Reborn as a Noble’s Son
Chapter 1150 - Chapter 1150 Chapter 1106 Be Mentally Prepared

Chapter 1150: Chapter 1106: Be Mentally Prepared Chapter 1150: Chapter 1106: Be Mentally Prepared “Minister Suzhou, do you still not understand me? A few petty thieves and riffraff, would they even come close to me? As for my affairs, I believe you are not in the dark about them, are you?” When it came to security concerns, Nie Zhenbang was quite confident, even somewhat proud.

Nie Zhenbang’s true resume might be shrouded in mystery to the outside world, but at Wang Suzhou’s level, it was all clear. During his four years at university, this youngster had spent three years in the military, moving here and there. Across the nation, among senior officials at the level of department head or above, Nie Zhenbang was truly unique.

Not to mention ordinary people, even military grunts – a few from a regular troop probably couldn’t get near him, so security indeed wasn’t something he needed to worry about.

After pondering for a moment, Wang Suzhou nodded and said, “I understand your feelings, an incognito fact-finding mission, huh. What you see, hear, and learn on such a trip will naturally be more detailed and thorough than after you officially take office. But, there’s one thing I have to tell you. Only if you agree to this requirement will I cooperate with you, otherwise, this matter ends here.”

With Wang Suzhou loosening up, Nie Zhenbang’s face burst into a smile. Regarding this issue, those above would not dare to stir things up. Therefore, he definitely needed Wang Suzhou’s cooperation; otherwise, without confidentiality, the whole thing would become public knowledge, turning the so-called incognito visit into a joke.

He then nodded and said, “Brother Suzhou, just name it. Don’t talk about one condition, I would agree to a hundred.”

All this time, Nie Zhenbang had been addressing Wang Suzhou as Minister Suzhou, but now, in an effort to build a rapport, he even called him Brother Suzhou.

This somewhat displeased Wang Suzhou. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, he said, “You’re such a smooth talker, but flattery will get you nowhere. My condition is very simple. You may go to Longxi Province early, but you must not cause trouble or reveal your identity. No matter what you see or hear, you should bear it. Whoever needs to be dealt with legally can be dealt with after you officially take office. Until the appointment is officially announced, you are an official with no position or authority, got it?”

Wang Suzhou made these demands for his own reasons. Nie Zhenbang’s approach wasn’t exactly a violation of discipline, but it still left room for criticism. The higher the rank, the more cautious one had to be with such details; otherwise, a slip could give someone a handle against you, and good intentions might lead to bad outcomes.

Nie Zhenbang understood this as well and, after a brief moment of thought, also nodded and said, “I agree.”

Having said this, Wang Suzhou let out a slight smile and looked at Nie Zhenbang, “Zhenbang, speaking of Longxi, I can’t help but mention Liu Zhentao. Your new partner is quite something.”

“Oh? In what way is he quite something?” prompted by Wang Suzhou’s comment, Nie Zhenbang’s curiosity was piqued. Previously, when talking with Hu Shangzhi, he learned very little about the people and happenings in Longxi Province. Mainly, Hu Shangzhi spoke of his unfulfilled aspirations and his own shortcomings.

Hu Shangzhi lacked decisiveness and wasn’t strong in his methods. Much of Longxi’s work had not been done well, and it was even a tangled mess. In this process, although Hu Shangzhi had his part, external forces must surely have been involved.

Now, hearing Wang Suzhou’s words, Nie Zhenbang furrowed his brow. Given Wang Suzhou’s status, this couldn’t be a baseless statement. Liu Zhentao must have something distinctive about him; otherwise, he wouldn’t be referred to as quite something.”

Wang Suzhou chuckled and said, “When Liu Zhentao was transferred to serve as governor of Longxi Province, he once slammed his fists on the table and cursed in the office of Wang Zhenghua at the Ministry of Finance.”

Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat astonished. A department-level leader slamming his fist on a table and cursing? Was this the behavior of a department or division head?

Who was Wang Zhenghua? Nie Zhenbang was well-aware; when he himself was transferred to Hongjiang, eight different ministerial departments had sought him out. As the nation’s chief financial steward, deeply trusted by the leadership, Wang Zhenghua was also someone entrenched in the system, holding a significant party position and status. Liu Zhentao, at that time, was probably just an alternate member, right? That audacious?”

“Back then, six billion yuan of Longxi’s funds were stuck at the central level. After Liu Zhentao took office, his repeated requests were fruitless. Eventually, that guy directly made a scene, demanding the money, and played the rogue. Later, the matter reached the leadership, and President Mu personally endorsed it, letting him return home,” Wang Suzhou said with a smile as he recounted the story.”

Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang seemed to recall something and nodded slightly, “That incident? I thought it would be something big. It’s quite normal. If Wang Zhenghua was holding onto the money and not releasing it, what Liu Zhentao did was light. If it were me, I would’ve turned the Ministry of Finance’s building upside down. Debt repayment is a matter of course since ancient times.”

Wang Suzhou smiled slightly and continued, “Last year, within one month, no less than sixteen officials in Longxi Province were taken down, the lowest of them a division head and the highest a department head. This is Liu Zhentao’s handiwork.”

