After a tense and rigorous investigation by the joint investigation team of the provincial and municipal disciplinary committees in Chu County, it was found that most of the “people’s letters” were basically fabricated. Except for the fact that Tan  Saihu, the person in charge of the Hero Road expansion project construction unit,  was a classmate of Liu Chengyin, the rest of the content in the “people’s letters” was seriously inaccurate, either distorted or exaggerated, with more of them being  baseless and even suspected of malicious slander.

    On the day before leaving Chu County, the joint investigation team held a meeting for all county government officials in the county government auditorium. The meeting was presided over by Ding Zhengqing, member of the county committee and secretary of the discipline inspection commission. The head of the joint investigation team briefed all the government officials on the investigation of the county committee secretary Liu Chengyin. The speech by the head of the joint investigation team was sincere and heartfelt. He not only clarified the falsehoods in the “people’s letters” about Comrade Liu Chengyin but emotionally shared the inspiring examples of his leadership in promoting the clean governance and strict self-discipline for himself and his family during his more than one year working in Chu County.

    The head of the joint investigation team said to the comrades present that they actually knew better than us what kind of person Comrade Liu Chengyin was. If he was a corrupt official, could he have still insisted on only having “four dishes and one soup” for his work meals no matter where he went for inspections at a grassroots level? Comrades, that was a real “four dishes and one soup.” Moreover, after each meal, he made the working staff around him contribute towards the cost of the meals. A few yuan might be small, but having a clear awareness of political integrity was of great significance. I wanted to ask, how many of the comrades present could persist in doing what Secretary Liu had done? Those who did so were worthy of praise.

    The head of the joint investigation team recounted Liu Chengyin’s deeds of integrity with great admiration. He continued to introduce the touching story of “a big white goose.” Comrades, it was truly moving. A four or five-year-old kindergarten child received a big white goose that someone had delivered to their home. We also had an old comrade working in logistics management testified that the child’s mother had asked someone to buy it from the market before accepting it. I thought the child’s awareness was already high enough. How could a child know that this was prearranged and a gift from someone else? In the end, the child took it. However, the little one suffered a lot for the big white goose. Many people might have seen that little child following an old comrade in our office with a basket of eggs and a goose, wandering around the office courtyard for several days.

    Comrades, why Comrade Liu Chengyin did this? Why was he so harsh on a  four or five-year-old child? Of course, some might think that this was just a “show.” But let me tell you, comrades; there was a profound meaning behind Liu Chengyin’s  actions that some might not understand. By doing this, he taught his family and work  staff a lesson, and they would never dare to accept gifts again. At the same time,  Comrade Liu’s attitude towards gift-givers was made clear to everyone. Who would  dare to send gifts to a leader like him? Unless that they were those who lacked self-  awareness and wanted to bring contempt upon themselves. Comrade Liu Chengyin  used a big white goose to issue a statement rejecting gifts. Comrades, I thought we  needed more of this kind of “show.”

    The head of the joint investigation team’s speech won thunderous applause from the government officials in the auditorium. Many comrades gave Comrade Liu Chengyin a thumbs-up from the bottom of their hearts, feeling lucky and proud to work under such a county party secretary. However, County Magistrate Liang, sitting on the side of the rostrum, didn’t feelgood listening to the speech. His face turned red and white, and he looked distracted and uneasy.

    After the head of the joint investigation team reported on the situation, the responsible comrades of the provincial and municipal disciplinary committees respectively read out the commendation orders for Comrade Liu Chengyin, rewarding him for his outstanding performance in promoting clean governance and diligence. On the stage, Liu Chengyin was excited to receive the first-class commendation from the province and second-class commendation from the city from the hands of the two leaders. He raised the two certificates high in his left and right hands, then bowed deeply towards the audience below.

    The whole audience erupted once again in a thunderous applause. Some female comrades couldn’t help but shed tears of excitement.

    The expansion project of Hero Road was progressing smoothly. The small shops that were once lined on both sides had been demolished, and the widened Hero Road was entering the roadbed construction phase. When Liu Chengyin accompanied the leaders of the provincial and municipal disciplinary committees to inspect the site, the construction workers were spreading lime powder on the bottom layer of the road. “Leaders, be careful not to be choked,” Liu Chengyin reminded them as they walked and looked around. Tan Saihu, who was following behind, also reminded the leaders from time to time. He knew that if they were choked by the lime powder, it could be unbearable and could even cause asthma sequelae.

