Chapter 229
"It's fine if he's alright. Uncle Yu going to the Agricultural Bureau to gain experience for a couple of years isn't bad either. He can even take on the compound fertilizer trial work. So, how was his son sentenced?"
Yu Feng had built up quite a network of connections during his years in the county. As long as he didn't fall from power, Mingli's political career would progress smoothly. That was the only point Nansheng really cared about.
"The money's all been paid back, so they certainly won't sentence him to death. I didn't ask about the specifics in detail."
This brother-in-law was both foolish and wicked. Mingli couldn't even be bothered to waste time on him. "Sis, this hot pot is really delicious. Why didn't you cook more? Now we have to prepare more, what a hassle."
"It is a hassle. I didn't expect you to show up suddenly!" Nansheng teased her brother, implying he was a big eater!
"If we had a copper pot and charcoal, eating while dipping ingredients would be even more enjoyable!"
Mingli wasn't upset by his sister's teasing. He just shrugged and waited for the next potful. The funniest one was Qiqi, who specifically fished out potatoes to eat once the hot pot was ready.
Nansheng never expected the day would come when this child wouldn't want meat.
"Mom, I think the vegetables are even tastier than the meat!"
Alright then, she could eat whatever she wanted...
After a hearty meal, Mingli got up to leave for home, but Nansheng disagreed. "What's the rush? It's so cold, do you really have to travel back in the dark?"
"Sis, I have something on. I need to go back today to help Brother Yi and the others deliver a batch of goods. They're short-handed."
Mingli was about to get married, so Nansheng couldn't meddle too much. Even as close siblings, they needed to maintain boundaries. She could only find one of Lin Han's thick coats for him to wrap around himself against the cold wind.
Nansheng instructed him, "I packed some hot pot base in a small jar, sealed with oil paper. Be careful riding your bike so it doesn't spill. Take it back for mom and dad to try. If they like it, they can come get more."
Mingli agreed, thinking to himself that only his sister would be so generous. The amount of oil used in this one hot pot meal was enough for an ordinary family for one or two months.
He still had to work hard, to make sure his parents and his wife could eat such delicious food every meal.
After Mingli left, the two children were shooed to the west room. They had eaten so much they kept pacing around the room, making Nansheng dizzy.
Seeing only himself and his wife left in the room, Lin Han felt his heart stir restlessly. Truth be told, he was also stuffed and needed some vigorous exercise to work it off.
A long while later, Qiqi, tired from playing in the west room and wanting to return to the east room, was confused. Why were her parents' room lights off?
Persistently, she went to tug on the door—it was bolted shut tight. Afraid of waking her parents, the child could only make do staying with her brother for the night...
Speaking of which, Yu Feng being transferred to the Agricultural Bureau was also a good thing. He hadn't missed Secretary Ma's submitted work report. Everyone understood the significant role fertilizer could play for the land.
Every spring, villages went crazy competing for chemical fertilizer. But due to limited quantities, it could only be allocated to villages with relatively better grain yields to maximize its effect.
Now that a new compound fertilizer was out, with Nansheng overseeing it, he believed its effectiveness was guaranteed. After reading Secretary Ma's report, he immediately applied to higher-ups for Huaishan County to also serve as a trial site.
This was also the last written application report he would submit as County Head.
Yu Feng planned to discuss it in detail with Nansheng in the town when he went on his New Year holiday. Based on his understanding of the higher leadership, city-level leaders approved things beneficial to the people very quickly.
The worry was that even if the leaders were willing to support it, Rongcheng might not agree to conduct the trials in Huaishan County. That's where he would need his good niece Nansheng to help push it forward.
Nansheng was living comfortably back in her hometown, unaware that a major conflict had erupted over in Rongcheng.
A scientific research team suddenly arrived from the provincial level. They came to the county's chemical fertilizer factory demanding to take over the follow-up work and ordered experts like Old Wu to hand over all research data and production materials.
Because the newcomers had powerful backgrounds and were overbearing, Old Wu and the others, forced into a corner, destroyed the crucial data and materials. Although the research team managed to seize a large portion of the materials, without Old Wu and his team's cooperation, they had no way to continue the follow-up work.
Now, experts like Old Wu were separately detained, an attempt to break them down one by one and get them to cooperate in restoring the relevant data and materials.
However, these people were tough bones who had survived the scrutiny of the Revolutionary Committee. Having finally seen the light of day again with Nansheng's help, how could they possibly bow their heads?
Cao Guoxiang was hopping mad with anxiety in his office. "Just when I was about to turn things around, why did these damn troublemakers show up? They have no ability themselves but want to steal the fruits of our labor—they're not afraid of choking on them!
Now look, they didn't get the fruit, and the project is halted. Let's see how they explain this to the higher-ups!"
These research personnel had wanted to get involved ever since the compound fertilizer project started. After failing, they kept a watchful eye. Learning that the "troublemaker" Director Nan had returned to her hometown, they used the excuse of the county's crude production equipment posing significant hazards to apply to come down and "help."
Cao Guoxiang knew perfectly well what they were really after. Upon getting the news, he immediately had someone notify the chemical fertilizer factory, which led to the destruction of the important materials.
If he weren't afraid of offending the forces behind them, he wouldn't have had to act so covertly.
The people around Cao Guoxiang also had headaches. These people from the research institute were all arrogant and haughty. They couldn't handle Old Wu and the others themselves, yet they wanted the government to assist in persuading them.
Oh, so when coercion doesn't work, they know to try persuasion? What were they thinking earlier?
"Secretary, letting them run amok like this isn't a solution. Should we report this matter?"
Cao Guoxiang gave a cold laugh. "Of course we report it. I've been holding back these past few days, waiting for them to mess things up. Call the city right now!"
No one was going to steal his and Director Nan's political achievements!
The city leaders knew that relevant provincial research personnel had gone to the county to "provide guidance." As long as it didn't affect progress, they had turned a blind eye.
After receiving Cao Guoxiang's call, a leader was stunned. "What! The chemical fertilizer factory has stopped production!"
They finally had a good project benefiting the nation and the people. They were all waiting for the fertilizer to be produced and put into trials. A stoppage at this time severely impacted the follow-up work.
"What's the exact reason? Is it equipment, insufficient personnel, or problems with the production data?"
"None of those. It's that after the research institute people arrived, they clashed with the original experts. Important materials were destroyed, and they wouldn't even let me report it!"
"Outrageous!"
The city leader angrily berated Cao Guoxiang over the phone. After hanging up, he immediately called the provincial level. In the past, he had been submissive towards provincial leaders, but this time was different. In his anger, he even dared to argue back with the provincial leader.
"Leader, the research institute must give us an explanation for this matter. If they hadn't been coveting the results with ulterior motives, the fertilizer factory wouldn't have stopped production. This affects the interests of the state and the people. I absolutely will not back down!"
The provincial leader was also bewildered. How did such a thing suddenly happen? Just a few days ago at a meeting, he had been bragging to other provincial leaders.
He said they had developed a compound fertilizer and would soon begin trials. And now they were dropping the ball?