Yuan Jinpeng thought that he could get through the danger, and pondered how to regain the vitality of Fengling Township, and the results came quietly. He was given a strict warning within the party, removed from the post of secretary of the township party committee, transferred to the post of deputy director of the political research office of the county party committee, and retained the treatment of the main section. He was stunned, and he didn't come to his senses for a long time, reflecting again and again. It seems that he made a mistake and fell for Zhou Qiushui, an old fox! It's really not political material, the relationship between himself and Zhou Qiushui is so bad, how can you believe Zhou Qiushui's nonsense? What's more, Zhou Ziyuan also reminded himself. Zhou Qiushui is cunning and cunning, stabilize him first, lest you move around to move rescue soldiers. Suddenly, the knife fell, and one move was fatal. If Xie Jianping and Liu Zhenji both intercede, don't look at the face of the monk and look at the face of the Buddha, how can they give some face, right? For him, the most painful thing is not the matter of being punished, but working on the same floor as Zhou Qiushui and seeing each other almost every day. When Zhou Qiushui walked towards him, you had to at least squeeze out a smile, how awkward! Is this the "resentment meeting" in Buddhism's "Eight Sufferings"?! How long do you have to endure such days?

Xie Jianping, Liu Zhenji, Li Zhongfu and Zhao Ang called one after another, and they were nothing more than some comforting words. Liu Zhenji said that there is no failure when he is young. Yes, although it has suffered setbacks, it is still at the level of a regular department after all. I have just passed the year of establishment, even if it is delayed for a few years? If the mountains don't turn around, you Zhou Qiushui won't be in Ping'an County for the rest of your life, right?

Facts have once again proved that Yuan Jinpeng is a person who is at ease with what happens. He quickly adapted to his new role and even reveled in the ease of life that came with it. The political research office of the county party committee has few people and does not have much to do, and only when it comes to large-scale meetings does it assist in writing some materials. He reads newspapers and books every day, and goes to the countryside or enterprises to do some research, which is very pleasant. Of course, after being transferred back to the county seat, he had the most contact with Liu Shen. Liu Shen's experience and thoughts have an unusual attraction to him, and every conversation makes him insightful and inspired.

On this morning, Yuan Jinpeng came to the office to make a cup of green tea. was about to spread out the newspaper, but saw Zhou Ziyuan flash in, looking mysterious. At more than nine o'clock in the morning, which was the busiest time for Zhou Ziyuan, Yuan Jinpeng asked puzzledly: "Is there something?" ”

Zhou Ziyuan turned back, closed the door, and lowered his voice: "Something big happened to Deng Cheng!" Haven't you heard? ”

Yuan Jinpeng laughed at himself: "I don't ask about the world now, and I can't ask, I just know that the sky hasn't fallen yet." ”

"What a big deal! I heard that the mayor of the town was buried alive and the police were killed. Zhou Ziyuan's voice was not loud, but he could hear the shock in his heart.

"Ahh What's going on? Yuan Jinpeng was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth. Dengcheng and Ping'an County are adjacent to each other, connected by mountains and rivers, but the administrative jurisdiction is divided into two regions.

Zhou Ziyuan said: "The specifics are not clear, and the news is very tightly blocked. Several towns bordering Dengcheng were full of news yesterday, but the common people spread the word of mouth, and I don't know if they exaggerated. ”

Yuan Jinpeng picked up the cup, boasted and blew open the tea leaves, and drank a few sips of tea in a row: "Liu Shen's brother-in-law is the deputy mayor of Dengcheng City, he must know better." ”

There are always rows of pedal tricycles parked in the garden of the county street, and the common people call them "pedal taxis", which probably means pedal taxis. Yuan Jinpeng and Zhou Ziyuan called a pedaling taxi and went straight to Liu Shen's house. Liu Shen happened to send the guests out, and when he saw the two of them, he was very happy and went to the living room to sit down together.

