Reborn as a Noble's Son

Such a reaction was normal, protests merely through letters? It seems the backlash isn’t all that great. A slight smile appeared on the corner of Nie Zhenbang’s mouth as he started to ponder.

Just a simple public reception regulation had already caused dissatisfaction among many people; one can just imagine the situation that may arise if the plan comes to fruition. There is a possibility that the cadre below might even resort to actions like hunger strikes or even suicide by hanging in protest.

In the following days, Nie Zhenbang didn’t seem to pay attention to this issue at all. He continued with his routine, occasionally visiting the Guicheng District or Xishan District to inspect the progress of the old city renovation project. The economic development of Liangxi City seemed to be booming, with the renovation project alone expected to boost this year’s economic figures. However, this was not what Nie Zhenbang wanted. After all, these projects were one-shot deals and it was not sustainable to rely on infrastructure construction year after year. The economic growth driven by real estate and megaprojects could not last. Truly finding a suitable path for Liangxi City’s development was difficult, and he himself was still exploring.

Liangxi City has a flourishing economy in commodities, transportation, commerce, and manufacturing. However, none of these industries has formed any distinctive characteristics. They may be well-known nationwide, but none of them carries significant impact – this is a constraint on Liangxi City’s economic development. Overcoming this obstacle and treating some of these industries as a priority is a serious consideration.

While Nie Zhenbang was lost in thought, the telephone on his desk rang. He completely ignored it. After two rings, Huang Xuyang twisted the door handle and entered the room, saying, “Mayor, it’s a call for you. Secretary Li Hao from the provincial government is calling… Secretary Shen has requested you to come to Jiangzhou.”

Hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang immediately snapped out of his thoughts, quickly trying to figure out why Shen Yanshuo would have his secretary call him. Is it about the public reception regulation? It was nine out of ten that the issue was indeed about that.

Nie Zhenbang hummed in acknowledgement and then responded, “Xuyang, inform Qing Shan that I will descend in ten minutes and head to Jiangzhou.”

When Nie Zhenbang arrived at the provincial committee compound, it was just eleven o’clock. He looked at his watch and then instructed Huang Xuyang and Yang Qingshan, “Xuyang, find a place for you and Qing Shan to park. Make your own lunch arrangements and I’ll call you when I need you.”

He walked straight up the stairs to the third floor of the provincial committee office building. Shen Yanshuo’s office was on the far east, occupying several rooms’ worth of space. This was a matter of convention; as the secretary of the provincial committee, Shen Yanshuo represented Jiangbei Province, and it would be a disservice to the province if his office were shabby.

After knocking on the door, a voice from inside invited him in.

Nie Zhenbang pushed the door open and seeing Li Hao half-stand to greet him, he also smiled, “Hello, Secretary Li. It’s good to see you.”

With that, he took out two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes from his briefcase and casually threw them into Li Hao’s semi-open desk drawer. He pointed to the office inside and whispered, “Secretary Li, is there any chance Secretary Shen is available right now?”

Li Hao’s face hinted at a mild discomfort but he still laughed, “Mayor Nie, you have inconvenient timing. Liu Jiawei, the director of the Provincial Public Security Bureau, is currently inside reporting to Secretary Shen. He just walked in and will probably be in there for at least an hour or two. Maybe you could return in the afternoon?”

This stunned Nie Zhenbang. It seems that Shen Yanshuo indirectly expressed his dissatisfaction to him. Shen had strictly asked him over the phone to rush to the provincial party committee as quickly as possible, but when he arrived, Shen suddenly became busy. This was clearly illogical. It was evident that Shen Yanshuo was attempting to suppress him.

“Hehe, alright then. I will make sure to return after two in the afternoon. Secretary Li, do you have time for lunch? Let us dine together,” Nie Zhenbang proposed, chuckling.

The suggestion to dine was more of a formality than a genuine invitation and Li Hao would likely decline. As expected, Li Hao smiled, “Sorry, Mayor Nie. With my superior in attendance, it’s not appropriate for me to leave. Let’s meet another time when there’s an opportunity.”

Departing the provincial committee office building, Nie Zhenbang strolled onto the street and casually bought some fruit before heading towards the provincial government compound.

Almost half past twelve, Nie Zhenbang casually strolled into the courtyard of Ning Shouchang in the government family residential area.