Reborn as a Noble’s Son
Chapter 1008 - Chapter 1008 Chapter 964 Gubernatorial Candidate

Chapter 1008: Chapter 964: Gubernatorial Candidate Chapter 1008: Chapter 964: Gubernatorial Candidate Nie Zhenbang’s words suddenly made Liu Yong feel as if he couldn’t step down gracefully, yet there was nothing he could do. His face turned an iron shade of blue as he looked at Nie Zhenbang, then glanced at Zhao Xinglong and the others beside him. With a cold snort, he stood aside and spoke no more.

Although Liu Yong was dissatisfied, he was not without discernment. Within the Second Ring Road of Jingcheng, such prime land, and that much of it, for such a price, was practically a giveaway. Besides, it was undeniable that if Red River Building were to be erected here, the benefits to the entire Hongjiang were self-evident.

However, the words he had just uttered were meant to assert some pressure, yet he had not anticipated that they would backfire and cause him to lose face. Thus, the atmosphere turned awkward for a moment and the inspection ended rather hastily.

The accommodation arrangements for the Hongjiang delegation were made nearby in a place that was very familiar–Bashu Building. Nie Zhenbang was quite satisfied with Liu Sanhai’s arrangement. It had to be said that Liu Sanhai had managed this aspect exceptionally well.

Without incident, the next morning at the Red River Building construction site, the venue had already been set up. Bright red carpets and the chairman’s stage were all in place, and a marble foundation stone had been erected in front of it. Beside it, two excavators had big red ribbons hanging from their mechanical arms.

By nine in the morning, the entourage of leaders from Hongjiang Province, along with the party from the Central Office led by Fang Li, arrived at the venue. After a short ceremony, Fang Li and Nie Zhenbang stepped up to the stage. The new shovels moved earth into the hole. Beside them, the excavators raised their arms, signifying that the Red River Building had officially broken ground.

Back at the Bashu Hotel, after hosting Fang Li and his entourage, Nie Zhenbang felt much more relaxed. In the hotel suite, Zhao Xinglong and Liu Kun sat casually on the sofa. Nie Zhenbang smiled, took out cigarettes, and tossed one to each of them.

Zhao Xinglong broke the silence, “Third Brother, this Liu Yong of yours from Hongjiang sure has quite the pride.”

Nie Zhenbang smiled indifferently, appearing utterly unconcerned, “Just speak your mind if you have something to say,” he said.

No sooner had he spoken than Nie Zhenbang’s phone began to ring. Glancing at the caller ID, his expression immediately turned serious. He waved his hand to signal and said, “A call from Wang Suzhou?”

Hearing this, Zhao Xinglong and Liu Kun naturally kept their mouths shut. As soon as the call connected, Wang Suzhou’s voice came through, “Zhenbang, I hear you’re back in Jingcheng?”

The question was posed in an inquiring tone, but it was obvious to everyone that Wang Suzhou knew full well that Nie Zhenbang had returned to Jingcheng.

Adjusting his mindset, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, “Minister Suzhou, it’s been a while.”

From the other end of the line, Wang Suzhou’s voice came through, “Heh, Zhenbang, are you free this afternoon? Come over to my place for a visit? I’d like to discuss a few things with you.”

Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang’s mind was stirred. Wang Suzhou seeking him out would certainly pertain to matters regarding Hongjiang Province, and the most likely possibility was the adjustment of the Hongjiang Provincial Committee. After all, this was an indispensable procedure. Promptly, Nie Zhenbang replied with a smile, “Alright, I’ll be right over.”

After hanging up the phone, Nie Zhenbang immediately stood up, and Zhao Xinglong and Liu Kun stood as well. Zhao Xinglong said with a smile, “Third Brother, since that’s the case, we won’t disturb you further. After the New Year, Kun and I will come to stay in Hongjiang for a while.”

…

When Nie Zhenbang arrived at the Central Organization Department’s building, Wang Suzhou’s secretary was already waiting for him downstairs. The caliber of such a reception demonstrated Wang Suzhou’s exceptional regard for Nie Zhenbang. Otherwise, given Wang Suzhou’s status, he would not be this cordially respectful, even if the other party was a high-ranking provincial official.

Entering Wang Suzhou’s office, Nie Zhenbang appeared quite natural and relaxed. He smiled and said, “Minister Suzhou’s office is as clean and bright as ever.”

Wang Suzhou smiled back, gestured for Nie Zhenbang to sit on the sofa, and personally poured him a cup of tea before taking a seat himself. He looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, “Comrade Zhenbang, the main reason for calling you here is to discuss some issues concerning Hongjiang Province and to solicit your opinion, especially regarding the candidate for Hongjiang Province’s Governor. As the Secretary of Hongjiang, your opinion is one we must consider. Do you have any thoughts on this?”

When the conversation turned to serious matters, Nie Zhenbang gathered his thoughts. This was now an official discussion, and it was foreseeable that his opinion could potentially sway the situation in Hongjiang Province and even, without being modest, determine the selection of the new governor of Hongjiang Province.

After a pause, Nie Zhenbang finally spoke, “Minister Suzhou, I’d like to know if there are any specific candidates under consideration?”

