Reborn as a Noble's Son

Chapter 201: Whole Migration (The Fourth Request for Monthly Tickets)_i

Translator: 549690339

Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang’s words, Liu Wenqing immediately took them seriously. It had always seemed to Liu that Zhenbang was the sort of man who wouldn’t take action unless he could accomplish something significant. No one had expected that, upon his arrival in Lixian County, this young vice county director, just 23 years old, could achieve such remarkable results. But Zhenbang went on to found the Farmer Welfare Company. The company’s operation mode of integrating business, farms, and farmers was now flourishing not only in Xibei but also in many parts of the country. This model greatly reduced the risks for farmers, enhancing their enthusiasm for agricultural production. Tangible benefits were laid out before them, guaranteeing returns as long as they put in the effort.

What followed was Longhua Mining and the forceful development of Lixian County’s vermiculite mineral resources; this too was groundbreaking. Then there was the construction of Lixian Economic and Technological Development Zone, and the massive relocation of the Lixian County Committee and County Government offices and other departments — all of which were ambitious projects beyond anyone’s imagination.

And now, this young man had a new idea. Naturally, Liu Wenqing was intrigued and asked, “Zhenbang, what new initiative do you have in mind?”

Zhang Chubin, on the other hand, was equally curious. He had not heard any rumors beforehand about Zhenbang’s plans. Having worked together with Zhenbang for so long, he had a good grasp of Zhenbang’s character. If it was a preconceived idea, Zhenbang would definitely have discussed it with him in advance. Despite his assertiveness, Zhenbang was very meticulous in managing these details. He would have informed others about his plans, regardless of whether they agreed with him. From this, it seemed that this idea must have been conceived just today.

Nie Zhenbang was also organizing his thoughts at this moment. His plan was simply a flash of insight. Having conducted no particular feasibility study, Nie Zhenbang just let out his idea impulsively earlier.

Upon second thought, perhaps some detailed research followed by a presentation would have given a more mature impression. But since he had already mentioned it, revising his statement might give the impression of indecision and inefficiency. He then chuckled, saying to Liu, “Secretary Liu, this idea came to me during my visit to Gemu Township earlier today. The timing might seem a bit hasty, and there might be some inadequacies, so I hope you can bear with me.”

At this point, Liu Wenqing laughed as well, commenting, “Zhenbang, you are always too modest. It’s just an initial idea, not a formal proposal, and there are no outsiders present. You can freely share your thoughts.”

Then, Zhenbang began his argument, “Secretary Liu, Gemu Township, which is located in our county, is the most remote township from Lixian County City, about 78 kilometers away. Deep in the mountains, the township has a total population of over two thousand people and is a nationally recognized impoverished township. Gemu Township is far from the national highway. To vigorously develop it would require an enormous investment of funds, manpower, and resources. I was thinking, could we consider a different approach and relocate the entire Gemu Township?”

“Mass relocation?”

Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang’s proposal, Liu Wenqing was taken aback. To be honest, he was quite shocked. When considering economic development, especially in impoverished areas, most people would wonder how to develop local advantages, improve transportation conditions, and ultimately help locals escape poverty. But the idea of mass relocation had never come up before.

After some contemplation, Liu Wenqing continued, “Relocation? It’s not necessarily a bad idea. But have you considered the views and feelings of the local villagers, especially with over two thousand of them? They say the land of one’s birth is hard to leave. As local government behavior, this relocation does not qualify for national relocation support or policy backing, and all expenses will have to be borne by the Lixian Government. Issues concerning the resettlement of the relocated households, such as housing, land allocation and future sources of income, need to be taken into account. This would require a considerable amount of money — can the Lixian Government afford it?”

Nie Zhenbang had considered these factors when he was musing over this plan. He responded promptly, “Secretary Liu, I’m not sure about the locals’ reactions at the moment. However, I believe that everyone shares a common desire to prosper. As long as we can find a common ground, I don’t think there would be problems concerning their mindset. Regarding the relocation issue, I’ve also thought it through. If we were to develop Gemu Township, we would have to maintain and upgrade nearly forty kilometers of county roads, which alone would be a major expense. Plus, Gemu Township doesn’t have many unique resources, making it hard to develop. Given the establishment of the Lixian Development Zone and the steady influx of various factories and enterprises, Lixian might soon face a labor shortage. The relocation could conveniently fill this gap. Employment issues resolved, there would be no worries about the future. As for the financial gap, I think if our county’s finances can make some contribution and we secure a bank loan, the relocation should not be a major issue.”

