Chapter 10 chapter Ten

On the square in front of the gate, the taxi driver was stuffing golf bags into the trunk.Ajika tipped the doorman five hundred yuan, took the suitcase, and got into the car.Outside the car door, the doorman bent down to salute, but his eyes were fixed on Mioka. "Go to the station, Shinkansen entrance." He was finally able to say goodbye to Kyoto.Three days and two nights felt longer than three years. He leaned back on the seat, took a deep breath of the cigarette, let the smoke stay in his lungs for a while, and then exhaled it again. Why did it become like this? The scenery outside the window was so dazzling that he couldn't help but close his eyes.

Someone set him up.Otherwise, all this is too coincidental. He has no personal enemies.Although the family is not perfect, there are no quarrels and no fixed mistresses.He has been in the company for almost thirty years, and has always been diligent and diligent, sacrificing his personal desires.If he really wants to satisfy his selfish desires, he has plenty of opportunities. He worked desperately to bring Rixing Construction into the ranks of first-class construction companies.When I first joined the company, it was still a third-rate company, but now it has become a first-rate company. "You chase after me" - Ajika likes this word very much.To others, these four words are just a soulless kitsch slogan, but to him, they are like holy words.

Those who have not experienced it cannot understand.This sentence is full of the anger and hatred of the humiliated person.It is a rallying cry for people who have been discriminated against.This slogan is like a marching horn full of rhythm.One of Mioka's favorite things is to stare at the target on the back of the vanguard, sweat from his galloping body, and grit his teeth. That's who I was when I was young.Although Rixing Construction at that time became the designated contractor of a certain public utility project, the bidding price was still unable to negotiate with other peers.A burly professional bidder joined in and said, "I have nothing to say to you, let your president come out."

"The president is sick in bed, and I am fully responsible for this project." So he was taken to a small room, where he was beaten with a stick and bruised all over his body.His face was swollen, but he gritted his teeth and didn't cry out.He thought he was dead.This matter must not be reported to the police, and the police are only self-defeating.It was an era when professional bid-riggers ran rampant.Fifteen or sixteen years ago, Rixing Construction was still a little-known small company.There are also "old faces" and "new faces" in the bid rigging of the peers. The new faces can only endure the bullying of the old faces. They just think that they may be able to win some projects through bid rigging in the future, so they have to smile.

Rixing Construction gradually grew up.Mioka began to act as the president's agent and participated in the bidding negotiations. He gradually got used to the atmosphere of bid-rigging negotiations.The size of the company has gradually expanded.However, as long as they are working in a new area, they will always be "new faces".Of course, those are public utility bids. Bidding is generally carried out five to ten days after the on-site instructions.Negotiations will take place the day before the bid.If the negotiations do not move fast enough, it is possible to start two days before the bid.The time and place of the negotiation will be decided after the on-site presentation.Every place has a local industry group, and old faces will take turns serving as officers to coordinate the bidding work.Members would gather in a room in a building near the County Hall, City Hall.

All the nominated construction companies are inextricably linked with other companies, including cadres, officials, and local councilors in the government office. Therefore, it is always difficult to determine which company will contract the project. There was once a bidding war between thirteen companies.First, all members gathered in one room. The officers of "Old Faces" will talk with company representatives one by one, asking if they are interested in contracting this project. "Yes" or "I have troubled everyone before, so I will withdraw this time", everyone expressed their opinions one after another, and finally the scope was narrowed down to eight companies.

Eight representatives discussed.No one dares to speak first - once you say something wrong, other representatives present will open their mouths and rush at you.In the silence, everyone used their eyes to inquire about other people's intentions.The officer said anxiously: "What are you going to do? If no one speaks, how can this business be discussed? Let's settle the principles first. First of all, even if things develop to the worst, we can't fight each other." Because once a competitive bid is made, the bid amount will be suppressed. "Then, the minority obeys the majority. How?"

Most people would agree.If the minority obeys the majority, the power will fall in the hands of the old faces, and the new faces will not have the confidence to oppose it.When Mioka attended the meeting, two companies objected.The secretary and other old faces rolled their eyes. "You oppose our principles? Then how do you think this matter should be negotiated? Don't you want us to negotiate at all? If you don't want to talk, go back to me! Tell me, what exactly do you want?" The representatives of the two companies immediately fell silent. "Since you said that...uh...since it's just a principle, then I agree with everyone..."