    Through this investigation, comrades from the provincial and municipal discipline inspection commissions also gained some understanding of Tan Saihu. During the viewing process, a leader joked with Liu Chengyin that Secretary Liu had used this old classmate correctly. Mr. Tan was very astute, had a good set of construction management skills, and was a talented person.

    Tan Saihu smiled and said, “I almost started something for Secretary Liu. All the leaders present, I am confident I will never use my relationship with Secretary Liu’s old classmate to do any deal. I will work earnestly and sincerely with others. What I have done can withstand the test of time and the scrutiny of future generations. In short, let’s work hard and shine together.”

    Tan Saihu felt genuinely happy for his old classmate’s victory in the “people’s letter” crisis from the bottom of his heart. This happiness came from the heart and soul.

    Liu Chengyin took the opportunity to say, “Hey, Tan, if you don’t use our old friendship as a deal, I’ll have to use it to make a deal with you. When it comes to project settlements, you have to consider the face of our old classmates and press the profit margin again. You know, this year, several major projects in the county are waiting to be approved. I only have a handful of “money” in my hand, so I hope you will support me as an old classmate.” Liu Chengyin seized the opportunity.

    Tan Saihu said, “If the county party secretary speaks, would I dare not listen? But on the other hand, our urban construction and development company, you are the big boss and I am just a worker. I heard that Zhou, the director of the fertilizer factory, is negotiating a large joint venture project. In the end, it’s all about you, Secretary Liu, moving money from one pocket to the other.” Tan Saihu showed a bitter smile on his face. Dealing with his old classmate, he had to make concessions, and more concessions.

    Liu Chengyin originally wanted to invite the leaders of the investigation team to the excavation site in Yangshan to see for themselves. He estimated that some of these leaders must have an interest in ancient artifacts. Unfortunately, after contacting Qiu Zhiwei, the provincial archaeologist said that the excavation was in a critical stage and it was not convenient to receive visitors, and apologized.

    Although the leaders of the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission were eager to see what the ancient site, dating back over 5 000 years, looked like and what precious relics had been excavated, they respected the expert’s opinion and had to leave with regrets. However, they were open-minded and said that leaving some regrets was good, and that they would come back to see the complete ancient site next time they visited Chu County.

    Liu Chengyin had to greet the leaders and express that once the excavation at Yangshan was completed, he would definitely invite the leaders to take time out of their busy schedules to guide them.

    At the farewell dinner hosted by Liu Chengyin for the joint investigation team, one of the comrades joked and said that even if they took a day off, they could come and feast their eyes on the thousands of years of treasures. The leader who said this must have had a love for antiques. Liu Chengyin could tell from his tone.

    The farewell banquet for the joint investigation team of the provincial and municipal disciplinary commissions was held at a small hotel in the second reception centre in Chu County. The only county leaders present were Secretary Liu and Deputy Secretary Gou Daosheng, Deputy County Magistrate Zhu Rui, and Ding Zhengqing, who had to participate in the reception as part of their responsibilities. It was customary for the corresponding officials to be responsible for the reception. County Magistrate Liang was supposed to attend, but his secretary said that he felt unwell during a meeting at the county government hall yesterday and could not attend the farewell banquet.

    The dining place was set in a quaint restaurant in a small inn, with calligraphy and paintings by Zheng Banqiao hanging on the walls. The calligraphy was in the style of random rocks and paved streets (which was flexible but not rigid), with phrases like “Lying in the study to listen to the rustling bamboos”, and it expressed the author’s concern for the public, as well as his sense of responsibility and honest official mentality. The paintings were four screens of plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and rocks, on which Zheng was strong. When the leaders of the Provincial and Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection entered the dining room, they all praised the environment. They felt that it was very fitting for their identity as disciplinary inspectors. However, when they looked at the dishes on the table, it was not right. Didn’t you, Liu Chengyin, always adhere to the “four dishes and one soup”? How come there were suddenly “eight dishes and one soup” in front of them?

    The head of the joint investigation team got somewhat irritated and asked in a low voice, “Comrade Liu, what is going on here?”