Nie Zhenbang spoke lightly, but deep down, he began to ponder. All things considered, Liu Zhentao was not someone easy to work with. This man had a strong-willed nature ingrained in his bones. The reason Wang Suzhou was telling him all this was probably as a reminder. In Longxi Province, managing the relationship with Liu Zhentao would likely be key to his own governance there.

Daring to slam Wang Zhenghua’s desk, daring to take down so many people in one month, these actions all indicate one problem. Liu Zhentao. He’s audacious. And he’s got a strong personality.

I must be mentally prepared for these things. Although I’m heading to Longxi to be the top leader, I still have to handle the team’s internal affairs well. Otherwise, being a loner, no one would listen to what I say. How could I then talk about governing?

After pondering for a moment, he looked at Wang Suzhou and said, “Old brother, you’re not being fair. You’re not straightforward when you talk. You say half and leave half unsaid. What’s Liu Zhentao’s background? As the head of the department in charge of caps, you should have no reason to be unaware, right?”

At this moment, Nie Zhenbang displayed the typical demeanor of a die-hard Jingcheng native, which made Wang Suzhou’s scalp tingle. Waving his hand, he said, “How did I not realize that you, my boy, are no good guy either. Anyway, these things are no secret. With your abilities, a simple check would let you know.”

“Let’s just say that Liu Zhentao and your background are very similar, only, not as distinguished as your family’s. But he also comes from one of the three major institutions. His family can only be considered as middle-level cadre family. That’s about it,” Wang Suzhou said.

Wang Suzhou’s words immediately made Nie Zhenbang composed. The so-called three major institutions are an important component in the culture of Jingcheng’s institutional compounds.

According to the three major institutions of the time, there was general consensus that one was the General Logistics Department of the military, one was the Planning Commission compound, and one was the Materials Bureau compound.

Of course, there was also the saying about the four major auditoriums, Red Pagoda, Materials, Geology, and the CPPCC auditoriums.

Among these, the most famous was the Planning Commission compound. Nie Zhenbang had never lived there, but he was undoubtedly a descendant of the Planning Commission compound. Nie Guowei used to work there.

It’s certain that there was no one named Liu Zhentao in the Planning Commission compound. As for which place Liu Zhentao belonged to, it was momentarily uncertain, but it was still inquiring.

However, this wasn’t the main point; the main point was the message that was divulged here. Since Liu Zhentao came from one of the three major institutions, no matter what his paternal generation was like, one thing was certain: the man must have wide connections. This was just like him, mixed up with people like Liu Kun, Zhao Xinglong, and others, all of the same nature. Who doesn’t have a few childhood friends?

After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang also laughed and said, “Well, growing up in similar environments and customs. That’s a good thing. At least we can speak the same language. Others might think that it would be difficult for him to communicate and coordinate with me, but who knows, it might be easy for me?”

Nie Zhenbang seemed very relaxed. He spoke with a nonchalant smile, which made Wang Suzhou stunned for a moment before nodding and saying, “It’s good that you can think this way. I hope it goes as you wish. Anyway, getting back to the previous topic, you should still be cautious going to Longxi on your own. After all, you still need to consider the thoughts of others.”

With the conversation reaching this point, Nie Zhenbang was also moved. That Wang Suzhou could say this was indeed remarkable. Moreover, Wang Suzhou’s cooperation with Nie Zhenbang in handling such matters was an adventure in itself. To speak unpleasantly, this was questioning and distrusting the entire leadership of Longxi Province. If word got out, it would incur public wrath. Nie Zhenbang was very clear about this, nodding slightly and saying, “Minister Suzhou, rest assured, I won’t put you in a difficult position. Besides, I still have work to do in Longxi, don’t I? Would I demolish my own platform?”

With that, Nie Zhenbang stood up, “Minister Suzhou, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to Hongjiang now. I’ll wait for you in Hongjiang.”

Wang Suzhou also stood up, nodding and saying, “Okay, it looks like the situation is such that formal documents will come down from above within three to five days. At that time, I will personally make a trip to Hongjiang. Take advantage of these few days. You yourself grasp well the work and affairs that need to be arranged in Hongjiang Province, and you can comfortably make these arrangements. Then, we’ll see each other in Hongjiang.”

Nie Zhenbang walked out of the Organization Department compound. At the gate, the door of a black Audi car opened, and Liu Sanhai from the Hongjiang Province Beijing Office had already come down.

Greeting him with a smile, he said, “Secretary Nie, I’ve come to pick you up.”

Nie Zhenbang was taken aback for a moment, a bit puzzled, “How did you know I was here?”

Liu Sanhai smiled and said, “I came over for some work just now and happened to see the Secretary and Minister Wang entering the building, so I’ve been waiting for you here.”

Nie Zhenbang nodded, Liu Sanhai was indeed very competent in his position at the Beijing Office. He nodded slightly and said, “In that case, let’s return to the Red River Building. Also, Comrade Sanhai, arrange for my flight ticket back to Hongjiang tonight.”