“Even if it’s difficult to persuade, we still must. Land policy is a matter of national importance. We can't decide it behind closed doors; it requires the approval of professional leadership.”
Qin Yan replied honestly.
“Mayor Qin, why don’t you go talk to him?” Chen Feng asked tentatively.
“Chen Feng, you said yourself that he’s very stubborn. If I, the top leader of Mingshan Town, go and get rejected, where would I save face? How could I issue orders in Mingshan Town afterward?” Qin Yan retorted.
“That’s true. Alright then, I’ll try. If it really doesn’t work, I’ll have to think of other ways.” Chen Feng replied with a hint of frustration.
This was the first time he felt a situation was truly tricky.
There were many figures in officialdom, and most of them didn't intimidate him. Regardless of their status, there was always a way to deal with them.
However, the problem was Xiao Yonggui, the head of the Mingshan Town Land Bureau. This person was stubborn, upright, and incorruptible. Such people were generally unmanageable, much like Hai Rui in Chinese history, who was so upright that even the emperor couldn't sway him.
Yet, from another perspective, it wasn't entirely a bad thing; it could be seen as a test of his abilities. If he could win over Xiao Yonggui, what other figures in officialdom would be beyond his reach?
After a brief preparation, Chen Feng went directly to Xiao Yonggui's office.
“Vice Mayor Chen, why are you here?” Xiao Yonggui asked, slightly surprised.
“Elder Xiao, I’m here to discuss the new land policy for Mingshan Town.” Chen Feng stated his purpose directly.
“The new land policy for Mingshan Town was formulated under the overarching national policy. Are there any issues?” Xiao Yonggui replied with a serious expression.
“Elder Xiao, it’s like this, currently, many enterprises feel that the new land policy for Mingshan Town places too much of a burden on them. My suggestion is, could we make some minor adjustments and change the land usage scope?” Chen Feng inquired tentatively.
“Land policy, especially for state-owned land, is a very serious matter and cannot be changed on a whim. Moreover, there are red lines set for land usage scope that no one can alter, no matter who they are,” Xiao Yonggui stated sternly.
Chen Feng wasn't surprised at all. It was perfectly normal for Xiao Yonggui to speak in such righteous terms.
“Elder Xiao, what you've said is indeed factual. However, in Chinese officialdom, there's always a strategy from above and policies from below, allowing for some flexibility.” Chen Feng continued to probe.
“I apologize, but while others might have some flexibility, I do not. Since I am the head of the Mingshan Town Land Bureau, I must uphold this gatekeeper role and ensure that national land interests are not harmed,” Xiao Yonggui stated, unyielding.
“Elder Xiao, if we slightly modify the land policy, it might appear that national land interests are harmed on the surface, but in reality, there is no impact at all. On the contrary, it will increase,” Chen Feng tried to persuade Xiao Yonggui further.
“Vice Mayor Chen, I know you; you don't speak without truth. But the problem is, national land policy looks at the gains and losses on the surface. Long-term planning is not something we, the lower-level land authorities, have the right to alter; only the higher authorities can change long-term land interests. Therefore, I suggest you return. This matter is not up for discussion.” Xiao Yonggui directly asked him to leave.
If it were someone else behaving like this, Chen Feng would certainly be angry. But with Xiao Yonggui, Chen Feng wasn't angry at all. This was because, despite Xiao Yonggui's rigid and uncompromising way of doing things, he had no ulterior motives. Such people were indeed needed in Chinese officialdom.
“Elder Xiao, what if the Yongming County Land Bureau feels that the Mingshan Town land policy can be changed?” Chen Feng asked tentatively.
“If the higher authorities deem it acceptable, I will sign without condition,” Xiao Yonggui replied word by word.
“Understood, Elder Xiao. Please continue your work.” After saying this, Chen Feng left Xiao Yonggui’s office and went directly to the Yongming County Land Bureau.
“Vice Mayor Chen, I understand what you’re talking about. Yongming County can issue a document to make minor adjustments to Mingshan Town’s land policy, but there is a prerequisite.” Zheng Lin, the head of the Yongming County Land Bureau, said with a knowing expression.
“Elder Zheng, please tell me what you expect me to do.” Chen Feng inquired tentatively.
“We will join forces to have Xiao Yonggui transferred out of Yongming County,” Zheng Lin stated plainly.
“Transfer Xiao Yonggui out of Yongming County? Why? Elder Zheng, to be honest, although Xiao Yonggui didn't give me face, there's nothing wrong with him as a person,” Chen Feng said, looking puzzled.
“Vice Mayor Chen, I won't hide it from you, I have no personal issues with Xiao Yonggui either. But the problem is, I simply cannot tolerate his way of doing things. You're not in the land system, so you don't know how many times he has publicly embarrassed me, the head of the Yongming County Land Bureau,” Zheng Lin explained earnestly.
“Elder Zheng, I believe what you're saying. My question is, can we show some tolerance for the sake of Xiao Yonggui's integrity?” Chen Feng couldn't help but speak up for Xiao Yonggui.
“I can tolerate it, but there are too many people in Yongming County, including in your Mingshan Town, who are dissatisfied with Xiao Yonggui. My intention is that by cooperating, we will merely transfer him out of Yongming County. If others were to act, it wouldn't be as light as a transfer; he might even go to prison.” Zheng Lin said with a solemn expression.
“Elder Zheng, Xiao Yonggui is just a bit too upright in his personality; surely it wouldn't warrant going to prison?” Chen Feng was taken aback.
“Why not? In Chinese history, Hai Rui, you know him, right? He was an honest official, very upright, but in the end, he almost died in prison.” Hearing Zheng Lin say this, Chen Feng suddenly understood. Indeed, having Xiao Yonggui transferred out of Yongming County would be the greatest protection for him.
“Elder Zheng, your words have enlightened me. Xiao Yonggui’s personality truly makes him prone to causing trouble for himself. But the problem is, if he doesn't change his personality after being transferred out of Yongming County, he will still offend people and end up in prison. My question is, is there a foolproof plan?” Chen Feng asked tentatively.
“As long as he's not in Yongming County, he won't be in my sight, and I won't be bothered. As for whether he goes to jail elsewhere, it has nothing to do with us,” Zheng Lin replied calmly.
“Elder Zheng, please consider this a good deed. You have extensive experience in officialdom, so you should know how to prevent Xiao Yonggui from facing tragedy.”
“Vice Mayor Chen, I didn't know why you had such a good reputation in Mingshan Town before, but now I do. The kindness you retain in your heart is something most of us in officialdom lack. Since you have repeatedly pleaded for Xiao Yonggui, then fine, I won't hold back. With Xiao Yonggui's personality, he absolutely cannot last long in officialdom; he can only transfer from the civil service system to the public institution system. To put it bluntly, if he's transferred from the Land Bureau to a sinecure position in the Religious Affairs Bureau, for example, no matter how upright and awe-inspiring his personality is, he will have no opportunity to offend anyone.”
Upon hearing this, Chen Feng found it to be a good plan and immediately agreed.
“However, there's a problem. At Xiao Yonggui's current official standing, he would at least need to be transferred to a leading position in the Jiangcheng Religious Affairs Bureau to avoid it being considered exile to the frontier. But both you and I are grassroots officials. How to send Xiao Yonggui to a leading position in the Jiangcheng Religious Affairs Bureau is a major issue…” Zheng Lin said with a troubled expression.