    “Please sit down and let me explain,” Liu Chengyin smiled and invited the leaders to take their seats. “Please rest assured that the four dishes and one soup are absolutely up to standard. In addition, we added four local specialty dishes that do not belong to the high-end category, and the money for these additional dishes was paid for by me personally.”

    “Each leader, each leader, our secretary Liu also feels guilty that you have been working hard in Chu County for so long without being treated to a meal or a drink. As you are about to leave, Secretary Liu has instructed us to add some local dishes to the menu and he personally covers the cost.” Ding Zhengqing quickly intervened to smooth things over. He introduced several local dishes on the table, such as the famous Yuduo fish balls, eggplant pancakes, and lotus root pods, which were both elaborate and affordable.

    “Don’t worry, Secretary Liu has already paid for the extra meal expenses. Leaders, you can take a look at the invoice, a total of 38.5 yuan.” As a female colleague, Zhu Rui carefully noticed that there was an extra invoice on Secretary Liu’s table, which was for the additional dishes and had Secretary Liu’s name on it. Seeing that the provincial and city leaders were somewhat unhappy about the extra food, Zhu Rui also spoke up to help Secretary Liu.

    “Well, Little Liu, it looks like we can’t just sithere without chopsticks. Come on, since Secretary Liu has shown us such sincerity, we accept. However, in the future, when you come to the province for meetings and work, you should let us know, so we can also treat you.” The leader of the joint investigation team smiled when he saw Deputy County Magistrate Zhu holding up the receipt.

    The farewell dinner organized by the provincial and municipal discipline inspection commission finally began in a cheerful atmosphere.

    The excavation of the Yangshan ancient site began in spring and was not completed until autumn. According to the provincial archaeological experts, this excavation progress was considered fast and the time was relatively short. This was also due to the strong support of the local party committee and government, as well as the active cooperation of the local people, which created favorable external conditions for the excavation to proceed smoothly.

    From the  expert verification, the Yangshan  ancient  site  dated back approximately 6 300 to 5 500 years ago. A large number of valuable artifacts, such as stone axes, knives, spinning wheels, pottery cauldrons, pots, and cups, as well as bone hairpins, awls, and deer bones were excavated from the site. These artifacts could be divided into three categories: stone, pottery, and bone and horn tools, with some of the land animal bones already fossilized. Experts determined that the Yangshan ancient site was the largest new stone age site in the Jianghuai area, and one of the most significant new stone age sites in the region.

    The people of Yangshan took pride in this discovery. Over 6 000 years ago, there were traces of human survival here, and the dawn of civilization was here, which prided the people of Yangshan on themselves! This was where the ancestors of one million people in Chu County had lived, a birthplace of civilization for Chu County.

    More and more out-of-town tourists came to visit the Yangshan ancient site, most of whom were archaeology enthusiasts. It was said that there was the largest Neolithic site in the Jianghuai area in the Lixiahe region of northern Jiangsu, and they all wanted to see its splendor. Among them, there were those who came from other provinces and specifically came to Yangshan in Chu County, those who came with three or two friends in the province, and those who came in small groups arranged by travel agencies. The provincial and municipal tourism departments included the Yangshan ancient site as a scenic spot in the Lixiahe hinterland tour. It was included in the same tourist route as the nearby Zhenhu wetland.

    The Yangshan ancient site brought an unexpected harvest to the people of Yangshan: there were now more photography enthusiasts who came to see and take pictures of the rural scenery. Those who lived in cities like Shanghai and Beijing for too long were attracted to Yangshan by the ancient site. However, when they arrived in Yangshan, they were surprised to find that the ancient site was located in such beautiful countryside. Almost without exception, the ancient tombs and excavation sites were desolate. Tourists couldn’t imagine that in Yangshan County, the environment of the ancient Yangshan site was so poetic and picturesque. The fields, like floating water, gave the impression that they would be blown away by a strong gust of wind. The various vegetables growing in the fields were lush and green, fresh and juicy. Imagining cooking with fresh vegetables from the fields was sure to be sugared and irresistible. Only by coming to this place could one enjoy such culinary delights.