Yuan Jinpeng said: "Minister Liu, it's rare for you to give it away in person." ”

Liu Shen smiled: "I made friends in the countryside in the seventies, and I asked me to help with my grandson's study, and I don't know if it is useful to speak." ”

Zhou Ziyuan said: "Minister Liu is out, what other problems can there be." ”

Liu Shen waved his hand: "I'm wearing cloth clothes now, who knows if people will listen to you." Reading is not a trivial problem. Isn't that what you say, the first-class dad doesn't speak, the second-class dad calls, the third-class dad runs up and down, and the fourth-class dad sits at home and scolds. ”

Yuan Jinpeng became excited: "What do you say? It's kind of interesting. ”

"It's not my original either. First-class fathers refer to county leaders, and their children's reading affairs do not have to be taken care of. The second-class father refers to the directors of the bureaus, township mayors, and secretaries, and a phone call can solve the problem. The third-class father is a capable person, looking for relationships everywhere. The fourth-class father is the most incompetent, so he can only sit at home and slap the table and scold the child for not being angry. Liu Shen said eloquently.

Yuan Jinpeng and Zhou Ziyuan looked at each other and smiled: "It's so summed up!" ”

Liu Shen continued: "The reality is always cruel, where the power is, the door to convenience is there. However, everyone will step down one day. Yesterday morning, I went to run in the county No. 1 middle school and found that Wang Yeqin had also joined the running team. Wang Yeqin and I have been old colleagues for more than 30 years, and we started as the secretary of the county revolutionary committee together. Later, I got stuck, and he rose step by step and became the director of the county people's congress. This time, he retired and was idle. Seeing my former colleagues join the running team one by one, I think that no matter how big an official I used to be, I would be a bad old man when I retired. People, the scenery of the life process is different, but the www.biquge.info of the pen fun pavilion is exactly the same as the end, coming out of the mother's belly, and finally returning to a handful of loess. ”

Yuan Jinpeng sighed: "Minister Liu is too philosophical! Some people say that when people are over fifty, they should do subtraction and walk on the road to zero. ”

Zhou Ziyuan said: "I remembered that sentence, heroes are old enough to convert to Buddha, and the generals return to the mountains without soldiers." ”

Liu Shen said with a smile: "None of us bad old men are heroes and generals, what I said is just a personal perception, which makes you young people laugh." ”

"Minister Liu, you have benefited us a lot every time. There's something I haven't figured out, why do you say Zhou Qiushui is so heavy on me? Yuan Jinpeng asked.

Liu Shen said: "It's not heavy, it's not light. The main level is still there, and you can transfer at any time if you are willing to use it. I heard that you became the secretary only because someone else came forward, so did you come to thank you after you arrived? ”

A word wakes up the dreamer. This is the key, otherwise Zhou Qiushui always looks at him unpleasantly. Yuan Jinpeng shook his head regretfully: "No." ”

"Secretary Zhou didn't consider you as a secretary, you insisted on going. If you don't receive his favor when you go, you don't come to thank him - you don't have to give money and gifts, he will definitely be uncomfortable. This time you are unlucky to have such a big thing happen again, where will he let you go lightly? Liu Shen analyzed.

Yuan Jinpeng suppressed the waves in his heart and said indifferently: "Forget it, it's all come to this point." Blame me for not asking you sooner. I heard that there was a big incident in Dengcheng this time, have you heard? ”。

Liu Shen nodded: "I heard some news, I don't know if it's a rumor." He said that a peasant was dissatisfied with the local government's imposition of various burdens on the peasants, and at his own expense collected and sorted out the documents of the central and provincial party committees on lightening the peasants' burdens, copied and distributed them, and encouraged the peasants to resist illegal and unreasonable handovers. As a result, he was taken away by the town government and sent to a study class, where he died unnaturally two days later. Dozens of family members went to the town government to make trouble, but they were driven away by the town government. As a result, tens of thousands of peasants from neighboring towns rushed to the town government, where the mayor and a town cadre were buried alive, and a policeman was killed on the spot. The secretary of the town party committee escaped on a teacher's motorcycle. In the past few days, a lot of armed police and police officers have been visited. I heard that the shape shì had stabilized down, and the person who led the troublemaker fled. ”

"Oh, incredible! How is it a bit like the peasant revolt of the twenties and thirties. Can those dead cadres be judged as martyrs? Zhou Ziyuan asked.

