Reborn as a Noble's Son

Moreover, Li Lixue’s belly was noticeably growing, which meant Nie Zhenbang needed to invest more time in his family.

At two in the afternoon, as Nie Zhenbang started his work, Yi Jun walked in, whispering, “Mayor, Director Liu Kunshan from the Land and Resources Bureau is here. What do you think…?”

Upon hearing Yi Jun’s announcement, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. He had just settled into his office when Liu Kunshan arrived, it seemed Liu had been waiting outside the municipal government office for him. Nie Zhenbang was not averse to reports from his junior officials. Juniors reporting their work to seniors, seeking guidance, was standard.

Moreover, as the saying goes, “it takes more than one to succeed in anything”. Being new to this city, he indeed needed a group of subordinates who could follow his orders, if not his confidants. If he failed to leave the government building, things would not go well.

Soon after, Nie Zhenbang nodded in agreement, “Let Director Liu come in.”

Liu Kunshan appeared to be around forty-five, which was not young among bureau-level officials. He was not especially tall, at about 1.7 meters, but he was notable. His thick eyebrows, coupled with his balding scalp, made it hard not to remember him.

He walked in wearing a black jacket with fur collar, carrying a black briefcase. Upon entering, Liu Kunshan nodded, slightly bowed and said, “Mayor, I appreciate your time amidst your busy schedule. I would like to report about the work of the Liangxi City Land and Resources Bureau.”

His voice was somewhat trembling, and sweat was visible on his forehead. These signs of nervousness somewhat pleased Nie Zhenbang. As they say, fear should be nurtured constantly. Especially in a department like Land and Resources, in economically fast-growing regions like Liangxi city. The opportunities to make money are massive for the person leading this department. Although the notorious land-based economic development was not evident during this era, it was gradually emerging in Liangxi city. This could be seen from the rapidly developing modern neighborhoods and the various commercial real estate advertisements. In such a key functional department, maintaining such an attitude was essential. Otherwise, once a problem arises, it would not be a small issue.

A slight smile appeared on Nie Zhenbang’s face, he was relaxed and casual. He waved his hand pointing towards the sofa and said, “Director Liu, please sit down. As they say, it is hard to detain a standing guest. Let’s talk about your work while seated.”

Liu Kunshan nodded his head, showing a thin smile, then sat down. Taking notice of his seating position, half seated, a common posture when giving a report within the system.

This habit seems to have become a commonly used tactic within the system. But why sit halfway down? It is not necessarily to show respect to superiors.

The halfway seated position is, in essence, the same as standing. This posture is uncomfortable, but it continually reminds you of the occasion. Furthermore, if the leader becomes dissatisfied or angry, you can stand up immediately, not giving the leader a sense of delay.

Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang also laughed and waved his hand saying, “Director Liu, you might not know me well. There’s no need for these old routines. Sit comfortably. It’s uncomfortable sitting like that while doing a work report. Just be sure to give a good work report. I don’t appreciate such formalities.”

His words eased Liu Kunshan’s expression, and a hint of joy appeared on his face. When talking with leaders, understanding their thoughts is crucial. Nie Zhenbang’s words conveyed two implications. The first was that he wasn’t considering any changes to Liu Kunshan’s bureau director position; Liu could work as director adequately. His position was secure. The second was emphasizing the requirement for practical work attitudes and results, not bureaucratic jargon.

Subsequently, Liu Kunshan nodded, carefully placed his briefcase aside, and pulled out a black notebook from the bag, placing it beside his thigh. He began, “Mayor, last year, our Land and Resources Bureau leased 12,000 acres of land by adopting a combination of bidding, auctioning, and listing. This resulted in nearly two billion RMB from land transfer funds…”

“Director Kunshan, in terms of land transfer, the Land and Resources department must maintain stringent control. We should learn from the relocation standards and practices of Northwest Xinli City in terms of the resettlement and compensation of demolition households. We must firmly put a stop to forcible demolition or violent eviction. When planning the land, we must take into account the current scale of the city and future development needs. Strictly review the qualifications of each company to prevent swindles occurring.” Nie Zhenbang was quite satisfied with Liu Kunshan’s report. By the end of it, he had already begun to address him with the more affectionate ‘Director Kunshan’.

Liu Kunshan never referred to his notes during the entire report. He spoke smoothly and confidently about policies and regulations related to land and resources, demonstrating that he undoubtedly was competent and knowledgeable. This was one of the reasons Nie Zhenbang valued him.