    Some suggestions for food-loving tourists caught the attention of Qiuzhiwei, the village party secretary, who inspired his idea to develop leisure tourism in Yangshan. With the slogan “Enjoy country scenery, taste fresh local produce,” it quickly gained popularity in the nearby cities. Surrounding villages such as Qijiacun and others began to open up “farmhouse restaurants” offering local cuisines such as vegetables, free-range chicken, eggs, and wild fish and shrimp. The homely and authentic taste of these dishes left the tourists to slaver.

    Just as Qiu Zhiwei was preparing to make a name for new greatness in Yangshan’s tourism, he was unable to continue as the Party Secretary of Yangshan Township.

    Due to Qiu Zhiwei’s outstanding organizational and coordination abilities, as well as his forward-thinking service mindset shown during the excavation process of the Yangshan ancient site, experts from the province had praised and affirmed him to the county committee secretary Liu many times. Finally, in Septembre, Qiu Zhiwei was transferred back to the county committee office where he once worked, and assumed the position of director.

    Of course, if only made him a director, Qiu Zhiwei might not be very happy, although the director of the county party committee office was a very important position. This was how man behaved. If Liu hadn’t given him too high expectations at the beginning and promoted him directly to the office of the county party committee as director, he would sincerely appreciate the importance and cultivation of Secretary Liu for him. As for the party secretaries of the 45 districts and townships in the county, there was no one who did not want to go to the city and become the head of the government department. If he could become the director of the county party committee office, it would be a very important role in the government department, and Qiu Zhiwei was certainly happy. The problem now was that Liu attached great importance to him in his daily work, making Qiu Zhiwei feel hopeful of reaching a higher level. Therefore, just being the director of the county party committee office was no longer there in his mind.

    It was also called “God fulfills man’s wishes.” It happened that they discovered the ancient ruins of Yangshan and Qiu Zhiwei took this opportunity to make a good performance and display, which was recognized by experts and appreciated by Secretary Liu. He was transferred back to the office of the county party committee as director, and was explicitly designated as a member of the standing committee of the county party committee. This was very different from the original director of the county party committee office. Qiu Zhiwei suddenly changed from a department head to a leader of the four sets of county leaders, especially the leader of the county party committee, which to some extent was even more important than the leaders of other groups. The Party committee led everything, with China’s national condition and the Chinese characteristics.

    What made Qiu Zhiwei feelgood was that although Fang Guojian was also promoted with him and became deputy county magistrate, Fang did not leave Heigao Marsh and did not participate in the division of labour among the county government leadership. After all, Fang Guojian had just only been upgraded. Qiu Zhiwei was different. He could participate in the division of labour of the Standing Committee, and had his position and power. Fang Guojian was naturally not comparable to him. Thinking of this, Qiu Zhiwei couldn’t help feeling a little complacent.

    After taking office, there were two major events waiting for Qiu Zhiwei, a member of the Standing Committee of the County Party Committee and director of the office, to take the lead. The first thing was, early next month, on National Day, they would hold a completion ceremony for the expansion of Hero Road; the second thing was that “People’s Daily” had brought in several reporters to conduct in-depth interviews throughout Chu County, focusing on the touching deeds of Liu Chengyin, the county party secretary, who was honest and upright. The former was a highlight for the county party committee and government to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the National Day. Qiu Zhiwei had an impression in his mind, from the central to the local, that every ten years there was a big celebration, and every five years there was a small celebration. Although there were no explicit provisions, they were basically implemented in accordance with this principle, which was established by convention. Therefore, this was the 40th-anniversary celebration, and they couldn’t be careless. The completion ceremony of the expansion of Hero Road, as a highlight of the National Day celebration, must be considered thoroughly in all aspects, without any mistake. Otherwise, there would be political jokes. That would be greatly detrimental to him as the new office director of the Standing Committee.

    The latter involved Secretary Liu of the County Party Committee, and of course, it was not allowed to be careless. Since the joint investigation team of the provincial and municipal discipline inspection commissions left Chu City, media reporters at all levels had flocked in like bees gathering honey. There were municipal and provincial newspapers, municipal and provincial radio stations, municipal and provincial television stations, and discipline inspection media reporters. Their interview target was only one: Liu Chengyin.

