Chapter 3

Qiu Hengde was rushed to the city people's hospital overnight. After emergency treatment, his life was saved. Around seven in the morning, a special guest arrived at the high-end ward of the city people's hospital.

The tall Song Wendu took a sip of tea from his cup, stared intently at Qiu Hengde's pale face lying on the bed, and asked with a smile, "How did it feel to take a trip to the gates of hell?"

Qiu Hengde showed a bitter smile and sighed, "I thought I had long put life and death out of my mind, but now, upon reflection, I realize I'm actually very afraid of dying! The moment I sank to the bottom of the water, my mind was like a movie reel, showing all the things I hadn't done. Dying now would be such a waste, wouldn't it?"

"Who in power doesn't have a strong attachment to it? How could they die so easily!" Song Wendu smiled, put down his teacup, and suddenly became serious. "I've already arranged for an investigation into who pushed you into the river. Preliminary analysis suggests it was a deliberate act..."

"Hmph!" A flash of anger crossed Qiu Hengde's face, and he whispered, "Pushing him too hard finally made him show his true colors!"

"Old Cao's group is ruthless! They've seen through my plans, which is why they're using every means possible," Song Wendu patted Qiu Hengde's shoulder, stood up, and walked to the window.

In the month since Song Wendu took office in Yinzhou, frequent personnel changes have raised the vigilance of the local factions. If the main core of the local faction, the Secretary of the Municipal Organization Department, Cao Hongzhang, were to be transferred out of Yinzhou, Qiu Hengde could take a step forward and help Song Wendu manage the Organization Department.

Cao Hongzhang viewed Qiu Hengde as a potential rival, which is why he decided to eliminate him.

Qiu Hengde nodded and sneered, "Cao Hongzhang has been in the Yinzhou Organization Department for many years, with a complex network of relationships behind him. Taking him down would greatly benefit your efforts to stabilize the situation in Yinzhou."

"To stabilize the situation in Yinzhou, we need to first cultivate and maintain the people around us," Song Wendu said lightly. "By the way, do you have anyone reliable? I need a trustworthy secretary right now."

Qiu Hengde thought for a moment, walked to the bedside, and found a file in the second drawer of the cabinet. He handed it to Song Wendu and said with a smile, "Take a look at his resume..."

"Oh?" Song Wendu flipped through a few pages. "The top scorer in this year's municipal civil service exam?"

Qiu Hengde smiled, "He's also my savior. Without him, I would have lost my life in Huanghai Lake."

Song Wendu stared at Qiu Hengde, looking him up and down, and asked curiously, "You want to recommend him? His qualities are excellent, and he has courage, but he lacks experience and is a complete blank slate!"

Qiu Hengde straightened his back and said solemnly, "His advantage is that he is a blank slate. The resumes you have now probably all have some background, either informants or spies... The most trustworthy person for us right now is undoubtedly a blank slate..."

Song Wendu said nothing more and silently put the file into his briefcase.

After Song Wendu left the ward, Qiu Hengde lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

Qiu Hengde was a man of clear likes and dislikes. As the saying goes, one should repay a life-saving favor with a spring of water.

Since you saved my life, I will give you a chance for a bright future, but it all depends on your luck and strength. Whether you can become the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's secretary still depends on Secretary Song Wendu.

Song Wendu is not an easy person to deal with.

...

The heavy rain lasted for more than ten days, and ultimately, the Municipal Committee had to abandon Xinyuan Township due to the overwhelming force of nature. This cast a shadow over the hearts of everyone in the support team. By early July, the sky cleared up, and the support team withdrew from Huanghai to Yinzhou.

Upon returning to the office, Fang Zhicheng received a message from Wang Ke. Because he had saved Deputy Minister Qiu, the Municipal Organization Department and the Municipal Committee Office, according to the Civil Servant Reward Regulations, decided to award him a second-class merit. Hearing this news, Fang Zhicheng secretly slipped into the toilet, smoking and fiercely waving his fist.

Putting life and death aside, risking his life to save the Deputy Minister of the Organization Department, his previously stagnant career path was undoubtedly about to turn a corner.