Liu Shen said: "The riot is nothing more than a momentary outrage, and there is no political program. However, whether you judge the martyrs or not is really a dilemma. ”

Yuan Jinpeng sighed: "Now, the countryside is too depressed, and it is too difficult for rural cadres!" When I was in Fengling, there were always cadres who asked how long the signs of our party committee and government could be hung. I said, I can't take off the brand, it's just a little harder, and the city is still thriving. I could never have imagined such a violent incident. ”

At this time, Aunt Qiu sent five or six pieces of yellow and clear watermelons on a large tray. It is the increasingly rare yellow watermelon, which is black and sweet. "There are fewer and fewer yellow gourds, you eat a few more pieces." Liu Shen picked up the watermelons and handed them to Yuan Jinpeng and Zhou Ziyuan one by one, and then said: "The country as a whole is still stable. However, the city may not be thriving. There are many laid-off workers, and all kinds of problems come out. According to my daughter, it is not uncommon for laid-off workers to besiege the city government, and the law and order is not as good as before. In broad daylight, street robberies occur from time to time. If you think about it, in some of the larger industrial cities, hundreds of thousands of people were laid off all at once. These people need to eat, drink, wear, and live, and it's not easy to do. ”

Zhou Ziyuan nodded in agreement: "Minister Liu can see it accurately." Every time I go to the provincial capital to deliver a manuscript, I am worried about the thief in the car. In the provincial capital, it is common to see petitioners blocking the gate of the provincial government, and sometimes there are hundreds of people, under the sign that we want to eat and survive. ”

"Really? So how do you guys write some songs and dances all day long? Yuan Jinpeng deliberately ridiculed Zhou Ziyuan.

Zhou Ziyuan laughed exaggeratedly: "Minister Liu, look at it, it's different on and off the stage!" A few months ago, our Secretary Yuan wished that I had a wonderful pen, but now I blame me for applying grease and powder. ”

Liu Shen smiled slightly: "The ass decides the head, this sentence is very fashionable, but it is the truth." Lin Yutang said: We Chinese are also very humorous, and one of the arguments is that being an official and stepping down from office are called "coming to power" and "stepping down" respectively. This stage originally referred to the stage, so it is not easy for people who can't act to be good officials. ”

Yuan Jinpeng asked: "Minister Liu also likes to read Lin Yutang?" ”

Liu Shen sighed: "Alas! You are still happy, reading the works of Hu Shi, Lin Yutang, Zhou Zuoren, and Liang Shiqiu so early. When we were young, we basically couldn't get in touch with it, nothing more than reading Lu Xun, Mao Dun, Ba Jin, and Guo Moruo. ”

Zhou Ziyuan said: "When I was in college, literary history said that the Zhou brothers were the two pinnacles of modern prose. I think this conclusion is biased. ”

Liu Shen said: "There is no first in literature, and there is no second in martial arts." Arguments over different opinions never come to fruition. Over the years, I have nothing to do, and I read a lot of books and newspapers. Strange to say, when I was young, I liked to read prose and novels. Later, I read biographies and reportage. Now old and fond of philosophy. Including the reincarnation of Buddhism, Shao Weihua's Zhou Yi prediction or something. ”

Yuan Jinpeng said: "Philosophy and metaphysics are reflections on life and exploration of unknown areas. Most people who understand philosophy are calm and calm. Minister Liu has already cultivated to this realm. ”

Liu Shen smiled slightly and waved his hand in opposition; "Where do I have such a state? In fact, when the living environment is too bad, no one can be calm. The protagonist Fugui in Yu Hua's "Alive" is not calm, but helpless. Zhou Yongchen, who committed suicide a few years ago, was not unable to endure the innocent injury, but the indifference after the injury. ”

"Zhou Yongchen? Do you mean Zhou Yongchen in the "Late Verdict" article in the "Information Daily" last year? Zhou Ziyuan thought about it and asked.

