Morning.
Ministry of Finance.
In the reception area of the annex building.
Zhang Hui led them into the office and said, "My office doesn't have enough space. Why don't you guys sit here for a while? Don't wander around and don't talk nonsense. Pay attention. There will be a leader inspecting the department today. As for the money, I will ask him after Director Qian's meeting."
Chen Xiaomei immediately replied. "Ok. We know what to do."
Yan Yizhi also replied politely. "Thank you, Director Zhang."
Zhang Hui nodded. "I still have something on at my side. I cannot accompany you all."
Chen Xiaomei quickly replied. "Ok. Carry on with your work."
Zhang Hui turned around and called a young man over. "Xiao Zheng, get them a few glasses of water."
"Yes, Director Zhang." That young man was one of Zhang Hui's staff members. He immediately went to get the water.
Dong Xuebing, Yan Yizhi, and Chen Xiaomei sat down and drank. Dong Xuebing suddenly turned to them and asked. "Chief Yan, Chief Chen, do you all have a high chance of getting this?"
Yan Yizhi smiled. "I think it's still a bit uncertain."
Chen Xiaomei also said. "I also think so. My cousin is not the person in charge of this. Hmmm … That's why the chances are not high."
Dong Xuebing nodded. "Let's try to get the money later. We must get it."
Yan Yizhi looked at Dong Xuebing. "Mayor Dong, what if they do not give us the funds? We …"
Dong Xuebing took a sip of water and said. "The County does not have enough money. There is no 'what if'."
Yan Yizhi and Chen Xiaomei looked at each other helplessly and did not say anything. They just waited quietly.
Half an hour …
One hour …
Time passed slowly.
In the blink of an eye, it was already noon, but still no one contacted them.
Chen Xiaomei was used to this. She was afraid Dong Xuebing would not be able to handle it and said. "Mayor Dong, Chief Yan, do you all want to have lunch first? I'll just wait here. If there's any news, I'll call the two of you immediately. It's not too late. "
Dong Xuebing sat calmly. "It's fine. I am not hungry."
Yan Yizhi sighed. "It's like this every time. We will wait for a few hours."
Chen Xiaomei also said sadly, "That was the longest wait I remember. I waited from morning till evening, but in the end, I still didn't see the relevant leaders."
Yan Yizhi sighed and said, "Yeah, my backache problem was caused by that time."
Dong Xuebing laughed. Seems like everyone has the same experience. Dong Xuebing had to wait for five to six hours to settle some matters. But they are here to ask for money, and the money is in the other party's hands. They can only lower their attitude and listen to the other party.
A few more minutes passed.
Zhang Hui finally walked over from afar. He called out to them and said in a low voice, "Director Qian is done. Let's go. I'll take you there."
The three of them immediately stood up. Dong Xuebing's buttocks were sore from sitting for a long time, and his legs were numb. He walked for a few steps before he felt better.
In front.
In an office.
Zhang Hui knocked on the door and entered. "Director Qian, I had called the people over. Sorry for the trouble."
Sitting behind the desk was a slightly plump middle-aged man in his forties. He was balding, and his eyebrows were a little bald. He did not look very pleasing to the eye, and he was working on a document in his hands. Five to six seconds after Zhang Hui finished speaking, Director Qian raised his head slightly to look at him. He nodded and said, "Alright, hurry up and get back to work. The higher-ups will be here in the afternoon, so make sure there are no problems."
Zhang Hui immediately replied. "Yes. I know."
Zhang Hui gave Chen Xiaomei and the rest an eye signal and left.
Dong Xuebing, Zhang Hui, and Zhang Hui entered the office and closed the door.
"Have a seat." Director Qian waved his hand. "What's the matter?" He looked at Yan Yizhi. Yan Yizhi was the oldest among the three of them.
But with Dong Xuebing around, Yan Yizhi cannot speak first. Even if he was not on the same side as Mayor Dong, he still had to follow the rules. Yan Yizhi looked at Mayor Dong.
Dong Xuebing replied calmly. "Nice to meet you, Director Qian. I am Zhen Shui County's Executive Deputy Mayor, Dong Xuebing."
Dong Xuebing's reaction was the same as Zhang Hui's when he first met Dong Xuebing. Director Qian was surprised when he realized this young man was the one with the highest rank among the three of them. He was so young, and he was promoted to Executive Deputy Mayor? He was promoted to Deputy Divisional level? Director Qian looked at Dong Xuebing a few more times. But when he remembered Zhang Hui said they were from a poor county, he calmed down. There were too many people coming to the Ministry of Finance to ask for money every year. Over time, Director Qian no longer cares about these people. Dong Xuebing could be promoted to this rank at such a young age. He must have some background in the local government. But since he was transferred to the Central Government, his status was nothing. Beijing might not have many government officials.
