242: He's just a coward.

Wan Guoliang's passionate speech won warm applause.

After the applause died down, Lin Zifeng, on behalf of everyone, expressed gratitude for Wan Guoliang's hard work over the past three years!

Wan Guoliang was the protagonist of the evening, so Lin Zifeng's speech was very brief.

Finally, he raised his glass and said: "Come, let us all toast to our Secretary together. Wishing you a smooth journey, a bright future, and continued success in your career."

Everyone raised their glasses and drank with Wan Guoliang in one gulp.

The banquet officially began. Lin Zifeng chatted with all the County Party Standing Committee Members while occasionally toasting Wan Guoliang.

Half an hour later, Cadres from other tables also came over one after another to toast, expressing their sentiments.

The banquet lasted for over two hours before nearing its end. Although Wan Guoliang had a high tolerance for alcohol and could drink a jin and a half of White Liquor on important occasions without any issues.

However, today's occasion was somewhat special, and Wan Guoliang had let go of all his reservations, so when the banquet ended and he walked out of the Government Canteen accompanied by Lin Zifeng and others, his walk was a bit unsteady.

About eighty or ninety percent drunk, Wan Guoliang shook hands and said goodbye to each County Party Standing Committee Member.

When it was finally Lin Zifeng's turn, he shook hands with Lin Zifeng while whispering in his ear: "County Magistrate Zifeng, let us say our goodbyes here."

"I won't be coming to the County Committee Compound tomorrow morning."

Lin Zifeng understood Wan Guoliang's meaning; that was, he would leave quietly before work tomorrow morning, not wanting to disturb everyone with a send-off. Some things should be handled in moderation.

So he nodded and said: "I understand, Secretary. Go back and get some rest! After a while, I will go to the City Level to visit you."

Wan Guoliang nodded with satisfaction, patted his shoulder, and turned to walk towards the car a few steps away.

Zhao Chunming opened the back door in advance, and together with Lin Zifeng, helped Wan Guoliang into the car.

After closing the back door, Lin Zifeng looked at Zhao Chunming and said: "Chunming, take good care of the Secretary."

"Please rest assured, County Magistrate. The Secretary has had quite a bit to drink; I will stay by the Secretary's side to take care of him tonight."

The reason Zhao Chunming said this was because Wan Guoliang's family was in the City Level, and knowing that Wan Guoliang was to be transferred back to the City Level, his family had already returned there in advance.

Wan Guoliang left by car, and then Lin Zifeng said goodbye to everyone and also left by car.

The next day, before work, Wan Guoliang left Yushu County very low-key, accompanied by his driver and Secretary.

Ordinary people did not yet know that in the County Committee Compound, which symbolized power, the era of Wan Guoliang had quietly ended.

And Lin Zifeng, the County Magistrate temporarily presiding over the county's overall work, could not yet be considered the new leader of Yushu County, but he could already exercise the powers of the County Party Secretary.

Therefore, as soon as work started, the number of Cadres coming to report work to him was more than double the usual, and they were already lining up at Wang Zhongyu's Office.

The officialdom was just this realistic. Lin Zifeng felt deeply emotional inside, but on the surface, there was no change.

In the following days, Lin Zifeng spent his time in such busyness.

For those who genuinely came to report work, he would receive them very seriously; if they came to express their loyalty or fawn and flatter him, he would dismiss them in a few words.

A week later, in his capacity as the person temporarily presiding over the county's work, he convened the first County Party Standing Committee meeting.

When Lin Zifeng walked into the Small Meeting Room accompanied by Wang Zhongyu, the other Standing Committee Members had already arrived in advance.

Seeing Lin Zifeng walk in, everyone stood up one after another to greet him.

After responding to each one, Lin Zifeng sat in the first seat on his left, not in the main seat in the very center.

Zhao Liqiang looked at Lin Zifeng with a complex expression, then glanced obscurely at the empty main seat, a flash of longing in his eyes.

Lin Zifeng cleared his throat and said: "Let us begin the meeting. First, Secretary Liqiang will read the important excerpts from the Party newspaper. Let us understand and learn its spirit together, and better integrate the spirit of the Party's policies into our work."

Zhao Liqiang nodded, took out the prepared Party newspaper literature, and began to read with cadence, while everyone lowered their heads to take notes.

More than half an hour later, Zhao Liqiang finished reading.

Next, several pre-determined topics were passed, and as the meeting neared its end, Lin Zifeng spoke again: "Comrades, there is only a little over a month left before all the work for the year concludes, and it is also the stage where various work statistics need to be compiled."

"Therefore, we cannot slacken in our work; we must have a perfect conclusion to all work for the year 2010."

"Comrades and I must not relax. Recently, some Comrades have had wandering thoughts. This situation, which is unfavorable to work, cannot happen again. We must devote all our thoughts to our work."

"Those of you present here are the core leadership of our Yushu County. Any fluctuation in our thinking will affect other Cadres in the county."

Lin Zifeng's words were profound. The reason he said this was because among the County Party Standing Committee Members, several people who wanted to advance further had not had their minds on their work during this period.

They were running to the City Level every few days with various excuses, and Zhao Liqiang was the worst among them.

Due to Wan Guoliang's promotion, there was one less County Party Standing Committee Member. Some Cadres who felt they had a chance to become a Standing Committee Member also began to run around in the City Level under this influence of following the leader's example.

It had already affected work, which is why Lin Zifeng spoke out to knock some sense into them at the Standing Committee meeting.

Hearing these words, the hand Zhao Liqiang was using to hold his teacup shook slightly, and the embarrassment on the faces of Zou Dekai and Li Yang flashed by.

Zhao Liqiang wanted to retort a few words, but seeing Lin Zifeng's calm eyes and seeing that no one else had any intention of speaking, his lips finally moved, but not a single sound came out.

Wei Ting, as the only female County Party Standing Committee Member, kept observing everyone's expressions, focusing on Zhao Liqiang.

She took in all of Zhao Liqiang's changing expressions.

Seeing Zhao Liqiang's expression, Wei Ting found it funny in her heart and couldn't help but think: Zhao Liqiang really doesn't know his own limitations! He has been in Yushu County for a year, and apart from Party building work, he has no other outstanding political achievements, yet he still fantasizes about getting his hands on the seat of the County Party Secretary?

If you want to pick peaches, you must have the ability to pick them!

Running to the City Level every day—even if you run until your legs break, it will all be in vain.

The Old Leader is truly domineering! Such an obvious reprimand is equivalent to a direct slap in the face, yet he didn't dare to make a peep. With just this much capability, he still wants to reap without sowing; it's barely enough for him to be a deputy secretary of the county party committee.

Just as Wei Ting was secretly thinking about this, Lin Zifeng announced the end of the meeting again, then stood up and left the Small Meeting Room first, accompanied by Wang Zhongyu.

Everyone stood up one after another, preparing to leave. Zhao Liqiang muttered in a low voice: "Our County Magistrate is becoming more and more like the head of the family."

Apart from the thick sourness in his words, there was also irony—that Lin Zifeng wasn't even the County Party Secretary yet, but he had started acting with authority at the Standing Committee meeting.

These people were all smart; they all understood what he meant, but not a single person replied. They all acted as if they hadn't heard and walked outside one after another.

Everyone thought to themselves, you only dare to be snide after the person has left.

If you dared to say it to his face, I would think more highly of you. Muttering like this now, you're just a coward.

Seeing that no one paid any attention to him, and he was left alone in the meeting room in an instant, Zhao Liqiang's face turned red, and he walked outside.