official career

“Secretary, you see? I said last time that we shouldn’t let him off the hook for the fire at the sports center. Look how arrogant he has become now! Not only does he dare to openly contradict you in public, but he also dares to tamper with the development of the Nanshan New Area. This is simply outrageous.”

After opening the window, Ma Shanming returned to sit down in front of Jiang Longjun.

"Although Qin Feng is the mayor, he's really just a greenhorn. How many years has he worked? What's the biggest problem with this kind of kid who's just started working? He thinks he's the best in the world, looks down on everyone, and has no sense of rules."

“You must set a good example for him this time, otherwise he will become even more arrogant and who knows what he will do next.”

"Moreover, this time he openly contradicted you in front of so many people, and he must pay the price, a price that everyone can see. Your dignity in Shazhou must be upheld, and everyone must see the consequences of contradicting you..."

Ma Shanming spoke vehemently, his tone extremely angry, seemingly even more furious than Jiang Longjun.

"Then tell me, how do you make him pay the price?" Jiang Longjun leaned back in his chair.

“Secretary, there are many ways to make him pay the price. You are the Party Secretary of the Municipal Committee. If you want to target him, then he, as mayor, will find it impossible to move an inch,” Ma Shanming said with a smile.

"Yes, that's true. I could indeed make it impossible for him to move an inch. But what would happen? If you make it impossible for one mayor to move an inch, then the entire sandbar would also be unable to move an inch, or even fall into complete chaos. Who would take responsibility for that? Would you take responsibility?"

"Please think before you speak. I am the Party Secretary of the city, the top leader. If the work in Shazhou is not done well, I am the person primarily responsible."

"Let me tell you, no matter how much Qin Feng and I argue, we must abide by the tacit understanding and rules that everyone should follow. We absolutely cannot affect the overall situation of the entire Shazhou. That's the bottom line. So please put away all those little schemes and tricks in your head. If I really do what you think, the first person to be punished by the higher-ups will not be Qin Feng, but me." Jiang Longjun glared at Ma Shanming with annoyance.

“Secretary, you’ve misunderstood me. How could I not understand such a simple principle? But Qin Feng has openly challenged you this time, and even contradicted you on the matter of Nanshan New Area. This matter cannot be left unresolved. We must teach him a lesson.” Ma Shanming continued to provoke Jiang Longjun’s emotions, adding fuel to the fire.

"Do you think the most important thing right now is to teach him a lesson? Do you think I called you here today to discuss how to punish or retaliate against Qin Feng? If it were really about that, would I need to call you? Don't I understand this basic principle? Do I need to ask you?" Jiang Longjun was already in a bad mood, and after hearing Ma Shanming's nonsense, his anger flared up even more.

"They keep calling Qin Feng a greenhorn who doesn't know anything. How could a greenhorn drive Shao Hongli to his death? How could a greenhorn cause Yang Zhijie to lose time and time again? How could a greenhorn shut down the Yang family's casino while the Yang family could only swallow their pride and suffer in silence?"

"You're not some greenhorn, are you? Do you have the ability? Why don't you go and look around the sandbar and see who else has this ability?"

"Ma Shanming, let me tell you, if you don't take Qin Feng seriously, you'll die at his hands sooner or later." Jiang Long hadn't finished handing out the weapons when he pointed at Ma Shanming's nose and cursed.

"I didn't call you here today to listen to these things; I want you to do something for me."

"What is it?" Ma Shanming asked hurriedly, too afraid to even breathe after being scolded by Jiang Longjun.

"Go and see Qin Feng," Jiang Longjun said.

"See Qin Feng? What's the matter?"

“Have a good talk with him, ask him what he really wants, and what he needs me to do to get him to agree to the Nanshan New Area’s fiscal budget.” Jiang Longjun lit another cigarette.

Ma Shanming finally understood Jiang Longjun's meaning and asked in surprise, "Secretary, are you asking me to go and negotiate with Qin Feng?"

"What's with all this talk about making peace? I'm not arguing with him, are we playing house? This is called communication, understand?" Jiang Longjun rolled his eyes at Ma Shanming.

“No… Secretary, he openly opposed you at the meeting today, and now you want me to take the initiative to go to him and ask him what conditions he has and what he needs us to do before he will agree to the Nanshan New Area’s fiscal budget. Isn’t this us taking the initiative to beg him for mercy…” Ma Shanming was very agitated.

Jiang Longjun didn't interrupt Ma Shanming. He smoked as Ma Shanming indignantly denounced the harm of doing so.

"Secretary, we can't do this. If you do this, Qin Feng will only become more demanding..."

"Did you say that?" Jiang Longjun looked at Ma Shanming impatiently.

"Shut up and listen to me now that you've finished speaking." Jiang Longjun could no longer tolerate it.

“Officials cannot act on impulse. Right now, I also wish I could tear Qin Feng to pieces and kill him, but can I? The most urgent task is not how to take revenge on him, but how to get the financial budget of Nanshan New Area approved. The New Year is coming soon. If there are no new projects or new funds going to Nanshan New Area after the New Year, there will definitely be no one in Nanshan New Area after the New Year.”

“You know what Nanshan New Area means to me. Nanshan New Area must continue to be developed vigorously until I leave Shazhou.”

“The Nanshan New Area must not be halted, so its fiscal budget must also not be halted and must be approved as soon as possible. On this matter, even if I were the Party Secretary of the city, I could not bypass Qin Feng. The money is always in his hands, and his approval is essential.”

"So no matter how he treats me, I have to bow down to him. I will agree to whatever conditions he offers, as long as he guarantees that the funds for Nanshan New Area will be in place smoothly and that the construction of Nanshan New Area will continue."

"As for dealing with him... no rush. A gentleman takes his revenge even after ten years. After we get through the Nanshan New Area's fiscal budget issue, there will be plenty of ways to deal with him. Do you understand?" Jiang Longjun asked Ma Shanming.

In fact, Ma Shanming could not possibly be unaware of what was going on. He had deliberately incited Jiang Longjun's anger towards Qin Feng, hoping that Jiang Longjun would take action against Qin Feng.

Of course, it wouldn't benefit Ma Shanming if Jiang Longjun and Qin Feng "fought," but it would benefit the Yang family. What the Yang family most wants to see right now is for Jiang Longjun and Qin Feng to fight each other completely, preferably a complete break and a fight to the death.

Therefore, the Yang family has given Ma Shanming a lot of benefits, hoping that Ma Shanming can promote a "struggle" between Jiang Longjun and Qin Feng.

Since he was paid, he naturally had to do things for him. So whenever he had the chance, he would try to sow discord between Jiang Longjun and Qin Feng.

For many years, Ma Shanming has maintained close ties with the Yang family in secret, and has done many shady things for them behind the scenes.