Chapter 47: One Stroke to the End (1)

  Before he knew it, Xu Shaojie had been working for over a month.

  Recently, there have been rumors circulating within the municipal party committee compound. It turns out that every year, the municipal party committee sends one or two young people to work in the districts under the guise of "going down to the countryside for training". There are two possible outcomes for these assigned personnel: either they will be permanently stationed at the grassroots level and find it difficult to return to the municipal party committee compound, or they will have a fixed term, usually one year, but no more than two years, after which they will return to their original unit and be promoted by one rank.

  The staff in the municipal party committee compound are numerous and everyone is a key figure. Once you leave the compound, it's hard to get in touch with leaders. Meanwhile, life at the grassroots level is tough, and within a year, what can be accomplished? If one doesn't plan on staying at the grassroots for long and wants to take advantage of the time to relax, but the leader finds out, it will leave a bad impression and not be worth it. In the municipal party committee compound, there are many ways to solve the problem of rank. Going down to take office is usually as deputy secretary of the district party committee or vice mayor at the deputy department level. Even if you return and get promoted one rank, to the full department level, what does that count for in the municipal party committee compound? Any ordinary section chief is already at the full department level, so it's not worth leaving the organization. Therefore, being sent down is considered a tough assignment, and everyone avoids it, fearing they'll become one of the candidates. In recent years, due to the poor effect of sending cadres down to take office, there has been a gradual trend towards termination. Last year, this matter wasn't even mentioned, but this year, for some reason, it was suddenly brought up again.

  Xu Shaojie understood the subtleties, guessing that this person was himself. So, he began to quietly prepare. Every day after work, in addition to answering phone calls, he focused on reading all the documents of Huai'an City, grasping the basic situation of Huai'an City from them, including the personnel situation of Huai'an City. However, the personnel situation was in the Organization Department and belonged to the confidential category, which Xu Shaojie generally couldn't see. What he could see were only the lists, and he knew nothing else.

  I guessed it was Xu Shaojie and Qian Dazhi from the lower ranks.

  Xu Shaojie was assigned to the Huaiyang Municipal Committee, and Qian Dazhi felt shocked. He thought that according to Xu Shaojie's relationship with Ding Yuan, he should have been assigned to the provincial capital, but unexpectedly, he was assigned to the municipal committee office. The only possibility for this situation is that Ding Yuan truly regards Xu Shaojie as his successor or a true junior, and has placed Xu Shaojie by his side, promoting him step by step.

  Qian Dazhi looked at Xu Shaojie's file and couldn't find any connection with Ding Yuan in the middle. The more it was like this, the more it could explain the problem. The current leaders are relatively evasive, if there is a kinship relationship, it would not be very good. Qian Dazhi thus concluded that Xu Shaojie will definitely have a great future and will be promoted in the shortest time.

  In the municipal party committee's compound, to promote someone, they must have a certain amount of experience. Office work can't be solely based on performance evaluation, as everyone is doing clerical or logistical work, serving leaders and coordinating with each other to achieve results. No one dares to openly say they are very capable, otherwise, someone will sabotage them, which would be unbearable. Of course, the leader's secretary is an exception. However, to become a leader's secretary, one still needs to have certain abilities and experience. Given Xu Shaojie's identity, it's unlikely that he would be appointed as the municipal party committee secretary just after entering the office, as this wouldn't convince others, and leaders wouldn't do such a thing.

  When rumors emerged in the municipal party committee, Qian Dazhi immediately understood that Xu Shaojie must have been assigned to a new position. This was the best way to promote him. After working for a period of time, promotion would be a natural thing. Returning to serve as the secretary of the leader or the head of the office, no one could say anything about it. Going down to take up a post was something that everyone was reluctant to do. Xu Shaojie had just arrived at the municipal party committee office and took on this glorious task. Others would not know the specific situation.

  Qian Dazhi had been paying attention to Xu Shaojie's every move. Xu Shaojie was very busy with his work, and after going to the municipal party committee office, he did not meet with Secretary Ding Yuan directly. However, Qian Dazhi noticed that Xu Shaojie got into Ding Yuan's car once, and soon afterwards, such rumors came out of the municipal party committee compound.

