Binjiang Police Affairs
Chapter 101 - 91: In a Dilemma

Chapter 101: Chapter 91: In a Dilemma

After breakfast, Xu Sanye, Instructor, Old Zhang, and Captain Wang continued their comprehensive security inspection on the water.

Han Yu hurriedly arranged the "Command Center" on the second floor of the Dunship, which was not fully armed for the inspection of passing ships.

Director Yu was not interested in the comprehensive water security inspection and followed Han Yu to the shipyard to "study" 001 and the Dunship.

He ran up and down, curious about everything.

One moment he was asking what one cabin was used for, the next what future use another room would have.

He even borrowed a tape measure to measure here and there, without really knowing what he was measuring.

"Little Salted Fish, this is a corridor, right?"

"Yes."

Han Yu stepped out of the Command Center and looked down, explaining, "After it’s towed to the riverbank, your current position will directly face the steel floating bridge. Considering theft prevention, we plan to install an iron door at the connection."

Director Yu turned to look at the corridor, then at the exterior, and looked up to ask, "Will this side face the shore eventually?"

"Yes."

"That iron door to be installed will be a major one, it needs to be well-designed."

"Director Yu, design what."

"We not only want the people on the river to know this is a police jurisdiction place but also let those on the shore know."

Director Yu pointed upwards, speaking excitedly, "We need a police sign right over your head and signs with the unit’s name on both sides of the doorway to the floating bridge; when designing, we should make space for hanging these signs."

You came here to research, not to direct, and what you’re suggesting all costs money...

While Han Yu was silently complaining, Director Yu turned and pointed to the central corridor on the first floor: "This corridor should also be utilized; we could hang bulletin boards on the walls on both sides and have wall newspapers."

"Director Yu, this needs to be discussed with Director Xu."

"Just take note of it."

"Alright."

...

Meanwhile, Director Yang was briefing Master Ding, Director Shen, and Director Wang about a recent call from a superior.

"Director Zhong said for the public, Scholar Yu wants to hang signs on our Dunship due to Scholar Yu’s difficult situation. Each brother city bureau along the river has its own Water Police Division; they have teams and office spaces, unlike our city bureau which has nothing, making it very embarrassing especially when attending meetings or participating in live events at other places."

Director Yang took several drags from his cigarette, then continued, "For private reasons, the city bureau has indeed held back Scholar Yu; his classmates have almost all climbed up the leader ladder, only he is the worst off, still a nominal head of the Water Security Department."

Actually thinking of hanging the sign of Binjiang Municipal Public Security Bureau Water Police Branch on the Dunship of Linghai Police Station along the river, the city bureau leadership and Scholar Yu’s behaviors are quite distasteful!

Master Ding, who had never worked in the city bureau and could only reach the position of an instructor, had no particular attachment to the city bureau, whispered, "Director Yang, hanging a sign is simple, but if that sign is really put up, whose achievements will they count as? Ours or the city bureau’s?"

Director Wang also didn’t want the city bureau to reap the benefits, analyzing, "This isn’t just about hanging a sign; if Scholar Yu hangs it, would Yanjiang Police Station still belong to our Linghai Police Bureau?"

If we simply agree, it’s like giving nearly four hundred thousand invested in Yanjiang Police Station to the city bureau.

With such tight funds, casually giving them away would certainly cause discontent among our police officers; the county leadership would also disapprove, possibly suspecting you of trying to curry favor for a promotion.

What’s more frustrating, even if you bear the pressure and agree to let Scholar Yu hang the sign, the city bureau leadership will not only not thank you, but also likely forget about it soon.

Because they never really took the Water Police Division seriously, the previous addition of the Water Security Department sign was purely to amuse Scholar Yu, to coax him into writing good reports.

But if you refuse, the city bureau leadership definitely won’t be pleased!

Faced with this unlucky situation, Director Yang, finding himself in a dilemma, smiled bitterly, "Scholar Yu just visited Bailong Port yesterday, and he went again this morning."

"What did he do there today?"

"He said it was a study visit, but Sima Zhao’s intentions are clear to everyone."

"Scholar Yu really, the city bureau had already promoted him to a full director position, what more does he want, creating all this fuss!"

"Now it’s not just about Scholar Yu; Director Zhong even called about it, and he’s even planning to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony next month."

Director Yang took a deep breath, then continued, "Even if we dare to agree to let him hang the sign, there are still uncertainties on Xu Sanye’s side; if he, in front of Director Zhong and the leaders of the Port Supervision Bureau and Binjiang Port Police Bureau, were to take down the sign and throw it into the river, where would Director Zhong put his face, and how would we explain it to him?"

Others might fear Director Zhong, but Xu Sanye doesn’t.

Realizing the gravity, Master Ding quietly asked, "Director Yang, what is Xu Sanye’s stance?"

Director Yang shook his head slightly, "I don’t know."

