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Chapter 231 Enemy Shadows Appear Suddenly
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Fan Chunsheng was a well-known figure in Chengdu's officialdom. Once an official reaches a certain rank, news of their promotion may not become widely known.
However, if an official encounters misfortune and falls from grace, the news will definitely reach everyone's ears immediately, especially those with similar status.
Bad news travels fast because people are used to learning from others' experiences and stepping on the backs of others' failures to help themselves reach greater heights and see further.
In officialdom, it is not uncommon for a single misstep to lead to eternal regret. Therefore, Fan Chunsheng became a celebrity, a true celebrity, ever since he was brought down by Min Hong.
Perhaps it was because Fan Chunsheng's wife was not very shrewd that she was unaware of some of the usual embezzlement and bribery, which allowed her to escape punishment and not be implicated in the case.
But precisely because of this, this woman, who had developed an outspoken and sassy personality within the Municipal Health Bureau and her private circle of friends, immediately exposed the matter, even providing a detailed description of the incident's location as Haitang Entertainment City.
As a result, all of Fan Chunsheng's colleagues in the city knew that he had committed another crime.
While praising his quick thinking and ability to exploit rules and loopholes to pull strings and get medical parole, they were also shocked by the ruthlessness and decisiveness of Minhong Pharmaceutical.
This privately-owned patriotic enterprise, which enjoys an excellent reputation and is expected to be commended by the central government soon, is not a sheep at all.
It's quite possible that Minhong Pharmaceutical is, at its core, the king of felines, a fierce tiger.
Normally, its claws are tucked under its paws, allowing it to move silently. But when it's hunting, its claws extend instantly, and combined with its natural explosive power, it can deliver a fatal blow to its prey.
Gentle animals inspire confidence and are easy to control. Naturally aggressive animals can also be tamed like pets, but an animal that possesses both gentleness and aggression will not be taken lightly by anyone unless they are prepared for a counterattack.
This is the kind of animal that will receive the best treatment, both in terms of regular feeding and the attitude of its owner.
Since this incident, Minhong Pharmaceutical has been labeled as dangerous by many officials and self-important individuals: a danger lurking beneath a gentle exterior!
Although there was no evidence to prove that Minhong was behind all of this, and although it could not be ruled out that Fan Chunsheng's enemies used the fact that he had been brought down by Minhong as a smokescreen, everyone made a decision in their hearts, believing that it was better to be safe than sorry: not to provoke Minhong Pharmaceuticals too much, and even if leaders above said they wanted to deal with Minhong, they must make themselves appear to be under pressure and stay out of it.
Because everyone considers their own body to be the most precious thing, they will be cautious about anything that is dangerous.
"Dad, what do you think of the Fan Chunsheng incident? Was it Min Hong who did it?" Duan Qing brought the freshly brewed pre-Qingming tea to the sofa and placed it on the coffee table in front of his father, Duan Hanyuan.
Duan Hanyuan picked up the tea his son had brewed, placed it under his chin, closed his eyes, and savored the aroma brought by the steam. He liked this taste. Ordinary tea leaves before the Qingming Festival were his favorite, while he wasn't interested in those top-grade teas that cost thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yuan per ounce.
Savoring the finest teas can uncontrollably instill a sense of superiority, which is precisely the weakness of all those in officialdom. If this sense of superiority is not properly controlled and is revealed, it can lead to mistakes, unintentionally offending others, and ultimately reaping bitter consequences.
“We don’t need to investigate whether Minhong was behind this incident. Judging from the outcome of today’s events, Minhong has great power and courage. The fact that they were able to resolve the price bureau’s issues and allow the closed Xingrentang to reopen immediately is enough to provide the answer.”
“Based on the information we’ve gathered, Xiao Lin wasn’t involved in the previous contacts with the Price Bureau, but he showed up today. And then the problem was solved. Everything points to this young man having extraordinary energy, especially great courage and boldness.” Duan Hanyuan’s voice was ethereal, as if he were telling a story from a scripture. “That’s enough. You can make your decision based on this.”
“But if they did this, it’s too much of a violation of the rules. Although it has a certain deterrent effect, it has also offended all the functional departments. Getting involved with them will put you in a very passive position.” Duan Qing analyzed the pros and cons himself and did not blindly follow his father’s opinion.
“When I was young, no one guided me. I learned everything by myself through trial and error.” Duan Hanyuan did not directly comment on Duan Qing’s views, but began to tell a story. “Wherever there are people, there is a world of its own, and there will be conflicts. The only difference is that the causes and scope of the events are different, and the purpose and focus of the conflicts are different. This situation does not only exist in the officialdom, but it is more obvious in the officialdom.”
"Back then, I didn't understand these things. I worked like crazy every day, hoping to gain my boss's special attention. Because of my hard work, I received more praise than my colleagues. I thought that the opportunity would definitely fall to me first, but that wasn't the case."
