Chapter 67

This major operation to capture someone out of the province, who knows how many days it will take to return. I need to report to the bureau leadership and also to the township leadership.

The scoundrel from Liangzhuang can no longer be allowed to roam free!

Rushing to the third floor of the township government, I gave a brief report on the situation. Old Lu was very supportive. He put on his reading glasses, took out the legendary black leather phone book, flipped to a middle page, and wrote down two names and two numbers on a notepad. After finishing, he carefully put away the phone book and started dialing each number on the landline.

"Comrade Chang, this is Lu Huisheng. Is it convenient to talk? The township-to-town transformation is proceeding smoothly. You can work outside with peace of mind; I'll handle things here. By the Spring Festival, it should be almost done. We'll wait for you to come back for the ribbon-cutting and fireworks, definitely, definitely.

"There's nothing particularly urgent, but here's the thing: we have a scoundrel from Liangzhuang, from Dongguang Village, named Gu Xingu. I don't know if you've heard of him. Yes, that little rascal. He's been on the run for several years. This time, we're determined to bring him back. Someone saw him hiding near your unit. Old Li is in the hospital, and his condition isn't good. The new special envoy, a young man, is very capable..."

After finishing with one, he moved on to the next, a local official.

The tone of the other party was very welcoming and willing to help, asking them to call once they bought train tickets so they could arrange a car to pick them up at the station.

The phone book, which was about two centimeters thick, had five or six people's contact information on each page, front and back, densely packed. Han Bo asked enviously, "Secretary Lu, from all over the country, how many friends do you have?"

Having been a cadre for most of his life, he hadn't made money like others, nor had he become a high-ranking official. But he had made many friends. Speaking of what he was most proud of, Old Lu's eyes sparkled.

"Little Han, I'm not boasting. I haven't seriously counted how many friends I have, but one thing is certain: if I go out now, I don't need to carry a single cent. As long as I have this phone book, I can travel the whole country. Wherever I go, I can stay in hotels and have meals!"

"I believe you."

"Not just you, even Secretary Xie and County Chief Yang would believe me. If they don't believe me, let them compare with me. Who would be more useful outside of Nan Gang? I can travel and stay in hotels or military guesthouses. They would probably have to sleep on the streets and beg their way back."

Liangzhuang produces talented people, and all the talented people from Liangzhuang are in his phone book, each of them very respectful to him. This wasn't just boasting.

Han Bo entered the names and phone numbers of the two hometown people into his phone, carefully put away the notepad, and said sincerely, "Secretary Lu, you are my role model. I want to learn from you."

The young man was good, very much to his liking.

Old Lu patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "Little Han, making friends isn't difficult. As long as you treat people sincerely, you can make true friends like me. You did well with Old Wu. Treat him to a meal, help him save face, and arrange for his son to work at the silk company. It's a small effort on your part, but it will be remembered. His life is like this, and his two sons are like this, but what about his grandson?

"Thirty years on this side of the river, thirty years on the other. If his grandson does well in the future, and you are about my age now, you can write his name in the phone book. Wherever you go, if you need help, just make a call, and they will definitely help. That's how friends are made."

"Secretary Lu, you've helped many people."

"I didn't deliberately help anyone. I just treated people sincerely and acted with a clear conscience."

You just made a fortune from the Industry and Commerce Bureau. If you handed it over to the Public Security Bureau, it would be a waste. Old Lu changed the subject, "Little Han, in our work, we must first smooth out relationships. You are a special envoy from the Public Security Bureau, sent by the bureau. The bureau has only you in Liangzhuang, and a car. In other words, what is sent out belongs to them, and what is not sent out does not belong to them."

It sounded like a tongue twister, and Han Bo was confused, "Secretary Lu, I don't quite understand. Do you have any instructions?"

"Put the instructions aside. I'm explaining the principle. The police station and the special envoy are sent out by the Public Security Bureau and are naturally under the bureau's management. The police station is not, it belongs to the Liangzhuang Township Government. The relationship between the police station and the township government is like that between the county public security bureau and the county government, fundamentally different from other township police stations.

"The Public Security Bureau cannot bypass the county party committee's organization department and the personnel bureau in personnel matters, and it cannot operate without the finance bureau in financial matters. Therefore, the police station must listen to the township party committee in personnel matters and to the township government in financial matters. This is a principle issue, and we must be firm in principle and not be confused."

In other words, listen to the township party committee and government, which means listen to him.

The police station is a branch of the Public Security Bureau, but what is the police station? The building belongs to the township, and the public security and joint defense fees are collected by the township. Although Old Lu was being a bit over the top, his words made some sense when thought about carefully.

Even if we take a step back, the township government is still a level of government.

But the higher-ups are increasingly treating the township government as not a real government, constantly centralizing power and pushing responsibilities down.

The township party committee and government are at the bottom of the power pyramid. Although the township party secretary is a full-section-level official and is seen as a significant figure by the people, the social public power and resources they can control are extremely limited, yet they must face the masses directly.

All policies from the higher-ups must be implemented by the township. As the saying goes, a thousand threads from above and a single needle below.

They must manage everything, do well for the people, and complete the tasks assigned by the higher-ups. They must do well and not do poorly. They must work hard and face criticism...

He was like Don Quixote, or perhaps his thinking about what the township party committee and government should be was still stuck in the "People's Commune" era. He found it hard to accept the gradual centralization of grassroots power. Like a hen protecting her chicks, he clung tightly to the little power the township still had, and anyone who tried to take it would face his anger.

Han Bo sighed inwardly and nodded to show he had no objections.

Old Lu was very satisfied and pressed on, "Deputy Captain of the Joint Defense Team, Mi Jindragon, violated the family planning policy. I personally led people to demolish his house, but he has repented. A person who knows their mistake and reforms is a good comrade. Consider it, observe him, and give him a basic employee pension. Give him something to look forward to, so he can get some retirement pay when he's older. You can understand this as an instruction from the township party committee."

When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head.

Since two have already been resolved, one more doesn't matter.

Thinking about Mi Jindragon's participation in the capture mission, Han Bo smiled, "Secretary Lu, Comrade Mi Jindragon is going with me to catch Gu Xingu. The joint defense team is a small team, and they watch each other. It's not about scarcity but about fairness. If we catch him this time, he will have earned merit, and I can confidently help him resolve his issues. The power of a role model is infinite, and this might boost the morale of the entire joint defense team."

Firmly obey the instructions of the township party committee.

Old Lu was not just satisfied but very satisfied, laughing heartily, "Good, this arrangement is best. Work should be done this way! Go early and return early, and be careful on the road. If you can't find Gu Xingu, come back and try again next time. That little rascal, who didn't finish junior high school, where can he run? As long as he doesn't leave China, he will eventually be caught."

...

PS: Chapter 2, please click, collect, recommend, evaluate, and suggest!

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