If someone opposes it again, they will be characterized as "arrogant" and get angry. Then, at the suggestion of the secretary, the eight companies stated their requirements respectively. Someone said: "The performance of the recent project is not good, this project must be accepted..." Someone said: "Please give me face this time, and I will definitely give you face next time." Someone said: "The company's performance is not good, and the company told me to get this project. I can't go into details about the company's internal situation... It's okay to give our company a name!"

The implication is that after the company wins the bid, it will hand over the actual project to other companies with only a 4% "name fee". Another person said: "Our company's operating conditions are worrying... If this project is not won, the bills will not be able to turn over..." The officer roared angrily: "The business situation is not good, that's because you haven't worked hard enough. The world is in such a downturn, who's situation is better! If you can't get the project in a downturn, it means that you haven't suffered enough! Stop talking nonsense here!"

Someone said: "We have joined this meeting and have participated in five biddings, but we have not received a single project so far. Please give me some face this time..." "What arrogance! I have participated more than a dozen times, and I only got it twice. Why are the new faces shouting!" the old face roared. So people keep giving up halfway. "This time, I will treat you as a face to everyone, and please give me a face next time." However, no one can guarantee that he will receive the project next time. The officer said: "There is no result when everyone gathers to discuss, let's talk in groups. I will give you an hour, and that's it." Everyone draws lots, two people in groups, choose one of the two.The two would discuss in a small room only three stacks in size.Large corporations are among them.It is said to be a discussion, but they have nothing to say, and they will try their best to avoid endless persuasion. Someone left the room on the pretext of going to the bathroom or making a phone call.Wei Gang thought they were telling the truth at first, but then he gradually understood the clues.The people who left the room turned out to be running to find the company representatives who had voluntarily quit, and to speak ill of the people they were negotiating with. "That guy came here because he couldn't get a job recently. He's talking too arrogantly. We need to dampen his spirit." Among the three groups, two groups have already negotiated.The rest of the group did not give in to each other.The one hour time limit is coming up soon.All those who quit gathered in that room.The small report made secretly will play a poisonous role at this time. "I know you want to work hard, but look, the others have followed the agreement and quit the competition." "No, I must take this job. The company has already ordered me to die." "What does this mean? Can't you take responsibility? What are people who can't take responsibility come here to do! Go back quickly." "No, I will never go back until I get the project." "What? Don't go back? What's the use of you staying here! Only you are stalking." "Why are you always talking like this? It was the same before. No matter how much I persuade you, I won't listen to you. If you continue to behave like this, you will never get a job again. You, you will never be able to continue in this industry. Yes. If you insist on this attitude, I will accompany you to the end. How about I find hundreds of punks and go to your company's construction site to make a big fuss?" Someone grabbed his chest. He was surrounded and accused by everyone, his face was pale, so he put his hands on the ground, bowed his head and knelt down and said, "Please, please everyone!" Does "please say this" help?If it works, then what are we talking about. " "Oh, oh, don't say that." Someone came to be a peacemaker. "I said you, you are still young, this project should be handed over to others? I am very familiar with the director of the city hall, councilors and teachers. As long as you are willing to withdraw this time, I will definitely give you face next time. You guys The company won’t go out of business if it doesn’t receive the project.” "This project is about the life and death of our company, please everyone!" "Why don't you listen to persuasion? I've already talked about this, and you still refuse to believe me?" "Next time, next time I will definitely repay everyone's kindness!" "What are you talking about! We are talking about this project, who can control the next time!" "Please everyone, please everyone, I kneel down to you!" Ajika recalled that the person kneeling down was exactly himself fifteen years ago. Afterwards, Ajika, in the spirit of "chasing after me", ordered his young subordinates to follow his example.The company's orders must be absolutely obeyed, and the project must be obtained even if it costs a little life. He also told his subordinates that if it is not possible, there is the final trump card. Listen carefully, and say to those cadres and old faces: "Okay, I will call the head office to resign. But I can't resign in vain. I want to tell everything. Now that I have