Shu Huaru truly felt that in the short few months since Wu Mingxiong became secretary of the Pingchuan Municipal Party Committee, everything in Pingchuan has changed unconsciously, and it is not too much to say that it is a quiet revolution. During this period, there was no big noise and bravado. Almost no one is paying attention, and the reports on the meetings that used to fill the radio and television stations have gradually decreased, and the "important speeches" of the leaders of the municipal party committee and the city have made headlines on the front page of the "Pingchuan Daily" in response to the situation, while there have been more signed articles on emancipating the mind and renewing concepts. Wu Mingxiong took the lead in writing, raising questions and soliciting new ideas for solving problems in response to the specific situation in Pingchuan. There have also been more reports on the reform and opening up in Shenzhen, Shanghai, southern Jiangsu, Hainan and other parts of the country. Later, in accordance with Wu Mingxiong's instructions, the "Pingchuan Daily" simply set up two fixed columns, one called "Wind from All Directions" and the other called "Reform Frontier," to specifically relay such reports and information.

The work style of the municipal party committee and the city's leading departments has also changed, and in the compound of the organ, people's footsteps are in a hurry, and it is difficult for people who are guarding teacups and newspapers to see it. Wu Mingxiong pointed out at a meeting of 3,000 cadres in the city that economic work should be taken as the central task, and all party and government departments and departments in Pingchuan should take action to do practical things for economic construction. Every unit and everyone has the obligation to run funds and projects to solve difficulties for enterprises. Wu Mingxiong also pointed out in particular that departments such as the Propaganda Department of the Municipal Party Committee, the Office of the Municipal Party Committee, and the Municipal Office of the Municipal People's Government, which extend in all directions and have vast magical powers, should strive to become the city public relations department of Pingchuan.

When Xiao Daoqing said at a standing committee meeting that "the party should be in charge of the party," Wu Mingxiong said: Of course, the party must be in charge of the party, but it should not be managed in the clouds and fog of nothingness, nor can it be managed only by issuing documents and making resolutions twice in three days, but must be managed in the process of personally leading the 10 million people in the Pingchuan area to shake off poverty and become rich. Only in this way can the party be managed well, and only then will the 10 million people of Pingchuan believe that the Pingchuan City CPC Committee is not messing around, but is engaged in undertakings and challenging the current situation of poverty and backwardness.

In such an atmosphere, many things that were unthinkable in the past are now very specific on the agenda. For example, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project is considered a good thing by everyone, but no one dares to make a decision, and one billion yuan has scared off the leadership of the Pingchuan Municipal Party Committee. Now that the current leadership group is about to take office, the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee held a special meeting in August to make a decision. The decision-maker is naturally Wu Mingxiong, and Shu Huaru and the Standing Committee members are fully supportive. As everyone knows, Wu Mingxiong is not a bureaucrat, and when making this important policy decision, he was cautious and cautious; he first drove all over the six counties and cities along the river for several days with relevant comrades from various departments to conduct investigations and studies, and later repeatedly solicited the opinions of many veteran comrades of the people's congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) before he came up with a practical and feasible plan for the Standing Committee. What is even more absolutely important is that Wu Mingxiong does not want others, but is afraid that Xiao Daoqing, deputy secretary of the municipal party committee, who is responsible and does not want to do anything, will come to grasp this project. No matter what Xiao Daoqing thinks in his heart, the number one leader suggested it, and the Standing Committee passed it again, Xiao Daoqing can only work honestly, but I am afraid that he will no longer have the time and energy to form gangs and run around for office.

In the face of the grim situation of the city's economic downturn, deepening reform has also been rolled out in the whole city from point to point under the insistence of Wu Mingxiong. At a standing committee meeting devoted to the study of industrial issues, Wu Mingxiong put Cao Wuping, executive vice mayor in charge, and Chen Zhongyang, deputy secretary of the old qualifications, in charge. Cao Wuping's attitude was very firm, but Chen Zhongyang had some concerns at the beginning, fearing that a bad incident would lead to group visits and collective petitions. However, the fact is that with the comprehensive rollout of deepening reform, the city's economic downturn has greatly slowed down, and by the end of the year, the efficiency of some enterprises has miraculously improved. Thanks to the establishment of an effective safeguard system, there have been no major incidents so far. The series of reports written by Wang Darui, a reporter from Pingchuan Daily, have been reprinted by many national newspapers, which have aroused great attention from the central leaders in charge and have also attracted a large number of reporters, including the Xinhua News Agency and the People's Daily, to Pingchuan, which is economically underdeveloped. Wang Darui became a very influential reporter because of the article "Kill a Bloody Road", which attracted the attention of Shu Huaru and Wu Mingxiong.

