Autumn 1994.

Beijing Sanlihe, the second bureau of the Ministry of Machinery.

"The country's machine tool industry has suffered large-scale losses for five consecutive years, and the situation in the first half of this year is even more severe. Our machine tool industry eighteen Arhat factory, half of the serious loss, the rest of the situation is not very good, some enterprises rely on key projects to maintain orders, but only to achieve a rough balance of profit and loss, if the state orders decrease, these enterprises will immediately turn into losses. In the past two years, the output value of Linhe No. 1 Machine Tool Factory, which produces 'Changying' machine tools, has been less than half of what it used to be, and now it owes more than 40 million yuan in loans to banks alone. At this juncture, the leadership team of Linyiji exposed collective corruption again, and all of them were taken down. What do you think about this situation, Lao Zhou?"

Director Xie Tiancheng sat behind his desk and asked in a low tone.

Sitting opposite Xie Tiancheng was Zhou Heng, director of the Mechanical and Electrical Department of the Second Bureau. At 54 years old, he is the most senior and oldest Commissioner in the whole world. When Xie Tiancheng first came to work in the Second Bureau, Zhou Heng was the deputy director of the Mechanical and Electrical Department, and Xie Tiancheng was just a small section member under him. Now, Xie Tiancheng has become the director, but Zhou Heng has only been promoted by half a grid and has become the director of the mechanical and electrical department.

The reason why Zhou Heng is difficult to get promoted is said differently in the second game. Some people say that it is because he is too principled and has offended many people; some people say that it is because he is indifferent to fame and fortune and does not strive for every opportunity for promotion; of course, there are some more conspiracy theories, which are not enough. However, no matter who it is, I don't think that the reason why Zhou Heng can't be promoted is because his ability is not enough, in fact, the bureau leaders and even some department leaders have said that Zhou Heng is a very capable cadre, clear mind, and knows the industry in charge well, especially in the machine tool industry, it can be called a "living dictionary".

Zhou Heng really didn't care about his position, watching cadres who were much less qualified than himself being promoted and becoming his superiors, he had no complaints, and still managed his one-third of an acre of land conscientiously and happily. In his own words, how worry-free it is to be a director, as long as you bury your head in your work, the sky is falling and there is a director on top, and you don't have to think about all kinds of troubles, what's wrong with this kind of work?

At this moment, Zhou Heng didn't realize that the easy days he was pursuing had come to an end. Hearing Xie Tiancheng ask him, he just replied according to what he knew: "The matter of the leadership team of Linyi is their own fault. Actually, as early as two years ago, I had already reported their problems to the bureau, but it was just ......"

"The bureau takes your feedback very seriously. Xie Tiancheng quickly took over the conversation and explained: "It's just that when it comes to the entire leadership team of such a large enterprise, the bureau can't help but be particularly cautious. This time, the organization was able to find out the serious problems of the Linyi team, which is also related to your feedback. ”

Zhou Heng was silent, and Xie Tiancheng was right. Two years ago, he reported to the bureau's party group about the problem of Linyiji, but he only started from some impressions, and there was no real hammer, so the bureau naturally couldn't just make a big move.

Xie Tiancheng diverted from this small episode, and continued his own words in front of him, and said: "The party group of the bureau believes that the top priority now is to immediately rebuild the leading group of Linyi Machine, resume production, and achieve a turnaround as soon as possible. The chief engineer of Linyi Machine, the party group of the bureau plans to transfer Lao Qin of the Machinery Design Institute to serve as the director. ”

"Qin Zhongnian?" Zhou Heng asked.

"Yes, that's him. Xie Tiancheng said.

Zhou Heng nodded: "His level is very high, and it is no problem to be the chief engineer of Linyi machine." ”

"The chief economist is Ning Suyun from the Ministry of Planning and Finance. ”

"Xiao Ning is a well-known iron abacus, and it is a good arrangement for her to be the chief economist. Zhou Heng said with a smile.

"The candidate for the deputy director has been considered now, and there is a person at the helm. The meaning of the party group of the bureau is to appoint an experienced and responsible comrade to Linyiji, and the director and secretary of the factory will shoulder all the responsibilities. Xie Tiancheng said.

