Reborn as a Noble’s Son
Chapter 1119 - Chapter 1119 Chapter 1075 The Grand Situation of the

Chapter 1119: Chapter 1075: The Grand Situation of the Hongjiang River Chapter 1119: Chapter 1075: The Grand Situation of the Hongjiang River As for Huang Wenwei, Nie Zhenbang did not know much about him except that Huang Wenwei was a cadre transferred over from Jinmei Province. Beyond that, Nie Zhenbang did not have much of an understanding.

Of course, that was the case before the Central Committee published the list of proposed appointments. At that time, Nie Zhenbang truly only had access to that much information. However, as Huang Wenwei assumed his position, a dossier appeared on Nie Zhenbang’s desk. The document had been delivered from Jingcheng.

Indeed, delivered–personally delivered, just as if in ancient times when urgent dispatch would involve a fast horse traveling six hundred, even eight hundred, leagues.

With the gradual development of communication technology and means, whether it be letters, faxes, telephone calls, or the internet, the continual upgrade of such methods has made communication and contact between people increasingly convenient. Domestically, one can conduct video conversations directly with people across the ocean, which is a form of progress.

However, with the advancement of this technology, there have been issues with communication security. No modern means of communication can guarantee one hundred percent security.

Investigating the personal information and background of a cadre at the provincial and ministerial level is something very taboo within the system.

Therefore, the materials that Nie Zhenbang needed were gathered on the other side by the Wang Dynasty and then delivered in person by a special envoy.

Huang Wenwei, a native of Jinmei Province, held an undergraduate degree and graduated from Jinmei University with a major in Chinese Language and Literature. Huang Wenwei’s career record held no remarkable achievements. It was fairly routine. Basically, he followed the traditional path step by step in his career progression.

However, Huang Wenwei’s wife came as a surprise to Nie Zhenbang, a member of the Zhang family from Jingcheng. With that connection, it became clear why, this time, the Zhang family was one of the groups aligned with Fang Maotang.

As Huang Wenwei entered, Nie Zhenbang appeared quite enthusiastic, personally welcoming him and inviting Huang Wenwei to sit on the sofa in the reception area. Beside them, Hong Feng also brought over some hot tea.

Nie Zhenbang turned his head and said with a smile to Huang Wenwei, “Vice Governor Huang, you truly are an elusive guest that can’t even be invited over.”

The words of Nie Zhenbang made Huang Wenwei offer an awkward smile. Huang Wenwei’s favorite pastime was discerning people’s thoughts.

This trait was greatly influenced by Huang Wenwei’s upbringing and experiences.

Coming from a regular working-class family, Huang Wenwei’s family circumstances were not bad, but not particularly good either. His success had always relied on his own efforts. As a child, he gained his teachers’ favor and was consistently an outstanding student. An exemplary cadre. After graduation, when he entered the workforce, he gained his leaders’ praise by understanding their thinking. During courtship, he tried to figure out what his girlfriend was thinking to win her favor and approval. After marriage, understanding the thoughts of his wife wasn’t enough; he had to consider the mindset of his father-in-law’s entire family as well.

Huang Wenwei succeeded. By his early fifties, he had become a vice-ministerial-level cadre and a principal leader in party and government affairs. All this was the power of discernment.

Over the years, Huang Wenwei had cultivated this habit.

An elusive guest who couldn’t be invited–Nie Zhenbang’s words must have had a hidden meaning. Huang Wenwei had been in the Hongjiang Province for a while now, but he had never visited Secretary Nie. This was a critique of himself.

With an embarrassed smile, Huang Wenwei replied, “Secretary Nie is criticizing me. In the future, I will definitely strengthen my ideological understanding and actively strive to align closely with the organization.”

As he spoke, Huang Wenwei’s tone changed as he smiled and said, “Good tea, Secretary Nie, if I’m not mistaken, this must be authentic early spring Longjing tea.”

Nie Zhenbang simply smiled mildly. Huang Wenwei indeed liked to decipher other people’s thoughts. His own words had been casually spoken without such deep consideration.

Nie Zhenbang had complex feelings about Huang Wenwei. The situation in Hongjiang seemed stable, but it was not entirely so. At present, vital forces within Hongjiang Province still appeared somewhat weak. He did not control key positions such as the Governor, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Committee, or the Executive Vice Governor. Once he left, individuals like Chen Le within Hongjiang Province were not yet strong enough to take the lead. Hence, cultivating a good relationship with Huang Wenwei was essential.

If he did leave, having Huang Wenwei step up would mean that, for his own considerations, Huang Wenwei would likely draw Chen Le and Li Wei closer to him.

This was the reason why Nie Zhenbang was so courteous and respectful. Within the system, taking one step and looking only one step ahead was unacceptable; one had to be provident and take one step while considering the next three.

Previously, while in Jingcheng, Nachrichten from Wang Suzhou came that there were signs of an impending move. Carefully counting the years since he took up a ministerial-level post–two years in Bashu, now over two years in Hongjiang–the time seemed ripe.

