Reborn as a Noble’s Son
Chapter 1213 - Chapter 1213 Chapter 1169 Impoverished Rural Areas

Chapter 1213: Chapter 1169: Impoverished Rural Areas Chapter 1213: Chapter 1169: Impoverished Rural Areas At 7 p.m., after a journey of nearly three and a half hours, the motorcade arrived in Shian City. By this time, Shian City Party Secretary Wei Haoyang had already been waiting by the roadside, and the convoy slowly pulled up to the curb. The car door opened, and Liu Zhentao had already stepped out.

Wei Haoyang also stepped forward, “Governor Zhen Tao.”

Liu Zhentao nodded, “Comrade Haoyang, get in the car. The Chief said to go to the city committee first to hear the work report from Shian City. Tomorrow morning, we’ll visit the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery to present a wreath.”

After speaking, Liu Zhentao and Wei Haoyang got into the same car. The convoy moved forward again, and Liu Zhentao looked at Wei Haoyang beside him and then opened his mouth to ask, “Comrade Haoyang, how are the arrangements for the Chief’s accommodation?”

Wei Haoyang nodded and responded, “Everything is arranged according to the Secretary’s instructions. We have designated the third yard of the city committee’s guesthouse. Also, we’ve removed all the cultural antiques from the rooms. The simple style of the third yard is absolutely guaranteed. On the coffee table, we have prepared aged Tieguanyin tea. As for the cigarettes, ordinary Zhonghua. In addition, I have instructed the comrades from the city committee’s reception office to specially prepare chefs and waiters for 24-hour service. At midnight, a bowl of noodles will be served to the Chief.”

Upon hearing Wei Haoyang’s report, Liu Zhentao also breathed a sigh of relief. With leaders, no detail is too small, even more so for a leader of the highest level like Qiao Yiren. All aspects need to be considered. The Chief’s visit, with regards to clothing, food, lodging, and transportation, all are issues that need to be managed by the local authorities.

For security, with the comrades from the Guard Bureau taking the lead and assistance from the Provincial Public Security Department and the State Security Department, there is no need to worry in this regard. However, other aspects are even more important.

Just like the details that were just mentioned. These are all related to President Qiao’s living habits and preferences. President Qiao, having served in Minan Province for many years, has developed a habit of enjoying a bit of Tieguanyin tea. Moreover, regarding smoking, President Qiao doesn’t have a strong addiction, and he usually does not smoke. However, when it comes to smoking, he doesn’t like specially supplied ones; ordinary Zhonghua is actually his favorite. Also, President Qiao tends to work late and suffers from a sensitive stomach, so at midnight, he must have a bowl of noodles.”

“That’s good, Comrade Haoyang. This time, for the Chief’s trip to Longxi, we’re only resting in Longxi for two nights and not even stopping at Ancient City, but going directly to Shian City. This is indeed a rare opportunity,” Liu Zhentao said to Wei Haoyang.

Coming from the same elite background in Jingcheng, there was nothing Liu Zhentao felt he couldn’t discuss with Wei Haoyang. This time, for Shian City, it was an important opportunity. It was also an opportunity for Wei Haoyang. If he could win President Qiao’s favor, and with the family’s support, Wei Haoyang’s career would advance rapidly.

Wei Haoyang nodded, his mind also somewhat startled by these details. These were all personally entrusted and organized by Secretary Nie. Just this point made Wei Haoyang thoroughly impressed. Having such an understanding of the Chief sufficiently proved Secretary Nie’s position in the Chief’s heart.

As for the work report of Shian City, there is no need to go into detail. The general direction is basically the same, reporting on the achievements Shian City has made, while also frankly discussing some of the current problems and difficulties faced by the city’s development. This is a normal report.

In the evening, the Chief stayed in the third yard. In front of it, both the first and second yards were vacated. After arranging for the Chief’s entourage to stay there, even Nie Zhenbang and others could only be accommodated in the guest rooms of the city committee’s guesthouse.

The next day, early in the morning at eight, in front of the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery square in Shian City, already crowded with people, stood the towering Monument to the Martyrs.

On both sides, police lines had already been drawn. Around the square, hundreds of police vehicles from the province were stationed at crucial junctions and thoroughfares, waiting in strict formation.

Inside the police lines, People’s Armed Police soldiers, one row on each side, formed another police cordon. In front of the monument, President Qiao stood at the very center, with the accompanying Deputy Prime Ministers and State Councilors on both sides, and Nie Zhenbang and Liu Zhentao flanking them.

Then, two People’s Armed Police soldiers, in teams of two, carried a wreath and marched solemnly forward in step to present it.

A total of eight wreaths were laid out in front of the monument one by one. Following President Qiao’s lead, the group, with solemn expressions, bowed three times as a sign of respect. Then, President Qiao stepped forward, tidying up the ribbons on each wreath in turn, signifying the completion of this ritual.

Next on the agenda was to proceed to the Shian Oil Company for investigation and inspection. After inspecting the Shian Oil refinery in Shian City,

the Oil City project, while led by Longxi Province, featured Shian Oil as an indispensable and critical component. Following President Qiao’s inspection, the significance became apparent. Clearly, President Qiao’s visits were targeting Longxi’s three major projects: first the Automobile City project and now the Oil City project. The question was, would the environmental protection project be next?

