Reborn as a Noble's Son

Chapter 716: Chapter 672 Nie Zhenbang’s Plan_1
 

It’s not that Nie Zhenbang is bureaucratic and requires the provincial party secretary himself to come to greet him. In fact, for Jiangbei Province, having Ning Shouchang come to greet him is already a high-level reception.

Adjusting his mood, Nie Zhenbang greeted them with a smile. This time, those who came to receive him were all from the rank and file of Ning Shouchang. After a round of pleasantries, Nie Zhenbang and Ning Shouchang got into a car. The motorcade slowly started up and drove out of Jiangzhou Airport.

“Zhenbang, as of now, I must say, I am thoroughly impressed,” Ning Shouchang sighed as soon as they got in the car.

Ning Shouchang’s words were not meant to flatter. He didn’t think Nie Zhenbang would be successful in Minan Province or WangHai City, the waters there are too deep. One careless move could ruin everything.

But what Ning Shouchang didn’t expect was Nie Zhenbang not only managed to find his footing but also stirred the wind and the waves. Not only did he emerge as the ultimate victor, but he also successfully took the most important step.

The gulf that exists between the mid-ranking and department or provincial level officers in the system is similar to the difference between a colonel and a brigadier in the armed forces. Although the difference seems minor, the change in treatment, status, and future prospects are completely different concepts.

Whether you are a department level officer or a colonel, you always remain a medium to a high-ranking official in the party. But when you enter the ranks of the departmental officials, or become a brigadier, you are truly considered a senior official in the party. That is the difference. Now, Nie Zhenbang has managed this transition in his thirties, and, what’s more, he is not in a nominal position but a vice-ministerial level role with real power. His future looks bright.

Now, Ning Shouchang being so courteous has the motive of closing the gap between them. He knows he won’t be in power for many more years, that’s a certitude. But he still has people under him and his son is also in the system. He needs to find a strong backing. Clearly, Nie Zhenbang fit this criterion.

Listening to Ning Shouchang, Nie Zhenbang also laughed, replying calmly, “Uncle Ning, you are too kind. My achievements today are due to the selfless help and support of uncles like you.”

Although Nie Zhenbang’s words mildly reeked of flattery, his compliments were different from the bootlicking observed between superiors and subordinates within the system. The latter is mainly to please the superiors for career advancement, while Nie Zhenbang’s flattery aims to strengthen the relationship between them.

At this moment, Ning Shouchang also laughed heartily. Although he knew these were Nie Zhenbang’s flattering words, it was nevertheless gratifying to his ears.

He laughed lightly, shaking his head and said, “You, stop trying to butter me up. Recently, when I was in touch with your father, we discussed you. If Zhiyuan had half of your ability, I could retire now and have peace of mind.”

After a pause, Ning Shouchang turned to look at Nie Zhenbang, “Zhenbang, what are your plans for this trip to Jiangbei?”

When the conversation shifted to the main subject, Nie Zhenbang became serious. After a moment of silence, he nodded, “I haven’t come up with a specific plan yet. However, I want to meet with Chen Le, Yi Jun, and Zhiyuan first.”

As he spoke, a hint of apology appeared on Nie Zhenbang’s face. “Uncle Ning, to be honest, I feel guilty about them. After the Eastern Development Forum back then, I hastily left Liangxi City, making them bear the brunt of the Li family’s wrath and pressure. Now that I think about it, I regret it a bit. Fortunately, you are still here. Shen Yanshuo would have to somewhat consider your face. Otherwise, I really wouldn’t know how to face them.”

Ning Shouchang, one of the insiders at the time, was also well aware of this. After Nie Zhenbang left, the direct officials he left behind had a tough time. This was very clear. However, Ning Shouchang was able to understand Nie Zhenbang’s state of mind at the time.

He smiled and consoled him, “Zhenbang, it was not your fault. Given the circumstances, your departure to WangHai City drew away much of the Li family’s attention. Moreover, Shen Yanshuo’s relationship with the Li family isn’t solid either. It actually made things easier for Zhiyuan and the others. But Chen Le has had a tough time these past few years. After all, he was the main force behind the takedown of Li Guohua. Even now, life isn’t easy for him.”

Listening to this, Nie Zhenbang nodded, his mind made up, “Alright, I should meet them first. Uncle Ning, could I trouble you to arrange this for me?”

Jiangzhou City, White Peony Hotel. This is one of the reception hotels appointed by the Jiangbei Provincial Committee and the provincial government. Given Shen Yanshuo’s situation, Ning Shouchang didn’t arrange for Nie Zhenbang’s group to stay at the Jiangbei Hotel.

