MMB Chapter 1380 Releasing Military Power with a Cup of Wine
Chapter 1380 Releasing Military Power with a Cup of Wine
Chapter 1380 Releasing Military Power with a Cup of Wine
"Boss, I've found the documents you requested." Zhang Enyuan placed a stack of documents wrapped in kraft paper on the long desk, then turned to Li Xuewu behind the desk and reported, "Where should I put some architectural drawings for you?"
"Just put it anywhere."
At that moment, Li Xuewu was also flipping through a thick document in his hand, and replied without looking up.
Zhang Enyuan moved his lips, but ultimately didn't say what he wanted to say, after all, he wasn't familiar with his leader's temperament.
He was constantly reminded that he was just a secretary, and that it would be troublesome if he said the wrong thing or did something wrong.
What does a secretary do? They do whatever the boss tells them to do.
"I almost forgot." Just as Zhang Enyuan turned around to move the blueprints, he saw the leader suddenly look up at him and instruct him: "Tell the receptionist to prepare a banquet, arranged according to the standard of 25 yuan, and use five-star Moutai for the drinks."
Li Xuewu casually placed the documents he had finished reading on his left, picked up another document, and said, "Don't forget to ask the guesthouse for a bill after the meal; I'll pay for it myself."
"Sir, this—" Zhang Enyuan was still carefully remembering the instructions his superior had given him, but when he heard the superior say that he would have to pay the bill himself, he asked in surprise, "You, personally?"
“Okay, I’ll pay for it myself.” Li Xuewu ignored his surprise, repeated the sentence, and then opened the materials in his hand and said, “Calculate the number of people, and let’s set the time for 7 o’clock.”
"Okay—I understand." Zhang Enyuan had a bellyful of questions and surprises he wanted to ask, but he didn't have the mouth to say them, nor the courage to.
This leader is too unconventional; does he even have to pay for his own entertainment expenses?
It wasn't that he was surprised by Li Xuewu's integrity, but rather that such an arrangement was bound to cause discussion.
Having just taken office, countless eyes are now fixed on this office. Every order issued from here will be meticulously analyzed, word by word, and even dissected from every angle.
The leader was going to treat everyone to a meal, inviting the heads of the various branches of the group working in Liaodong. He already knew this on the platform.
Even if the guests are not outsiders, there is no limit to Li Xuewu's annual entertainment expenses at the metallurgical plant. Is it necessary to be so clear about the details?
"En Yuan? What are you thinking about?"
Liao Jinhui came out of the office and saw Lao Zhang approaching with a furrowed brow, so he greeted him with a smile.
Zhang Enyuan snapped out of his daze, paused for a moment, and then smiled politely and said, "Director Liao, you can just call me Lao Zhang. I feel uncomfortable if you call me that."
"You have to get used to it, whether you like it or not." Liao Jinhui glared at him with feigned seriousness, but when he walked up to her, she softened her expression and explained softly, "The chief secretary's authority is very important."
He said with concern, "Your current position is very different from before. You must always remember to uphold your authority and identity, because you represent the leader."
"Well—I'll listen to you." Zhang Enyuan wanted to be more polite, but seeing that Director Liao had put on a stern face again, he smiled and agreed.
"That's more like it—"
Seeing that Lao Zhang was so receptive to the lesson, Liao Jinhui finally smiled and praised him with admiration.
"By the way, you seemed really preoccupied earlier..." He hadn't forgotten his earlier question, and stared into Zhang Enyuan's eyes as he asked, "Is there some arrangement from the leadership that's putting you in a difficult position?"
Before Zhang Enyuan could answer, he continued, "Is it about entertaining leaders from other units tonight, or did you run into trouble when you went to the confidential office to pick up materials?"
"Let me tell you, there are no small matters concerning your superiors. If you really encounter trouble or difficulties, don't keep it to yourself."
Liao Jinhui nodded seriously at Lao Zhang and emphasized, "You need to tell me in time, and I'll help you with it."
"Yes, Director Liao." Zhang Enyuan inwardly grimaced, but outwardly became even more humble, still maintaining his honest and simple attitude as he said, "The leader wants to see the documents, and the confidential department is not uncooperative. It's just that I'm a little unsure about the evening's entertainment arrangements."
