Chapter 36 Chapter Thirty-Six

After Xie Xuedong left, Ye Qing realized that the wine in the two teacups had barely touched, so he deliberately said: "It seems that you are drinking with your bosom friends." Wu Mingxiong smiled wearily: "It's really not speculative!" Ye Qing asked: "What did Secretary Xie want to talk to you about?" Wu Mingxiong said: "Guess what?" Ye Qing said: "Are you asking the teacher again? There is a strike at the Shuichang construction site, there is trouble, it's terrible, it's all the result of your reckless actions! You just don't listen to different opinions! You just don't take Comrade Xiao Daoqing's correct reminders back. matter! Secretary Wu, isn’t it?”

Wu Mingxiong shook his head slowly and said: "Wrong, Secretary Xie's leadership level is not so low, he is very clear about how the incident at the Shuichang construction site happened and how it was resolved, and he is also very clear about who is right and who is wrong. He came back to talk to me about the unity of the team. While we all work day and night at the risk, we must unite Comrade Xiao Daoqing, who is clear-headed." Ye Qing was startled, and said: "Didn't Xiao Daoqing guess that you want him to be in charge of family planning?" Wu Mingxiong sighed and said: "Otherwise, can you still be called sober-minded?! This comrade has realized the political crisis he is facing. This is such a sensitive, shrewd, and good at managing his own political future comrade! If this comrade can devote half of his mind to the construction of Pingchuan, how lucky the ten million people of Pingchuan will be!"

Ye Qing fell silent. The Damo River is like a giant dragon whose stomach has been cut open by the steam, lying on the snowy field of thousands of miles of plains.The severe winter has passed, and the endless spring is slowly recovering under the hot soil of the earth.From Damo County in the north to Yunhai City in the south, the snow has gradually melted, and there is not much snow in the south of Hetian.However, it was still very cold, and the temperature on the six-hundred-mile construction site hovered between -5°C and -3°C for several days. The busy season of spring plowing and spring sowing is gradually approaching inadvertently, and the South-to-North Water Diversion Project has entered a phased sprint moment. The number of migrant workers and machinery transferred to the construction site by the county and city engineering headquarters is increasing day by day.On the largest day, 1.87 million horses and 25,000 machines of various sizes, including excavators, cars, and tractors, gathered on the Six Hundred Li Dam River.At the request of the Pingchuan Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government, a group army stationed in Pingchuan dispatched an established engineering team to assist in the construction of more than a dozen important bridges and culverts in Quanshan and Shuichang.

Chen Zhongyang, the project commander, sat in a muddy Beijing jeep day and night, bumping along the Damo River, accompanied by roaring and cursing, commanding and dispatching the entire line of work to deal with problems that might happen but did happen every day.The oldest and oldest deputy secretary of the Pingchuan Municipal Party Committee seemed to be 10 years older in a day and night, and he became dark and thin, just like an old farmer.Sometimes on the construction site, some migrant workers who didn't know him actually called him "the old man" and asked him, why did he come to work on the river at such an advanced age?Since the food poisoning incident occurred at the construction site in Shuichang County, Chen Zhongyang, in the name of the engineering headquarters, ordered the construction sites in all counties not to purchase any food, including salt, from abnormal channels.Prior to this, a small amount of low-quality iodine-deficient salt had been found on the construction site. Fortunately, it was found and confiscated early.At the same time, Chen Zhongyang has also developed a habit. When he goes to any place, he will first check the kitchen, check the food, and deal with the problem on the spot.

No matter where Chen Zhongyang went to inspect the work, he never gave any prior notice.More than half of the county-level commanders or on-site commanders in the eight counties and cities of Pingchuan have endured his abuse.There was an on-site commander who was a demobilized soldier named Chen Zhongyang, old Patton.Most of the migrant workers don't know that the old Patton is a four-star general of the U.S. military. He shouted and shouted and became the "Old Eight", and explained: "Who dares to fool our Secretary Chen? Our Secretary Chen is old Huang Zhong , together with the old governor, we led people to work on the river eight times, that’s why it’s called the old eight formations, do you know that?”