    Secretary Liu was, after all, the top leader of the county party committee. He didn’t have so much time to receive interviews from media reporters. So this time, a reporter from People’s Daily came to interview Secretary Liu. Secretary Liu discussed with the person in charge of the interview team whether it would be possible to select a few spots in Chu County to have a deeper understanding. Finally, the reporters would conduct a brief interview with Secretary Liu. Secretary Liu also joked with Wu Xiaoyue, a female journalist in the interview group, that some things were persuasive only when you understood them and wrote them out. Speaking from my mouth, it was my own boast, and its persuasiveness was much worse.

    Secretary Liu’s modesty was not a problem, but it would keep Qiu Zhiwei busy. The selection of interview locations needed to take into account the opinions of journalists, but couldn’t be entirely based on them. The interview locations must cover various types of subjects, and must be carefully considered before the interviews. The aim was to provide the journalists with a three-dimensional and multi-faceted understanding of Secretary Liu’s upright and honest character through the chosen interview locations, and to create a moving and exemplary image of him in their eyes.

    It was not easy to achieve this. As the saying went, there was no perfection in this world. Although Secretary Liu was indeed a clean and upright official, it did not mean that he had no shortcomings, nor did it mean that everyone was completely satisfied with him in all aspects. No one could make such a guarantee. As the old saying went, even an emperor could be damaged as the despot on the throne, let alone a county party secretary. This kind of job could only be done well, but not blown up. Otherwise, Qiu Zhiwei, this newly appointed Standing Committee member, might not want to stay in the position.

    Perhaps someone might ask, wasn’t this the responsibility of the propaganda department? Yes, usually matters concerning media interviews and such were handled by the propaganda department. But this time it was different. It involved the county party secretary’s publicity and media coverage by the People’s Daily, the most important media in the country. As the director of the office directly serving the county party secretary, he needed to act swiftly and proactively to ensure that the media reporters were satisfied and, most importantly, that the county party secretary himself was satisfied. This was the most important thing. At this time, to discuss departmental responsibilities and designated reception was obviously lacking in political awareness and also as an immature performance.

    It seemed that the soon-to-be county party secretary was becoming a shining example. The happiest ones, without a doubt, were Liu Chunyu and Yang Xuehua. Their son not only became the county party secretary, but he was about to become a model to emulate. What an honor, what glory! In Liu Chunyu’s mind, the model county party secretary was Jiao Yulu. And now, his own son was about to become a person like Jiao Yulu. This was a great honor that would add luster to the Liu family’s ancestors. If his grandfather were still alive, how happy he would be!

    After learning about this matter, Su Hua showed no joy in her looks, or lack of reaction. On the contrary, she asked her husband why he had not informed her when someone came to investigate his “people’s letter” in the past. Now that there was no problem, because the bad thing had turned into good. If Liu Chengyin had been hindered by the “people’s letter” in the past, Su Hua could have asked her father to help and turned a big problem into small without any harm. Why didn’t he inform her?

    From his wife’s perspective, she naturally had her reasons to worry about her husband’s situation. It was her duty as a wife to worry. However, at the time, Liu Chengyin did not tell Su Hua about it because he had his own considerations. He had always been strict about his work and he was confident that there would be no problems with his integrity. From another perspective, there was no need to tell his wife and was cumbrous to his father-in-law. It would only make Su Hua worry unnecessarily. Now that everything had passed and there was nothing to worry about, there was no harm in it.

    Although Liu Chengyin said that their relationship was still the same, in Su Hua’s perception, her husband seemed to be gradually drifting away from her. She wasn’t sure of the exact reason behind it, just like how she felt towards the end of last year when the development project of Heigao Marsh began. Liu Chengyin’s changes were more obvious to her as a wife, even though others might not have noticed. Su Hua didn’t want to confront her husband or cause a rift between them, especially since she didn’t have any concrete evidence to prove anything. She could only let things take their natural course and watch the cult of a jumping cat.

    The completion ceremony of the Hero Road expansion project, which had  been the focus of attention for all citizens, was held as scheduled at the southend of Hero Road, under the Hero Memorial. The ceremony was presided over by Deputy  County Magistrate Gou Daosheng. By the way, former County Magistrate Liang  Shangjun was found to have made some small moves in the “People’s Letters” incident in Liu Chengyin. The higher-level organizational department believed that  if Liang continued to work with Liu Chengyin as the County Magistrate, they would  not be able to work together effectively. Therefore, Liang was given a reason to be  transferred to the city to do a leisure job, retaining his current position and benefits,  which was considered to save him face. Gou Daosheng, who had been a deputy  secretary of the county party committee for many years, was promoted to the natural  and reasonable position of the County Magistrate. However, for now, he could only  serve as the deputy County Magistrate. It was necessary to go through the County  People’s Congress before the character “deputy” could be removed.