"Oh? I knew it—" Liao Jinhui looked Zhang Enyuan up and down and said, "If you're having any troubles, just tell me. Is it something that's inconvenient at the guesthouse, or what?"
"No, it's from the leadership."
Zhang Enyuan glanced back at the direction of the leader's office and explained softly, "The leader just instructed me to go and get the receipt from the guesthouse after the meal."
"You need receipts?" Liao Jinhui frowned slightly and asked in surprise, "What do you need receipts for?"
"He wants a receipt; he wants to pay for it himself."
Zhang Enyuan replied with his head bowed and eyes lowered, looking rather aggrieved and embarrassed.
Liao Jinhui's surprise turned into astonishment, and his brows furrowed even deeper. He gave Lao Zhang a meaningful look and asked, "Didn't you talk to the leaders about the entertainment expense quota?"
"Oh dear, how could I dare—"
Zhang Enyuan glanced around, then leaned close to Liao Jinhui's ear and whispered, "You don't know, I'm really afraid of him."
"Old Zhang—" Seeing Zhang Enyuan's bluntness, Liao Jinhui felt much more at ease, but on the surface he solemnly reminded him, "How can you talk like that? You are the leader's secretary."
Arranging for Lao Zhang and Xiao Ma to tidy up the new leader's office is the thing Liao Jinhui regrets most these past few days.
Old Zhang is honest and kind. In his more than 20 years at work, he has never been a troublemaker, nor has he ever offended any of his superiors. Whoever is the office director, he listens to them and has worked diligently to this day.
His luck had turned around, but he felt uneasy. If he truly appreciated the favor, then Old Zhang would definitely be one of his men. But arranging for Old Zhang and his apprentice to help couldn't really be considered an act of kindness.
Liao Jinhui was still unsure of the new leader's attitude towards him, and he absolutely could not afford to be passive in the office.
He wanted to test whether Lao Zhang had any ulterior motives. If he had completely sided with the leader and said something unfounded, then it wouldn't just be him who would suffer.
Seeing that Lao Zhang dared to speak ill of the new leader, he wasn't sure if Lao Zhang was sincere, but it was a good start. Didn't this demonstrate his control and influence within the office?
“I certainly wouldn’t dare say that to others.” Zhang Enyuan’s expression grew increasingly bitter, as if he were about to cry from distress. He whispered to Liao Jinhui, “This morning, the leader said something to me, telling me not to open the car door for him anymore.”
"What's going on here?"
Liao Jin was confused by Lao Zhang's questions and asked him, "What did you do wrong?"
Look, Old Zhang's mouth is practically twitching to the top of his head. So he must have done something wrong, huh?
“Hey—don’t even mention it—” Zhang Enyuan sighed and said, “After you told me yesterday, I was so worried that I might have done something wrong.”
"You know me, how would I know how to do secretarial work? I even had to ask around."
He clapped his hands and said, "Isn't opening the car door for the boss a basic skill for a secretary? I just wasn't paying attention and..."
"Ugh--"
"It can't be that bad, can it?" Seeing Lao Zhang sighing and groaning, as if the leader had already grown tired of him, Liao Jinhui didn't know what to feel. He wasn't planning to speak ill of Lao Zhang to the leader, much less replace him right now.
"Alright, you can do it yourself."
Old Zhang waved his hand helplessly and said, "The leader asked me to go to the confidential room to move the blueprints. It would be even worse if I was late."
"Okay, go ahead."
Liao Jinhui stared at his departing figure with suspicion, her brows furrowed and never unfurrowed.
Logically speaking, Old Zhang isn't a cunning person, so why would he so obviously encourage him to go and mess with the leader?
But if it were too obvious, it would make it seem like Lao Zhang lacked cunning and had ulterior motives.
Is this a ploy by the leaders to play hard to get, to put on a show of selflessness and make them look like the bad guys?
If he could please his boss, or even get his boss to willingly smear mud on his feet, he would be willing to take the blame.
Liao Jinhui stood there watching Lao Zhang's figure disappear around the corner before turning back to look at Li Xuewu's office. After hesitating for a moment, she stepped forward.
-
"Master——"
"What are you shouting for? Watch your feet."
Zhang Enyuan looked up and saw his apprentice Ma Baosen standing at the door.
Seeing that the kid was clumsy, he pointed to the pile of documents by the door and glared at him fiercely.