Liu Shen nodded: "Yes, but there may not be many people who remember Zhou Yongchen." You should have an impression when you deal with news reports every day. ”

Zhou Yongchen is an old man who is not blind to death. In the early 60s of the 20th century, Zhou Yongchen supported the construction of the motherland's northwest and went to work in the Lanzhou Petroleum Company. Soon after, he was arrested for the so-called crime of eavesdropping on enemy Taiwan during the socialist education movement, and was sentenced to three years in prison by the Lanzhou City Intermediate People's Court for counterrevolutionary crimes. Zhou Yongchen had nowhere to live, could not find a job under the hat of a counter-revolutionary, and lived alone in a five-square-meter shack, making a living by picking rags, which lasted for 27 years. At the end of the 10-year Holocaust, he had been looking forward to being rehabilitated like other innocent victims. Convinced of his uncle's innocence, the Beijing painter Zang Boliang kept writing letters and appeals to the Lanzhou Refining and Chemical Plant in Gansu Province, but to no avail. It was not until 1995 that Zang Boliang sent a letter asking for help to the principal leaders of Gansu Province that the matter was resolved. In January 1996, the Lanzhou Refining and Chemical General Plant sent someone to Zhou Yongchen to send a copy of the verdict of the Lanzhou City Intermediate People's Court 17 years ago in which he was acquitted in a retrial and the plant's opinion on dealing with the aftermath. Zhou Yongchen whimpered: In 1979, I was not yet 40 years old, and I could still work for the country for 20 years, but now I ....... A few days later, Zhou Yongchen committed suicide by hanging himself with a not-guilty verdict. Zang Boliang asked angrily why the retrial verdict had not been delivered for 17 years. The factory and the court explained that they had never known Zhou's exact address and had never received a letter from Zang Boliang.

Yuan Jinpeng shook his head embarrassedly and said, "If you don't say it, I really don't know about it." ”

"This is normal," Liu said. For Zhou Yongchen, this was the tragedy of his life. But for most people, it doesn't matter. Zhou Yongliang committed suicide in '96, and he saw the newspaper in '99, you worked in the township last year, where would you pay attention to this poor old man. ”

Yuan Jinpeng was silent, the first time he heard Zhou Yongchen's story, he fell into an inexplicable melancholy.

Liu Shen continued: "There is a saying that life in troubled times is as cheap as a dog. How many people can change an era? In those years, **, Peng Dehuai, He Long and other big names all fell down with a bang, but they were civilians? In '85, the prefectural party committee said that I was a three-class person and did not agree with me to become a member of the standing committee of the county party committee. I couldn't figure it out at the time, I was just a student at that time, listening to the party's command, participating in the criticism meeting, and just slapped the teacher with blood and qi, and became three kinds of people? Later, I slowly figured it out and confessed! For a big era, how small an individual is. Unofficial and light, especially after taking a back seat, I watched coldly, read books and newspapers, and lived a more fulfilling life than ever. I don't dare to say that I have understood life and death, but at least I will not be impetuous. ”

Unconsciously, the hour hand pointed to twelve o'clock, Yuan Jinpeng and Zhou Ziyuan got up to say goodbye, and Liu Shen said: "It's rare to invite you two Xiucai to dinner, just today a rural friend sent a wild turtle, weighing two catties, in the braised and eaten together." ”

Yuan Jinpeng worked as a secretary in Fengling for several years, but he didn't receive a few salaries, and he ate a lot of wild soft-shelled turtles. Zhou Ziyuan interviewed everywhere, and there were many opportunities to eat soft-shelled turtles. They felt that chatting with Liu Shen was much more tempting than the wild soft-shelled turtle, so they stayed after half pushing and half pushing. It is rare for them to be convinced by anyone, and in Ping'an County, Liu Shen is the only one. Liu Shen's experience, writing, and thoughts made them ashamed. Most importantly, when they are confused and hesitant, Liu Shen can always guide them. Among their rural peers, Yuan Jinpeng and Zhou Ziyuan were lucky, and they went to university, entered institutions, and became leaders ......, and it was smooth sailing. However, the current shape shì makes them a little confused. How will society evolve?

