Chapter 79

This is the first time attending the township party and government work conference, and I can't be late.

I also can't arrive too early, or people might think I'm eager to become a township leader.

The meeting starts at 8 PM, and I arrive at the small conference room on the third floor of the township government at 7:45 PM.

Old Lu, Township Chief Jiao, Chairman Ma of the People's Congress, Deputy Secretary Cui, Deputy Secretary Xu, Deputy Township Chief Zhang, Deputy Township Chief Chen responsible for rural agriculture, Deputy Township Chief Ying responsible for science and technology, and Minister Niu, among other township leaders, are all present.

They welcome the "newcomer," make a few jokes, and then the meeting officially begins.

It's not a specialized meeting but a "mixed bag" meeting.

One by one, each issue is discussed.

The debt collection work is nearing its end, including the engineering payment from Jiangcheng, a total of over 3.6 million yuan has been recovered, with over 1 million still outstanding, mainly from the boiler factories in Xin'an. The factories have gone bankrupt, and they truly have no money. Bringing the people to Liangzhuang would be useless, so it can only be put on hold for now.

For the village heads who maliciously delay tax payments, if the momentum of the public arrest rally fails to intimidate them and they still refuse to pay, after the autumn harvest, "new and old debts" will be settled together. They will be organized into study classes and brought to the township for learning. They will be allowed to return home only when they pay.

Family planning, funeral reform, conscription, water conservancy projects, road construction, and the preparation for the "universal nine-year compulsory education" infrastructure projects... All the work was discussed until it was past 11 PM.

Old Lu picked up his cigarette box and found it empty. He looked around, and with all the cigarettes depleted, he even picked up a cigarette butt from the ashtray.

Fortunately, I had two packs in my bag, and I took the opportunity to place them on the conference table.

Smoking and drinking go hand in hand, and Old Lu didn't hesitate. He threw away the cigarette butt, casually opened the pack, took one out, lit it, and puffed away, dividing the upcoming work.

Townsip Chief Jiao is responsible for the infrastructure project, Deputy Secretary Xu and Deputy Township Chief Chen are responsible for the autumn tax collection, and other leaders will handle their respective duties. Minister Niu is responsible for conscription, Chairman Ma will lead the team to catch pregnant women, Deputy Township Chief Yang will continue to ensure that the deceased are sent to the crematorium, and I will personally be responsible for the township's transformation into a town.

"Xiao Han, you have a lot of pressure. At critical moments, your police station must play a role. For the infrastructure project, autumn tax collection, family planning, and funeral reform, you must be available whenever needed, to clear obstacles for the township party and government's work and to protect the economic construction of the entire township."

Protecting economic construction is part of my duty, but the rest is not.

Especially organizing "study classes," which is a highly controversial non-police activity.

I should have known that a promotion wouldn't bring anything good, and I felt a strong urge to resign as the township chief's assistant. But I can only think about it. In Liangzhuang, I have the final say, and whether I am the township chief's assistant or not, I still have to do the work.

Unless you leave or can convince him.

Xiao Han didn't raise any objections, and Old Lu was very satisfied, feeling that the young man was good and had basically integrated into the Liangzhuang township party and government family.

Not being a party committee member, I can only attend as an observer, which means I can only listen and have no right to speak.

Sitting through the night and inhaling secondhand smoke for hours, how could I just return to the police station?

Old Lu announced the end of the meeting, didn't go to his office, and went downstairs to push his bicycle, preparing to return to the grain station. I followed him to the bicycle shed, waving goodbye to the other township leaders, and said calmly, "Secretary Lu, I have two things I want to report to you."

"Urgent?"

"Yes."

Not mentioned in the party committee meeting, it clearly needs to be kept confidential.

Old Lu adjusted his bicycle, which he had just put down, and turned back, saying, "Let's go to the office."

Back on the third floor, I first proposed the idea of establishing a party branch in the police station.

A grassroots unit with more than three formal party members but fewer than 50 can, with the approval of the higher-level party organization, establish a party branch committee. The township party committee is the "higher-level party organization," and the police station's initiative to align with the township party committee, rather than the county public security bureau party committee, is a good thing.

Developing three party members is equivalent to turning three local police officers into township-level public servants, and the police station will be under the leadership of the township party committee from top to bottom. Old Lu would be more than happy to have this, so why would he refuse?

After discussing the minor issue, I moved on to the major one.

"Secretary Lu, staying in Liangzhuang, I didn't feel much, but when I stepped out of Liangzhuang and Sigan, and met the military leaders and local officials who came from Liangzhuang, I truly felt proud to be a Liangzhuang official. Even without leaving Sigan, in the county and other townships, although some people say bad things about us, they think differently in their hearts.

We have no debt, and our officials, teachers, and retirees receive their salaries on time, and medical expenses are mostly reimbursed. We have fewer fundraising and levies, and the farmers' burden in our township is the lowest in the county. Under these conditions, we still have the resources to develop, who wouldn't be impressed, who wouldn't be convinced!