Ma Baosen was quick-witted. Following his master's gaze, he saw the secretary of the confidential department standing inside the shelf.
"Team Leader Liu arranged for me to help you move the materials."
He explained somewhat embarrassedly, "I just went to the publicity department, so I'm late."
"Why are you still so clumsy at doing things?" Old Zhang scolded with dissatisfaction. "You haven't improved at all."
"Alright, Director Zhang, your apprentice's here. I'm finally free." The secretary in the confidential department was very perceptive; Ma Baosen's explanation was far too simplistic in his eyes. It might fool most people, but trying to fool him was a waste.
As he said this, he stepped out of the pile of documents, smiled, pointed at Ma Baosen, and said, "It's good, we need to use it."
"No progress." Zhang Enyuan glared at his apprentice again before saying to his confidential secretary, "I'm sorry to trouble you, but the leader needs it urgently, and I have no other choice."
“Director Zhang, there’s no need to be so polite—” The confidential secretary was quite a clever person, and said with a smile, “We’ll be dealing with each other a lot more in the future. If you’re still so polite, I won’t dare to get close to you.”
"You think highly of me. When you have time, I'll treat you to a meal." Zhang Enyuan was still as kind as ever, and said politely, "You choose the place, it's on me."
"Please don't, I'll treat you."
The confidential secretary walked to the door, patted Ma Baosen on the shoulder, and then said to Zhang Enyuan, "I have the time, but it still depends on you. Please don't be so polite."
After saying that, he left, as if he wanted to leave the place to the master and his disciple.
It's said that smart people last long in the workplace, and it's not easy to reach the position of confidential secretary.
Not all secretaries are the same. Old Zhang used to be called a secretary. To put it nicely, he was called a copywriting secretary. To put it less nicely... well, I won't go into details. Some were called "ox or horse secretary."
"Master—" Ma Baosen looked around the doorway and, seeing that no one was there, excitedly called out.
What did I say to you this morning?
Zhang Enyuan glanced at him and reminded him, "Didn't I tell you not to call me 'Master' in front of others anymore?"
“I’m just a greenhorn, who would have the heart to scheme against me?” Ma Baosen said to his master nonchalantly, “If I can take a bullet for you, it’ll be worth it.”
"Nonsense—" Zhang Enyuan glared at him and said, "Do you think I'd use you to take a bullet for me?"
He knew all too well what it meant for young people to miss out on opportunities as soon as they started working, because he had suffered that hardship himself.
He has mentored many apprentices over the past twenty years, but this is the only one he has ever seriously taught.
He could tell that Xiao Ma had the same personality as him; he was exactly like him when he was young.
This impetuousness and stubbornness, in particular, both pleased and worried him. He liked that he resembled his former self, but worried that he would become like his former self. Perhaps this was the helplessness of being a mentor.
This morning, after he picked up Li Xuewu, Ma Baosen came to congratulate him. The first thing Zhang Enyuan told his apprentice was this: he was forbidden from calling him "Master" in public.
"Who told you that newcomers aren't vulnerable to being taken advantage of?" He pulled his apprentice inside and whispered, "Those heartless bastards don't care if you're a newbie or a veteran. They'll devour you without spitting out the bones. You're lucky if they don't ruin you."
"But they died first—"
Ma Baosen raised his eyebrows and looked at his master, saying softly, "When I arrived, I saw Director Liao coming out of the leader's office with a gloomy look on his face, like his mother had died."
"You're talking nonsense again!" Old Zhang glared at his apprentice and asked, "Did you hear what he said? Or what the leader said?"
"No, but someone heard it."
Ma Baosen raised his eyebrows shrewdly and said with a wicked smile, "They're all saying that the boss doesn't like his secretary opening car doors for him, and that he was planning to pay for the dinner himself. Director Liao went over and tried to dissuade him."
"And then?" Zhang Enyuan's face did not show any triumphant arrogance, but rather deep fear and alarm. He asked, "What was Director Liao's attitude? Did he say anything?"
"What else could I say? The leader gave me a polite but firm rebuke." Ma Baosen mimicked the words with great enthusiasm, "The leader also told him to focus more on his work and stop talking about these useless things."
"Hehe—" Zhang Enyuan couldn't help but sneer, thinking to himself that finally a tough leader had arrived.
