The Tempting Road to Becoming an Official

"Yes, that's the one. At that time, the district even arranged for a vehicle to bring our village representatives to see the housing project. At that time, construction hadn't stopped yet, and everyone felt it was great. The only drawback was that the location was too remote. But the district officials said that this place would be planned as the city center in the future. Upon hearing this, everyone was overjoyed and naturally signed without hesitation."

Xiao Ye sighed and said.

What happened next began to lose its charm.

The district acted quickly.

They gave the villagers a month to move.

Originally, it was agreed that before the project was delivered, each household would receive a rent subsidy of 1,500 yuan per month.

This subsidy was received for only three months.

By the fourth month, the money was not deposited on time.

The village then sent representatives to ask the district, but the district found various reasons to delay.

This delay resulted in no further payments.

"So, did you move here afterwards?"

Chen Fang asked.

Xiao Ye shook her head and said, "Initially, no. After all, everyone thought that as long as the project was delivered, the housing problem would be solved. But no one expected that after about half a year, construction stopped. At first, they gave many reasons, until we heard that the project's developer had run away, and only then did everyone start to really panic."

They sought an explanation from the district.

The district did not respond.

So they tried the city.

The city leaders played the blame game, sending them back to the district for resolution.

And so it went on for more than a year, busy with back and forth.

The housing subsidy was nowhere to be seen, and the completion of the houses was still a long way off.

Coupled with the government's evasion, everyone finally couldn't bear it anymore. Village chief Si Ruzheng organized the villagers, deciding to petition at the provincial level. No one expected that on the road, they were stopped by the district police department and charged with the crime of causing trouble. All sixteen villagers who were petitioning were detained for a full month before being released.

Two years ago.

The district committee building rose at the foot of Nanmen Mountain.

It became the most imposing district-level government complex in the city.

But the people of Nanmen Village, with no house or money, and even some who were prosecuted, were in stark contrast, like heaven and earth.

"Didn't you think of continuing the petitions?"

Chen Fang asked.

Xiao Ye nodded.

She said, "Of course we did, but later the district committee and district government made a big move, sending people to give us an ultimatum, saying that if anyone continued to make trouble, they would stop our social security and health insurance. Those with jobs would be laid off; those with positions would be unemployed, and they even threatened to cancel our household registrations, making it impossible for even the children to attend school. Under this pressure, most people gave up."

"Those who had the ability left here to seek a livelihood elsewhere; the younger ones also went to other places to work, leaving behind only those who really couldn't leave and some of the elderly, weak, women, and children. With no money to rent a house, they could only move to this unfinished real estate project to live."

"There was no electricity here, so most people used kerosene lamps, candles, or flashlights. Without water, they had to go to the river a kilometer away to fetch it. The most difficult part was certainly having no money. Previously, they still had land, so they wouldn't starve, but now every cent has to be bought with money. Tell me, those elderly people, where can they go to earn money..."

As she was speaking, Xiao Ye's eyes reddened.

Upon hearing this.

Chen Fang suddenly realized.

He asked, "Are you earning money at all costs to support them?"

Si Ye nodded.

"Two years ago, my father said to me on his deathbed that he was the one who convinced everyone to sign, so this responsibility must be borne by our Si family. There's no choice. I had to stop my studies and return here. Of course, I can't bring everyone back to the past. The only thing I can do is try my best to earn money to support them."

"Your father is Village Chief Si Ruzheng?"

Chen Fang asked.

Si Ye gave a soft affirmative.

Unable to control her emotions any longer, tears streamed down.

Chen Fang empathetically reached out to wipe her tears.

At that moment.

His heart was in turmoil.

He took a deep breath.

He asked, "Did Ye Fuqiang not let you seek medical care because you are still appealing?"

"Yes."

Si Ye wiped her tears.

She said, "We have no other methods, just thought of posting our experience online, but for every post we make, they delete one. The district has already sent people several times to warn us. If we don't stop, not only will they not let us seek medical care, but they also won't let us live in this place anymore."

Unbelievable.

Truly unbelievable.

Chen Fang had been in government for so long.

He had naturally seen authorities who treated the people like grass.

But he had never seen leaders who abused their power over the people as if they were ants.

At this moment.

He was beyond angry.

"You've known me for so long, and you know I'm a leader, why didn't you tell me earlier, I could have helped you?"

Chen Fang suppressed his anger and asked.

Si Ye smiled with a bit of guilt.

Chen Fang shivered.

He asked, "Do you think that I would be like them?"

Si Ye hurriedly shook her head, paused briefly, then nodded and said, "Over the years, I've seen what it means to cover for each other in officialdom."

"What about Xu Fengyuan? The former Disciplinary Committee Secretary, why didn't you go to him? He's a good official."

"Brother Fang... no... Secretary Chen... we're just ordinary people, how could we reach such high officials? Of course, we tried protesting in front of the City Committee, but what's the use? As soon as we reached the place, Shangjiang District's police came to drag us away, we had no choice."

This sentence.

It's probably the cry of a person at the bottom.

At this time, Chen Fang was already in a high position, and something that seemed so simple to him was something these people could never accomplish.

Power is not a tool for these people to protect the people's interests.

Instead, it became a tool for persecuting the people.

When power falls into the hands of such trash, the people really have no recourse but to cry out to the heavens and earth in vain.

"Do you know why Ye Fuqiang insisted on building the district committee building on Nanmen Mountain?"

Suddenly.

Si Ye asked Chen Fang.

Chen Fang naturally didn't know, shaking his head.

Si Ye sighed and said, "Because he is very superstitious, very superstitious. In the city, on Golden Phoenix Mountain, there is a White Crane Taoist Temple, where a Daoist named Daoist Tong Xuan advised Ye Fuqiang."

Ye Fuqiang is quite obsessed with Yijing Bagua and always believes in the existence of spirits.

Since he became the Shangjiang District Party Secretary, he became even more obsessed.

On the first and fifteenth of every month, he must go to the White Crane Taoist Temple to burn incense.

Because of this.

The relationship between him and Daoist Tong Xuan became quite close.