Chapter Thirty-Three I Am Not Meddling

  The next day, Lu Zhong called Li Xiangyang and soon Lu Xiaoping's job was settled.

  Lu Zhong didn't go to Lu Guobin's home again, but instead entrusted Lu Xiaohu to send a letter and also gave Ma Cuihong some money.

  For the next half month, Lu Zhong was immersed in the complex work of the bureau. In this era of change, the public security system was also undergoing a transformation. On the basis of cracking down on crime and maintaining social order, it began to comprehensively enter into all aspects of socialist economic construction.

  For example, helping enterprises to recover debts; for example, acting as an arbitrator in economic disputes and so on.

  Lu Zhong knew that it would take several years for the Ministry of Public Security to issue a notice stating that public security organs are not allowed to illegally intervene in economic dispute cases, and in the notice, the Ministry of Public Security strictly ordered local public security organs not to interfere with economic dispute cases again, let alone profit from them.

  Now, the public security system is inevitably involved in economic disputes. The relevant arbitration institutions and laws and regulations have not been established yet. When enterprises or individual private businesses encounter troubles, the first thing they think of is naturally the police.

  But the public security personnel gradually changed from being passive to actively participating in it, because the benefits are obvious. The case handling fees and commissions all went into the public or private coffers under the guise of legitimacy, and there was no huge risk of investigating criminal cases, so why not?

  Lu Zhong didn't care about these powers that would definitely be standardized, and even less likely to shout loudly "Our Guangning Public Security does not allow this!"

  He is clearer than anyone else that he has not yet reached the point where his voice can influence many things, and many economic disputes are not handled by public security, now entrepreneurs or businessmen really do not know where to seek help.

  Lu Zhong only hopes that he can make a small contribution to the future development of a more standardized public security system. For example, in the face of the most basic and easily controversial community defense system, Lu Zhong hopes that the community defense regulations and leadership responsibility system of Guangning Bureau can gradually mature. These provisions, if taken literally, are just the words of the public security department, but if they are expanded and perfected step by step, they can become a powerful constraint on law enforcement agencies' temporary employment in the future. In essence, it is a kind of restraint on the law enforcement agency's own shirking of responsibility.

  Actually, Lu Zhong sometimes thinks that he really thinks too much. Many things can't be solved just by patching up, let alone now as a small section-level cadre like him, who can't do anything at all. He himself is not someone with grand ambitions, so why did he change so much after being reborn? He wants to bring some changes to this society.

  At the county government party group meeting presided over by Ma Weiguo, Lu Zhong was still somewhat absent-minded, until the director of the government office, Ji Chang'an, who was sitting next to him, coughed and brought Lu back to his senses, realizing it was his turn to speak.

  This is the third floor conference room of the county party committee office building, with bright windows and clear views. Ma Weiguo sat in the host's seat, behind him on the wall hung a portrait of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Mao, making the entire conference room look solemn and dignified.

  Qiu Dahua went to the city for a meeting, and the county government party group meeting was presided over by Ma Weiguo, who had just been appointed as the executive vice governor not long ago. According to various signs, it seems that Ma Weiguo will take charge of the daily work of the county government, and perhaps soon he will be formally appointed as the Governor of Guangning County People's Government.

  Members of the county government party group are mostly deputy county-level cadres, and those at the departmental level include County Government Office Director Ji Chang'an, County Labor and Personnel Bureau Director Liu Aiguo, and County Public Security Bureau Director Lu Zheng.

  In addition, the director of the county planning economic committee is concurrently held by Shang Ronghua, deputy secretary of the county party committee and vice governor, who also attends the meeting as a member of the county government party group.

  The current situation of party and government crossover appointments is very common, such as Liu Aiguo, the director of the Labor and Personnel Bureau, which was just merged from the Labor Bureau and the Personnel Department last year, also serves as the deputy head of the county Party Committee's Organization Department.

  Among these county leaders, Liu Baojun, Lu Zhong's new dock, seems quite inconspicuous.

  Originally, the current county government party group meeting was mostly a meeting to convey the county committee's resolutions and documents, study the municipal and provincial party committees' central files in spirit, but today Ma Weiguo turned it into an office meeting. Now, Lu Zhong is about to report on the construction of the county public security bureau traffic police team.