At noon that day, Chen Zhongyang's Beijing jeep suddenly drove from Quanshan to the desert, checked all the way north, and arrived at the Xiaquanwang construction site in the evening. After parking the car under the Mohe Bridge, Chen Zhongyang got out of the car with his secretary Xiaoyue, and slid down the embankment on the north bank to the construction site at the bottom of the river step by step. On the construction site, migrant workers from Xiaquanwang Village were resting and waiting for dinner. The bottom of the river and the embankment facing south were full of people. Some were sitting on big baskets full of muddy water, and some seemed to be dead. Lying on the ground, some of them gathered together in groups of three or four, chatting and cursing in high voices.When Chen Zhongyang and secretary Xiaoyue walked past them, no one moved. Some were sitting, some were asleep, and some were cursing.

A middle-aged migrant worker with an unshaven beard scolded: "Mother day, I would rather go to prison than work like this anymore? Is this a human job? Fourteen or five hours a day, day and night to fight for deadlines , why not reform-through-labor prisoners?" Another migrant worker followed up and said, "Third brother, you want to blame your own life? Isn't our Xiaquanwang poor? If we want money, we can give it out to 'replace labor', who will come?" Are you playing this life?" The middle-aged migrant worker scolded again: "Mother Japan, if I had known that the higher-ups told us to fight like this, I would have sold my donkey and paid for it, so I wouldn't have come here to be a donkey?"

Another young migrant worker said: "Forget it, third brother? The most valuable thing in your family is the little green donkey. If you really dare to sell it, the third sister-in-law will treat you like a donkey for the rest of her life, so what's wrong with you?" How about staying here for a few months?" The migrant workers who got together all laughed. The young migrant worker said again: "Are the people in our village in Xiaquanwang suffering? On the 600-mile construction site, which counties, townships, and villages are suffering differently? Are the people in the south suffering more unjustly? Even if it is not a project, they are good or bad. There is always water to use, and this is the most downstream, and we will not be able to survive without construction. Therefore, we have to work harder today, in the end, it is for ourselves.”

At this time, a thin man sitting on a big basket smoking a cigarette said: "Little Wuzi is right, are we doing it for ourselves? After finishing the Damo River, don't fight for water every year. I, the village secretary, will also It’s good, and you don’t need to break the law every year, worrying about the dead, hurting people, and those who are topping the vat. So, young and old, you have to learn from the five sons, work hard, and stop talking nonsense?” Chen Zhongyang noticed this lean man, walked up to him and asked, "Brother, so you are the village branch secretary of Xiaquanwang?"

The thin man recognized Chen Zhongyang, stood up from the big basket and said, "Secretary Chen, why are you here?" Chen Zhongyang asked with a smile: "Do you know me?" The thin man smiled and said, "Why don't you know me? My name is Cao Tongqing. When you were in charge of politics and law five years ago, I asked you to file a complaint. I went with our old secretary." Chen Zhongyang said: "For the fight with Shangquanwang, isn't it?? You are really famous far and near." Cao Tongqing nodded, pointed at the migrant workers in front of him and said, "Secretary Chen, we peasants talk casually, but we are actually tired and anxious, and we have no bad intentions. Don't take it to heart."