"Experienced and responsible, let me think about it, who is more suitable...... Zhou Heng groaned. He thought that when Xie Tiancheng talked to him about this issue, he naturally hoped that he would be able to recommend a few suitable candidates to the bureau's party group so as to facilitate the leadership inspection. He has a good understanding of the country's mechanical and electrical industry, and knows a lot of people, to say that in line with the six words of "experience, responsibility", there are many in the industry, but these people are now also in important positions, in charge of a side of water and soil, not easy to be able to pull out.

Xie Tiancheng looked at Zhou Heng meditating, and reminded with a smile: "Old Zhou, you are confused, there is one such a person by my side." ”

"Are you around, do you mean Xiao Wu?" Zhou Heng asked tentatively. The Xiao Wu he said refers to Xie Tiancheng's secretary Wu Jun, because only he meets the definition of "around". Wu Jun's ability is good, and he is also very smart, but he is really a little young and cannot meet the requirement of "experience".

Xie Tiancheng laughed, pointed at Zhou Heng and said, "Old Zhou, aren't you by my side now?"

"Me?" Zhou Heng was stunned, he never expected that the consideration of the bureau leaders was to let him serve as the factory director and secretary of Linyi Machine, which was really an option that he thought was impossible.

"The level of the Linyi machine is a positive game, and my level is not enough, right?" Zhou Heng first thought of this question.

China's state-owned enterprises are also leveled, Linhe No. 1 Machine Tool Factory is an enterprise directly under the Ministry of Machinery, and the director is at the bureau level, which is at the same level as Xie Tiancheng. To be strictly calculated, the second bureau can not be regarded as the superior leader of the first machine, but only entrusted by the Ministry of Machinery to exercise leadership over the first machine.

However, there is a difference between the level of an enterprise and the level of an organ, and it is a common practice for cadres of an organ to be promoted by half a level when they are transferred to work in an enterprise; on the contrary, when a cadre of an enterprise is transferred to work in an organ, he must be demoted by half a level. Zhou Heng is a division-level cadre, if he is transferred to Linyi to be a deputy factory director, there is no problem, and if he directly serves as the factory director, it will be promoted by leapfrogging, so Zhou Heng will have this question.

Xie Tiancheng shook his head and said: "This is not important, now that we are engaged in a market economy, enterprises will sooner or later abolish the administrative level." Enterprises in many ministries and commissions have now been directly delegated to the local government. For example, Yueting Mining Machinery Factory, which was originally an enterprise of the Ministry of Metallurgy, was at the deputy ministerial level, and now it is delegated to Yueting City, and the Yueting City Economic Commission is at the department level.

"That's right. Zhou Heng nodded and accepted the explanation. In the early 90s, the central government proposed to develop a market economy, and many of the original management models underwent tremendous changes. The Ministry of Aerospace has become the Aerospace Corporation, the Ministry of Textiles has become the general association of industries, and many enterprises in the original ministries and commissions have been delegated to the localities, and the original administrative level will certainly not be able to sustain. It turned out that Linyi was at the level of the positive bureau, but if it continued to lose money, it might eventually be delegated to Linhe City, Dongye Province, where it was located. Linhe City itself is also at the bureau level, and Linyi still wants to put the spectrum of the original bureau-level unit?

"But, why did you send me?" Zhou Heng shook off the question of the level and asked a new question instead: "Director, you know, I am incapacitated and I am so old, and the party group of the bureau handed over such a big factory to me, I am not afraid that I will mess things up?"

Xie Tiancheng said: "Lao Zhou, you are humble. The entire mechanical department, who does not know that you Lao Zhou is a living dictionary of the machine tool industry, understand technology, understand the market, know the most people, and more importantly, you have a sense of responsibility, have a sense of responsibility, at the moment of life and death in the face of a machine, you are the best choice to serve as the helm. ”

"However, my personality is easy to offend. ”

"What are you afraid of offending people?" Xie Tiancheng said, "I can't hide it, your character is the most important reason why the bureau leaders chose you to take the helm of Linyiji." Everyone thinks that the current situation of Linyiji is that it is serious and needs a dose of fierce medicine. ”

"Hehe, it turns out that the bureau leader treated me as Zhong Kui and asked me to fight ghosts. Zhou Heng said with a smile, his expression was somewhat teasing.

"In troubled times, use heavy codes. Xie Tiancheng did not correct Zhou Heng's words, but followed his words. In fact, when the bureau's party group was discussing this issue, several leaders also held the same view, believing that Linyiji was made into a miasma by the original leaders, and the so-called "temple demon is windy, and the pond is shallow and the king is eight", and it is necessary to send a person with evil spirit down in order to clean up this mess.

