The Official Ladder: I ascend to the pinnacle of power, wielding the power of life and death.

"I am telling the truth."

Jiang Yiming personally poured Li Muyao a cup of hot water and said apologetically, "Senior sister, I still have some things to finish. Give me twenty minutes to finish them, and the rest of the time is yours."

"It's okay, you go ahead with your work. I'm going back tomorrow anyway, so I have plenty of time. If it doesn't work out, we can do the interview tonight when you have time."

Li Muyao said, "I'm going to the restroom. I'll come back to find you later."

"Okay, please."

Jiang Yiming didn't stand on ceremony with Li Muyao and continued reviewing the documents.

These documents are all urgent matters, and he needs to process them quickly so that the relevant departments can proceed according to his instructions.

Office of the Director of the County Government Office.

"Director Ding, a reporter wants to interview you."

A subordinate reported the situation to Ding Yi.

"Interview me? Did you say anything about it?"

"They didn't say, but I checked their press cards. They're from the Sunshine Daily, the newspaper with the largest circulation in Yiyang City. Would you like to be interviewed?"

"Bring them in."

Ding Yi straightened his clothes, took out a comb and combed his hair a few times, before finally putting away the mirror with satisfaction.

In the past, newspapers would occasionally ask him for interviews, but they were all small media outlets. This time it was the Sunshine Daily, so he took it very seriously.

A moment later, a man and a woman walked in.

"Hello, are you Director Ding Yi?"

"Yes, I am Ding Yi, the director of the county government office."

Ding Yi smiled and said, "I heard you are reporters from the Sunshine Daily. We warmly welcome you to Xinping County for interviews and reports. Please give Xinping County a good boost in publicity."

"Are you looking to interview our county head? I can put in a good word for you."

"No need, we'd like to interview you."

"Interview me?"

Ding Yi said happily, "Ask away, I will do my best to cooperate."

He then proactively addressed the camera, saying, "Is this a video interview? Do I need to prepare a script beforehand?"

"No need to prepare in advance, they are all relatively simple questions."

The female reporter asked, "Director Ding, have you seen the recruitment announcement for public institutions issued by the Xinping County Human Resources and Social Security Bureau? I heard that Gaotai Township is recruiting a staff member for the township government office, and the requirements are very specific. It is said that the position was tailor-made for your daughter. Is that true?"

Ding Yi's expression changed drastically, and he said with a grim face, "Who sent you? Please leave immediately."

"We are journalists and have the right to conduct interviews."

The female reporter said, "Director Ding, please answer my question."

"I don't know, I'm not clear about anything. The Human Resources and Social Security Bureau is in charge of the specific matters, and I do not accept interviews."

Ding Yi blocked the camera with his hand and said, "Please leave immediately and do not interfere with our work."

He then called out to the people outside, "Zhang Tao, you guys come here."

Soon, several staff members arrived.

"Director, what's the matter?"

"Zhang Tao, who was in charge, asked."

"Remove them from the government building, and also delete that short video they just filmed."

Director Ding reprimanded, "Next time, make sure you understand the specific details before bringing people to my office!"

Then, with a 'bang,' the door was slammed shut.

He believed his men could delete the video.

Zhang Tao and the others stepped forward and said, "Don't make things difficult for us. Just delete the video and you can leave."

“We are journalists, and we have the right to film videos and conduct interviews.”

The female reporter refused to back down, saying, "You have no right to force us to delete the video."

"You're not going to delete it, huh? Then don't blame us for being impolite."

Zhang Tao said with a grim face, "Brothers, let's do it!"

As he spoke, he started grabbing the camera.

"What are you doing? Are you bandits? Give me back my camera!"

The two sides started arguing.

But the Sunshine Daily only has two people, one of whom is a woman.

Meanwhile, the government office staff consisted entirely of men, and several more arrived later, making a total of seven or eight people working on it simultaneously. The Sunshine Daily staff couldn't stop them at all. Zhang Tao simply took the camera, fiddled with it for a bit, and it was unclear how he was using it.

Worried that the other party might try something funny, he had no choice but to take out the memory card and try to break it in half.

"What are you doing? Don't damage our memory card! You just want to delete the videos, right? We'll delete them for you, but please don't damage our memory card. There are still our old videos on it..."

Zhang Tao ignored him completely and broke the card in half.

"You have only yourself to blame. You cooperated obediently before and nothing happened. Now we have no choice but to resort to this method."

Zhang Tao said, "Alright, you can leave now."

"However, I'd like to remind you not to come to Xinping County for interviews again, or don't blame us for being impolite next time."

They then arranged for someone to accompany the reporters from the Sunshine Daily and escort them away from Xinping County.

After Li Muyao finished using the restroom, she heard a commotion in the hallway. When she saw what was happening, she didn't rush out of the restroom. Instead, she took a picture of what had just happened through the window.

He then returned to the office of the deputy secretary of the county party committee.

"Senior sister, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I've finished my business. Let's begin."

Jiang Yiming smiled and said, "However, I personally suggest that the main tone of this interview should be to promote the significance of optimizing the business environment, the importance that the Yiyang Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government attach to this work, and the achievements made so far. Don't praise me too much."

"Others want to take credit for the work, but you insist on downplaying your personal contributions."

Li Muyao laughed and said, "You're being overly modest."

“It’s not that I want to be modest, but the tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind. I am the youngest deputy director-level cadre in the province and the deputy secretary of the county party committee. I am already attracting a lot of attention. If I emphasize my personal achievements too much, it will cause unnecessary trouble. Besides, I am just the one who proposed it. It is hundreds or thousands of ordinary party members and cadres who are really implementing it. The credit should belong to them.”