Chen Zhongyang was in a good mood, and said with a smile: "Yes, yes, don't explain it to me, I fully understand. I have to scold my mother twice when I am tired. Now I often scold my mother. In Wu Mingxiong You scold me in front of you." After finishing speaking, he patted Cao Tongqing on the shoulder vigorously. Unexpectedly, Cao Tongqing cried out in pain and almost fell to the ground. Chen Zhongyang felt that something was wrong, so he hurriedly lifted the cotton padded coat that Cao Tongqing was wearing to look, only to find that Cao Tongqing's shoulders were covered in blood and flesh, and the ragged cotton sweater he was wearing next to his body was tightly adhered to the blurred flesh and blood. . Helping Cao Tongqing up, Chen Zhongyang asked sadly, "Did you lift the basket?" Cao Tongqing nodded, and said, "I won't lift the baskets these two days, but I'll fill them with soil, it's fine." Chen Zhongyang said with concern: "Then you have to be careful about inflammation." Chen Zhongyang asked secretary Xiaoyue to find the construction site hygienist, and asked the hygienist to find a way to deal with it. The hygienist couldn't separate the torn cotton sweater from Cao Tongqing's body from the blurred flesh. Later, he had to cut off the torn cotton sweater with scissors, and applied medicine to the wound through the remnant cloth on Cao Tongqing's shoulder. Cao Tongqing was quite embarrassed, and said: "Isn't everyone like this? Many people in our village have swollen feet from the cold, and they can't take off their shoes and socks. Some people have collapsed on the construction site from exhaustion. This It's nothing, but the food problem is bigger. I've finished eating all the noodles, full of rice, the pot is big, the rice can't be cooked through, and it's always raw. Everyone has a lot of opinions. I've also eaten all the dishes delivered. I've eaten it every day for the past few days. Throw away the cabbage gang." Chen Zhongyang was taken aback, and asked, "Oh, is there such a thing? Is Liu Jinping, the secretary of your county party committee, at the construction site?" Cao Tongqing said: "Probably in Shierlipu in front? I heard that the river collapsed in Shierlipu at noon. She passed us for a while and left without saying a few words." Chen Zhongyang asked again: "Does she know the food situation here?" Cao Tongqing said: "Secretary Liu knew about it and said it. The county must find a way to solve it." Chen Zhongyang thought for a while, and said to the secretary Xiaoyue: "Let's go, go to Shieripu right away, and see what Secretary Liu is eating tonight!" The migrant worker said: "Tonight, comrades, work harder. Tomorrow at noon, I, Chen Zhongyang, will guarantee that you will have roast pork with vermicelli. If you can't eat it, you will throw me into a cooking pot and cook it!" When they got in the car again, Chen Zhongyang lost his smile and scolded Liu Jinping along the way, so scared that Xiaoyue didn't dare to say a word. The jeep was going along the desert north, and when passing a small village, Chen Zhongyang inadvertently smelled the smell of meat.After looking carefully, the smell of meat came from a courtyard with the words "Quanwang Township Water Conservancy Project Site Leading Group" written in white and gray characters. Chen Zhongyang asked the driver to stop at the gate of the courtyard. Before the car stopped, Chen Zhongyang jumped out of the car and rushed into the yard following the scent. In a small house facing north, several people who looked like rural cadres were drinking. There were three large porcelain pots on the two desks put together. One pot was filled with steaming braised pork, and the other pot It contained a whole chicken, and a pot of salted peanuts. Chen Zhongyang pushed the door open and immediately asked, "Who is in charge here?" A chubby middle-aged man recognized Chen Zhongyang, stood up and greeted him, "Secretary Chen, it's so cold, why don't you join us for a drink?" Chen Zhongyang ignored him, and asked again: "What's your name? What is your position? Is the Xiaquanwang construction site under your control?" The middle-aged man hurriedly said: "My name is Yu Dajing, and I am the deputy head of Quanwang Township in charge of agriculture and water conservancy. Naturally, I will be in charge of the Xiaquanwang construction site. Did something happen to the Xiaquanwang construction site?" Chen Zhongyang grabbed the wine bottle on the table, paused vigorously on the table, and cursed: "What happened? You still have the face to ask me? Migrant workers are working hard on the construction site, eating cabbage buns and raw rice every day, you There are meat, chicken, and wine, what is going on?! Ah? Are you eating the meat of migrant workers, and drinking the blood of migrant workers?! Let me ask you!" Really furious, Chen Zhongyang smashed the wine bottle on the table, the bottle shattered, and the wine and broken glass in the bottle