Reborn as a Noble’s Son
Chapter 1017 - Chapter 1017 Chapter 973 Please Believe Me

Chapter 1017: Chapter 973 Please Believe Me Chapter 1017: Chapter 973 Please Believe Me Secretary Nie spoke up, and naturally, the other leaders weren’t going to say much. Moreover, under the lead of Wei Lin and Xu Hongzhuan, all the leading cadres stood up.

Although Yang Xihua and Liao Qiusheng were just rural grassroots cadres who hadn’t seen much of the world, and even couldn’t be considered part of the systematic hierarchy, one must never underestimate the wisdom of those from the mountains. They understood the situation well–what Secretary Nie said was law.

Yang Xihua pondered for a moment, then said, “Secretary Nie, what do you think about visiting the home of a five-guarantees household in our village first?”

In the village lived an old man called Yang Jiujin, who was over eighty years old. His partner had passed away, and his only child had been killed by explosives during major water conservancy works years ago. He lived a lonely life.

The old man was still strong; and as the group arrived at Old Jiujin’s home, they found him sitting under the eaves, snuggling a cage of warming bricks between his feet, his legs covered with a tattered blanket, dozing off.

Yang Xihua had already approached, and Liao Qiusheng introduced him to Nie Zhenbang, who was by his side, “Secretary Nie, our village has a total of ten elderly residents living alone. The village has developed a fostering policy according to the situation of each group, with each household taking turns to deliver meals every week.”

Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, “This is very good. It’s just the matter of an extra pair of chopsticks. Dafeng has good customs. The aged must have support and care, which are issues our party and government need to pay close attention to. Besides meals, we also need to concern ourselves with and take care of the elderly’s living conditions and their daily expenses.”

Following that, Nie Zhenbang personally handed a consolation money to old Yang Jiujin, which deeply moved the old man. His hands trembled as he repeatedly expressed his gratitude.

Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang and his group walked around Dafeng Village, visiting and comforting the lonely elderly and the extremely poor families.

Nie Zhenbang’s group stayed overnight in Dafeng Village. Eating the homely meals, Nie Zhenbang found himself with an unprecedented appetite, enjoying the food immensely.

Settled in the best room cleared out by the hosts, Nie Zhenbang didn’t rest but sat on the bed, feeling very heavy-hearted. The simplicity of the people from the old revolutionary base area gave Nie Zhenbang much to ponder, and their living conditions had a profound impact on him.

In his ears, it seemed he could still hear Liao Qiusheng’s words about the villagers of Dafeng having an average annual income of just over four hundred yuan.

What could four hundred yuan do? For ordinary people, it might just be enough for a meal out, or a common Western meal. For the wealthy, the cost of one meal could sustain a hundred people in Dafeng Village for a whole year.

His mood was somber. The development of the old area, of Hongjiang River, all weighed heavily on Nie Zhenbang’s heart–a burden not to be taken lightly.

There was a knock on the door, and Wei Lin, the Provincial Party Committee’s Director of Propaganda, stood at the door respectfully saying, “Secretary Nie, you can’t sleep either?”

Nie Zhenbang wore a smile as he stood up, gesturing with his hand, “Comrade Wei Lin is here, come in and have a seat.”

As he spoke, Nie Zhenbang looked at Wei Lin, “Director Wei, you aren’t resting either?”

Wei Lin was inwardly shaken at this moment. On one hand, he was shocked to find such poverty and backwardness in a central province like Hongjiang River. It seemed to him that only remote and impoverished areas in the Western Regions were like this. Yet the reality confronted him that Hongjiang was not in good condition either.

On the other hand, Wei Lin was moved by Nie Zhenbang’s pragmatic working attitude and style. To see such a high-ranking provincial Party Secretary trekking tens of kilometers on mountain paths and staying in a peasant home reflected an approachable attitude and a down-to-earth style that touched Wei Lin deeply.

Without any pretense, Wei Lin sat down, smiling, “Secretary Nie, I’ve truly learned a lot this time.”

The words of Wei Lin surprised Nie Zhenbang somewhat. When Wei Lin parachuted in, Nie Zhenbang wasn’t very impressed, as the propaganda department, the mouthpiece of public opinion, seemed less important than the Organization Department or the Political and Legal Committee on the surface. However, Nie Zhenbang was well aware that the importance of the Propaganda Department was no less than that of the Organization Department.

But after Wei Lin took office, his initiative to get close made Nie Zhenbang pause. Now, the frankness of Wei Lin’s words also gave Nie Zhenbang a good impression of him.

After a pause, Nie Zhenbang also spoke, “Yes, I’ve been deeply educated, and I feel the weight on my shoulders. Minister Wei, in terms of publicity, the propaganda department needs to focus on this aspect of publicity. Don’t be afraid of losing face and avoid the mindset of reporting only the good news. We must be realistic and report the actual situation of the old regions as they are. This serves as a wake-up call for our work. A heavy responsibility and a long road lie ahead.”