If it weren't for Liao Jinhui, Director Dong wouldn't have been in such a passive position as soon as he arrived in Gangcheng, and wouldn't have been embroiled in a sex scandal.
Director Dong is knowledgeable and not pedantic, but he's too soft-hearted. In order to seek development and stability, he turns a blind eye to some things.
Liao Jinhui was known since the time of Factory Director Luo for his ability to read people's expressions and his skill in understanding the thoughts of his superiors. When Director Dong arrived, this guy became even more adept at navigating social situations, managing to please the leader so that no one dared to touch him.
Liao Jinhui is still trying to pull this stunt, frantically trying to figure out the leader's temperament in order to find the right approach. Now it seems his attempt at flattery has backfired, and he's gotten a serious kick in the leg.
“Master, why are you being so polite to him?” Ma Baosen looked at his master in confusion and said, “You are now the chief secretary. No matter what, he wouldn’t dare to trip you up, nor would he be afraid that you would report him to the leaders.”
"Who said I'm the chief secretary?"
Zhang Enyuan narrowed his eyes slightly and stared at his apprentice, saying, "Others may say this as a joke, but we can't take it seriously."
"I'm just here to serve the leaders. You hear people calling me Director Zhang, who knows what they're saying about me behind my back."
He earnestly emphasized, "Human hearts are the most complex thing. I am not worthy of people's fear. This respect and status are given to me by the leaders."
"If we are too arrogant, it will make it seem like the leaders don't know how to educate people, and we will be the ones who suffer in the end."
"So..." Ma Baosen asked hesitantly, "You should still be polite to him?"
"That's right, we need to be even more polite than before."
Zhang Enyuan looked at his apprentice earnestly and said, "Learn from me: humility is never a bad thing. The one less enemy is the one less trouble."
"I will not speak ill of anyone in front of my superiors, nor will I speak well of anyone. We must know how to maintain proper boundaries."
“Then—” Ma Baosen asked, “What if the leader asks you to say bad things about someone, or to say good things about someone?”
"Hehe, are you stupid?" Zhang Enyuan reached out and patted his apprentice's cheek, saying, "Even if the leader wanted to use a knife, he wouldn't use mine."
"Huh?" Ma Baosen was truly confused.
While his apprentice was muddle-headed, Zhang Enyuan was astute. He saw himself as diligent, steady, and never showing off his talents.
There are too many bad people in this workplace, and too many who want to be the boss's scapegoats. He's already lured one snake out for the boss; there's no need to get involved any further. The more you do, the more mistakes you make; the less you do, the fewer mistakes you make; doing nothing is the best you can do.
-
The master and apprentice packed the prepared blueprints into a box and left the confidential room. When they returned to the leader's office, Li Xuewu was still looking at the materials and didn't even look up when the leader refilled his tea.
Zhang Enyuan was still somewhat uneasy, afraid that his superiors would blame him for taking it upon himself to tell Director Liao about what had happened that morning and just now.
Once he emerged from the office, he breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed he had made the right move. A new broom sweeps clean, and someone has to be there to light the fire for the leader, right? This is a task that can't be done personally.
Ma Baosen perhaps sensed something, and with a smile, he raised an eyebrow at his master, only to be slapped in the face.
After sending his apprentice back to work, Zhang Enyuan composed himself and gently knocked on the door of Director Liao's office.
"Director Liao, I—"
Upon entering the office, Zhang Enyuan looked at Director Liao with a choked voice, his eyes filled with guilt and self-reproach, unable to utter a word.
Liao Jinhui, who was still angry, quickly stood up from her seat when she saw him like this, walked to the door, looked around, and then closed the door.
"How did you come?"
Only after asking that question did Liao Jinhui realize she had lost her composure, and quickly added, "Don't the leaders need your help?"
“Director Liao, I just heard—” Zhang Enyuan looked at him with bitter eyes and said in a low voice, “I’m so sorry.”
"What kind of talk is that—" Even though Liao Jinhui was still angry, he couldn't respond to Zhang Enyuan's words; if he said it out loud, he would be even more embarrassed.
"Sit down and talk." He gently patted Zhang Enyuan's shoulder, gesturing for him to sit down, but said, "We're all just doing our jobs, why talk about being worthy or apologetic?"
"Sigh—" Zhang Enyuan sighed deeply and said, "It's all my fault for being incompetent. If I had dared to advise the leader, things wouldn't have come to this..."