Zhou Heng was silent, and began to think about whether he should accept this task, and if he did, how to start. He is very familiar with Linyiji, and he is very clear about the problems that exist. He also knows that Linyi has fallen into a state of serious losses, which has a great relationship with the ability and morality of the factory leaders, but after so many years, it is difficult to return, and he Zhou Heng took over the factory, and what are the chances of a turnaround?

Xie Tiancheng saw Zhou Heng's hesitation, and he said, "Old Zhou, you don't have to have ideological baggage. After you go down, even if you do it drastically, the bureau will support you. Your task is not heavy, and it is enough to be able to turn around the loss of Linyi Machine, even if it is a slight loss, at least to keep this factory from bankruptcy and nearly 7,000 workers not to be laid off. The bureau will look for another candidate to replace you in the future, and after you come back, a deputy director-level treatment can be guaranteed. During your time near the river, all the benefits of the bureau will not be missing a penny from you. ”

"Ha! Then I have to thank the bureau leaders for taking care of me!" Zhou Heng was laughed at by Xie Tiancheng. Just now, he really didn't think much about his own treatment, and now listening to Xie Tiancheng say this, it seems that it is really a good errand to be the factory director for a few years. He has worked in the mechanical department all his life, and it is common for him to inspect enterprises, but it is the first time he has directly managed a company. Before retiring, I had an addiction to being a factory director, which can be regarded as enriching my life experience.

As for being able to have a deputy director-level treatment after coming back, in fact, it can only be regarded as a favor from the bureau leaders. Because when he returns, he'll be old enough to retire. With his qualifications, it is also a common practice in the agency to go up to the upper half level on the premise of retirement.

Thinking of this, Zhou Heng nodded and said, "Since this is the case, then I will accept it." But I'm ugly to say in the front, since the bureau handed over the enterprise to me, it must give me full authorization, don't introduce any policies when the time comes, the following people come to the bureau to complain, and the bureau pulls me back. ”

"Absolutely not!" Xie Tiancheng clapped his chest loudly, "Since the bureau sent you, it will give you full authorization, and our bureau's party group will only reserve a right to make suggestions." ”

"Neither does the right to suggest. Zhou Heng said domineeringly, "Enterprise management is the most taboo for chickens and ducks to mix blindly." When the time comes, will I listen or not? If you do, it will interfere with my business activities. If I don't listen, what should I do if you put on a little shoe for me when I go back? You said that I will come back in a few years, do I dare to offend you top bosses?"

Have you sinned less?

Xie Tiancheng silently spit out a sentence in his heart, and then said: "Old Zhou, after all, Linyi Machine is still an enterprise under the management of the Second Bureau, we can't leave no power at all, right?"

"You can reserve the right to know. Zhou Heng said, "Welcome the leaders of the bureau to come to Linyi at any time to inspect the work, you can see anything you want, just don't talk nonsense." ”

"Okay. Xie Tiancheng decided not to go down with Zhou Heng, he knew the old director's stubbornness very well.

"In addition to not allowing us to talk nonsense, what other requirements do you have? For example, what requirements do you have for the cadres who will be equipped by the bureau for the Linyi machine in the future?" Xie Tiancheng asked again.

"Competent, unselfish...... Well, also, there is no nepotism. Zhou Heng said. The so-called nepotism, don't think about it in the wrong way, he just said that he didn't want those related households.

Xie Tiancheng nodded and said, "So, do you have any favorite candidates that you need to bring down?"

"Nope. Zhou Heng said. After speaking, he suddenly flashed in his mind and said, "Don't you say that I forgot, there is really one." The bureau party group has to hand him over to me, or I won't go to the plane. ”

"Who!"

Xie Tiancheng was taken aback, there was such an important person, so important that Zhou Heng did not hesitate to threaten him with refusal to take office, what kind of sacredness is this.

"Xiao Tang, Tang Zifeng. Zhou Heng said.

"Tang Zifeng?" Xie Tiancheng frowned, and then reacted: "You mean, you are the new college student Tang Zifeng who came the year before last?

"What he said was that even pigs could fly in the tuyere, but he didn't want to fly himself. Zhou Heng explained.

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"There's still a difference. Zhou Heng said solemnly, "Xiao Tang looks like a talent, you say he is a pig, be careful of those little girls in the bureau protesting with you, the big director." ”