"Mr. Zhao, please think about it. The power structure in Wuzhou District has gone bankrupt. Why would a bankrupt power structure need to keep its word?" Kuaishu Ge
Chen Feng continued to intimidate Zhao Wentai.
"That's true, Chen Feng. Then tell me, how can we prevent this from happening?"
Zhao Wentai's attitude made a complete 180-degree turn.
"This method is very simple: make Wuzhou District prosperous. Once Wuzhou District becomes prosperous, its power structure will receive massive tax revenue. With massive tax revenue, the Wuzhou District power structure will not go bankrupt."
Chen Feng explained calmly and composedly.
"Well, that makes sense. But the problem is, how do we develop the economy of Wuzhou District? You are not a local resident of Wuzhou District, so you might not understand the situation here. You see, the reason Wuzhou District is poor, and the reason the Zhao family has been draining Wuzhou District's resources, is mainly because this damned place is not located by any rivers, so agriculture cannot develop. Nor is it near railways or highways, so industry cannot develop. It can only rely on the mining industry. The Zhao family makes money every year precisely because they control the mining industry in Wuzhou District. Compared to other places, the Zhao family's earnings are actually not that high," Zhao Wentai explained earnestly.
"Mr. Zhao, your explanation is entirely accurate. The biggest problem facing Wuzhou District is its geographical disadvantage, making development impossible. I am here this time to change all of that. However, changing all of this will offend a group of bosses in Wuzhou District, especially your Zhao family, whom I am bound to offend. Therefore, if the Zhao family does not support my reforms in Wuzhou District, the dire economic environment of Wuzhou District will continue to persist until Wuzhou District goes bankrupt." Chen Feng explained with utmost sincerity.
"Chen Feng, before you explained the stakes to me, I would have definitely obstructed you because your forceful methods harmed the Zhao family's interests. However, now that you have clearly and thoroughly explained the power dynamics, I must cooperate. It's just that I don't know how to cooperate," Zhao Wentai asked with a puzzled expression.
"Mr. Zhao, rest assured, if you cooperate with me, I will not harm the Zhao family's interests. On the contrary, I will make the Zhao family even more prosperous. You will understand this logic. If Wuzhou District develops, the Zhao family will only make more money, not less. As for how to cooperate, it's simple: marry your daughter and hold a grand wedding banquet." Chen Feng explained word by word.
"What? Marry my daughter? That's absolutely impossible. My daughter is spoiled by me, and she already has a boyfriend. She will not marry you," Zhao Wentai replied with a difficult expression.
"Mr. Zhao, you misunderstand. I am not marrying Miss Hong Yan for real, it's just a fake marriage. This is to let the bosses in Wuzhou District know that the richest man in Wuzhou District is cooperating with the government. Once this is known, no one will dare to obey orders in name only when the Wuzhou District power structure implements economic policies." Chen Feng explained.
"That idea is quite good. However, what if you and my daughter get carried away, and you force my daughter..." Zhao Wentai probed cautiously.
"Mr. Zhao, you can be completely at ease about this. To be honest with you, I have many women around me. Not to mention others, the district mayor of Wuzhou District, and the director of the Wuzhou District Education Bureau, are all my women. My other women are in Jiangcheng. You can inquire if you don't believe me. Think about it, with so many women, would I pounce on your daughter like a starved wolf?" Chen Feng replied calmly.
"That's true, you have talent in the political arena and you're so handsome, you certainly don't lack women. So, when do you plan to marry my daughter?" Zhao Wentai asked curiously.
"Tomorrow."
"What? That's too fast!"
"It's not fast at all. Wuzhou District has been poor for decades; it's time for drastic changes."
"The key point is, will other bosses in Wuzhou District believe that you and my daughter are truly married?" Zhao Wentai tested.
"Whether it's a real marriage or a fake marriage, it doesn't really matter. What's important is that, whether it's real or fake, it demonstrates one thing: the Zhao family is no longer an arrogant and overbearing local emperor, but is humbly cooperating sincerely with the Wuzhou District power structure." Chen Feng said confidently.
"Chen Feng, I didn't understand before how you, at such a young age, managed to turn the Wuzhou District power structure upside down. Now I understand. You see things very clearly. Even the most complex problems become simple in front of you. You are naturally suited for the political arena. With you in Wuzhou District, it's like welcoming spring." Zhao Wentai admired Chen Feng from the bottom of his heart.
Truthfully, after being a local emperor in Wuzhou District for decades, he was familiar with every person in the Wuzhou District power structure. The character of these people, to put it bluntly, was a bunch of trash. Idle, leveraging influence, pocketing money... they were capable of anything. However, when it came to doing actual work, their brains seemed to be filled with water. Now, with such a young man with exceptional political talent falling from the sky, Wuzhou District's days of poverty were numbered.
Next, Chen Feng and Zhao Wentai discussed for a full five hours, with the sole objective of making the wedding grand. Zhao Wentai originally wanted to bear all the expenses. Chen Feng refused. His reason was that they had agreed to minimize harm to the Zhao family's interests. Since it was a fake marriage, there was no reason for the Zhao family to pay.
"Chen Feng, I don't understand again." Zhao Wentai looked at Chen Feng with bewilderment.
"Don't understand what?" Chen Feng replied with a smile.
"Chen Feng, think about it, aren't you doing this for the economic development of Wuzhou District?" Zhao Wentai continued to ask, looking puzzled.
"Yes, everything I'm doing is in the hope of changing the decades-long poverty of Wuzhou District."
"Since you are doing work for the public, shouldn't the public reimburse all expenses? Why are you personally paying for a fake marriage with my daughter? Isn't this like working at a loss? To be honest, I've observed the political arena for decades. All political staff enter the arena with one goal: to make money. If they can't make money, they create conditions to make money. But you, not only do you not make money, you even pay out of your own pocket. What are you trying to achieve?"
"Mr. Zhao, to tell you the truth. If I were trying to make money, I wouldn't have needed to come find you. I could have made money just by staying in my office. My position as director, while not the highest, is not insignificant. Making some money would have been easy. However, I came to Wuzhou District this time, voluntarily demoting myself from deputy district mayor to director, precisely to ensure Wuzhou District's economy takes off completely. The people of Wuzhou District have suffered too much. I heard that Wuzhou District's high school enrollment rate is among the lowest in all of China. This shows how poor Wuzhou District is. In modern society, there are still so many families that cannot afford to send their children to high school," Chen Feng said sincerely.
"Chen Feng, to be honest, your moral compass deeply moves me. Rest assured, from now on, if Wuzhou District needs my cooperation for its development, just say the word." Zhao Wentai said emotionally. He had always thought that good officials who cared wholeheartedly for the people only existed in fantasy, or perhaps in news broadcasts. He never expected to find one in reality. Based on this alone, China has hope.
"Mr. Zhao, as I said before, as long as you bosses in Wuzhou District don't go against me, that is the greatest support." Chen Feng said with a smile.
After chatting a bit longer, Chen Feng left Zhao Wentai's office. Since he was getting married tomorrow, he had to go back and prepare. As soon as he returned to the Wuzhou District government building, Qin Yan rushed towards him in a panic.
"It's bad, it's really bad."
"What's wrong, Director Qin?"
"Wang Ziwei somehow found out that you're marrying Zhao Hongyan tomorrow and is crying heartbrokenly in your office. Wang Ziwei is the daughter of the Wang family from the capital, and she is your most significant connection right now. Offending this connection would be a huge loss," Qin Yan said worriedly.