It was only because of his position that Nie Zhenbang dared to speak so directly. Had it been the head of any other province, whether it be Chunan, Chubei, or even the leader of Bashu Province, they would never have been so forthright.

Wang Suzhou wasn’t angered by Nie Zhenbang’s words. On the contrary, he smiled and said, “Oh, Nie Zhenbang, trying to get information out of me, I see.”

After chiding him with a smile, Wang Suzhou continued, “There’s no harm telling you. This time, regarding the selection of the governor for Hongjiang Province, the overall tone has been set: we are to promote an outstanding comrade from within the province. Currently, the Central Organization Department is considering Wen Baogui, the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and He Yusheng, the current Executive Deputy Governor. Additionally, Zhou Chuanjia, another Deputy Governor, is also within our scope of consideration.”

Nie Zhenbang wasn’t surprised by the first two candidates. Wen Baogui and He Yusheng were the most likely candidates to succeed Liu Yong, and this was no secret. However, he was somewhat surprised that Zhou Chuanjia, another Deputy Governor, had caught the attention of the Central Organization Department.

In Hongjiang Province, Zhou Chuanjia kept a low profile, his only notable moment in Nie Zhenbang’s memory being an occasion during a Party Committee meeting where Zhou kept in step with Liu Yong. Other than that, Zhou always seemed very low-key. Now it appeared that there was more to this individual than met the eye.

Although Nie Zhenbang had never worked in the Organization Department, he was clear about the basic procedures and criteria for cadre selection within the department. The fact that Zhou Chuanjia could make it into the mix, despite the opportunities already available to the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and the Executive Deputy Governor, was quite extraordinary.

At the very least, this indicated that Zhou Chuanjia had backers in Jingcheng who had some sway. This piece of information was significant for Nie Zhenbang. While it wasn’t something to fear, it could certainly help him avoid a lot of trouble.

After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang then said, “Regarding the selection of the governor of Hongjiang Province, my personal opinion is to choose between Comrade Wen Baogui and Comrade He Yusheng. I personally feel that Comrade Wen Baogui is slightly more suitable.”

As he spoke, Nie Zhenbang didn’t hold back, looking at Wang Suzhou and saying, “Minister Suzhou, I haven’t been in Hongjiang Province for long, and my understanding of the comrades within the province is still broad and general, far from familiar. Both candidates are quite capable. The advantage of Comrade He Yusheng lies in his position as the Executive Deputy Governor of the provincial government. Succeeding as governor would be a natural progression, and the economic development of Hongjiang would not suffer too great an impact. It would follow the path already set. Comrade Wen Baogui, on the other hand, has demonstrated strong personal prowess. During his tenure as the Party Secretary of Songzhou City, the economic growth of Songzhou surged exponentially, which speaks volumes about Comrade Wen Baogui’s governance level and capabilities. Personally, I lean more towards Comrade Wen Baogui.”

Nie Zhenbang’s words were quite clear. Although there was no explicit belittlement of He Yusheng in his speech, this was a reflection of the way high-ranking officials within the system expressed themselves.

Considering the economic growth rate of Hongjiang Province rates near the bottom among all provinces in the country, excluding those in the Snow area, such performance naturally couldn’t be praised. It was clear to everyone that while this was related to the current governor of Hongjiang, He Yusheng, as the Executive Deputy Governor, also bore an inescapable liability. In other words, He Yusheng was responsible and not up to the task. With such performance, how could he be fit for the duty of governor?

The evaluation of Wen Baogui, meanwhile, was different. He is now in charge of ideological affairs, the Deputy Secretary for Party and mass groups, which is unrelated to economic development. However, Nie Zhenbang also pointed out that Wen Baogui’s work in Songzhou City had been outstanding. This made for a contrast.

Listening to Nie Zhenbang, Wang Suzhou nodded his head and said, “Alright, Comrade Zhenbang, I understand your opinion. I believe the organization will give substantial consideration to your views, after all, you are the Secretary of Hongjiang Province.”

With these words, Wang Suzhou gave Nie Zhenbang a vote of confidence. Such is the nature of the system; sometimes what is left unsaid is understood, communicated more through implication than explicit language. Wang Suzhou’s statement made clear that Nie Zhenbang’s opinions would be seriously considered in this selection of the governor of Hongjiang Province.

As for other position adjustments, Nie Zhenbang believed that those wouldn’t be a problem, as higher-level authorities would naturally have their own comprehensive considerations.

After another pause, Nie Zhenbang continued, “Minister Suzhou, recently, an ideological education and training campaign for party and government leading cadres has been launched across Hongjiang Province. Since I’m here, I’d like to take this opportunity to report some of the insights and issues that emerged during this campaign.”

Nie Zhenbang’s remarks made Wang Suzhou pause momentarily, and he looked at Nie Zhenbang thoughtfully. Wang Suzhou, being a leading figure in the Central Organization Department with substantial power, was well aware of Nie Zhenbang’s attitude.

He then smiled and nodded, replying, “That’s good. It would certainly help accumulate some experience for the work of the department.”

(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote and support it on NovelFire.net. Your support is my greatest motivation.)