Just before the end of the workday, Deputy Secretary-General and Office Director Ding Nengren called Fang Zhicheng to his office and said straightforwardly, "Fang, you performed well during the flood control, so the office has decided to give you a chance. Tomorrow, you will participate in the interview for the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's secretary. The result is not important; the key is to showcase the office's style."

Fang Zhicheng nodded without showing any emotion, "I will do my best, Director Ding." He understood that this was not an opportunity given by the office but was likely due to Qiu Hengde's help behind the scenes.

Ding Nengren smiled slightly, patted Fang Zhicheng's shoulder, and said, "I know this is a rare opportunity for you, but I want to discuss something further with you..."

Fang Zhicheng frowned slightly and asked, "Please enlighten me, Director Ding!"

Ding Nengren personally poured a cup of water into a disposable cup for Fang Zhicheng and smiled, "Showcasing style is important, but I hope you pay attention to the degree and measure, and don't covet a position that doesn't belong to you!"

Fang Zhicheng suddenly understood the deeper meaning behind Ding Nengren's words. He was indirectly asking him to give up the opportunity to become the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's secretary.

He tried to suppress his anger and asked, "During the interview, Secretary Song is the main examiner. Whether I can become his secretary is not up to me. According to Director Ding's meaning, do you want me to deliberately make mistakes during the interview?"

"Even the best can make mistakes!" Ding Nengren was satisfied with Fang Zhicheng's understanding. "Although you may not be selected as the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's secretary this time, I will arrange a position for you in the Municipal Investment Promotion Bureau or the Municipal Finance Bureau. Both departments have good development platforms and can allow you to showcase your talents."

Ding Nengren offered a good choice. Fang Zhicheng might not be able to compete for the position of the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's secretary, but if he gave up, he could secure a good future for himself.

"Who is the other candidate?" Fang Zhicheng clenched his fists and took a deep breath before asking.

"There's no harm in telling you. It's Shao Lingfeng from the Second Secretariat," Ding Nengren said with a faint smile.

Although Fang Zhicheng had outperformed Shao Lingfeng in the civil service exam, Ding Nengren still used his resources to help Shao Lingfeng secure a position in the Second Secretariat. Now, Ding Nengren was using Shao Lingfeng to squeeze Fang Zhicheng out of the position of the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's secretary, which had a retaliatory tone.

"What if I don't agree?" Fang Zhicheng sneered.

Seeing Fang Zhicheng's resistance, Ding Nengren put on a stern face and openly threatened, "If you don't agree, I can only wish you good luck. But I must remind you that although the position of the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's secretary is special, the higher you stand, the harder you fall. Don't offend people you shouldn't for short-term gains."

Ding Nengren, a senior official, exuded an irresistible authority.

Fang Zhicheng's contemptuous smile flashed across his face, and he stood up, saying, "I understand your meaning, Director Ding. I will make my own judgment on what to do. Please rest assured."

As Fang Zhicheng turned to leave, a fierce look flashed in Ding Nengren's eyes, and he muttered to himself, "This kid has a lot of character. If he becomes the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's secretary, won't he cause trouble? I must stop him!"

He took a file from the drawer and called Shao Lingfeng, instructing, "Shao, come to my office to pick up some materials. I hope they will help you with the interview tomorrow."

...

The next day, the third internal selection for the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's secretary took place in the Municipal Committee Office.

After leaving the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's office, Shao Lingfeng felt relieved. Although facing the Secretary of the Municipal Committee was a bit nerve-wracking, all the questions were in the materials Ding Nengren had given him. Although he didn't perform exceptionally, he could probably score around ninety points.

Seeing Fang Zhicheng walking towards him, Shao Lingfeng said softly, "Can we talk in private?"

Fang Zhicheng frowned and said, "What do you want to say? Just say it here. Being sneaky is disgusting!"

Shao Lingfeng's face twitched, and he said in a forced, low voice, "Brother Fang, if you're willing to withdraw from the selection for the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's secretary, I can give you some benefits."

"Oh? What kind of benefits?" Fang Zhicheng asked with a half-smile.

Shao Lingfeng whispered, "What men love is money and beauty. If you give up this selection, I'll give you fifty thousand yuan in cash and let a beautiful TV host from the city TV station spend a night with you. How about that?"