In his heart, Wei Lin held some admiration for Nie Zhenbang. The upright are open and honest, while the petty are ever worried. Nie Zhenbang’s conduct and dealings truly deserved the title of a gentleman. He genuinely cared for the people and had their concerns at heart. This quality greatly impressed Wei Lin.

Coming to Hongjiang River, Wei Lin also wanted to make a significant contribution. Undoubtedly, from what he saw now, following Secretary Nie’s lead was the correct choice.

After pondering for a moment, Wei Lin nodded and said, “Please rest assured, Secretary Nie, the Propaganda Department will definitely follow the instructions and the principle of seeking truth from facts. We will report accurately and contribute to the economic construction and development of Hongjiang River. Cheering and lending strength.”

…

Following Wei Lin, Nie Zhenbang called over Liu Yaowen, Guo Nansheng, and Wu Guangshun from the Transportation Department, as well as Peng Shifan and Ouyang Liming from the Songzhou Municipal Party Committee. Additionally, Lin Aman, the Secretary of Hongdu City’s Party Committee, was listening in. Although Lin Aman was a senior official at the department level and a definite leader in front of ordinary people, in front of Nie Zhenbang and the provincial and municipal leaders, Lin Aman only had a place to listen in.

In this ordinary farmhouse courtyard in Dafeng Village, the charcoal in the room burned vigorously, and a 100-watt incandescent bulb lit the room brightly. After surveying those present, Nie Zhenbang began, “This time, I’ve called everyone together mainly to discuss the traffic issues in the old regions of Hongdu.”

“I believe everyone felt a sense of their legs turning to jelly and wanting to collapse after walking the mountain roads today. Just think, we’ve only walked them once or twice, but the local residents who were born and live here, how must they feel? And what about the children who travel out to study? They probably have to get up around four or five in the morning and go to school by torchlight.”

When he said this, Nie Zhenbang’s tone became firm and serious, “This time, I’ve gathered you all to discuss how to get through the traffic in the old regions and build the roads. We need to give the local people the benefits and a chance to get rich and live a better life.”

After finishing, Nie Zhenbang directly addressed Ouyang Liming, “Mayor Ouyang, you are the mayor of Songzhou City. You speak first; what measures and ideas does Songzhou City have in this regard?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ouyang Liming nodded and began, “Secretary Nie, regarding the traffic planning and development of Hongdu City, the Songzhou City Committee, the City Government, and the City Development and Reform Commission have all considered it thoroughly. At present, we have preliminarily drawn up a complete route, coded as County Road 39. The route starts from County Road 21 in Chengguan Town of Hongdu City and heads straight towards Yingqiao Town, passing through Dafeng en route. Then it passes through several impoverished mountain villages such as Guojiapu and Li Clan Village in Changfu Town, directly connecting to the Songhong First-class Highway. The road is 52 kilometers long, including 5 kilometers of tunnels, with an estimated total investment of 330 million. The city’s finances are a bit tight, and so the matter has been dragging on.”

Ouyang Liming’s speech was fluent and confident, without any pauses or hesitation, which pleased Nie Zhenbang greatly. This indicated that Songzhou City was indeed preparing for this project; otherwise, they could not be so detailed.

However, when it came to financing, Nie Zhenbang’s brow furrowed. The cost of a single county road was a significant financial burden not only for Songzhou City’s budget but also for the provincial budget. Moreover, as the Provincial Party Secretary, Nie Zhenbang was very clear that any issue had its priorities. Governing a province was not very different from managing a household; the key point was not poverty, but inequality. Hongjiang River’s old regions were pervasive with this issue; one could not focus only on Hongdu without considering other areas.

After pondering for a while, Nie Zhenbang still spoke up, “Regarding the construction of transportation, Songzhou City must maintain close contact with the Provincial Transportation Department. Conduct extensive investigations and surveys, and try to come up with a proper plan. For the source of funding, we should strive to get some support from the ministry, some from the provincial finance, and the main portion should be managed by Songzhou City’s finance. Hongdu City must also contribute a portion. Along the routes, we can mobilize the masses and adopt the form of work-for-wages, where the collective performs the work. Once the roads are built, it will be the locals who benefit. Do a good job, and I believe the enthusiasm of the people will be high.”

Nie Zhenbang set the tone, and essentially, the issue was already without suspense. Wu Guangshun from the Transportation Department also expressed his position.

…

The night passed without incident; the next morning, after having breakfast at the villagers’ home, Nie Zhenbang made a point of leaving meal money. As he walked out of the village entrance, thousands of villagers gathered on both sides of the entrance, in the fields, and under the eaves, wherever people could stand, there were many spectators.

Halfway through, Nie Zhenbang suddenly turned around, surveyed the villagers bidding farewell, and said loudly, “My fellow villagers, please believe in me, please believe in the Party and the government. Our lives will definitely become more and more prosperous. Here, I wish everyone a Happy New Year in advance, and hope you all have a joyous and happy spring festival.”(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (NovelFire.net) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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