"Alright, that's enough, it's not like that anymore."
Liao Jinhui glared at him, feigning magnanimity, and said to the side, "Our new leader does have a serious temper, so it's not your fault."
"But I still have to say something to you. You are the leader's secretary, so you still have to do what you are supposed to do. You can't be timid and hesitant."
He said seriously, "If you embarrass the leader or our office, I won't let you off the hook."
"Yes, yes, I remember." Zhang Enyuan nodded obsequiously and replied, "Please remind me if there's anything I can't do."
"You'll have to put in some effort yourself."
Liao Jinhui scolded him a few times, which calmed his anger considerably. What remained was only fear and annoyance towards Li Xuewu, and he no longer looked down on cowards like Zhang Enyuan.
"To be honest, it's really not your fault."
The thought of being scolded by Li Xuewu in the office until his face turned red made him feel like he had swallowed two pounds of fly droppings.
Seeing Zhang Enyuan light a cigarette for him, he took it without hesitation and said with a sigh, "It seems there won't be any peaceful days ahead."
"Director Liao—" Seeing Liao Jinhui say this, Zhang Enyuan looked at him with panic and asked, "You're not going to...?"
"Who knows, sigh—"
Liao Jinhui wasn't deliberately trying to scare Lao Zhang; it was his own inner turmoil. His repeated loss of composure inadvertently revealed his true feelings.
Zhang Enyuan was older than him, and the distress on his face didn't seem fake. If it was, then his acting skills were truly superb.
"If all leaders are this frugal, then what about the other leaders—"
"That's exactly what I was talking about!"
When Liao Jin saw that Lao Zhang had brought this matter to light, he stopped hiding it and said with a frown, "How are we supposed to get things done?"
"You're saying that if he doesn't use the entertainment expenses, it's awkward for other leaders to use them, but it's also awkward for them not to. Aren't we, the ones in charge, in a difficult position?"
"Yes, yes." Zhang Enyuan seemed to have no idea what to do, just nodding repeatedly like a kowtowing clove.
Coincidentally, Liao Jinhui didn't need any advice at the moment, and just wanted to vent his frustrations. Old Zhang, being a quiet and reserved person, was the perfect fit.
“If he doesn’t have to pay for entertainment today, he can pay for his own meals tomorrow.” Liao Jinhui was so excited that he even wanted to slam his hand on the table. But he stopped himself, only complaining, “Won’t the unit’s management be in chaos?”
“That’s right.” Zhang Enyuan nodded again.
"Old Zhang, tell me, is it easy being the office director?" As if he had truly been sympathized with Zhang Enyuan, Liao Jinhui pointed at him and asked, "After Director Luo was taken away, Director Yu handed over all the work to me."
"You know, from then until now, even if I haven't made any great contributions, I must have put in a lot of hard work. As for him saying I'm not doing my job properly!"
"Sigh—" Zhang Enyuan didn't nod this time, but let out a long sigh, as if he was agreeing with him, but not quite.
Liao Jinhui didn't care, took a deep drag on his cigarette and said, "Forget it, if someone is really annoying, nothing we do will be right. If we can't serve him, we won't serve him anymore. We'll just wait to be transferred to a union and retire."
“Why is it like this—” Zhang Enyuan said excitedly, “What would we do with this office if it weren’t for you?”
"Old Zhang, the earth will keep turning no matter who's gone." Liao Jinhui exhaled a puff of smoke, as if trying to expel all the frustration in his heart.
He looked at Zhang Enyuan and said, "I know your personality. That's what the leader likes about you, so you don't need to be so timid."
"Just focus on your own work and don't worry about what others might say. He's young after all, and he's sometimes too impulsive and rash. You should try your best to help him."
Hearing Liao Jinhui speak as if he were making his final arrangements, Zhang Enyuan stood up from his chair and said in a weak voice, "Director Liao—"
"Don't worry, I'm fine." Liao Jinhui looked at him with emotion and said, "Only now do I see the coldness of human relationships. In this office, you, Lao Zhang, are the most kind, honest, and loyal."
"It's you who have taken care of me the most, Director Liao," Zhang Enyuan said gratefully. "If it weren't for your care over the years, I would have..."
"Sigh, never mind, it's all in the past."