As the deputy director in charge of finance and logistics, Director Shen was the least willing to let the city bureau pick this fruit, suggesting, "How about we first talk to Xu Sanye, to see what his stance is."

Master Ding agreed, echoing, "To untie the bell, the person who tied it must be called; Xu Sanye’s stance is crucial in this matter."

"Who will go for negotiations, and how?"

"Maybe we should call Secretary Li. He’s the former director. He can’t just sit this one out when such a big issue arises at the bureau."

"It seems that’s the only way."

...

Just as Linghai Police Bureau was rattled by a phone call from the city leaders, Director Dong from the ship inspection department of Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau nervously knocked on the office door of the director.

He had drunk too much last night at Yanjiang Police Station and still had a headache.

What he said during that dinner and how he returned to Binjiang, and even how he managed to get into his house after arriving in Binjiang, were all things he couldn’t recall had it not been for the reminders from his subordinates and Han Xiangning.

What should and shouldn’t have been said were already conveyed, and he had to report to his superiors.

With a hardened face and a pained expression, he finished his report and hung his head, not daring to meet the eye.

To his surprise, Director Feng did not fly into a rage but rather asked with a smile, "They just wanted a depth sounder?"

"Old Chen and Xiao Liu said I had agreed."

Director Dong furtively glanced and emphasized with a pained expression, "They wore us down with rounds of intense toasting. Old Chen and Xiao Liu couldn’t hold their liquor, so I had to hold the fort alone. I drank too much and now can’t remember a thing."

Yanjiang Police Station, just a den of bandits!

Director Feng found it more amusing the more he thought about it, and while motioning him to sit down, he laughed and said, "Binjiang Port Police Station sponsored them a radar and two radios. Asking us for a depth sounder isn’t too much."

"Director Feng, are you really planning to give them a depth sounder?"

"You were representing our Port Supervision Bureau yesterday, and you agreed. If we don’t keep that promise, they will make a laughingstock of us."

"But..."

"There are no buts. Besides, trading a depth sounder for an enforcement rescue boat refitted from a tug is not a bad deal."

"Director Feng, I don’t quite understand..."

"When we enforce on the North Branch Channel, if we actually encounter violent resistance, we do need their assistance. Plus, the water territory we manage is so extensive; with our existing forces, it’s tough to cover the North Branch, so their willingness to help is more than welcome."

In speaking of the power of Yanjiang Police Station, Director Dong had things to say.

He reported one by one what he had observed yesterday.

Director Feng unconsciously asked, "That professional?"

"As Old Chen and Xiao Liu saw, I’m not exaggerating when I say that, within our jurisdiction, there’s no more professional water firefighting and rescue force than theirs."

"That’s interesting, but not surprising."

Director Dong, puzzled, asked, "What’s not surprising?"

Director Feng lit a cigarette and laughed, "That Xu Sanye started by training personnel. His father participated in the Anti-Japanese War and the Liberation War before he was wounded and went home to become a Civilian Militia Camp Commander. Xu grew up playing with guns. Later, as a Children’s Team Captain, he trained children, and then as a Civilian Militia Camp Commander, he organized militia training. It’s said that the militia he led always ranked first in competitions and had even been commended by the Provincial Military District."

Director Dong finally understood why the Yanjiang Police Station was so well-trained, but he still muttered, "He’s good at training, but he’s not noble or straightforward. He tricked me into drinking and set me up!"

"If he didn’t set you up, would he have come directly to me?"

Director Feng retorted with a smile, "From your perspective, I’m the director, but in his eyes, I’m just an old soldier seeking respect and pride. He doesn’t even respect their county leaders; how would he come begging to me?"

"He looks down on county leaders too!"

"That’s why him treating you to drinks and calling you ’brother’ was already giving you a lot of face, and giving face to you is giving face to our Port Supervision Bureau."

"He’s just a station chief without even a department-level rank, by what right does he look down on this or disdain that."

"You will understand in time."

Thinking of how Director Chen from Binjiang Port Police Station only wanted to be neighbors with Xu Sanye, having some work collaborations but still maintaining a distance, Director Feng thought it might be wise to emulate that and pondered,

"Just now you said Xiao Han from the examination department and one of their officers are classmates; then let Xiao Han represent our bureau in dealing with them."

Director Dong asked curiously, "How should this dealing be conducted?"

"They’ve extended an olive branch to us; we should also be proactive. Let Xiao Han go there this afternoon and tell them the depth sounder is under procurement and we will expedite the purchase to install it for them."

Director Feng thought for a moment and continued, "About crew training, we should arrange that promptly, let Xiao Han notify their school leadership, and the training cost will be on our bureau. Plus, ask if we could rent an office from them once their riverside enforcement base is set up. If they are willing to lend, I can pay the rent, and we can negotiate the amount. As long as the terms are agreed, we could assign an official and a staffer to stay there. If anything happens on the river, we could make use of their law enforcement vessels nearby. Any fuel expenses during our use would be on us, and we can also cover part of the maintenance costs for the enforcement vessels."