As for his following words, frankly speaking, Nie Zhenbang wasn’t particularly familiar with the guiding work of the Land and Resources Department. However, remaining silent or not expressing his thoughts was not an option; that would make him look like a leader without any capability.

In the end, based on some of the issues Nie Zhenbang encountered in his land administration work, he overall summarizes and puts forward requirements.

For Liu Kunshan, however, the summary was extraordinary. Mayor Nie really lived up to his reputation. With this in mind, Liu Kunshan was even more convinced of his decision to ally himself. Immediately thereafter, Liu Kunshan stood up and said, “Rest assured, Mayor, upon my return, I will convene an internal meeting within the city’s land administration system. We will thoroughly study your speech and guidance, striving to take our city’s land administration work to the next level.”

Subsequently, Liu Kunshan left and the Deputy Mayor of Dahu District, Jiang Yutai, entered with Yi Jun’s guidance.

Nie Zhenbang did not have a very good impression of Jiang Yutai. Jiang Yutai always seemed to talk big.

“Mayor, in Dahu District, we plan to allocate a large piece of land along the banks of the Dahu River this year as an expansion of our urban area. At the same time, we are initially planning to bring in several large paper manufacturing companies.” Jiang Yutai said confidently.

At this moment, Nie Zhenbang’s face turned grim. Having paper manufacturing companies by the lake, one could imagine that all the fish and shrimp in the lake would be extinct within a few years.

Furthermore, from what Nie Zhenbang understood, Jiang Yutai, who was in charge of agriculture and water resources, had nothing to do with the economy. The purpose of his visit seemed to be one thing: to curry favor. Everyone knew that Nie Zhenbang was a master in economics, having obtained a master’s degree in the field. If he appreciated their work on economic development, their careers would undoubtedly skyrocket. However, Jiang Yutai overlooked Nie Zhenbang’s character.

With a slight frown, Nie Zhenbang rested his hands flat on the office desk. When Jiang Yutai finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang waved his hand, “Comrade Jiang Yutai, let’s wrap up today’s meeting. I have other things to attend to. We can continue this some other time.”

Hearing Nie Zhenbang’s words, a trace of embarrassment spread across Jiang Yutai’s face. At this moment, Jiang Yutai came to his senses and looked crestfallen, probably realizing that his flattery had missed the mark. He could only stand up to bid farewell and leave. Under the circumstances, he wouldn’t dare confront Nie Zhenbang. The mayor had implicitly indicated his dismissal, so staying would only leave a worse impression.

After Jiang Yutai had left, Liu Kunshan, the Secretary of the Guicheng District Committee, walked in, arranged by Yi Jun.

As soon as Liu Kunshan entered the room, Nie Zhenbang stood up before Liu Kunshan could speak and greeted him with a smile. “Comrade Liu Kunshan is here. Please have a seat. I’ve heard a lot about you from Secretary He Dingbang. You’ve done an excellent job in Guicheng District.”

The old saying goes, “Receive a plum in return for a peach given.” Liu Kunshan wasn’t a fool. He knew that Nie Zhenbang’s politeness was mainly due to his respect for the old Secretary, He Dingbang. Without Nie Zhenbang’s approval, Liu wouldn’t receive such courtesies in future.

With a smile, Liu Kunshan replied, “Mr. Mayor, sorry for being late. Since last year, the issues of helping the factories in Qingfang City have given us a headache in Guicheng District’s Committee and Government. Unexpectedly, it has caused trouble for you. It’s our negligence.”

Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang laughed heartily and waved his hand. “Secretary Liu, don’t be too hard on yourself. You and your committee played a significant role in handling the Qingfang City issues. The three factories of Qingfang city fall directly under the municipal state-owned enterprises. You have done quite well to achieve such a result.”

After some cordial exchanges, both discussed the affairs of Qingfang City. As the Secretary of the Guicheng District, Liu Kunshan was familiar with the matters of Qingfang City and served as a good channel for understanding the situation. After discussing Qingfang City’s matter, Liu Kunshan suddenly changed the subject: “Mayor, there’s one thing, and I’m not sure if I should mention it.”

This caught Nie Zhenbang’s attention. If Liu Kunshan mentioned it, it must be significant. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang seriously responded, “Of course, you may speak freely here, and share whatever you know.”

Liu Kunshan deliberated for a while, seemingly making a significant decision, explaining, “Mayor, as far as I know, the problem with Qingfang City probably stems from the leadership team. Based on what I understand, the leaders of the three factories likely have significant issues.”

Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was only left with one thought in his mind — parasites of the nation!(.)