resigned, I will not cause trouble for the company. I will die or live. I can't go to the prison alone. Let us all hold together and be harmonious Go to prison for a meeting in anger. Ministers, bureau chiefs, mayors, governors, teachers who are walking on the red carpet...all go to the prison." As long as this is said, those who are blindly meddling will withdraw. They will say: "Oh, oh, don't be so angry, just talk about it, if this is the case, let's discuss it..." Ajika sits in the middle of the green carriage of the Shinkansen Echo, reminiscing about the past.On the overhead rack are golf bags.That's an American brand name product. At that time, Rixing Construction and itself were still young. The bidding came to an end, but one company refused to give in, and threatened other companies by jumping over the wall.So what are other companies to do? The secretary summoned the remaining six company representatives and said: "I have told him, but it doesn't work. If we just let him go back like this, we will be in a bad situation. There is no way, can the company that got the bidding right Forgive me a lot..." Negotiations have largely come to an end.The representative of Goujitiaoqiang also knew when to stop.Although he said some harsh words, they were not sincere.If it offends other people, this company will be squeezed out by other companies present, as well as the entire industry, and will perish. After the officer gave an order, everyone began to enter and leave each room, quietly cleaning up the mess.So three companies stood out from the three groups, plus one "bye" company, a total of four companies.Then divide the four companies into two groups, and choose two from the four.Finally, a company is selected.This is the general process of bid rigging. Sometimes the direction of the project is determined by voting and lottery.However, although it appeared to be luck, the result was actually negotiated in advance. Surrounding the specimen is not something that can simply talk about the results.The bid rigging that started the day before the bidding will last from the morning to 5 pm, and then transfer from the room in the guild hall to the restaurant to continue the discussion, and occasionally even go on until late at night.Sometimes it looks like a bid is about to be made, but it has not yet been negotiated.That's when you need to procrastinate. What kind of delay? If the budgeted price is 100 million yen, bid with a price of 200 million yen.The official government office that issued the order will definitely say: "Start again! I will give you 30 minutes to think about it!" So construction companies will use this time to continue bidding. However, the "annoying company" that always disrupts the bidding order will become a thorn in the eyes of other companies.They will find ways to remove obstacles. One way is that other companies conspire to defame the company and speak ill of it to lawmakers and officials. "That guy's attitude is very rude. He always asks us to give up the project to him, which destroys the order of the whole bidding process." "That company recruited a group of people to act mischievously in an attempt to disrupt order and profit from it!" "He said that teachers (senators) asked him to work hard for the project, so that is simply passing the responsibility to the teachers and teachers!" "That guy advertised that he has a good relationship with the section chief, and that he knew the section chief's mistress. He was talking nonsense. If such a person is allowed to participate in the bidding, the section chief's reputation will be ruined." "That guy participated in bid rigging everywhere, asked for money from representatives of other companies, and even went to the bid rigging scene to disrupt the situation, and collected hush money from the company that won the bidding right", all the money went into his own pocket, I think he is To build a house, and to pay for a woman to open a shop..." There are also secret letters like this. The train was heading east, and the scenery of the Guanyuan Mountains passed by the window.It's a downhill road, and the speed is getting faster.There are more and more people, and it seems that they are getting closer to the big city.The golf bag above the head made a muffled sound as the train shook.Sitting next to Mioka was a well-dressed woman, wearing a pair of sunglasses, dozing off with her head propped on her hands.Under the fashionable sleeveless summer dress, a pair of tanned arms were exposed. Could it be that she just went to sea bath?She also got on the train at Kyoto Station, but she didn't speak a word to Mioka, and no one spoke to her, so it seemed that she was riding alone. Ajika still looked at the scenery outside the window, recalling the past.Those landscapes meant nothing to him, just screens of his past experiences. Under the disgust and rejection of other colleagues, it is not easy to get to this point... Ajika put away the long scroll of memories while reflecting on his half life.It is these hard work that made Rixing Construction grow into a first-class enterprise.Ajika continued to educate his young subordinates, engraving "activism" in their brains.The president, Hideo Hoshii, who has shared weal and woe, is already sixty-five years old. He once said that in a year