Shu Huaru remembers that when she first saw Wang Darui's article, she cried. Wang Yuanyuan, a female worker suffering from leukemia in the Pingchuan rice mill, dragged her heavy body to the factory and cast the vote, which was too heavy; What this girl said when she returned the 4,000 yuan donated by the three young factory directors and secretaries to her factory director was too touching.

That night, when talking to Wu Mingxiong about this emotion, Wu Mingxiong also said: "Lao Shu, this female worker is voting with her young life, and she is voting for our reform!" In the face of such good people, what can we say except work hard?! ”

Shu Huaru said: "This also reminds us that when deepening the reform of the labor and employment system in enterprises, we must further implement and improve the unemployment insurance and social security mechanisms, and we must pay close attention to the difficulties of the surplus laid-off personnel and the old, weak, sick and disabled." ”

Wu Mingxiong nodded and said, "However, for comrades like Wang Yuanyuan who have special difficulties, maybe our current insurance and security mechanisms will not play a big role. I made a special call to ask the Food Bureau, how could this rice mill with more than 100 people owe the bank a loan of 2.8 million yuan, and can afford the medical expenses of a critically ill patient? In this case, I am afraid that we still have to appeal to the whole society to help. ”

Shu Huaru said: "Then should we do this right away?" Although Pingchuan is poor, it is a good person, bold and chivalrous, and I believe that everyone will lend a helping hand. ”

Wu Mingxiong smiled and said: "This time, don't appeal to the society first, I have already thought about it, in the name of the municipal party committee, appeal to the 230,000 party members in the Pingchuan area, and raise an emergency relief fund, so that Wang Yuanyuan and those people who are temporarily living in difficult conditions know that the Pingchuan municipal party committee of the Communist Party of China has not forgotten them, nor has it forgotten the sacrifices they made for the reform of Pingchuan." ”

Shu Huaru immediately said: "Okay! This is also a declaration of our attitude to the people! ”

The fundraising was an unexpected success, and in just one month, the city's 230,000 party members donated a total of 1.04 million yuan to build a special foundation. Sun Jinyuan, director of the Organization Department of the Municipal Party Committee, personally sent 10,000 yuan in cash to the Pingchuan Rice Mill. On behalf of Wang Yuanyuan, the director of the factory, Tian Dagui, accepted the money, and said to the TV camera and a large number of reporters that the donation of 10,000 yuan from party members was temporarily borrowed from the emergency relief foundation by the rice milling factory, and on behalf of all the cadres and workers of the Pingchuan rice mill factory, he assured the municipal party committee that the soybean milk powder market across the country must be opened, the factory will be built, and 100,000 yuan will be donated to the foundation within two years at most. Sun Jinyuan and the comrades of the Organization Department warmly applauded Tian Dagui's words.

A quiet revolution began. The Pingchuan City CPC Committee presided over by Wu Mingxiong established a prestige that had never been seen before in previous municipal party committees while leading this quiet revolution. Qian Xianghui, secretary of the provincial party committee, was very satisfied with this, and at the provincial party committee work conference held on the eve of the National Day, Wu Mingxiong made the first speech on behalf of Pingchuan, giving a briefing on Pingchuan's work and the situation of reform experiments.

In his concluding speech, Qian Xianghui made it clear that "Pingchuan's head is very good. The current team in Hirakawa is an enterprising team. All cities in the province must conscientiously study the work spirit of Pingchuan to advance with heavy burdens. The economically underdeveloped Pingchuan has been able to steadily advance and make bold attempts to deepen reforms, and the economically developed areas should do more work in this regard. ”

During the meeting in the province, the comrades in Pingchuan were very busy.