After listening to Nie Zhenbang’s detailed explanation, Liu Wenqing fell into deep thought. Zhenbang’s points were valid: Gemu Township didn’t have any clear advantages or resources that would make it easy to develop. On the other hand, there were few people in Lixian County City. Combining the two issues seemed like killing two birds with one stone. Therefore, Liu Wenqing nodded and replied, “I preliminarily approve your plan. You should start with a detailed planning and survey in the county office, weigh the reactions of local villagers, meticulous plan for the resettlement area etc. Write a detailed report based on your study and then show it to me.”

Xibei was a region prone to frequent earthquakes. Although the quake in Lixian was strong, it was not uncommon in Xibei. Liu Wenqing only came because he was worried about Lixian, specifically about people like Nie Zhenbang. Seeing that there was no issue in Lixian, he felt relieved. So, the next morning, Liu Wenqing returned to Bazhou City.

At the same time, Nie Zhenbang began to take action. The matter of Gemu Township should be addressed sooner rather than later. The sooner the arrangements were made, the sooner action could be taken.

The next day, Nie Zhenbang returned to Gemu Township. The moment his car entered the township, at least half of the villagers had gathered around the township government. They filled the courtyard, the streets on both sides, and even climbed on the surrounding walls and trees. When they saw Nie Zhenbang, they all exclaimed, “Our county leader has come! Hello, Director Nie!”

At this moment, the members of the Gemu Township Party Committee had all rushed to greet them, and Yao Lianghua looked rather excited. For two consecutive days, the county chief had paid them a visit, and while that was understandable yesterday because of the earthquake, Nie Zhenbang’s visit today likely meant that the county government had started to consider the economic development issue of Gemu Township.

The efficiency was staggering. Within one day, Nie Zhenbang had paid them another visit, which was beyond Yao Lianghua’s expectations.

Extending both hands, Yao Lianghua tightly shook Nie Zhenbang’s hand, saying “Director Nie, thank you so much. We’re grateful for your and the county government’s attention to Gemu Township.”

Nie Zhenbang nodded and responded, “The issues in Gemu Township resulted from our negligence, we didn’t fully understand the situation here. We must make amends for our shortcomings in work, it’s the attitude that every Party member should have.”

Then, Nie Zhenbang loudly spoke to the surrounding villagers, “Fellow villagers, I’m back. Are you glad to see me again?”

After what happened yesterday, Nie Zhenbang had already gained tremendous respect in the eyes of Gemu Township’s villagers. As soon as his voice fell, a deafening shout rose in unison, “Welcome!”

Though their cheering was uneven, it was authentic. A unified, clear answer without any distractions usually was the result of deliberate training, and their response was a true portrayal of their sentiments.

Nie Zhenbang then laughed and shouted once more, “Fellow villagers, I’m here this time specifically to help over two thousand villagers in Gemu Township prosper. Please head home now. Later, the township will individually seek your opinions door-to-door. Everyone, please go home.”

Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang’s words, the villagers were naturally reluctant to disperse. For them, who had been poor for a long time, pursuing wealth had always been their dream.

Walking into the meeting room of Gemu Township’s Party Committee and Government, the conditions there were enough to make Nie Zhenbang distraught. It was like a classroom, with a few office tables combined to form a makeshift workspace. He had thought the county government meeting room was in terrible condition, and it wasn’t until he saw this setup did Nie Zhenbang realize that it was actually better off. Many tables were missing parts, revealing traces of patchwork.

Despite its shabbiness, the place was kept surprisingly clean, which Nie Zhenbang found satisfying. From this, it was evident that the Gemu Township’s committee was dedicated to their work. A meeting room like this could only be kept so clean if it was used regularly.

Having taken his seat, Nie Zhenbang started right away, “Concerning the future and development of Gemu Township, I had a discussion with Secretary Zhang from the county committee yesterday and reported to Secretary Liu from the city committee. My idea is to relocate Gemu Township as a whole to a place near Li County Development Zone, with the entire Gemu Township merging into the former Shengli Township. The Gemu Township Party Committee team will be rearranged.”

Upon hearing this, all present members of the Gemu Township Party Committee froze. They had not expected such a proposal for total relocation from Nie Zhenbang.

At that moment, Nie Zhenbang was watching the reactions of Yao Lianghua and the others, smiling faintly. The purpose of his last sentence was mainly to observe their attitude when it came to their personal interests.

At this moment, Yao Lianghua was also struggling. He held a significant position in Gemu Township, but if relocation were to occur, he knew he would have to assume a reduced role in a larger township like Shengli. However, his proposal was indeed the best option for Gemu Township. Yao Lianghua had been dwelling on the development of Gemu Township and had to admit that this plan was indeed the best approach.

After a moment of silence, Yao Lianghua spoke, “Director Nie, although we, the Gemu Township Party Committee, haven’t had a discussion yet, I want to, on behalf of the Committee, express our stance: we fully support the decision made by the county party committee and the county government and are fully committed to cooperating with the superiors’ work. As for the rest, we have no other comments.”