Lunch at noon was had at Shian Oil, following the usual protocol of a working meal. After yesterday’s working meal, President Qiao’s dining arrangements were essentially set in stone: a working meal it would be. Such an arrangement pleased President Qiao, simplified things for everyone, and created a situation in which everyone was happy.

In the afternoon, President Qiao’s entourage left Shian City by car, and the next stop was Liangzhou City. Liangzhou, lying adjacent to the Yellow River, was a focal point of this environmental project.

Most of Liangzhou City is flat plain, but Yangzhang County is mountainous, being close to the Qinling and part of the deep forests of Old Forest. It is a well-known impoverished county.

After the motorcade arrived at Yangzhang County town, they did not pause; considering the mountain roads ahead would become steeper and more difficult, President Qiao no longer insisted on using business cars. Instead, everyone switched to more suitable off-road vehicles for the mountain terrain.

This trip’s destination was Tianxingqiao Village in Liujiabao Township of Yangzhang County. Nie Zhenbang was familiar with this village. He had conducted thorough research on it through the province’s poverty alleviation materials. It was a poverty-stricken mountain village with an average annual income of less than a hundred yuan per person.

The reason for considering this place was Nie Zhenbang’s deliberate intent. It couldn’t exactly be described as pandering to President Qiao’s mindset, but, in the end, President Qiao did want to see the real backwardness and poverty. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang took this opportunity to push Tianxingqiao Village to the forefront. If one was to look, then choose a place that would leave the most profound impact.

Leaving Yangzhang County and after traveling for about an hour, it was already past four in the afternoon. This was without even heading into the district of Liangzhou City. The trip directly from Shian City to Yangzhang County took two hours, and adding this leg of the journey meant it was already past four.

By five o’clock, the motorcade finally arrived at Liujiabao Township. Although it was called a township, in reality, it was just a small street formed by houses built along both sides of a county road.

Nie Zhenbang stepped forward at this moment, “Commander, as you see, should we rest here overnight and head to Tianxingqiao Village first thing in the morning? There is no road connecting from here on, and we still have over thirty li of mountain paths left to cover, which can only be traversed using motorcycles. Moreover, motorcycles can only take us halfway. Then, amid the gorges, there’s a suspension bridge. After crossing the bridge, another five li of mountain road will lead us to Tianxingqiao Village. It’s because of this suspension bridge that the village is named Tianxingqiao.”

Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang’s words, President Qiao pondered for a moment. He understood Nie Zhenbang’s intent, which undoubtedly took his safety into consideration. But at that moment, President Qiao’s brows furrowed as he said in a stern voice, “Let’s go. No matter what time it is, we must reach Tianxingqiao Village today. Tonight, we’ll stay in the village.”

Following President Qiao’s decision, everyone else quickly sprang into action. The leaders of Yangzhang County immediately instructed Liujiabao’s officials to mobilize on all fronts, gathering dozens of motorcycles in no time. The people including President Qiao, Nie Zhenbang, and Liu Zhentao rode motorcycles with the driving duties naturally entrusted to security personnel.

At six in the afternoon, when the motorcade reached the bridge’s vicinity, Qiao Yiren was also stunned upon disembarking. On both sides were barren mountains, with a deep chasm in the center. A suspension bridge made of iron chains spanned the abyss, swinging with the crosswinds that blew through the valley.

“Let’s go. In their day, our revolutionary forebears boldly crossed over during their 25,000 li Long March. Surely, we won’t be blocked by a bridge like this,” declared President Qiao with grandeur, gesturing for everyone to follow as he moved forward.

By this time, hundreds of villagers had already gathered on the opposite side of the suspension bridge. On both sides, they were equipped with gongs, suonas, and waist drums, ready to welcome the approaching procession.

As the crowd crossed the bridge, the drumming began. Led by Liangzhou City’s Party Secretary Yang Yicheng, a simple old man came forward to greet them.

Yang Yicheng introduced him, “Commander, this old comrade is the Party branch secretary of Tianxingqiao Village, Comrade Ying Fugui.”

Walking the five li, upon seeing the village with its uniformly low, earthen houses–the only slightly better structure being the village committee’s building, which was obviously several decades old, perhaps a confiscated landlord’s house from the time of liberation.

Looking around, a vast expanse of barrenness met their eyes, the naked mountains imparting an air of desolation over the village.

Qiao Yiren was somewhat shaken, “Comrade Zhenbang, the arrangements for this trip are excellent. I am very satisfied. Although we have expended a great deal of physical energy, it was worth it to witness such poverty. Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I could never have imagined that within Huaxia, under our governance, there would be places so impoverished and backward. This is of great significance. It is a live-action education in itself. This proves that there are many blind spots and errors in our work. We are not meticulous or thorough enough. There is much to be done regarding rural, agricultural, and farmers’ issues, as well as environmental protection. We have a long way to go.” (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote, recommend, and give monthly tickets on NovelFire.net. Your support is my greatest motivation.)