Chapter 391: 379 Governor presides _1

March 9th, a day full of promise, a day after Liangxi City celebrated International Women’s Day, the People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference of Liangxi City was officially convened.

What caught all the officials in Liangxi City off guard was the arrival of Ning Shouchang, the provincial committee member, deputy secretary of the provincial party committee, and governor of Jiangbei Province, who had unexpectedly come to the city the night before.

Ning Shouchang met with Nie Zhenbang that same night following his stay at the city committee’s First Guest House. They discussed little about Jiangbei province. Small matters, such as Nie Zhenbang’s election, were hardly broached.

Instead, there was a lot more discussion about communication with the central government. The situation of the Nie family at present is both awkward and delicate. First, the family lost its backbone with the passing of the patriarch. Second, no direct descendant of the Nie family has entered the Politburo. For now, families with ulterior motives are all wary of the Yang family, the Dong family, and Zhuang Aiguo. Sooner or later, this status quo will be broken. That would be the time when the Nie family will face pressure.

The current situation in Liangxi City is almost similar to that in New Li City back then. Zhou Chen was also up for election and was personally supervised by the head of the government. However, Ning Shouchang drove Zhou Chen away that time. The outcome this time is still uncertain. If Ning Shouchang is called away suddenly, like Tieli was back then, without any top-level officials holding down the fort, the situation might prove to be problematic.

The next day, outside the Liangxi City Committee Auditorium, flags flew, and banners, reading “Heartfelt Congratulations on the Successful Convening of the Two Assemblies of the City’s People’s Congress and Political Consultative Committee” and “Warmest Congratulations on the Successful Convening of the First Plenary Session of the Eleventh People’s Congress”, were hung on many streets across the city. These were sent by various districts, streets and municipal bureaus.

At eight in the morning, the county’s auditorium was full. All 1,862 representatives of the city’s People’s Congress were present, with not a single person missing. These representatives were there to exercise their power on behalf of the six million citizens of Liangxi City.

First order of the meeting was the selection of the presidium of the congress. Supervised by the special guest of Liangxi City People’s Congress, Governor Ning Shouchang, a presidium of thirty-seven people was elected for the Liangxi City. As the Liangxi City committee secretary and director of the city’s People’s Congress Standing Committee, Fan Changsheng naturally, and unanimously, was elected chairman of the presidium.

Then, representing the municipal party committee of Liangxi City, Fan Changsheng delivered a work report. Afterwards, Nie Zhenbang, acting as the mayor, reported on behalf of the city government.

Neither Fan Changsheng nor Nie Zhenbang were likely to make a spectacle of such formalities. Soon after, the city’s People’s Congress representatives unanimously endorsed both the municipal committee and city government’s work reports. And thus, the morning session came to a close.

“Governor, we are about to break for lunch. In appreciation of your attendance at our city’s two assemblies, and to thank the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government for their attention to Liangxi City, our City Committee has prepared a meal at the Liangxi Grand Hotel. Shall we head there now?” At this moment, Fan Changsheng stepped up to Ning Shouchang, bending slightly. It was entirely normal for Fan Changsheng to exhibit such a posture in front of the second-ranking leader in Jiangbei Province.

Ning Shouchang stood up and smilingly said, “The afternoon meeting is crucial, as Liangxi City will elect its governmental leader. During this break, I suggest that the members of the presidium stay, and we hold a brief meeting in the East Hall.”

Once Ning Shouchang had spoken, Fan Changsheng didn’t dare to say more. After all, it was only eleven o’clock; it was too early for lunch.

Immediately, Hu Youquan, the Secretary General of the municipal party committee, started organising the East Hall of the municipal committee’s auditorium.

Unlike the grand auditorium, the East Hall was a slightly smaller reception hall, decorated in a style similar to where foreign guests are received on television programmes. At the centre of the spacious hall was a Cold Plum, Proud in the Snow painting. The main seats were on either side, and surrounding them were sofas, enough to accommodate fifty to sixty people.

Right now, the members of the presidium, including the standing committee of the municipal party committee, a few deputy directors of the People’s Congress, retired former leaders, and the heads of the party and government of five districts and two cities in Liangxi City were present. In fact, this was the membership of the municipal party committee of Liangxi City.

With a sharp gaze, Ning Shouchang swept over the standing committee members and committee members, saying, “Colleagues, the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government attach great importance to the People’s Congress of Liangxi City this time. Secretary Shen Yanshuo specially dispatched me here which amply demonstrates the importance the Provincial Party Committee attaches to this matter. I believe this is something we are all well aware of.”

At Ning Shouchang’s words, everyone, including Fan Changsheng, found themselves nodding in agreement. However, Li Guohua didn’t look particularly pleased. But even Li Guohua could do nothing about it; not even his own patriarch could influence Shen Yanshuo, a member of the Central Politburo. Shen Yanshuo was regarded as a member of the Li faction, but his attitude suggested more of mutual cooperation.

Ning Shouchang then turned his gaze to Nie Zhenbang and continued, “This year the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council, and the Central Organization Department have initiated a personnel exchange. This is significant and the Central Committee attaches a lot of importance to it. The rejuvenation of the cadre, which is currently a major research topic, is indeed crucial. As Jiangbei Province is at the forefront of reform and opening up and is a pilot province for personnel exchange, we naturally need to set an example.”