Liao Jinhui also stood up, walked over, patted his arm, and said with a smile, "Work hard, put down your burdens, and go into battle with a relaxed attitude."
"Director Liao, I—" Zhang Enyuan's eyes were full of gratitude, and he even squeezed out a few tears, which moved Liao Jinhui to tears.
If it weren't for the fact that hugging isn't fashionable at this time of year, the two of them would have hugged each other and patted each other on the back.
After seeing Zhang Enyuan off, Liao Jinhui returned to his seat, his face solemn as he tapped some ash from his cigarette, but there was no trace of dejection on his face.
Even as he walked out of the office, wiping away tears, Zhang Enyuan knew in his heart that Liao Jinhui was not one to admit defeat.
Don't be fooled by his pitiful appearance and claims of hard work. Over the years, he's been in the office; how could he not know how much benefit Liao Jinhui has amassed?
The office director, the company's head steward, is such an easygoing person, he's practically always on the roof taking a dump.
Especially in the last two years, the group has performed well economically, and the city of Gangcheng has allocated all the surrounding land to the group, resulting in countless projects breaking ground.
Liao Jinhui is reluctant to part with even the smallest office expenses, so how could those people who come to Director Dong for projects possibly be short of him?
Besides, Liao Jinhui wasn't the only one in the unit who took bribes; even the factory leaders weren't just standing by and watching.
After the factory's supply and sales service department was transferred to the group's sales headquarters, both the variety and quantity of goods increased significantly compared to before. With good stuff displayed on the shelves, and internal employees not needing industrial coupons, it was bound to be snapped up.
No matter how hard you try to buy them, the price is still much higher than the price outside with tickets, so how many people can afford it?
Look at the homes of those leaders, and cadres like Liao Jinhui—they have everything they need. While it's not exactly a life of luxury, it far exceeds what a cadre's salary should provide.
The case that Li Xuewu dealt with in Gangcheng before was just the tip of the iceberg. This involves both engineering projects and initiatives, and countless people are trying to get their hands on it.
Why are these people so afraid and apprehensive when they hear that Li Xuewu is to be assigned to take charge of the work? It's because they have something to hide.
Before the Lunar New Year, there was a commotion at the group headquarters. Others might not know, but Zhang Enyuan was well aware that there were also people "putting in a lot of effort" in the steel city.
What are we trying so hard for? Of course, it's to stop Li Xuewu from coming down. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many twists and turns, and it would also cause opinions from other group leaders, right?
How do you say that?
If you do something wrong to yourself, you will not live!
Zhang Enyuan emerged from Liao Jinhui's office with a heavy expression; all he wanted to do was add fuel to the fire.
As he said, the human heart is the most complex thing in the world. Li Xuewu's move of driving one tiger to devour another might just blow up the roof of the entire steel city.
-
"Dongfeng Shipping was the one you contacted, right?"
Xu Sinian raised his glass and clinked it with Li Xuewu's, raising an eyebrow as he said, "That's really awesome, three 10,000-ton giant ships!"
"What do you mean?" Ji Jiuzheng asked, looking at him. "What's the background of Dongfeng Shipping? Their business is quite extensive."
He sat cross-legged on the dining table and said, "We just finished the mine renovation here, and then we got in touch with them."
"There are no fewer than thirty cargo ships with a capacity of 1,000 tons, all of them are fast ships."
At this point, he raised his eyebrows with great excitement and said, "From the steel city to Tianjin, there is no place in the Bohai Bay that they dare not go."
“What’s the Bohai Bay?” Lu Yuanshen picked up the wine pot and poured a cup for Bi Yuding beside him, saying, “They would dare to run any further south.”
As she said this, her gaze drifted toward Li Xuewu, since everyone knew that Dongfeng Shipping was the company Li Xuewu was in contact with.
The group's leaders also have their own connections; having these resources means having more influence within the group.
For example, Director Li has a very large network of connections and is friends with the heads of many related units.
Don't ask, were those drinks given away for free?
Even fair-weather friends are still friends; as long as you establish a connection, anyone can get things done.
Otherwise, if you have any troubles, go to Director Li. He'll just make a phone call to the other party's top leader and get it done. Can you argue with that?
Besides Director Li, Deputy Director Gao also has many cronies, mostly from the trade sector, who are quite influential within the group.