flew everywhere, even Chen Zhongyang himself was splashed wet. Chen Zhongyang was still puzzled, and flipped the table over: "I'll let you eat! Let you drink!" After turning over the table, Chen Zhongyang turned around and left, walked to the door and said: "All of you who participated in drinking today, report to Liu Jinping at the Damo County Party Committee tomorrow, and wait for the County Party Committee to deal with it!" When he said this, Chen Zhongyang never imagined that his fury caused a catastrophe, and the broken glass flying from the broken wine bottle hurt Yu Dajing's eyes.At that time, Chen Zhongyang did not notice that Yu Dajing's left eye was bleeding. Secretary Xiaoyue found out, but never dared to say anything. I saw Liu Jinping, Secretary of the Damo County Party Committee at Shierlipu. It was already dark. Liu Jinping and several comrades from the county engineering headquarters were warming up and eating around a pile of charcoal basins, talking about the progress of the project while eating.Chen Zhongyang noticed that Liu Jinping's whole body was covered in black mud, and the parts above the waist were completely soaked. The big black bowl also contained raw rice and a piece of salted radish, so the anger somewhat subsided. However, Chen Zhongyang still said to Liu Jinping with a dark face: "This can't work, my Secretary Liu! It's rare for you to eat a meal on the construction site, and migrant workers have to eat every meal on the construction site. It's always just cabbage gang and salted radish. Is it? Don't expect me to praise you for your integrity!" Liu Jinping tapped the bowl lightly with chopsticks, and said with a bitter face: "Secretary Chen, you really misunderstood me. You think I want to act as a clean government? Isn't there nothing we can do? The county is too poor, and the project is in the late stage. Yes, all the subsidy funds we can provide have been provided. The county magistrate Huang is organizing cadres of the county party committee and government agencies to show love for the construction site these days, and we may be able to raise some money to deal with emergencies.” Chen Zhongyang reminded: "You don't want bureaucrats. Township-level cadres should be caught. It's so difficult on the construction site. There is a deputy head of Quanwang Township who leads a group of people to drink and eat meat. It's not normal, but at this time Absolutely not allowed. I suggest you check to see where they get their wine and meat? If they are deducting migrant workers’ subsidies, they will be resolutely removed.” Liu Jinping said, "I'll check it out myself tomorrow." Finally, Chen Zhongyang sighed and said: "With such a great effort, no matter how poor the county is, no matter how poor people are, they have the right to eat better! How about this, I will allocate 300,000 to you first, and you will send someone to get it overnight , we must guarantee that the 250,000 migrant workers in the desert will have a meal of roasted pork with vermicelli at noon tomorrow! We must guarantee it!" Liu Jinping said with a choked voice, "Secretary Chen, I, on behalf of the 250,000 migrant workers in Damo, thank you!" Chen Zhongyang waved his hand: "Thank me for what? I want to thank our migrant workers! Every party and government cadre in Pingchuan should thank them! Without their 1.87 million good brothers struggling desperately on the 300-kilometer front, our grand blueprint of the South-to-North Water Diversion It will become the laughing stock of history!" After finishing speaking, Chen Zhongyang stretched out his hand: "Give me a bowl of rice, Xiaoyue and I also ate here today." Xiao Zhao, the female secretary of the county party committee, gave Chen Zhongyang and Xiaoyue a bowl of raw rice, and took out a few radishes that had not been soaked in salt water for a long time from a large vat in the corner of the room, and handed them to Chen Zhongyang and Xiaoyue. While eating, someone came to report that the silt from the upper reaches had come down again. Liu Jinping was startled, greeted Chen Zhongyang, put down the bowl, got up and left. Xiao Zhao stood up and shouted: "Secretary Liu, don't go into the water anymore." Liu Jinping ignored it and rushed out the door. Xiao Zhao hurriedly said to Chen Zhongyang: "Secretary Chen, you are the commander-in-chief, so you can persuade our Secretary Liu, she is a woman, it is inconvenient today, it is not good to keep soaking in cold water!" Chen Zhongyang immediately understood Xiao Zhao's meaning, got up and chased to the door, wanted to call Liu Jinping back, but Liu Jinping had already hurried far away in the night, so she didn't call out. Looking at the river beach with crowds of people under the moonlight, Chen Zhongyang said to Xiao Zhao emotionally, "Your Secretary Liu is not just an ordinary woman, she...she is also the secretary of the county party committee in Damo County, which is economically underdeveloped."