Chapter Fifteen: Let the Storm Rage On

  Wang Liben furrowed his brow and swept a glance over the crowd before slowly opening his mouth:

  "I'd like to discuss Comrade Lu Zhengdong's work matters. This time you've managed to bring back a sum of money for the village, which is not bad, but..."

  Wang Liben's tone changed:

  "Don't get arrogant just because of this, you don't know the height of the sky and the thickness of the earth. I have to criticize you again today, were those things earlier all your doing? It's completely presumptuous!"

  Wang Liben said as he swung his hand forcefully, emphasizing his tone:

  "You think that if the craft factory is expanded, it will be a source of wealth? That's not necessarily true, otherwise it wouldn't have been losing money in previous years; you think that if the highway is repaired, the common people will obediently hand over their taxes? That's just an excuse for them, you repair the road and they'll find another excuse, still unwilling to pay willingly."

  You haven't done your own job well, but you're not working diligently every day, thinking about these things. Look at the progress of tax collection, it's seriously delayed. You're not doing your proper duties, just thinking about inappropriate things. Do you think that with this one million, you can be worry-free and sleep soundly? This way of thinking is very dangerous. The company's profits are unpredictable, who knows when the craft factory will make no money again? At that time, tax collection will not come up, do you want all the cadres and workers in the whole county to suffer?

  Just now Wang Liben severely reprimanded Wu Zhonghe, the second-in-command, with a tone as if scolding a child:

  "Lu Zhengdong, I know what you're thinking in your heart. You always think that the overall plan is a big problem, and when you encounter difficulties, you want to slip away and retreat. You were born in peaceful times, if you were born in wartime, you would definitely be a deserter... I think there's something wrong with your way of thinking, you need to reflect on yourself..."

  Lu Zhengdong listened to Wang Liben's words and sighed in his heart. What is called turning black and white, this is it; what is called pointing a deer as a horse, this is it; what is called framing someone for a crime, how can there be no excuse? This is it.

  He managed to bring back over a hundred million, no credit but hard work, let alone his suggestions were mainly aimed at promoting the village's work. As long as the village's work is done well, can Wang Liben's share of the credit be reduced? Wang Liben negated these suggestions to maintain his authoritarian power, that's fine, but now he's even resorting to personal attacks with such words.

  Wang Liben was so pressing step by step that Lu Zhengdong also couldn't bear it anymore. At this point, he didn't show any courtesy either:

  "I completely disagree with Secretary Wang's words."

  Lu Zhengdong's words shocked everyone, and all eyes were on him. Normally, Wang Liben often scolded him, but generally, he didn't talk back. These people obviously didn't expect him to dare argue with Wang Liben in this situation.

  Wang Liben did not expect that Wu Zhonghe was pressed down and did not make a sound, but Lu Zhengdong jumped out, originally with some self-satisfied expression suddenly turned gloomy again.

  Lu Zhengdong completely ignored everyone else's expressions and spoke to Wang Liben:

  "Secretary Wang, I've never thought that bringing back one million to the village is anything remarkable, because it's my job and my responsibility. The ideas and suggestions I put forward are aimed at doing my job well, increasing the village's financial income, solving the village's financial difficulties, and sharing the burden with Secretary Wang and Mayor Wu, which is also my responsibility, and has nothing to do with dereliction of duty..."

  Lu Zhengdong refuted one by one the "crimes" that Wang Liben had imposed on him.

  Wang Liben saw Lu Zhengdong actually setting up a posture to reason with him, which was not what he wanted to see. He sank his face:

  "Lu Zhengdong, this is not the time for you to be glib, this is the organization helping you, yet you're so young but always singing a different tune from the party committee!"

  Lu Zhengdong saw Wang Liben and didn't mention these things to him, using the organization and party committee to suppress him, so he just smiled faintly:

  "Secretary Wang, I didn't mean to contradict the Party Committee. As the person in charge of finance and trade, it's my duty to find a solution to the financial difficulties in our township. Submitting work suggestions and ideas to the leadership and the Party Committee is also my responsibility. Whether or not they adopt my suggestions and ideas is the Party Committee's right. Whatever resolution the Party Committee makes, I will execute it without hesitation. However, I have the right to reserve my opinion, which is granted by the Party Constitution. I'm just acting in accordance with the Party Constitution."

  Wang Liben saw Lu Zhengdong was good and didn't back down at all, and directly retorted with his words, losing even more face, instantly getting angry:

  "Don't keep talking about the party constitution all day long. Let me tell you, when I joined the party, you were still wearing open-crotch pants and didn't know anything. What do you know, you little brat?"

  Lu Zhengdong looked at Wang Liben's furious appearance and smiled coldly in his heart, saying with a calm tone:

  "Secretary Wang, your words are not proper. I know you have seniority and deserve respect, but from the party's perspective, regardless of when one joined the party, we are all comrades and age has nothing to do with it; from a functional perspective, I was elected by the county people's congress and officially appointed as vice township head by the county committee and government. If I were an ignorant kid, would the leaders of the county committee and government have put me in this position?"

  Wang Liben was suddenly choked by Lu Zhengdong's words.

  Wang Liben only then discovered that Lu Zhengdong was quick-witted and had a sharp mind, and he tightly grasped him, not letting him have the opportunity to find others for help. When it came down to it, he was even more difficult to deal with than Wu Zhonghe, and Wang was somewhat unable to defend himself.

  Wang Liben also knew that the reasons for his own veto were far-fetched, and it was not good to be peeled off layer by layer by Lu Zhengdong. Anyway, the main purpose of today's party committee meeting had been achieved, and if he was refuted by Lu Zhengdong and left speechless, he would lose even more face. So he said with a darkened face:

  "Don't confuse right and wrong. The organization's education is to help you, but you refuse to accept it. Since you insist on doing things your own way, then go ahead and see where it takes you! Dismissed!"

  Wang Liben walked out with a dark face, and when he got up, the chair almost fell over. It was clear that he was very angry. The other party committee members saw Wang Liben's appearance and were all silent like cicadas in winter, following him out one by one. Lu Zhengdong and Wu Zhonghe fell behind.

  Wu Zhonghe let out a sigh and said, patting him on the shoulder:

  "Zheng Dong, you're the first and probably the last person to dare challenge Wang Liben like this. You may have felt good for a moment, but from now on, your good days are over. If you have the chance, leave as soon as possible. This place isn't suitable for humans..."

  Wu Zhonghe was besieged at the party committee meeting for a long time, and no one dared to openly support him. Today, Lu Zhengdong, who is not a member of the party committee, supported him in the meeting, making Wang Liben almost unable to get off the stage. It's really helping him vent his anger, so Wu Zhonghe thanked Lu Zhengdong from the bottom of his heart and didn't want Lu Zhengdong to fall into Wang Liben's hands, that's why he reminded him like this.

  Wu Zhonghe originally wanted to say something, but in the end he stopped himself, only patted him twice and walked towards his office, his slightly hunched back looking very melancholy...

  Lu Zhengdong could understand Wu Zhonghe's indignation and frustration, and he knew that Wu Zhonghe's reminder was heartfelt. With Wang Liben thoroughly exposing their rift, it meant that a storm was brewing next.

  But Wu Zhonghe was afraid of Wang Liben. He didn't dare to tear his face with Wang Liben, he must have relied on something.

  Lu Zhengdong clenched his fist tightly, the feud between him and Wang Liben had to be settled once and for all. If they were going to fight, then so be it. Since the storm was coming, let it come with even greater ferocity!