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

"These are just some things I've summarized based on what I've seen, heard, and thought in my daily work. They may not be entirely accurate, and you can only use them as a reference."

Jiang Yiming smiled and said, "I suggest that your company hire more expert consultants to participate in your company's decision-making. This will greatly help improve the company's management efficiency."

"Yes, County Head, I will actively adopt your suggestions."

Jiang Yiming chatted with Wang Weifa for an afternoon. Around five o'clock, Jiang Yiming went to the train station to pick up his wife Xia Shining and his mentor Yang Jing.

Universities in the capital had already started their winter break, but they returned a little later because they had things to take care of.

Jiang Yiming chose this time to visit Jiangcheng based on their holiday schedule, so that they could all get together.

"Teacher Yang, it's been a while since I've seen you. You look several years younger after your trip abroad."

Jiang Yiming took the bags from the two of them and praised them with a smile.

"When I go abroad, I travel by plane, not a time machine. How could it have the effect of turning back the clock?"

Yang Jing laughed and said, "No wonder you managed to win over such a good girl like Si Ning. What girl wouldn't like someone with your sweet talk?"

"If your Uncle Li had been half as good at sweet-talking as you were back then, I wouldn't have refused him five times before agreeing to be with him."

"Uncle Li has great perseverance; he's been able to persist for so long."

Jiang Yiming laughed.

"That's one of the good things about your Uncle Li. He's persistent in his work. That's what I valued in him, which is why I agreed to be with him."

Yang Jing recounted some interesting stories from their youth, which Jiang Yiming and his companion listened to with great interest.

"I never imagined Old Li was so shameless back then."

Jiang Yiming thought to himself.

After exchanging a few jokes, the group got into the car and drove to the provincial party committee compound.

After sending Yang Jing home, Jiang Yiming and Xia Shining brought gifts and visited Guo Shenglin, the secretary of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, at his home, and invited them to have dinner at Li Zhengquan's house that evening.

When the two of them got married, neither Li Zhengquan nor Guo Shenglin could attend. This meal is a special invitation for them.

"Xiao Jiang, Shi Ning, your Uncle Guo and I are very sorry that we couldn't be there in person for your wedding. He was just talking about it a couple of days ago, saying that he wanted to come to Jiangcheng and have a meal together."

Guo Shenglin's wife said with a smile, "When Lao Guo comes back, I'll go with him."

"Okay, let's go back and help Teacher Yang out first."

Jiang Yiming and Xia Shining returned to Li Zhengquan's house.

"Teacher Yang, before I brought local specialties that I bought, but now it's different. I work in the mountains, where there are many mountain products. Every time I go to the countryside, I buy some local specialties like mushrooms to stock up, and I bring some back for you whenever I have the chance."

Jiang Yiming quickly put on his apron and started helping with the cooking.

Although he is usually very busy and hardly has time to cook, he still occasionally squeezes out time to cook some dishes so as not to neglect his cooking.

“Now that you’re the county head, you need to work for the benefit of hundreds of thousands of people, so don’t distract yourself from us.”

Yang Jing said with a smile, "By the way, I heard you say before that you want to have a child while you're still young. You should hurry up and do it. Your teacher fully supports you."

Xia Shining blushed a little and said somewhat shyly, "That depends on Yiming. If he wants it, we can have a baby."

"Yiming, you heard it too, Shi Ning listens to you completely."

"Don't worry, teacher, I guarantee the task will be completed within three years."

Jiang Yiming said with a smile.

"Why not within three years? Get pregnant this year and give birth next year, isn't that great?"

Just as Yang Jing was about to say something, Li Zhengquan returned.

Jiang Yiming turned off the stove and walked out of the kitchen with Xia Shining to greet them.

"Uncle Li."

"Yiming and Shining are here! Great! The house is lively again."

Li Zhengquan laughed and said, "Let's call Lao Guo over later, and the three of us will have a good drink together."

"Shi Ning and I have already gone to invite them, and they should be here a little later."

"Yiming, take off your smock and talk to Uncle Li. The teacher and I will take care of things."

Xia Shining said considerately.

"Yiming, you go ahead and do your thing. Shi Ning can help me."

Yang Jing also spoke up.

Jiang Yiming didn't refuse again. After all, Li Zhengquan was usually very busy, and the two rarely had the opportunity to communicate. Now that they finally had time to talk, they naturally wanted to seize the opportunity.

After Jiang Yiming took off his apron, he went to Li Zhengquan's study with him and then made two cups of tea.

"Sit down and chat with me for a while."

Li Zhengquan stretched and shook his head, saying, "It's always this meeting or that meeting, and all we hear is official jargon. It's rare for you to come all this way, so please have a good chat with me."

"Are you doing well working in Xichuan County?"

"There are some minor difficulties, but overall it's okay, and I can overcome them."

Jiang Yiming replied with a smile.

Although he had only been in Xichuan County for a little over a month, Jiang Yiming had already sensed the many difficulties and troubles that existed there, but he could not complain or be honest with Li Zhengquan.

He learned from Wei Shanghua that Li Zhengquan supported his work in Xichuan County.

In this situation, he can only report good news and not bad news.

"It's good that we can overcome it."

Li Zhengquan nodded and said, "Previously, the Provincial Party Committee Policy Research Office had conducted several investigations in Yiyang City on the work of optimizing the business environment and wrote a research report. I am quite satisfied with the results of the investigation. Subsequently, I arranged for Governor Wei Dong to lead the selection of one or two counties in various cities and prefectures throughout the province for pilot projects. I heard that the response has been quite good. After the Spring Festival, the relevant research team will go down again to conduct a thorough investigation of these pilot counties and districts. If the results are good, I plan to promote the mechanism for optimizing the business environment throughout the province no later than August."

"A corresponding provincial-level leading group for optimizing the business environment will be established, and I will personally serve as the group leader. I will also arrange for you to be included to guide and supervise the implementation in various cities and prefectures."

Jiang Yiming did not expect that Li Zhengquan attached so much importance to optimizing the business environment and was so actively promoting this work.

"I will follow Uncle Li's instructions and do my best to assist the relevant leaders in ensuring that this work is done well."

"You're not assisting; you're playing a leading role."

Li Zhengquan smiled and said, "I reported this situation to the leader before. He said he was very much looking forward to the successful promotion of this in Dongjiang Province. He would send a research team to understand the situation. If the pilot project in Dongjiang is successful and a mature theoretical system is formed, it will be piloted and promoted nationwide."

"If you make time to handle this matter well, you'll have a chance to come into the leader's sights."

“I’ll find another opportunity to recommend you to him. Maybe you’ll have another chance to meet the leader.”

"Okay, I will definitely balance the work on both sides."

Jiang Yiming was still somewhat excited.

After all, few people don't want to be recognized by the top leader.

The two then discussed future trends.

What are your views on my country's development trends over the next five or even ten years?

Li Zhengquan said.