  Qian Dazhi has always been very mindful of maintaining a good relationship with Xu Shaojie, and every day he would go to Xu's office to sit for a while, chat, and build their emotional connection. In the municipal party committee office, there was Cheng Ping, who knew about Xu Shaojie's relationship with Ding Yuanshuai, but Cheng had been transferred to the political and legal committee. Moreover, Cheng was a female comrade and wouldn't pay special attention to such matters. So Qian Dazhi knew that he had a significant advantage, as people's hearts are made of flesh after all. Now that he has built a good relationship with Xu Shaojie, everything will be much easier.

  The county and city personnel department of the municipal party committee's organization department has come up with a plan to send down cadres. This kind of thing is not a big deal in the municipal party committee's organization department, a deputy section-level cadre is not even within the scope of management of the municipal party committee's organization department. According to past conventions, it would be reported to the executive vice minister in charge of personnel for approval before being handed over to the county and city organization departments for processing.

  Luo Haijun took over the plan from the Cadre Department and was about to sign it when he suddenly remembered that Minister Zhang Taizhong had mentioned Xu Shaojie's appointment, saying he wanted to take a look. So, Luo Haijun took the plan directly upstairs, where Zhang Taizhong was working on the third floor.

  "Director Zhang, the resume and intended position of the municipal party committee's dispatched cadres have been released. Take a look."

  "Oh, I see, just leave it with me for now."

  When Luo Haijun left Zhang Taizhong's office, he felt a bit strange. A deputy department-level cadre taking office didn't need the minister to ask about it at all, but he didn't think much of it either. Cadre appointments, big or small, were very serious matters. Having done organizational work for many years, he knew the rules. A young person who had just started working going down to be tempered wasn't worth making a fuss over.

  After Luo Haijun left the office, Zhang Taizhong picked up the materials and took a close look, but didn't find anything unusual. He then dialed Liao Hongyun's phone number.

  "Liao Secretary General, hello, I'm Zhang Taizhong. The situation with the dispatched cadres has been drafted by the Organization Department... Alright, I'll be right there."

  Zhang Taizhong picked up the documents and put them in his briefcase. He didn't instruct his secretary, but walked out of the office directly, heading downstairs towards the municipal party committee office. Matters related to personnel appointments were not something that secretaries could participate in; such files were typically kept by the minister or vice-minister themselves. Zhang Taizhong found it somewhat strange - he had looked at Xu Shaojie's resume, which was very simple: a recent university graduate with no special connections. It was unusual for someone so young to be appointed to such a position, and Zhang wondered why Ding Yuan would care about this particular appointment. Zhang knew that Ding wouldn't concern himself with the appointment of a deputy department head without good reason.

  Entering the municipal party committee office hall, Zhang Tai Zhong made a special trip to the comprehensive department office to take a look at this young man Xu Shaojie.

  "Director Zhang, hello."

  Xu Shaojie saw Zhang Taizhong walk in and hurriedly stood up to prepare tea for Zhang Taizhong.

  "It's okay, Little Xu, you're busy, I came over for something."

  Zhang Tai Zhong looked at Xu Shao Jie and smiled, then turned around and went upstairs. The first impression Xu Shao Jie gave him was beyond his expectations. Although this young man had just graduated, he had a mature and steady temperament that didn't show any arrogance.

  "Director Ding, regarding Xu Shaojie's appointment, the Cadre Department has come up with a plan."

  "Old Zhang, I won't look at it anymore, tell me what position is arranged and where?"

  Assigned to Huai'an City Yudou District, intended to serve as a member of the district committee and deputy district head.

  Ding Yuan looked at Zhang Taizhong and slowly opened his mouth.

  "Xu Shaojie joined the party in his freshman year of college and has been a party member for three years. Although he just started working, I think he will be appointed as the deputy secretary of the Yudou District Committee, in charge of organizational work."

  Zhang Taizhong was somewhat surprised, the deputy secretary in charge of organizational work is the third-in-command in the district, and the position is still quite important. In the county and city, the deputy secretary in charge of organizational work is the executive vice-secretary. Although it's not explicitly stated in the district, from the ranking point of view, the deputy secretary in charge of organizational work is also the executive vice-secretary.

  "Alright, I'll go make arrangements."

  "Speed up a bit, I think we can get it done within this week."

