"Great, I can participate in the study class again."
Chen Feng returned to Wulin Village and briefly explained the matter of the Lianhua Town study class to Cheng Lu. Cheng Lu was exceptionally excited.
She wasn't excited for herself; honestly, whether she attended the study class or not made no difference to her.
With her father around, no matter what happened, she would advance smoothly.
She was excited for Chen Feng. Chen Feng's participation in the Lianhua Town study class indicated he was already a reserve cadre.
It was more than just being a reserve cadre; being able to attend the study class meant the organization valued him highly.
Frankly speaking, without the qualifications to attend the study class, one would be stuck at the grassroots level their entire life, with no opportunity for advancement.
"It is indeed a happy occasion. However, Mayor Qin asked us to give a speech at the study class about the significant economic changes in Wulin Village."
"This is normal. It's not just us two who need political capital; Qin Yan also needs it. However, how can we make the speech report stand out?" Cheng Lu asked with a troubled expression.
"To be honest, with our current abilities, writing a brilliant report isn't a difficult problem. However, there are too many brilliant reports in the political arena, making it hard to truly stand out," Chen Feng replied with a serious expression.
"Then what should we do?"
"I have an idea, I don't know if it's feasible." Chen Feng ventured.
"Tell me, I'm eager to hear it." Cheng Lu said excitedly.
"My idea is, since our brilliant report, even if delivered, won't impress the attendees of the study class, why don't we forgo giving the speech ourselves? Instead, we can have some impoverished households from Wulin Village share their experiences, talking about how they transformed from penniless villagers into affluent individuals with houses and cars. This direct personal testimony, I believe, would have a significant impact." Chen Feng calmly replied.
"Chen Feng, your mind is truly sharp." Cheng Lu said excitedly.
Chen Feng's talent in the political arena was something even Qin Yan could not match.
No matter how tricky the political challenge, it couldn't stump Chen Feng.
"So, it's decided then?" Chen Feng smiled humbly.
"It must be decided. Oh, and one more thing, I'll ask my relative to invite the head of the Jiangcheng Development and Reform Commission to give a speech as well, with the topic being how the economic miracle of Wulin Village in Mingshan Town, Jiangcheng City, came about. With someone of that stature endorsing us, it's impossible for this speech not to be outstanding."
"That's a great idea." Chen Feng immediately agreed.
To be frank, Cheng Lu, much like Qin Yan, possessed a keen sense and understanding of the political arena, making her well-suited for a career in politics.
The next day, Chen Feng and Cheng Lu, along with several others, entered the Lianhua Town study class venue.
"Next, we invite the Village Chief of Wulin Village, Chen Feng, and the Director of Women's Affairs of Wulin Village, Cheng Lu, to the stage to speak about the development process of the crayfish project in Wulin Village." Qin Yan announced directly from the stage.
As Qin Yan called out, the attendees below erupted in a flurry of discussion.
"What's going on? They're letting the village chief and the director of women's affairs give speeches? Isn't that beneath the dignity of the study class?"
"Lianhua Town may not compare to Mingshan Town, but even so, Lianhua Town is better than Wulin Village in Mingshan Town, isn't it? Why would an economic project of a village warrant a speech?"
"Also, I heard this village chief of Wulin Village used to drive for the town leaders. Is it a bit too hasty for a driver to be giving a speech at a study class?"
"Are they joking by having two inexperienced individuals lecture us, the seasoned veterans of the political arena?"
...
The crowd buzzed with discussion. Qin Yan, however, remained unfazed.
Such scenes were quite normal!
Gossiping and making casual judgments about others was a hallmark of the political arena; there was no need to worry about it.
If asked to stand up and point out the flaws of Chen Feng and Cheng Lu, no one present would dare.
If Chen Feng weren't slated to become the deputy mayor of Lianhua Town soon, he wouldn't have bothered with the people below.
However, the deployment order had already been approved. If he couldn't rein in the people below, Chen Feng's work in Lianhua Town would be difficult moving forward.
Clearing her throat, Qin Yan spoke with full confidence.
"Everyone, many of you may not understand why the Lianhua Town study class has invited the Village Chief and the Director of Women's Affairs of Wulin Village to speak. There is no other reason than that Lianhua Town's economy is significantly lagging behind Mingshan Town. We in Lianhua Town need to be aware of this and must develop our economy. Wulin Village has experienced rapid economic growth recently, so Lianhua Town needs to learn from their experience." Qin Yan explained word by word.
"Deputy Mayor Qin, while Lianhua Town's economy may not be as good as Mingshan Town's, it's not to the point where an entire village is inferior, is it?" someone from the audience called out.
"In terms of total economic output, Wulin Village cannot compare to Lianhua Town. However, in terms of economic growth rate and individual project investment, it absolutely surpasses Lianhua Town." Qin Yan stated calmly.
"Surpasses? Isn't that an exaggeration?" The audience continued to murmur.
Qin Yan did not offer further explanation; instead, she directly turned on the projector on the stage.
The next moment, a promotional video for the Wulin Village crayfish project began to play.
The playback lasted a full thirty minutes.
Initially, the conference room was filled with chatter, but as the video progressed, a profound silence fell over the room.
This was because the Wulin Village crayfish project not only maximized agricultural benefits but also seamlessly integrated agriculture with industry, resulting in a several-fold increase in returns.
The investment and profit margins of the entire crayfish project could indeed surpass any investment project in Lianhua Town.
And what was even more astonishing was that a young man, who had only recently graduated from a second-tier university, was managing a multi-million yuan crayfish project so successfully.
Qin Yan was very pleased with the effect of the crayfish project promotional video and directly signaled Chen Feng and Cheng Lu to take the stage to speak.
Chen Feng, without hesitation, followed the prior arrangement. He first had several impoverished households from Wulin Village come up to share their personal stories, and then invited the head of the Jiangcheng Development and Reform Commission to speak about the crayfish project from the perspective of the city's overall economic development.
These two parts of the presentation completely captivated everyone present.
Everyone gained a profound realization:
In this day and age, the best cadres are not those who are busy and proficient in their offices, but those who lead their people to prosperity.
In essence, the best cadres must possess extraordinary economic acumen.
"Chen Feng, your presentation format today is very innovative." After the study class concluded, Qin Yan specifically sought out Chen Feng.
"It's all thanks to Mayor Qin's excellent inspiration. If not for your guidance to have a unique and memorable presentation, I wouldn't have thought of this novel approach." Chen Feng subtly flattered Qin Yan.
In the political arena, flattery was an essential skill.
A subordinate who couldn't flatter was definitely not a good subordinate.
"Chen Feng, you saw the reaction of everyone at the study class today. The political arena now is different from the past. Without strong economic capabilities, no one will respect you. My intention is, can the crayfish project be elevated to a new level? This way, you and I, as we officially take our posts in Lianhua Town, will be more readily accepted by the people of Lianhua Town!" Qin Yan inquired tentatively.
"It's possible, but the risk is very high..." Chen Feng said with a conflicted expression.
"Economic development inherently involves risk; that's normal. Tell me, how do you plan to take the Wulin Village crayfish project to the next level? Of course, also mention the associated risks." Qin Yan asked excitedly.