Wu Mingxiong is very good at taking advantage of the opportunity, taking advantage of the great opportunity of being praised by Secretary Qian Xianghui for his work in Pingchuan, he will run up and down at the meeting, and ask the provincial party committee and provincial departments for money and policies. Wu Mingxiong first went to the Water Conservancy Bureau, the Agricultural Bureau, and the Agricultural Bank of China together with Xiao Daoqing to implement the special funds for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. Later, he dragged Shu Huaru to run to the Transportation Department, the Provincial Construction Committee, and the Traffic Bank to appeal everywhere on the bad roads of Pingchuan. Not only Wu Mingxiong and Shu Huaru are running, but also the comrades in Pingchuan are running.

After the meeting was dismissed, the comrades in Pingchuan stayed for one more day, and Wu Mingxiong moved out of the old governor, who never came forward easily, and invited some of the heads of money and goods and the presidents of several major banks to dinner, and made an exception to go to Moutai.

When raising a toast, Wu Mingxiong said: "Ladies and gentlemen, you all know that Pingchuan is poor and the economy is underdeveloped, and it is not easy to do something, and it is even more difficult without your support. Our comrades always say that the comrades in our own province look down on us and are afraid that our poverty will be stained on others. Mayor Shu and I criticized them and said, "This is because you are not angry, and you are weak-hearted." Mayor Shu and I tried to invite it today, no, all of you are here, and you are not afraid that our poverty will be stained. Now, on behalf of the Pingchuan Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, Pingchuan City** and the 10 million people of Pingchuan who are fighting hard to change their destiny, I would like to give you a glass of wine and thank you for the support you have given us and will continue to give us support in the future. ”

The old governor also spoke to the leaders in charge of money and goods in the province: "This meal is not delicious, it is not easy for Wu Mingxiong to invite you once, and it is not easy for you to eat Wu Mingxiong once." The common people say, 'A public servant has a meal, and the small people have half a year's grain', which may be a year's food for Pingchuan. Comrades who have eaten a year's grain from the people of Pingchuan have to do something practical for the people of Pingchuan. A water and a road are all big problems, and if they are not fundamentally solved, Pingchuan will not be able to go up. And to solve it, it takes a lot of money. Wu Mingxiong and Pingchuan's comrades are working hard and have been thinking of a way, and everyone should also help find a way, okay? As an old comrade who has worked in Pingchuan, I would also like to toast you with a glass of wine. ”

Shu Huaru could no longer have imagined that because of the support of the old governor, Pingchuan spent 2,500 yuan on hospitality, but after implementing the special fund for water conservancy, it won an additional 25 million yuan in road repair funds and 30 million yuan in bank loans......

Afterwards, someone made a small report to Qian Xianghui, secretary of the provincial party committee, saying that Wu Mingxiong, as secretary of the municipal party committee, took the lead in engaging in unhealthy practices under the noses of the provincial party committee and the provincial party committee for the sake of local interests. Qian Xianghui asked his secretary Si Yuzhi to call Wu Mingxiong and asked Wu Mingxiong not to make an example. Wu Mingxiong kicked the ball to the old governor, and the lobbyist was paid for by the old governor, who was worried about the poverty alleviation of one million poor people in Pingchuan area.

Si Yuzhi tacitly smiled and said: "The old governor's personal treat is another matter, Secretary Wu, I will report to Secretary Qian according to your caliber." However, Secretary Wu, you still have to pay attention there, don't be taken advantage of by others. ”

Wu Mingxiong asked: "Is there any bad news that has reached Secretary Qian's ears?" ”

Si Yuzhi revealed: "Secretary Wu, let me tell you, you just have a number in your heart. Now some letters of complaint have been sent to the provincial party committee, saying that you dare to do anything and say anything. ”

Wu Mingxiong was stunned: "Brother, if you talk more carefully, what have you complained?" ”

Si Yuzhi asked: "Secretary Wu, do you have a state-owned rice mill in Pingchuan?" Did you change a young man named Tian Dagui to be the factory director? Did your brother say at the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee that there is only one Tian Dagui in the city, and as long as he has a way to get the factory up, he will not care about anything? ”

Wu Mingxiong said: "I said that. ”