  When Zhang Tai Zhong left Ding Yuan's office, he wanted to go back to the comprehensive department to take a look at Xu Shao Jie, this young man. As an old organization, how could Zhang Tai Zhong not understand the meaning? A young person who has just joined the workforce and gone to work in the district is nothing strange. The starting point of a municipal party committee cadre is still not low. However, taking on the role of deputy secretary of the district party committee in charge of organizational work for the first time is unusual. This position is generally directly controlled by the county or city organization department, and most of the time it is used to promote and reuse people. Cadres sent from the municipal party committee will not be responsible for important work, but rather go to "plating gold" and manage some unimportant work, and when the time comes, they will return.

  Zhang Tai Zhong suppressed his curiosity and returned directly to the office. He arranged for Secretary Luo Haijun, Vice Minister of the Department, to come to his office. According to Ding Yuan's arrangement, this matter must be implemented immediately. Xu Shaojie took over as the Deputy Secretary in charge of organizational work in Huai'an City's Yudou District, which involved personnel adjustments and required corresponding arrangements.

  "Comrade Luo, Comrade Xu Shaojie's job adjustment is as follows: he will take up the post of Deputy Secretary of Yudu District Committee and be in charge of organizational work. You go and implement this, my opinion is that you should go to Huai'an City Organization Department once, make all arrangements within tomorrow, and Huai'an City Organization Department will issue a document within this week."

  Luo Haijun was even more surprised, such an arrangement is rarely seen. Just now, Zhang Taizhong went out and saw that he seemed to be heading towards the municipal party committee office. After returning, his position was adjusted. If Xu Shaojie were to take up the post of deputy district head, it would have no impact on Yudu District and no adjustments would need to be made. However, taking up the post of vice secretary in charge of organizational work is different. The municipal party committee must make corresponding adjustments. The municipal party committee's organization department has never made such an arrangement before. Cadres from the municipal party committee and government who go to districts for temporary postings are always outside the core of the district party committee, relatively detached, and originally of a higher level. Luo Haijun faintly felt that Xu Shaojie might not be simply going for a temporary posting.

  Xu Shaojie saw Zhang Taizhong, the Standing Committee member and Organization Department head of the Municipal Party Committee, and immediately understood everything. It seemed that his own affairs had been settled. Zhang Taizhong came over to report to Secretary Ding Yuan, Xu Shaojie guessed. He thought that if he went down, it was very likely that he would take on the role of District Committee member and Deputy District Head. Most officials who were sent down by the Municipal Party Committee and government for training took on such roles, in charge of some work but not important tasks, with a relatively detached status, not involved in local interest disputes. After the time was up, they returned to their original unit and took on department head positions, that is, as regular section-level officials. This regular section-level official was not bad in counties or cities, but in the Municipal Party Committee and government, it was like being a soldier. In his month of work and experience, Xu Shaojie found that even the office department heads were just clerks, and it was difficult to see leaders.

  "Little Xu, still busy?"

  "Not busy, Director Qian, take a seat. Let me add some hot water for you. You've learned the art of nourishing life well, Director Qian. Drinking hot tea in summer is good for you, but I'm not used to it. In summer, I need to drink something cool."

  "We're not young anymore, I'm 10 years older than you, of course we need to take care of our bodies now, otherwise when we get old, there will be many small problems, it's not a good thing."

  Qian Kezhang laughed and said, "You're still young, when you become a leader in the future, be sure to take care of me."

  "Haha, just kidding, I'm no match for you. You're young and have an advantage. You started working at the municipal committee office right away, whereas when I first started working, I was in a rural area for a while before being transferred to the municipal committee office where I'll probably retire. By the way, Little Xu, do you have any plans for this afternoon?"

  "There is no plan for now."

  "So, if there's nothing planned for this afternoon, let's go out to eat. I see you often eat in the cafeteria, but that won't do for long. The food in the cafeteria is too oily and not filling, so we'll find a place this afternoon and have a good drink and chat."

  "Okay, but let's not eat at the hotel anymore, it's not necessary."

  "Hehe, no problem, I'll pick you up after work, remember?"

  Qian Dazhi walked out of the office with a smile on his face, holding a cup of tea. Earlier, Zhang Tai had come to the comprehensive department and saw him, which meant that Xu Shaojie would soon be going down to take up his post. With Xu Shaojie's connections, it was likely that he would return quickly after going down. After becoming a deputy director of the office, he would go on to take up leadership positions in the county or city, step by step rising through the ranks. Now that things had been arranged, there would be great benefits in the future.

  After Qian Dazhi left, Xu Shaojie looked at everything in the office and suddenly felt a little nostalgic. This was his first workplace after joining the company, but unfortunately he had to leave so soon.