Dong Xuebing saw Chief Qian looking at him, and he continued. "Our Zhen Shui County is a National Poor County, and it is one of the more disadvantaged counties in the country. Our economy is very poor. You should know the exact situation, and I will not beat around the bush. I am here to ask the Ministry of Finance to help us and our people. If not, we will not even be able to pay our salaries, and we don't even have the funds to protect our people's basic rights. There will be chaos, and our Zhen Shui County is really in dire straits."
Damn. It's this again.
Director Qian was the leader in charge of this issue. He had to hear these complaints almost every day. Most of these complaints were about poverty, and there was nothing new about it. That's why he did not react. "Shouldn't you all look for the City Government? If not, look for the Provincial Government. "
Dong Xuebing replied. "I had already looked for the Provincial Government. The City Government does not have the funds now, and our Provincial Government also does not have the funds for us."
Director Qian looked at Dong Xuebing. "But we also do not have any spare funds."
Yan Yizhi said: "Chief Qian, do you think you can squeeze out a little more for our County? Our situation is really bad."
Chen Xiaomei also added. "That's right. Please help us."
Director Qian shook his head. "This year's budget had been allocated at the start of the year, and everything is planned. Every cent of the Ministry's funds are allocated. We do not have any spare funds. You are Xiao Zhang's cousin, right? Little Zhang has been working under me for seven to eight years. Logically speaking, I have to give him face, but the ministry is really not rich now. We are not as rich as you think we are. Well, I think it's better if you all go back and try to think of a solution in the city and province. Coming directly to the Ministry of Finance doesn't seem right. "
Yan Yizhi sighed in his heart and said. "How about 2 million? Chief Qian, please help us. All the people in the County will remember your kindness."
Director Qian waved his hand. "I cannot even give you 200,000 RMB, let alone 2 million. There are too many places where money is needed."
Chen Xiaomei continued. "Chief Qian."
Director Qian replied. "I am really useless. You all can go back."
Dong Xuebing knew Director Qian was just brushing him off and kept quiet.
Most of the funds had been allocated, and Dong Xuebing believed Director Qian. But he can't even squeeze out 200,000 RMB? No money? How can they not have enough money? Dong Xuebing knew that as long as they had enough connections, and the matter was serious enough, they would even be able to fork out 20 million RMB. Now, Chief Qian had said this. It was not that Chief Qian does not want to pay. He felt there was no need to pay. Frankly speaking, Director Qian did not care about them. It was Chen Xiaomei's cousin who does not have enough influence. If it's fine, why should he give them the money?
Dong Xuebing knew what was going on and felt uncomfortable. Damn! It was the same last time and this time. Every time he came to the Ministry of Finance, it was so troublesome. Xie Guoliang had gone on a business trip, and Dong Xuebing was an accomplice to his daughter, Xie Jing's boyfriend. If there were no such issues, Dong Xuebing would have gone to Xie Guoliang for the money. Why would he waste his time with a lowly Chief Qian? Pushing three to block four? Do you really think you're a big shot? But Dong Xuebing was no longer the same as before. Yan Yizhi and Chen Xiaomei were watching, and Dong Xuebing knew he must take care of his image. He could only suppress his anger. His old style of fighting and killing could not be brought to Zhen Shui County. It would not be good for his reputation.
"Chief Qian." Yan Yizhi and Chen Xiaomei were still pestering him.
Chief Qian impatiently said: "Alright. I still have work to do."
Dong Xuebing stood up slowly. "Let's go." But his tone was cold.
Chief Qian could hear his tone and looked at Dong Xuebing. Even if Dong Xuebing was an Executive Deputy Mayor, he was also from a poor county. How dare he get angry at him?
Chen Xiaomei did not dare to say anything when she saw Mayor Dong was unhappy. She said goodbye to Chief Qian and left with Yan Yizhi and Mayor Dong.
At this moment, the door opened.
Zhang Hui, who was holding Chen Xiaomei's form, walked in and said: "Chief Qian, the leaders from the Ministry of Finance are here for inspection."
Chief Qian's face changed. "Which floor are they on?"
Zhang Hui quickly replied: "They are on our floor. They came up through the elevator!"
Chief Qian did not care about Dong Xuebing and asked: "Which leader is leading the team?"
Zhang Hui replied: "It's Minister Xie, and he is back from his business trip. He led the team here!"
Director Qian heaved a sigh of relief. Every time a leader came to inspect their department, their subordinates would be busy. But the First Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Finance, Xie Guoliang, was famous for being a good person. As long as it was not a serious problem, Minister Xie had never lost his temper with his subordinates. "Ok. I know. Hurry and get the departments to prepare. Inform them to be alert."
"Okay, I'll go right away." Zhang Hui answered.
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