Si Yuzhi said: "This is the problem. According to the complaint letter, this Tian Dagui has messed up the ownership system, the factory is messy, and everyone has everything, like a kindergarten. said that Tian Dagui dared to do this, all of which was the result of the support and connivance of your municipal party committee. This socialist state-owned factory is no longer a cooperative, state-owned assets have become private assets, and a new group of capitalists is about to emerge. It's going to be online! ”

Wu Mingxiong was angry: "Before the reform, all the state-owned fixed assets of this small rice mill with 100 people were less than 3 million, but the debt was 2.8 million, plus more than 30 retired workers to support, how can there be any state-owned assets to speak of?" According to my thoughts, it would be better to sell all of these insolvent small state-owned factories! ”

Si Yuzhi laughed again on the phone: "Look, look, you Secretary Wu just dare to speak!" Is there a policy basis for selling these small state-owned factories? ”

Wu Mingxiong could not come up with a policy basis.

Si Yuzhi then said: "Secretary Wu, let me give you another thorough explanation, Secretary Qian and you have the same views on many issues, and the full affirmation of your deepening reform has shown the attitude of Secretary Qian and the provincial party committee. But, Secretary Wu, can you learn a little bit of strategy? Some things are only done and not said, and some things are just said and not done! Don't let people grab you by something, entangle with you, and make it impossible for you to do anything—don't you want to control the water and build the roads? ”

Wu Mingxiong realized that Qian Xianghui asked Si Yuzhi to call him, which was a good intention, so when he mentioned this matter to Shu Huaru, he said with emotion: "Mayor Shu, look at it, this is our national situation in China, as long as you do something, someone will sue you; If you take it seriously, don't live your life. ”

After returning from the province, the eight rural counties and cities went all out to prepare for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project as planned. Wu Mingxiong also consulted with Shu Huaru, hoping to take advantage of this atmosphere of unity and the support of the provincial transportation department to put the planned ring road into operation ahead of schedule and solve the road problem in Pingchuan as soon as possible.

Shu Huaru knew that the road issue had been put on the agenda by Wu Mingxiong, and the feasibility study was currently underway, and it would have to be repaired sooner or later, but it was a little uncertain whether it would be repaired at this time, so he said to Wu Mingxiong in a consultative tone: "Secretary Wu, think about it again, if the water conservancy and the road go together, will the battle line be too long?" Isn't the effort a little too much? ”

Wu Mingxiong asked, "Then what do you mean?" ”

Shu Huaru said: "I wonder if the road can be fully launched when the water conservancy project is almost completed. You have to eat your meal in one bite. I'm afraid that if the stalls on both sides are spread out, and the money or other unforeseen reasons can't be closed, the two of us will be embarrassed as a family, and this hard-won good situation will be destroyed. ”

Wu Mingxiong thought for a long time before he said, "Old Shu, there is some truth in your words. Let's not decide on this matter for now, but if you think about it again, I will think about it again, and let's go ahead and solicit the opinions of comrades from all walks of life. ”

Shu Huaru later solicited the opinions of some responsible comrades of the transportation and construction committees, and everyone's opinions were relatively unanimous, and most of them were in favor of seizing the time to go to the ring road. They all think that the evening is not as good as the morning, and the morning spends less money, maybe two or three hundred million can be taken, but it is not necessarily the evening, once the economy comes, the cost will be doubled.

When Wu Mingxiong discussed with Shu Huaru again, he also said to Shu Huaru: "When the economy was in recession in the thirties, the United States did a lot of infrastructure projects, saved a lot of money, and solved the problem of unemployment to a certain extent. Now, we have similar benefits in taking advantage of the fact that the economy is running at a low point. In addition, and more importantly, we can also enhance the self-confidence of the people of Pingchuan by building roads, unite the people of the whole city closely, and let everyone see that as long as we work together and work hard, nothing cannot be done. Compared with the developed regions, we are still a big step away, and we can't get the team gold medal for a while, but the individual gold medal, we have to get one or two pieces back. ”

Shu Huaru thought about it carefully and felt that Wu Mingxiong was reasonable, so he said: "Then let's take some risks and fight again, maybe we will spell out a miracle!" ”

This led to what was later considered to be the most pioneering enlarged meeting of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee in the history of Pingchuan. At this meeting, Wu Mingxiong put forward for the first time the slogan of "emancipating the mind, advancing with heavy burdens, putting pressure on oneself, and simultaneously developing waterways......