Looking at Li Xuewu, all his connections were powerful and ruthless. Putting aside everything else, wasn't the Third Regiment powerful enough? Wasn't the Dongcheng Branch Bureau ruthless enough?
Not counting such relationships, Li Xuewu also had many other distributors and local connections, and Dongfeng Shipping was one of them.
Xu Sinian himself brought up the topic, so naturally he couldn't let others take advantage of it. If he really angered Li Xuewu, it would be a loss for him.
He drank a glass of wine with Li Xuewu and then continued, "When I arrived, the third 15,000-ton container ship had been delivered."
"Yes, they are affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
Li Xuewu gave a vague reply before turning to Ji Jiuzheng and asking, "Is mining transportation convenient now?"
Everyone's hearts tightened, only then remembering that Li Xuewu had connections in several departments, such as the Foreign Affairs Department and the Investigation Department, making the situation quite complicated.
That's why everyone says Li Xuewu is a ruthless character; if he really wanted to mess with you, he had plenty of ways to do it.
Ji Jiuzheng got his job at United Energy with Li Xuewu's help, and given his precarious position, he dared not argue with Li Xuewu.
When Li Xuewu asked about his real work, he put down his chopsticks and gave a very serious answer. It sounded more like a report than an answer.
At this moment, no one at the dinner table spoke; they exchanged glances and observed each other's behavior.
Now it seems that Lao Ji is "obedient". He answered Li Xuewu's gentle question with such respect, which makes him seem like the right person.
Xu Sinian's eyes darted around; he was the most cunning of them all. He listened to Ji Jiuzheng while drinking with Li Xuewu.
He knew that Li Xuewu could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, and everyone present knew it too, so no one at the table was competing to drink; they were drinking to maintain social etiquette.
After Ji Jiuzheng finished discussing the transportation method that combined railway and shipping, he put down his wine glass and waited for Li Xuewu to speak.
Lu Yuanshen glanced at him, his heart filled with disdain.
If Ji Jiuzheng didn't dare to bare his teeth at Li Xuewu, then Xu Sinian's docility seemed a bit deliberate, since the two were sworn brothers.
“Yingcheng Port Area is the group’s future treasure trove.” Li Xuewu first nodded to Ji Jiuzheng, then looked at everyone and said, “How many of our own ships can run in the port area will determine our foreign trade transportation channels and our say in international port and shipping matters.”
He pointed to the table and said, "We will build Steel City into an integrated production base, and use it as a foundation to absorb mineral resources from the entire Northeast for processing and production, and then transport them out through Yingcheng Port for sale."
“From the energy company to the transportation company, and then to the port authority, all the procedural units involved along this line are here today.”
Li Xuewu looked at everyone again and said, "I want to invite you all to dinner so that we can unite and work together."
"It's unrealistic for anyone here to think they can break out of this circle and develop independently. Forget about not achieving results, you'll probably just end up getting slapped in the face."
The atmosphere suddenly became serious. After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Li Xuewu bluntly said these words.
The crowd heard a mix of threats, temptations, encouragement, and warnings, and felt a range of emotions, yet not a single person stood up to object.
First, Li Xuewu was absolutely right; this is a truth everyone knows. Second, Li Xuewu was very tactful, using courtesy before resorting to force and not immediately taking action.
To put it bluntly, this meal was neither a trap nor a coup d'état. Li Xuewu never intended to use the banquet to relieve his military power; he was just making disparaging remarks beforehand.
He's already a group leader, and the next step would be deputy director. There's no need for him to use others as stepping stones to climb up the ladder; they're not qualified for that position anyway.
Even Lü Yuanshen, sitting to the side, felt awkward and found it rather pointless. He had also thought it through: what kind of people did Li Xuewu associate with when he was in Beijing? Did he have that kind of influence?
Even Cheng Kaiyuan and Su Weide were no match for him, so where did he rank? He picked up his glass and took a sip, but it was all bitter.
What the hell is there to argue about? Even if you kick your pants, you can't catch up with Li Xuewu. We've already drunk the wine. If he doesn't know what's good for him, he'll become a target.
No, it's not a target, it's a monkey, a chicken used to warn others.
Look at these people at the table: Xu Sinian is Li Xuewu's sworn brother, Kuang Yusheng is Li Xuewu's best friend, and Xiao Zihong is his former partner.