At this time, I could no longer continue working in Hongjiang Province. For a promotion to happen, one must relocate to have room for advancement.

Now, forming a good relationship with Huang Wenwei could be beneficial for the future.

Smiling, he said, “Comrade Wenwei, if you like, you can take some with you later. This tea was also a gift from a friend. As for me, I’m not much of a tea connoisseur. Good tea should be appreciated by those who understand it; it’s a waste to have me drink it.”

Huang Wenwei’s face immediately showed gratitude as he smiled and said, “Secretary Nie, how could I accept this?”

Continuing, Huang Wenwei spoke earnestly, “Secretary, you’re an expert in economic development. The miracles of Lishui and Wanghai are worth learning from. To be honest, taking on such an important position, I’m both anxious and cautious. Secretary, I’ve come specifically to learn from you this time.”

Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang’s expression also turned serious. Cadres from Jinmei Province, including Fang Yuanshan, understood that Jinmei, as a major resource supplier for our country solely in terms of coal, played a crucial role in national economic development and energy supply. Nie Zhenbang was well aware that Jinmei traded its environment for the country’s economic growth and energy provision. On this issue, one cannot simply say whether it’s right or wrong. It’s an objective reality for which there’s no easy solution.

However, cadres from Jinmei tend to have a habit of prioritizing economic development over the environment, seeing the latter as expendable.

Nie Zhenbang did not agree with this view. He had always advocated for sustainable development and a resource-conserving, environmentally friendly approach. The concept of the “two orientations” was proposed by the central government, but Nie Zhenbang was among the earliest implementers.

After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang also spoke seriously, “It’s not so much about seeking advice; my experience is actually quite simple. First is the emphasis on environmental protection. In the process of attracting investment, we set an environmental threshold. If the pollution control meets my requirements and standards, I warmly welcome it. If not, no matter the potential economic benefits, I’ll veto it outright. My stance is that we cannot sacrifice the environment in exchange for economic development. Such development is highly imbalanced.”

Huang Wenwei did not spend too much time with Nie Zhenbang. After a round of discussions and communication, he rose to take his leave.

The two naturally didn’t have much in common, so there weren’t many topics to discuss. Nie Zhenbang and Huang Wenwei both understood this.

Therefore, it was best to stop while it was still appropriate. If the conversation had gone cold and they had run out of things to say, it would have been even more awkward.

Both understood this, and that was enough. Huang Wenwei’s primary purpose for the visit was to show goodwill to Nie Zhenbang through action, to express his kind intentions. As for anything else, it became relatively unimportant.

And now, Nie Zhenbang’s words had also conveyed to Huang Wenwei that this gesture of goodwill had been received. An unspoken agreement was reached, and today’s discussion could be considered a success. Both had achieved their objectives.

With this good relationship established, Nie Zhenbang felt a lot more relaxed. Regardless of future trends, whether he stayed or left, it wouldn’t have too much impact on Hongjiang. Of course, that was just one aspect. As for whether he would actually leave, it probably depended on the national ‘Two Sessions’ in March.

This ‘Two Sessions’ was an opportunity for him. This time, members of the old guard in several provinces had to step down, which would leave vacancies for the central government to fill, and an adjustment was inevitable. President Qiao’s first term was already half complete. Following the pattern above, it was time to start considering future candidates.

At such a time, if he could make a move, it would undoubtedly be a good thing. Now that he was already a member of the Central Committee and the top leader in Hongjiang, any movement on his part could mean a great chance of joining the inner circle. Once in, the pathway would open up; otherwise, he might have to wait another eight years.

Thinking this, Nie Zhenbang stood up, walked to his desk, picked up the phone, and dialed the number of the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Qin Guanghan.

On the other end, the phone was answered after just a couple of rings, and Qin Guanghan’s voice came through, “Secretary Nie, hello.”

“Comrade Guanghan, hello. Are you busy at the moment?” Nie Zhenbang said with a smile.

Calling Qin Guanghan was a strategic move. As an economic expert, Nie Zhenbang knew not to put all his eggs in one basket. If he were to be transferred, it was highly likely that Fang Yuanshan would take over his position. Then, the choice for Fang Yuanshan’s successor would fall between Qin Guanghan and Huang Wenwei. After all, it was becoming routine for deputy secretaries or executive deputy provincial governors to move up to the top government position, a reflection of the systemization of leadership appointments and removals.

Moreover, from various perspectives, Qin Guanghan seemed to be a more suitable replacement than Huang Wenwei. That was Nie Zhenbang’s reason for calling Qin Guanghan.

On the phone, Qin Guanghan pondered for a moment before responding, “Actually, it’s a good time. I’ve just seen off Comrade Guo Xiaojun from the Party School.”

Qin Guanghan, holding a full-time position as Deputy Secretary and also serving as the principal of the Party School, had interactions with Guo Xiaojun, the executive deputy principal of the Party School, which was nothing unusual. Nie Zhenbang did not take issue with it and smiled, saying, “Since Comrade Guanghan is not busy, how about you come to my office?”(To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it on Qidian (NovelFire.net). Your support is my greatest motivation.)