  Lu Zhong picked up the manuscript and began to read it aloud.

  After the county traffic management station was assigned to the county bureau, the county public security bureau planned to establish two more traffic management stations in Nanying and Qiaodun, and needed to recruit 40 traffic police officers. During this period, Lu Zheng received countless notices, although being a traffic police officer is not a particularly good job nowadays, but after all, it's an iron rice bowl, isn't it? Moreover, the public security system has become increasingly wealthy, with better benefits and treatment than in the past. Looking at the trend, as Guangning's economy becomes more developed, the public security system's treasury will become even more prosperous, and other units can't compare to that.

  Lu Zhong made a brief report on the preparation of the traffic police team, and Ma Weiguo didn't say much, just smiled and responded with a few clichés, such as "traffic management prevention and control, new recruits should receive revolutionary dedication education" and so on.

  In fact, today's meeting officials were all curious about Lu Zhong, who was attending the government party group meeting for the first time, but no one showed it.

  After a few more brief agenda items, everyone was waiting for Ma Weiguo to announce the adjournment of the meeting. But unexpectedly, Ma Weiguo extinguished his cigarette butt and turned to Liu Baojun, saying: "Comrade Baojun, recently many people have reflected to me that the county party committee's reception office has become disordered, you must pay attention to this!"

  Everyone was stunned for a moment. Generally speaking, in this kind of party group meeting, the specific work assigned to each member would not be discussed on the table. It's usually just a summary or a report on some progress. As for any deviations in the specific work, they would always try to save face for the person in charge and communicate privately.

  However, Ma Weiguo has beaten Liu Baojun at various meetings many times before, and everyone is used to it.

  "Bang", Liu Baojun's cup cover was heavily covered on the white porcelain cup, he raised his head and stared at Ma Weiguo, his voice not small, saying: "How did you mess up the route? Who is spreading rumors?" He was originally a very calm person, but now his face turned red and he was arguing with Ma Weiguo, even scolding him, it really proved that phrase, even Buddha can get angry.

  Nowadays, grassroots cadres in counties and towns often quarrel and scold each other with foul language at meetings. It's not just a matter of quality, but also the prevailing atmosphere. After the chaos has just subsided, there are few cadres who take their own unrefined behavior seriously.

  Guangning is still okay, only Jiaoda and Xihuan occasionally scold their mothers.

  Today, at the county-level meeting, Liu Baojun was added to the ranks of officials who burst out with foul language.

  It's no wonder that the county's reform coincided with the east wind of Wushan and Guangning, and the number of travelers and tourists passing through Guangning this summer has increased several times compared to last year. In August, the financial statements of the county committee's guest house were very beautiful, showing a net profit, which appeared in just three months. It can be said that Liu Baojun's reform work far exceeded expectations. Who knows, Ma Weiguo again indiscriminately gave him a hat, and it's no wonder that Liu Baojun couldn't hold back his anger, erupting like a volcano.

  Upon hearing the three words, Ma Weiguo's eyes narrowed slightly and his eyebrows furrowed as he said: "I heard that Comrade Xian was deducted half a month's salary for quarreling with a guest at the county hotel? Is this true?"

  Liu Baojun's face sank, and he nodded slightly.

  Ma Weiguo's voice gradually became stern, saying: "I also heard that the reason for this matter is because of the picky and foul-mouthed guest. Comrade Baojun County Magistrate, we are still a socialist country, can't we prioritize economic benefits at the expense of our comrades' dignity? The cadres and staff of County Recruitment are the masters of this collective, after treating guests well, can't we also not be insulted by others? If not, is having money being the big boss? What's the difference between this and capitalist society?"

  He paused, and Ma Weiguo continued: "I heard that it was our comrade who took the initiative to beat people up. But a girl, if she is insulted by someone, can't just scold back, and in the heat of the moment, she also has some justification for taking action."

  In fact, things are not as simple as Ma Weiguo said. The punished waitress had a bad attitude all the time. She is a relative of a certain leader in the county and used to work on the third floor of the reception center, receiving leaders from the county, city or province. Because the third floor of the reception center rarely has guests, her job was very easy and she also gained face by going out.