We have already taken 99 steps, why can't we take the final step? Let Liangzhuang, with its long history, become a truly 'virtuous village.' Secretary Lu, I apologize, I got a bit emotional. When I encounter such matters, I find it hard to remain calm, because I love Liangzhuang just as much as you do."

Xiao Han spoke sincerely, and Old Lu remained silent, his face dark as he smoked one cigarette after another.

He wasn't unaware of the issue of people buying wives in the villages, but he hadn't taken it seriously, or rather, he hadn't considered it a serious matter.

Putting myself in their shoes, this is a heart-wrenching issue.

The problem is that the rice is already cooked. Should we send the fathers to prison, or send the mothers back to their hometowns, breaking up families?

"Xiao Han, I understand your feelings, but this issue involves too many people. The work hasn't been done well, and the legal education hasn't been adequate. As the party secretary, I, Lu Huisheng, bear responsibility. If we delve deeper, not only I, but the public security bureau also bears responsibility. The police station hasn't been established, and Old Li has been maintaining order alone for over a decade until he was hospitalized with cancer. If we had a police station and more police officers, would this have happened?"

Old Lu took a deep puff of his cigarette and said firmly, "Given the current situation, my attitude is to let bygones be bygones. Historical issues should remain in the past. Moreover, this situation is widespread, not just in Liangzhuang. From now on, we will draw a line. Old bachelors will not be held accountable, but new bachelors will not be allowed to buy wives. Those who want to get married must do so through their own efforts. Anyone who buys a wife will be dealt with!"

Afraid that the young man might act rashly, Old Lu continued to reason, "Xiao Han, we must also see the positive side. Bachelors in their thirties or even forties who have never been with a woman, how can they live? Have they thought about it? These people are unstable factors. If they become desperate, they might commit rape or even murder.

Having a wife solves all the problems. Moreover, they didn't kidnap the women or participate in trafficking. In the end, they are also victims. As for the women from other places, they might not be used to it at first, but they will get used to it. Our Liangzhuang, though not economically advanced, is still better than their hometowns. If you don't believe me, I can take you to ask them tomorrow. They wouldn't want to go back."

Raising the issue and then letting it go, no wonder others say he is ignorant of the law.

On principle, Xiao Han didn't intend to compromise and said firmly, "Secretary Lu, there's a saying that the law does not punish the many. If we can't treat everyone equally, and only deal with new bachelors while ignoring old bachelors, how can we do this work? I know this puts you in a difficult position, but the law is the law. Turning a blind eye would not only be dereliction of duty but also a betrayal of my conscience."

You little brat, so stubborn.

Old Lu became anxious and stared into his eyes, asking, "Would you feel better about your conscience by breaking up twenty or more families?"

"As long as the aftermath is handled properly, I can live with myself."

"Who will handle the aftermath, and how? This kind of issue can't be resolved properly!"

Xiao Han wasn't inflexible. He had already thought of a solution before coming.

He was being so persistent to force Old Lu into a corner, hoping to negotiate a compromise.

Xiao Han pretended to think for a moment and then said, "Secretary Lu, buying a wife is illegal, and this is undeniable. However, in judicial practice, as long as there is no abuse or rape, the courts rarely pursue criminal responsibility for those who buy wives. Even if they are sentenced, it's usually a suspended sentence, and they don't have to go to prison. As for whether there was rape, only the two of them know. If the wife says there was no rape and that she was willing, then there was no rape."

The women from other places, especially those with children, are unlikely to report their husbands.

As for those who are eager to return home and have no feelings for their husbands, keeping them is not a solution. If I don't handle it now, someone else will in the future. Everyone must take responsibility for their actions, and they must pay the price for what they have done.

Fortunately, it's not during a period of strict law enforcement.

Old Lu weighed the options and asked in a low voice, "Do you plan to arrest them and then release them?"

"I only have the authority to arrest. Whether to transfer the case to the prosecutor and how the court will sentence them, I can't guarantee."

"Everything is interconnected. There are so many people who have bought wives in the county. If one is sentenced, the others must be sentenced too. The law does not punish the many for a reason. You can arrest them, and detaining them for a few days will scare them. It will be a form of compensation for the women, and it will improve their status in their families after this incident."

"Thank you, Secretary Lu, for your support."

"Support or not, this shouldn't have happened. I bear responsibility. Let's not talk about it. When do you plan to take action?"

"We have a lead on a human trafficking case, possibly a gang. I plan to dismantle the gang, but I can't act now to avoid alerting them."

No one buys if no one sells.

Conversely, no one buys if no one sells.

These people have harmed innocent women and desperate bachelors.

Mentioning them, Old Lu was furious and said through gritted teeth, "We must not be lenient with human traffickers. Xiao Han, I support you on this. Dismantle them and investigate them strictly!"

---

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