leadership. The province is concerned with flood prevention across the entire province, but the Nanjing Military Region's area is even larger. They must support flood prevention efforts in Jiangnan, Hui'an, and Xijiang, with situations in Xijiang and Hui'an even more critical than ours in Jiangnan.

If you were a Provincial Military District commander, in the face of such a severe flood situation both provincially and within the Nanjing Military Region, and were to send a highly capable rescue team to support flood prevention in Beihu, what would the provincial leaders think, and what would the Nanjing Military Region commanders think?"

Understanding dawned on Captain Xia like a revelation, "The more publicity on our side, the more awkward it becomes for the Provincial Military District commanders."

"Secretary Lu and Mayor Wang find themselves in a situation similar to your Provincial Military District's leaders. Fortunately, being far from Jiangcheng and with troop deployment orders coming from the Central Military Commission, they aren't as embarrassed as your Provincial Military District commanders, but we still need to keep a low profile at this critical moment."

"Understood, but Linghai is still making a grand show of it."

"If Linghai wants to fuss, let them fuss. The province is too busy to even manage Binjiang, let alone Linghai. However, they are indeed overdoing it, and I plan to call Secretary Ye later to ask what he means by it."

...

Linghai's support to Beihu's flood prevention extends beyond sending the most professional team and best equipment; it includes comprehensive support.

Deputy Mayor Shen's main work in Jingzhou isn't just to represent the Linghai Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government and the Linghai people by offering condolences everywhere but also to assist Secretary Yuan, County Magistrate Huang, and other local party and government leaders in procuring urgently needed rescue supplies.

Linghai doesn't have stones.

However, Linghai happens to have two enterprises producing woven bags.

Upon receiving the request for assistance from Deputy Mayor Shen, Secretary Ye and Secretary Qian convened a meeting with the heads of industry and commerce, police, and other departments, creating a task force to station at those two woven bag manufacturing enterprises.

When raw materials were insufficient, the city helped with procurement contacts.

Woven bags produced were to satisfy Linghai enterprises' and their longstanding clients' regular needs, and the excess was purchased by the Linghai Development Zone Management Committee on behalf of Angong, Lingjiang, and other "brother counties" in urgent need of woven bags, with responsibility for sourcing vehicles to transport them swiftly to Beihu.

Price gouging was prohibited, and no one was allowed to engage in profiteering at this time.

Those daring to do so would face strict punishment from industry and commerce departments and the police.

As woven bags were being dispatched to Beihu today, Secretary Ye was accompanying Deputy Mayor Shen in receiving several investors visiting the development zone for inspections and took the opportunity to visit the woven bag production enterprises to check on the loading and dispatch of rescue supplies.

The task force did a good job.

In recent days, the woven bags produced with overtime efforts were already loaded onto trucks, with six large trucks bearing banners with slogans like "Together in Times of Crisis." Transit passes sealed by the Linghai Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government were tucked onto the dashboard windows.

Whether or not these would be useful once on the road, and whether or not they would be acknowledged, was not important; what mattered was that necessary actions be taken.

Secretary Ye was very satisfied and was preparing to chat with the two company bosses when Vice Mayor Qin suddenly called, obligating him to apologize to the bosses and step aside to take the call.

"Mayor Qin, what instructions do you have?"

"Secretary Ye, did you receive any letters of appreciation today?"

"Not today, Mayor Qin. Why did you suddenly think of asking about this?"

"I met with Liu Changwei this morning, and he mentioned the flood relief efforts of Shen Fan and the others in Salted Fish supporting Beihu. He found it strange that the Binjiang Flood Control Rescue Camp was the one providing relief, yet they aren't receiving appreciation letters, while you keep getting them every other day."

Liu Changwei, being the propaganda minister, naturally paid attention to these matters.

Secretary Ye, having anticipated this, smiled and said, "It could be because most of the soldiers involved are Linghai people, and so the letters are addressed to Linghai."

Vice Mayor Qin chuckled and inquired further, "Then what's the story with the Linghai Reserve Camp? Wasn't it disbanded? Why is it being mentioned again? The appreciation letters all reference the Linghai Reserve Camp, and the promotional reports heavily feature the Linghai Reserve Camp, even on national media."

"Mayor Qin, let me make one thing clear. We in Linghai focus on politics and the big picture. Our publicity in Linghai has never directly mentioned the Linghai Reserve Camp! If you don't believe me, I can have the Propaganda Department send over the recent issues of the Linghai Daily, along with relevant news videos and radio recordings for your review."

"You really haven't been saying that?"

"If we had, I would take full responsibility. We've always used 'Linghai Soldiers,' and as for the Linghai Reserve Camp references you saw or heard, those were all made by a few counties in Beihu who didn't understand the specific situation."

Suppressing a laugh, Secretary Ye emphasized, "They wrote it that way; we can only read it as it is and reprint it as is. After all, it's written by them, and we neither should nor can alter it. If Minister Liu feels this wording is problematic, he can absolutely contact the relevant districts and counties in Beihu to have them draft new appreciation letters."

Vice Mayor Qin was momentarily stunned, suddenly realizing that Linghai indeed hadn't vigorously promoted the Linghai Reserve Camp—they spread the term 'Linghai Reserve Camp' based on someone else's claims, truly having no direct relation yet still indirectly related.

Realizing he couldn't outwit Linghai's craftiness, Vice Mayor Qin was both amused and annoyed when Secretary Ye somewhat sternly said, "Mayor Qin, we in Linghai care about politics and the big picture, but some people are indifferent to both!"

"Who?"

"Luo Hongxin, just look at the article signed by them in the Binjiang Daily yesterday, audaciously adding a parenthesis to label the Binjiang Flood Control Rescue Camp as their Development Zone Reserve Camp."

"Aren't you doing the same?"

"We are not; there's no way Linghai would do such a thing."

"But the newspaper by my side equally has parentheses, with Linghai in them."

"Mayor Qin, I know the newspaper you're referring to—I saw it this morning. Indeed, it contains parenthesized 'Linghai Reserve Camp,' but it has nothing to do with us in Linghai. That's just what they wrote; we can control ourselves but not others, least of all national media."

"Secretary Ye, you quite canny!"

"What do you mean by 'canny'?"

"To quote Minister Liu, it looks like you're comprehensively blocking out Binjiang!"

"Minister Liu is certainly joking; giving us ten times the guts, we wouldn't dare block out Binjiang."

"Take it easy, don't overdo it."

"Mayor Qin, this really has nothing to do with us."

"Fine, fine, since it's not your issue, I'll hang up now. I know you're busy."

...

So, hang up then.

I'll "block" you all, but let's see how you catch me when there is no concrete evidence of wrongdoing.

Putting down the phone, Secretary Ye couldn't help but laugh, thinking the city leaders are so outdated, still entangled in whether it's 'Binjiang Flood Control Rescue Camp' or 'Linghai Reserve Camp.'

No one promotes the Linghai Reserve Camp now; we certainly don't. We're now promoting Linghai Port, Linghai Economic and Technological Development Zone, and the Linghai Municipal Committee and Municipal Government.