  But now, not only is the work heavy, but every day she has to receive workers, peasants and soldiers, dirty rural people, cautious individual households, and loud-mouthed nouveau riche. These were all people she used to look down on, but now she has to serve them. She can't accept it mentally, so every day she argues with the guests. The head of the county guest house, Zhang, had long wanted to transfer her away, but didn't dare until this incident blew up and she slapped a guest in the face. Only then did Zhang report to Liu Baojun and severely criticized and punished her.

  It was actually the waitress's fault, and this punishment was already quite considerate of her relative's face. But now, being pressed down by Ma Weiguo's "socialist master" hat, Liu Baojun found it difficult to refute for a while.

  At this time, Ma Weiguo looked at Lu Zhong again and said: "Also, the county bureau's handling method after the alarm needs to be consulted. Why didn't they detain them? Many things, don't just think about making things easy for others!"

  "Heshi Lao", Lu Zhong slightly frowned, this sentence is clearly saying that the police officers who came out to patrol are from the county bureau, but in fact it is pointing at himself. This is telling himself not to think about being a mediator between him and Liu Baojun, but rather to follow his own steps.

  The county implemented strict reward and punishment measures, which was Lu Zhong's idea to Liu Baojun. If not, it would be difficult to change the mentality of state-owned workers in the shortest time. Now, due to the reward and punishment measures, Liu Baojun was criticized by name, and when looking at others who were mostly fortunate to be bystanders, Lu Zhong almost couldn't help but come out to help Liu Baojun argue a few words.

  Lu Zhong couldn't help but smile wryly in his heart, knowing that his stubborn temper was still deeply affecting him. Moreover, having just come down from the battlefield and rolling around in this big muddy pit of public security, he had also been tainted with many evil influences. Fortunately, a rational voice kept reminding him to remain unmoved no matter what winds came from the east, south, west, or north.

  Before the meeting, Ma Weiguo's secretary had already told Lu Zhong privately that after the meeting, he wanted Lu Zhong to stay behind, as Secretary Ma wanted to have a word with him alone.

  Lu Zhong knew that Qiu Dahe and Ma Weiguo both hoped to pull him over to their side.

  Now, Ma Weiguo criticized Liu Baojun at the meeting, perhaps it was a temporary excitement to hit himself. He established his authority in front of various leaders in the county and left a word for himself. After the meeting, he would definitely comfort himself with a few words, hitting one stick and giving a sweet date, pulling and hitting. If it were just relying on some luck and no background, the cadres who came up would definitely be dealt with obediently. Especially now, everyone can see that Ma Weiguo's upward momentum is very obvious.

  But Lu Zhong was particularly uncomfortable in his heart, and he also knew that his stubborn temper and bandit-like personality were acting up again. Perhaps, one's character really needs to be tempered by the accumulation of time.

  Lu Zhong put down the teacup in his hand, "Comrade Wei Guo, when dealing with contradictions among the people, I think our county bureau's work is to be a peacemaker. Moreover, we should take pride in being a peacemaker! Detaining one or two people is not our goal, truly resolving the contradictions is what we should do."

  Ma Weiguo was stunned and obviously did not expect Lu Zhong to suddenly speak out against him.

  County government office director Ji Chang'an glanced at Lu Zhong and thought, "Secretary Wei Guo, you don't know that this is a stubborn person? In the past when Zhang Qingming was in charge, during bureau cadre meetings, this person was always the most troublesome."

  Lu Zhong continued to say, "Moreover, from what I understand, the county's recruitment this time has at least 80% of the responsibility on the service staff. This is also because we are local, if it were all outsiders, things would be simpler. If there are fines for public security or administrative detention, our Guangning service staff will have to bear the consequences."

  "I was just about to use this incident to carry out criticism and self-criticism within the bureau, regarding public security work. When it comes to disputes between locals and outsiders, we must be fair and impartial. Currently, the prominent issue is in the handling of temporary residence permits, where we cannot view people with colored glasses. If we look at the bigger picture, if Guangning wants its economy to develop faster and better, then local protectionism is even more unacceptable."

  Ma Weiguo remained silent for half a day.

  Liu Baojun let out a long sigh, slowly straightened his back, and looked at Lu Zhong with eyes that even showed a hint of gratitude. For the first time, he felt that having an ally with substance could give him such confidence.