or two, he would step back and become the president, giving up the president's position to Mioka. What did he learn from these experiences? In the process of participating in local public utility bidding, Mioka gradually understood that local civil servants listen to local government (such as town and village) councilors, local government councilors listen to county assembly members, and county assembly members listen to congressmen. The relationship between superiors and subordinates is very different. clear. Local construction companies have relationships with local government officials.After all, the officials are the ones who issue the orders.On the surface, these officials are restrained by members of parliament, but they will not follow orders.If the project is large enough, the Central Government Office will also participate.The Ministry of Construction and the Autonomous Province will contact the project, but the subsidy of the project cost is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance.Members of local governments are naturally speechless. Even members of the National Assembly must have strong influence over the Ministry of Finance to be effective.However, there are very few members of Congress who can have such influence. There are no more powerful figures than officials.Especially the bureaucrats of the Ministry of Finance, since the Meiji Restoration, they have always harbored an elite consciousness in their hearts, thinking that they are superior to other bureaucrats, and never put others in their eyes.When preparing the budget, the attitude of senior bureaucrats in various provinces towards the Ministry of Finance is the best reflection of the status of the Ministry of Finance.Their attitude towards the accounting officer can be described as "humble" and "gracious".There is a bureau chief in a certain province. It is said that he is stronger than the deputy minister, but he would rub the shoulders of the controller who works late at night - all just to get more budget. As a result, ordinary members of Congress have no room to play.The majestic business cards on the desks of city hall ministers and section chiefs of local governments are no different from waste paper in the eyes of Ministry of Finance officials.The bureaucrats of the central ministries and agencies all have the problem of talking to each other, especially the bureaucrats of the Ministry of Finance. They even dare to confront the minister secretly. With the budget in hand, the power of life and death for the public utilities of local governments is also in their hands.Not only that, but they also have the power to approve the issuance of bonds by municipalities.Ministries and agencies such as the autonomous province and the Ministry of Construction will support local governments, but they have no right to interfere with bond issuance rights.Local governments and construction companies are also powerless against these teachers (members of parliament). At this time, Jushi Tangming appeared on the stage. The president, Hideo Hoshii, heard about the existence of Jushi and Nanyuanhui from a retired senior bureaucrat of the Ministry of Finance.Xingjing said that it is said that there is a very powerful person who is very popular in the Ministry of Finance. "It's very popular in the Ministry of Tibet? What does this kind of person have to do with our company?" That was a conversation ten years ago.At that time, Mioka had just become an executive not long ago, and he didn't even know the difference between east, west, and north. "No, that's not the case. The Ministry of Finance holds the wallet of the entire country and knows the new public utility plans of the provinces. The provinces will also consult the Ministry of Finance's intentions to see how much budget they can get, otherwise it is just talk on paper. Retired bureaucrats and As I said, when the plans of the provinces are still in the cradle, it is not the Chief Cabinet Secretary, nor the Political Affairs Review Committee of the ruling party, but the cadres of the Ministry of Finance and Accounting Bureau who will hear the trouble. And not just the government's public works The same is true for local public utilities. From counties to cities, towns and villages, as long as they are public utilities, they will be ventilated through the autonomous province and the Ministry of Finance. The autonomous body is very poor, and everything needs government subsidies. Even if you want to raise money by issuing bonds yourself, you need the Ministry of Finance. Only if the province approves it. So the Ministry of Finance has information on all new public utilities, from the central government down to the localities. The most terrifying thing is that they have more than just information. As long as they have the support of the officials of the Ministry of Finance , It will be easy to win the project. After all, the Ministry of Finance is the place where the money is paid, and this relationship can always serve the project... Ordinary congressmen are not that powerful at all." Under the introduction of the retired bureaucrat, President Hoshii took the lead in contacting Jushi Doaki.Ajika didn't know where they met, anyway, after seeing Hoshii and Jushi five or six times, he let Ajika take over his