    The first agenda of the ceremony was to lay the wreath at the Monument to the Heroes. The county party secretary, Liu Chengyin, stepped forward to smooth the ribbon that read “Revolutionary Martyrs Are Immortal!” and then the national anthem was played. Immediately after, the main leaders of the four sets of teams in the county were in charge of cutting the ribbon to mark the completion of the project.

    Amidst the deafening sound of firecrackers, the County Party Secretary Liu Chengyin and the Acting County Magistrate Gou Daosheng led all members of the four teams of Chu County, as well as the heads of various departments and bureaus,with great enthusiasm, walking onto the wide, flat and magnificent New Hero Road.

    As the onlookers cheered with excitement, “Oh, Oh!” resounded, showing their heartfelt excitement. Today, the “Esophageal Cancer” that had plagued the people of Chu City for many years was finally removed. It was truly heartening, and what better time than now to celebrate and rejoice? They followed the county leaders, with joy, taking strong strides.

    There were also elderly people on the sidelines discussing, it was Communist Party county party secretary who did not adhere to the old ways of thinking. Liu Chengyin was the first to walk ahead, which was not easy. In the minds of the older generation, the people generally did not want to be the first to walk on the newly built roads or bridges. If the first person walked up, he might become a sacrificial lamb. In other words, the first person to walk might die. Therefore, in the past, at similar celebrations, they would pay some poor people to take the first step before dignitaries were willing to walk on.

    Some old customs still held a place in the people’s minds. Usually, people would rather believe that they existed than not. Having an extra rule or ceremony didn’t do any harm and there was nothing wrong with it.

    Regarding the Hero Road, what the citizens saw during the ceremony was Secretary Liu’s taking the first step. However, the fact was that after the construction of the Hero Road, Tan Saihu had already privately arranged for someone to take the first step. He just played a little trick by inviting a group of construction workers to have a meal and appreciate their labour. When this group of workers saw that General Tan was treating them, they all became very excited and drank a lot of alcohol. Afterwards, they went to see the road they had built, and nobody cared who took the first step, whether it was the first or the second. This way, after they sobered up, nobody could remember who took the first step. Tan Saihu naturally did not have to bear any consequences.

    In the eager anticipation of Qiu Zhiwei, the People’s Daily finally published a communication introducing the honest and self-disciplined behaviour of Liu Chengyin, the County Party Secretary of Chu County: “Constructing a solid barrier of anti-corruption: a takeout about Liu Chengyin, the County Party Secretary of Chu County.” With this, Qiu Zhiwei’s hanging heart finally fell at ease.

    After the interview team from People’s Daily left, Qiu Zhiwei was still unsure. As a new member of the Standing Committee, he had organized numerous interviews and arranged various interviewees for the news coverage of Secretary Liu. If People’s Daily didn’t publish any article in the end, wouldn’t it be embarrassing for Secretary Liu? At that time, Secretary Liu might think that the interview points were not arranged properly and that they couldn’t provide what People’s Daily journalists needed, so there was no article to be published.

    Now, the People’s Daily not only published the article, but placed it in a prime position on the front page. The article was quite long, spanning several thousand characters. It didn’t even fit on one page and had to continue onto the second page. It was very rare for an article about county party secretary to be published in such an important position and with such a long length. Even for a province, it was not easy to have such a substantial and weighty article published in this location.

    With such a result, Qiu Zhiwei handed in a satisfactory answer to Secretary Liu. During the interview process, the arrangements he made by racking his brains proved to be effective and successful. In the future, Secretary Liu would definitely not forget Qiu Zhiwei’s hard work and careful planning for this, and he would be rewarded with a promotion.

    What Qiu Zhiwei did not foresee was a sudden natural disaster that turned the rising political star, Liu Chengyin, into a drifting piece of floating boat in the flood. No, it couldn’t even be called a boat, more aptly described as a helpless drifting weed. At that time, Liu Chengyin’s future was uncertain at a loss.

    Qiu Zhiwei’s hopes were shattered accordingly.