Jiang Yiming smiled and said, "Senior sister, if you agree with my point of view, let's begin."

"Your subtext is that if I disagree, you won't accept my interview?"

Li Muyao smiled and said, "I'll listen to my junior brother. Whatever he says, I'll do."

"Moreover, I understand your thoughts; you are indeed very famous. When I was in the province, I heard people mention you many times. However, you were the one who initiated this work system, and that point definitely needs to be highlighted. This is also something the leadership has particularly emphasized. As for other aspects, I can downplay your importance."

"That's good."

Jiang Yiming smiled and said, "Let's begin."

"it is good."

Li Muyao took out a voice recorder and notebook and asked, "Secretary Jiang, when did you start the work of optimizing the business environment? What were your thoughts at the time that led you to take on this work?"

"That was at the end of 2002. As everyone knows, there is a tradition in our country to visit important relatives and friends at the end of the year. Businesses are the same; they visit various business departments. During this period, I discovered that some cadres privately accepted red envelopes from business owners, and some even actively solicited them, which caused a very bad influence."

Jiang Yiming explained, "Giving red envelopes to each department adds up to a considerable expense. Some companies have reported that the cost of giving red envelopes to government departments accounts for 10% of their annual operating expenses. Some companies simply can't afford it, but they dare not refuse to give them."

“Every year at the end of the year, I organize a meeting for business leaders to exchange ideas. After learning about their concerns, I sit down with the heads of the Discipline Inspection Commission and other departments to discuss the matter. Finally, we proposed to launch an action to optimize the business environment and established a working group.”

What role did it play? What difficulties were encountered at the time?

"The first year yielded excellent results. A number of corrupt officials were apprehended, and the phenomenon of extortion and bribery decreased by 60%. A significant number of business owners in our county are from other places. After returning home, they told their fellow villagers about our county's efforts to optimize the business environment. Once those villagers learned about it, they flocked to invest and start businesses in Xinping County. We completed our annual investment attraction target in the first quarter alone. This is also why our county was able to rank second in the city's GDP last year."

Jiang Yiming recounted, "There will naturally be no shortage of difficulties, after all, it has affected the interests of some people..."

The entire interview lasted an hour and a half before it ended.

"That concludes today's interview. Thank you for your great cooperation, junior."

Li Muyao started packing her things and said with a smile, "It's lunchtime. Your senior sister will treat you to dinner."

"Aren't you just slapping me in the face? You've come all the way to Xinping County, how can I let you treat me to a meal?"

Jiang Yiming smiled and said, "Is there anything you want to eat, or anything you can't eat? I'll arrange it."

"Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony. How about this, you take me to your food street to experience your local specialties."

Li Muyao smiled and said, "I like to eat local food."

"no problem."

Jiang Yiming laughed and said, "I was originally thinking of inviting the comrades from the publicity department to have dinner with you, but since you want to eat snacks, I won't invite them."

"No need, it's fine just the two of us."

After packing her things, Li Muyao left the county government compound with Jiang Yiming.

Upon arriving at the food street, Jiang Yiming made sure to wear a mask to avoid causing any unnecessary trouble.

"This is a local specialty of ours. Spicy soup with potstickers. Eating these on a cold day will warm you up from head to toe."

Jiang Yiming bought two bowls of spicy soup and a pot of potstickers.

The two of them sat down at the roadside stall and started eating.

"It really smells delicious. The potstickers are crispy and fragrant, and the spicy soup is fresh and flavorful. It's very tasty."

Li Muyao ate most of a bowl and six fried dumplings.

"I don't want to eat that much anymore. I want to try some other local specialties."

"Okay, let's see what else is ahead."

Jiang Yiming was about to lead Li Muyao forward when Li Muyao touched her handbag, wanting to take out her phone to check the time, only to find that her handbag had been slashed open.

"Junior brother, I remember you were the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission of Xinping County, right?"

Li Muyao asked with a smile.

"Yes, what's wrong?"

"My handbag was slashed open by a thief, and my phone and wallet are gone."

Li Muyao laughed and said, "That thief is really bold. He actually stole my things right in front of the secretary of the county's Political and Legal Affairs Commission. Do you think he'll be scared when he finds out?"

"Uh, I'm so sorry, I made you have a bad experience."

Jiang Yiming then called Wan Wenbing.

"Secretary, what are your instructions?"

Wan Wenbing said respectfully.

"Wenbing, my friend and I were eating at the food street when my friend's handbag was slashed and her phone and wallet were stolen. Please intensify your investigation and make sure to get them back."

Jiang Yiming said, "She's a reporter for the provincial newspaper. If you can't find out, you can expect to be in the newspapers."

"Don't worry, Secretary, I will immediately arrange for people to investigate and try to solve the case within two hours!"

After hanging up the phone, Wan Wenbing yelled, "Damn it, which blind bastard dares to steal from Secretary Jiang? I think he doesn't want to live anymore!"

He then summoned all his men.

"Listen up, everyone! Spread the word immediately: within half an hour, you must obediently hand over your phones and wallets, or I'll skin you alive!"

“These belong to our county leaders. Anyone who tries to get away with this will regret it.”

"You guys come with me to the scene and ask which thieves were stealing things there."

Wan Wenbing then personally led a team to investigate.

Aside from thieves from outside the county, the police station has a list of most thieves.

There are many reasons why they haven't been arrested.

With Wan Wenbing, the captain of the public security brigade, personally leading the investigation, the entire county mobilized to search for the lost wallets and mobile phones.

Even a murder case might not cause as much of a stir as this!