Located on the sixteenth floor of the White Peony Hotel, all members of the sanguoban office are strictly adhering to the standard government reception regulations without any special arrangements.

Even with Nie Zhenbang’s status, at the vice-ministerial level, his normal entitlement is just a small business suite.

After having dinner with Ning Shouchang, Nie Zhenbang returned to the hotel to rest. After not sitting for long, there was a sound of a doorbell from outside.

As soon as Li Jupeng opened the door, Nie Zhenbang stood up. At a glance, he saw Chen Le outside the door. It’s been five years since they last met. Even though they had called each other during holidays in these years, Nie Zhenbang knew Chen Le very well – he was the type to only report good news, not bad.

He had met Chen Le back in Lixian, when Chen Le was buoyant and full of vitality. Now, although Chen Le is only 38, it’s clear that much of the hair at his temples has turned grey, and the crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes have become much more pronounced.

Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang inexplicably felt a sting in his heart. He went forward, opened his arms without hesitation, and embraced Chen Le, Yi Jun, Ning Zhiyuan, Huang Xuyang, and He Qingjun one by one. He then welcomed all three of them into the room.

Once seated in the living room, he glanced slowly around at everyone and then said softly, “All these years, you have been through a lot. I appreciate that you have been able to maintain the current situation. It was not easy. I am thankful that you have been with me throughout my life.”

The atmosphere in the living room seemed oppressive and gloomy. Chen Le remained at the position of director of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau, without any change. Yi Jun, on the other hand, had assumed the post of Party Secretary for Zisha City. Huang Xuyang had become an executive officer, and He Qingjun had become the deputy director of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau. Among them, Ning Zhiyuan had advanced and become a standing member of the Liangxi City Committee and the executive vice mayor.

It was very normal. In Jiangbei Province, it was quite impressive for Chen Le to maintain his position. As one of the main contributors to Nie Zhenbang’s overthrow of Li Guohua, Chen Le was also a key target of the Li family in Jiangbei Province. He naturally would not be allowed to climb the ladder of success unhindered.

After hearing Ning Zhiyuan’s report on their situation, Nie Zhenbang remained silent for a while. After a moment, he turned to Chen Le and said, “Old Chen, you’ve worked hard over the years. Do you have any thoughts?”

The past five years of hardship have not been without benefits for Chen Le. As one of the earliest members of Nie Zhenbang’s team, and a very trusted one at that, Chen Le can be said to have contributed significantly to Nie Zhenbang’s current standing. From single-handedly blocking the county party secretary in Lixian then, to taking down Li Guohua in Liangxi City later, Chen Le played an important role in Nie Zhenbang’s rise. Similarly, Chen Le himself had achieved great success at a young age, becoming the head of the Lixian Public Security Bureau at 27 and the head of the city-level Bureau at 32. However, over these five years, Chen Le gained a lot of insights and became more stable and mature than before.

Shaking his head slightly, he looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, “Mayor, remember when we first met in Lixian, I said that I would do as you instruct. My words still stand today. Whatever you want me to do, I will do. I have no objections.”

It was still the kind of agreeable words that made Nie Zhenbang feel extremely reassured. He was pondering, from the moment the plane took off from Bunker Airport in Xibei, he had been considering matters about Jiangbei. Among the few people from Liangxi City, currently, there were two that had the credentials, the rank and were fit for big assignments, one was Ning Zhiyuan and the other was Chen Le. As for Ning Zhiyuan, Nie was not very concerned, after all, Ning Shouchang could still assist him at this time. The one he was mainly considering was Chen Le.

After musing for a while, Nie Zhenbang slowly proposed, “Old Chen, what do you say about taking up a position in Yu Province this time?”

These words stunned Chen Le for a moment, but he nodded without any hesitation, “Mayor, I will follow your advice.”

Chen Le’s transfer to Yu province was a carefully calculated move by Nie Zhenbang. On the one hand, Mu Dingjian was currently serving as the provincial governor of Yu Province and was soon to take up the position of Provincial Party Secretary. On the other hand, Li Taishi was also in Yu Province. Sending Chen Le there was the equivalent of placing him on the fast track to promotion. As long as there were no accidents, there was no doubt that Chen Le would become a ministerial-level cadre by the age of 45.

Just as he finished speaking, there was suddenly a knock at the door. As soon as Li Jupeng opened the door, Huang Xudong walked in and said quietly, “Jupeng, just now, there was some important news from the Jiangbei Provincial Committee.”