Fang Zhicheng laughed loudly, pointed at Shao Lingfeng, and scolded, "You scumbag, do you think I'm so short-sighted? Trying to become the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's secretary through such underhanded means? Do you think I would be fooled by such tricks?"

Fang Zhicheng showed no mercy to Shao Lingfeng, who, feeling guilty, realized he was dealing with someone who wouldn't be swayed by threats or bribes. He angrily stomped his foot, muttered a few times, "Ungrateful," and hurriedly went downstairs.

Entering the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's office, Song Wendu was sitting on the sofa, brewing tea. He glanced at Fang Zhicheng, pointed to the opposite seat, and said, "Sit!"

Fang Zhicheng sat down as instructed and offered, "Secretary Song, let me brew the tea for you?"

"Oh?" Song Wendu was slightly surprised and smiled, "Sure!" He thought Fang Zhicheng was indeed fearless, unlike Shao Lingfeng, who was sweating profusely and trembling in his presence. Fang Zhicheng, on the other hand, remained calm, showing a leader's demeanor.

Fang Zhicheng's palms were actually sweating, but he took a deep breath and maintained a calm demeanor while brewing the tea.

Seeing Fang Zhicheng's smooth and confident tea-brewing movements, Song Wendu's eyes flashed with interest and he asked, "Do you have a background in tea art?"

Fang Zhicheng nodded and said, "My mother loved tea. Before she passed away, I often brewed it for her." Fang Zhicheng knew that if Song Wendu had read his resume, he would know about his family background and that he was now alone.

Song Wendu said softly, "You seem to be a very emotional young man."

"Originally, the Municipal Committee Office had prepared the interview questions for me, but I think questions are static, while people are dynamic. Besides, you are the top scorer in this year's Yinzhou civil service exam, so your foundational knowledge must be solid. Asking you other questions wouldn't be very useful," Song Wendu said after drinking two cups of tea, leaning back on the sofa and asking seriously, "What do you think is the most important quality for a Secretary of the Municipal Committee's secretary?"

" Luck!" Fang Zhicheng answered without hesitation.

Song Wendu was amused by this unexpected answer. He laughed for a while, almost spitting out his tea, and asked, "Your answer is quite refreshing. Why do you say it's luck?"

Seeing that Song Wendu was engaged, Fang Zhicheng thought it was the right moment to seize the initiative. When talking to a leader, one must avoid being rigid and should surprise them to gain the upper hand.

He spoke calmly, "Anyone who can become the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's secretary has passed multiple rounds of screening and has solid basic qualities. If we break it down, there are three types of people: the first type has a strong family background, relying on family luck; the second type has a close relationship with the Secretary of the Municipal Committee and earns his trust, relying on personal luck; the third type is a recent graduate, a blank slate, relying on opportunity. No matter which type, being recognized by the Secretary of the Municipal Committee is a sign of great luck, as this is a position that can see into the future."

Song Wendu nodded and said, "Although it's a bit of a stretch, your analysis makes some sense. However, I asked about qualities, and what you said is more of a common trait."

Fang Zhicheng smiled slightly and asked, "Have you heard of a 'lucky general'?"

"Oh?" Song Wendu smiled, encouraging Fang Zhicheng to continue.

Fang Zhengcheng said, "The ancients said, 'A brave general is inferior to a wise general, and a wise general is inferior to a lucky general.' Cao Cao of the Wei Dynasty favored Cao Zixiao, and Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty favored Cheng Yaojin, both understanding the underlying principle."

Song Wendu nodded and smiled, "Your viewpoint is quite interesting! Do you consider yourself a lucky general?"

"Saving Deputy Minister Qiu in the raging flood is itself a proof!" Fang Zhicheng's eyes flashed with a cunning light, and he cleverly asked, "Secretary Song, do you want to be Cao Cao or Emperor Taizong?"

"Ha ha..." Song Wendu was silent for a moment, then burst into laughter. He pointed at Fang Zhicheng, laughed for a while, and waved his hand, saying, "I already have a good understanding of you. Go back and wait for the news."

Fang Zhicheng left the Secretary of the Municipal Committee's office, only to realize his back was completely soaked. Talking to the Secretary of the Municipal Committee was indeed very stressful. If he hadn't practiced in front of the mirror many times the previous day, he might not have been able to remain so calm.