“A colleague who was usually quiet and unassuming, less capable and less productive than me, got a promotion to deputy section chief in another department, while I remained a staff member. This puzzled all my colleagues, who assumed that the colleague who got promoted had bribed someone to get the promotion. Back then, that wasn't the norm, so they talked badly about him behind his back, but he still seemed to be living a very comfortable life.”
"Two years later, the old section chief retired, revealing the mystery. It was precisely because of my hard work and my good temper that I lost this opportunity. That colleague didn't use any back channels or bribes; he simply knew how to appropriately display both sides of his personality—being gentle and confrontational—which was why he seized the opportunity."
"The old section chief said that I could stay and continue to serve him, while that colleague could provide him with assistance in another department, because he believed that colleague could be promoted to a higher position." Duan Hanyuan looked into his son's eyes and smiled. "It's funny, isn't it? But from then on, your dad changed. I stopped burying myself in hard work and started showing my skills at the right time to gain more respect and recognition from others."
“A person without personality will never be a good work partner, the kind who can grow alongside you and always support you.” After saying this, Duan Hanyuan began to sip his tea, no longer glancing at Duan Qing.
Duan Qing lowered his head in deep thought. After more than ten minutes, he looked up and said, “Minhong is still very weak. The only thing they can rely on, the drought-resistant beverage, can no longer be produced. ‘Sheng Sheng Dan’ is said to be extremely rare. They only have two products now, one of which is not even worthy of being sold and cannot obtain formal approval. If I support Minhong, I will be taking a huge risk. I might be dragged down by them and never have a chance to recover.”
Duan Hanyuan suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. "Support him! Support Xiaolin! A man must have the courage to cut his own wrist. Opportunities are fleeting, and this is the best chance. Your unequivocal support will bring immeasurable benefits in the future."
"Secretary Lei from the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission called me today, saying that the pharmaceutical companies in the city need to be rectified in order to build a harmonious society." Duan Qing placed his hands on his knees, looking very attentive. "Dad, is it really worth it?"
“Of course it’s worth it! If you and Xiaolin reach a partnership of mutual support and gain his genuine approval, I’ll let you use my resources. Haven’t you been thinking about these things all along?” Duan Hanyuan raised an eyebrow and smiled, staring intently at his son, Duan Qing. “In the future, whenever any leader talks to you about this kind of thing, just say that you’re constantly tightening the management of pharmaceutical companies, the situation is excellent, the industry is very stable and united, it couldn’t be better, and then promise to continue to do so.”
"This..." Duan Qing rarely heard his father directly instructing him on how to respond to a leader, and he felt very strange. Was this kind of response appropriate?
“Unless there is no direct evidence, even if everyone believes that Minhong did what happened today, you must clearly and unequivocally object. Say that there is no evidence, that Minhong is a good company, a patriotic company, honest and law-abiding, as good as it gets,” Duan Hanyuan continued to advise. “Now that everyone knows Minhong’s stance, they dare not provoke them and want to force you to take action, using you as a pawn. If you clearly and unequivocally support Minhong, all your opponents will re-evaluate you. This is also a way to show your strength.”
“By tying yourself to Minhong, you will benefit. First, others will not know the specifics of your relationship and will not dare to mess with you. Second, Minhong has resources that no one can refuse. This is a huge advantage. Since you have a higher starting point than them, you should take this step even more.”
"Think it over carefully. I'm going to rest." Duan Hanyuan picked up his teacup and prepared to stand up, leaning on the sofa.
"Dad, I'll go to Minhong tomorrow." Duan Qing made his decision, staring intently at his father with hope in his eyes.
“That’s right.” Duan Hanyuan walked over and patted his son on the shoulder. “I didn’t give you resources before because I wanted to toughen you up. Your personality wasn’t quite suited to the development of officialdom. I’m talking about the ability to rise to a high position. Now that you have Xiaolin, you have the ability. Even if you lack a little ability, it doesn’t matter. You have to learn eventually. I can give you resources.”
Duan Qing was immediately delighted, but also felt a little resentful, thinking to himself, "Is my ability really that bad? My father has made me sound like I'm completely worthless."
Duan Hanyuan seemed to hear Duan Qing's thoughts and said with a smile, "Our Duan family finally has the opportunity to produce someone who goes to the central government. You must achieve the goal I didn't reach and get into the central government!"
Duan Qing stared at his father in a daze, unable to believe the prophecy for a moment.
"What a fine kid Xiaolin is! Decisive and ruthless, capable and courageous. I wish he were my grandson. It's a pity that my grandson is just an honest, simple-minded blockhead, only suited for academia." Duan Hanyuan sighed, his expression somewhat helpless.
"Hehe, Yu'er follows his lead, there's nothing we can do about it." Duan Qing chuckled, thinking that perhaps it would be better not to let the child pursue a career in government. This job is too tiring, both mentally and physically, it's simply not a job for humans, the pressure and effort required are too great.
When Duan Qing first heard his father reveal his ideals, he was shocked. Watching his father stagger back to his room to rest, Duan Qing couldn't help but feel a surge of fighting spirit. He was confident that he could realize his father's ideals, which were also his own.