task. "The origin of that person is unknown... I only know that he is quite popular among the cadres of the Ministry of Tibet. If he can stand on our side, our company will definitely be able to develop better. The only worry is..." "Are you afraid that the bribery will be exposed?" "No, he hides this very cleverly, and it's not that dangerous. What I'm worried about is the origin of that giant..." "Is there a powerful politician behind him?" "It doesn't seem to be. If there was, it must have been spread long ago, but I haven't heard anything. I only know that he went to the south during World War II..." "President, I will be responsible for the huge situation. If something happens, I will take the blame." "Be careful in everything. You are a bit tough, and there are two big companies in Nanyuanhui, which are completely different from ordinary local bidding. You must be cautious." "It is precisely because of that style of work that our company has developed to what it is today! Even though there are big companies in the Nanyuan Club, the world of construction companies is the same everywhere. The more you say that, I'm getting more motivated." "That's what worries me. Well, it's better not to make a fuss..." "I will do it well. By the way, how much of the intermediary fee for Mr. Jushi went into the pockets of the officials? And how did he send the money?" "No. There is no problem of accepting bribes in the Nanyuan Club, as long as you pay the membership fee to Mr. Jushi." " That's the conversation we had ten years ago. The Shinkansen runs across the white platform of Toyohashi Station.Only then did Mioka feel that the scenery outside the window was real.The hoarse voice of the train commander was broadcast on the car radio, and it was fifteen minutes until Hamamatsu Station.Go to the bathroom now. "Excuse me……" The woman next to her in a sleeveless blouse casts her feet aside. Mioka walked along the aisle, seeing the backs of the passengers' heads and backs all the way.There were not many guests in the car, and the seats were very loose, and no one spoke.A couple fell asleep head to head.The two people who were reading put their heads behind the book. Three minutes later, Ajika returned to the passage.This time I finally saw the faces of the passengers on both sides.Tiredness is written all over most people's faces.Everyone was still sitting in the same seats as they were three minutes ago. "Excuse me……" The woman next to her turned her feet aside again, like a revolving door. Ajika sat on his seat and lit a cigarette.But he didn't take a sip for a long time.The scenery of Lake Hamana came into view.The blue lake looks pale under the strong sunlight.Behind the whitened lake, you can vaguely see the continuous mountains, which must be the Guanshan Temple.The speed at which the scenery moves has slowed down.I raised my hand and looked at my watch. At 9:20, I arrived at Guanshan Temple just in time to meet Dashi. Ajika stood up, took the suitcase from the shelf, and was about to take down the golf bag.What a mess, big and heavy. Suddenly, he let go.Under the brown leather, a corner of the white paper was exposed. What is that?Ajika pulled out the paper.When I put the bag on the shelf, I definitely didn't have this piece of paper.It was a piece of coated paper that had been folded many times. Mioka turned over a corner and found that there were colorful patterns printed on it.Slowly unfolding it again, it turned out that it was a poster with words printed on it—— "...a goma for health care and avoiding evil!" There is no need to spread the paper completely, Ajika also knows that in front of him is "going to cool Mount Kurama in summer". He had seen this poster on the tram twice before. The first time was when I took the train from Demachiyanagi Station to meet Kinya in Kurama.The second time, after seeing the body of Miyoko Nakasawada at the Momijisou Hotel in Kifune, on the train fleeing back to Kyoto... Ajika's hands froze.At this time, something fell out of the half-opened paper bag. A pair of aqua blue socks. That was the pair of socks that he had left in Room 208 of the Hongyezhuang Hotel. Ajika looked around in bewilderment like a frightened bird. There were five or six passengers who were going to get off at Hamamatsu. They stood up and started to unload the luggage from the racks, leaving the rest sitting in their places.Those people were the passengers he had seen when he walked through the aisle just now. No one looked at Mioka.The woman in the sleeveless shirt next to her still rested her hands on the armrest, resting her head with her eyes closed. Ajika wrapped his blue socks with a poster, unzipped the suitcase, and stuffed it in.After zipping it up, he rushed towards the car door as if flying... The train stops at the platform. "You don't have eyes when you walk!" The man walking by the car door was bumped by Mioka behind him. He turned his head and glared at Wei Gang, but he didn't dare to say anything more when he saw Wei Gang's upturned eyes.The man watched the fat gentleman rush down the platform with a look of surprise. Someone in the car was banging on the window desperately.He wanted to tell Mioka that he had forgotten his golf bag. Mioka walked through the crowd getting off the bus and ran towards the ticket gate...