Even though Bi Yuding had never worked with Li Xuewu, he had received a lot of help from him. If it weren't for Li Xuewu's mediation, would he have been able to take control of Hongxing Electronics?
Finally, let's talk about Kong Xiaobo. This guy almost got killed by Li Xuewu from Bingfei Factory to Hongxing Factory. He was on the verge of death, but he still dares to cause trouble now.
Ji Jiuzheng didn't need to think; he couldn't even handle his own little affairs. He almost knelt down to report just now.
If Ji Jiuzheng hadn't made such a statement, would Xu Sinian have been able to keep offering toasts, and would the others have been so docile?
If Ji Jiuzheng's attitude remains ambiguous today, he dares to guarantee with his own head that within a month, Old Ji will be crippled.
Whether or not Li Xuewu can replace him is unclear, but he dares to say that Ji Jiuzheng is definitely no match for Li Xuewu, and he doesn't have Li Xuewu's influence in the group.
Li Huaide was already mentally prepared to let Li Xuewu stay in Liaodong. At this point, anyone who dared to stroke Li Xuewu's beard would be courting death.
As for himself, the Steel City Automobile Manufacturing Plant was as solid as an iron barrel under his management, but it was full of holes in front of Li Xuewu.
The deputy factory director in charge of technology is Xia Zhongquan's apprentice, and Xia Zhongquan's niece is Li Xuewu's secretary and also the wife of Li Xuewu's elder brother's brother-in-law. Are these relationships distant? In the workplace, they are not distant at all.
You have to think of it this way: if they weren't close, would they be in-laws? Without Li Xuewu, would Xia Zhongquan even know who Zhao Yajun is?
As for the car manufacturing plant, several projects were established under Li Xuewu's guidance and assistance, so he couldn't oppose Li Xuewu even if he wanted to.
Even among the factory workers, Li Xuewu held a higher position in their hearts than he did, so what was there to be stubborn about?
"Let me share another set of news, not from our group, but closely related to our group, which is an opportunity for industrial development nationwide."
Li Xuewu pointed to the table very seriously and said, "In January, the third phase of the Hebei Provincial Fertilizer Plant was completed. It is currently the largest nitrogen fertilizer plant in China with the most advanced level in the world."
"Also in January, Jicheng No. 17 Automobile Manufacturing Plant successfully trial-produced the first hydraulic automatic polishing machine in China with world-class advanced technology."
"Back in January, China successfully trial-produced the first set of medium-diameter top-drainage irrigation and drainage equipment with world-class advanced technology. Shanghai also produced a high-precision new type of shovel mill, with precision far exceeding that of similar foreign products."
"All of these new industrial technological breakthroughs occurred in January of last year." Li Xuewu looked at everyone and emphasized, "Don't be complacent, comrades. We're running, but others are running too."
"What has enabled the group to achieve its current success? It is the result of the concerted efforts, dedication, seizing of opportunities, and sincere commitment of all cadres and employees."
He nodded at this point, paused for a moment, and then continued, "The Group's Management Committee brought us together not to make dumplings, but to set off fireworks. They want to expand the Group's business throughout Northeast China and Northeast Asia."
“I came to Liaodong not to steal anyone’s credit, nor to take anyone’s position. At most, we still have three years. How much we can accomplish in these three years is our achievement. There will never be such a good opportunity again.”
Li Xuewu moved his wine glass aside and solemnly said, "Today I'm going to be honest with everyone. Three years from now, as long as you all keep up with the team, I guarantee you'll be a member of the management committee. You'll definitely be good enough."
"Of course, if you guys don't have branch offices and representative offices in every city in Northeast China in three years, and your industrial reach doesn't extend to the whole of Northeast Asia, then let's stop daydreaming and pack our bags and leave as soon as possible."
He raised his glass to everyone and said, "I, Li Xuewu, am leading the charge in making this boast today, and I'm counting on everyone to help me achieve it. Cheers!"
"cheers--"
Old Wu knows he still owes money, but he's currently working on the detailed outline for Volume Three. I take Volume Three very seriously, so I'm polishing it meticulously. Once I finish the detailed outline, I'll definitely make up for it. Not only will I make up for it, but I'll also add extra chapters. I keep my word. Trust my typing speed; updating 20,000 words a day is no problem.
(End of this chapter)