Liu Shen didn't drink, but he couldn't help but pry open a few bottles of beer for Yuan Jinpeng and Zhou Ziyuan, and they had to be casual and happily pick up their wine glasses. When the wine was half-drunk, Zhou Ziyuan's words gradually increased: "Minister Liu, is this world becoming too fast?" The Soviet Union collapsed a few years ago, and this year Taiwan's Kuomintang was ousted from power. Last year, our embassy in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was bombed, and this year the number of homicides caused by the burden of peasants has increased several times. ”

Liu Shen pursed his lips and smiled: "Don't worry, the sky can't fall, and the ground can't fall." Back then, natural disasters were severe, and how many people starved to death, forced to die, and died, and no one rose up. In China, the foundation of our ruling power is very solid, and the party is in charge of the army and the party in charge of cadres, and there can be no big chaos. Of course, in the period of social transformation, there will inevitably be more contradictions. The reform of the transformation of state-owned enterprises, the reform of the grain system, the reform of the financial system, and the reform of the fiscal and taxation system should not affect the whole body? To be honest, I have a lot of confusion. ** During the period, everyone had a hard life, but their spiritual life was very rich, especially the officers and soldiers were basically the same. At present, on the one hand, there are drastic reforms that mainly affect the interests of the grassroots people, and on the other hand, corruption and privilege are still rampant. There are many problems, and the problem of peasants' burdens is only the tip of the iceberg. Both of you are young talents, with great prospects and a long road ahead of you, and you must be good at adapting to the drastic transformation of society. Some people joke that society is like this, you take the idea yourself, this is socialism. ”

Yuan Jinpeng said: "Minister Liu can see through and speak wonderfully. In fact, what if we don't adapt? However, I want to ask you a question, don't be surprised if you ask it wrong. ”

"Xiao Yuan, why do you have to be so stumbling? Just ask, it's fine. Liu Shen said with a smile.

Yuan Jinpeng wanted to speak and stopped: "Minister Liu, I think that with your talent, not to mention being a provincial and ministerial-level leader, at least being a secretary of the prefectural party committee is more than enough." If you're willing to spend money at a critical moment, won't you just go up? ”

Liu Shen pondered for a moment and said, "At that time, I didn't dare to say that it was 100% clean, at least not that money could solve all problems." My problem is that the definition of three kinds of people has been expanded by the higher-level organizational department, and I was nothing more than an ordinary student at that time, so how could I be counted as three kinds of people. In fact, look at many things, no matter how big an official you are and how much wealth you make, you may not be happy, and you may not even be as comfortable as an ordinary man. Taoism pays attention to Taoism and nature, and I advocate that everything should be natural. This is not fatalism, it is up to man to succeed in heaven, don't be afraid of any result, you can take responsibility. Su Dongpo said that there is no wind and rain in his life, and there is no wind and rain and no sunshine, and a person with a strong heart will never be knocked down by life. ”

After two bottles of beer, Zhou Ziyuan let go of his words: "Sometimes, a person's pain is not their own failure, but the unprovoked success of others. How many people with poor conduct, low education, and weak ability have gone up in helicopters by congenital nepotism, and how many people who have nothing to do have relied on flattery, sloppy and slapping horses and other indiscriminate means to rise to the top, and sit on the rostrum like dogs, which is really unbearable! ”

"Minister Liu, I also have these confusions from afar. To be honest, I'm a little tired of this path. Yuan Jinpeng said.

Liu Shen smiled: "Where can this little setback knock you Yuan Jinpeng down?" No way. You are young, and you will have many opportunities in the future. Most of the people who read some books take self-cultivation and Qi family to govern the country and level the world as their own responsibility, how can they give up lightly? Some people say that politics is like a woman's genitals, although it is very dirty, but men want to do it. ”

Yuan Jinpeng explained: "It's not to give up, I don't understand why unscrupulous people can always succeed?" ”

Liu Shen let out a long sigh: "Alas! This is also the confusion I had when I was younger. It is easier to achieve the goal by unscrupulous means, but I think it is necessary to have basic principles and bottom lines, otherwise success may not be at ease. You read a little bit about the history of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. In troubled times, in order to survive and be rich, the vast majority of people will do whatever it takes. The famous tumbler Feng Daozhen is a peerless talent, who has served nine monarchs through four dynasties, and has been the prime minister for more than 20 years. Feng Dao wrote a book called "Rong Ku Jian", which you can read when you have time. ”

It was an evocative conversation, not just empty talk, but a deep exchange of ideas. When Yuan Jinpeng and Zhou Ziyuan reluctantly left Liu Shen's house, they found that the sun was setting in the west, and they had chatted at Liu Shen's house for seven or eight hours.