Chapter Forty-Five: Policy Support

Taking a taxi from the city, Tang Long arrived at Taoyuan County. He instructed Li Ergou to take Zhao Xiaoyue and the village’s young doctor, Qiu Yuxia, back by bus, telling them not to rush. Once they reached Donghe Town, villagers would drive over to pick them up. As for himself, Tang Long planned to hitch a ride.

On the way, Old Xing called Tang Long, telling him there was nothing urgent and not to worry. However, someone wanted to meet him and would accompany him to Fish Head Village. Until Tang Long returned, no one would disturb the villagers of Fish Head Village.

Wu Zhengyao hadn’t expected that the “village chief” he wanted to meet would be in the county seat. As Wu Zhengyao’s secretary, he couldn’t stop the county chief from visiting the countryside, but before the trip, he had to ensure nothing would happen to Wu Zhengyao. So he contacted Xing Jun from the criminal police squad, hoping he could accompany them. Unexpectedly, Xing Jun had already headed to Donghe Town. That worked out perfectly—if they were all in Donghe Town, nothing would happen to Wu Zhengyao.

Wu Zhengyao wasn’t concerned about his own safety; he didn’t believe so many criminals existed within his jurisdiction. A pleasant surprise came when Xing Jun informed him that he could get in touch with the village chief of Fish Head Village and arrange for the two of them to return together at noon.

“County Chief Wu, greetings!”

When Tang Long met Wu Zhengyao, he stood upright and saluted, offering the county leader the respect he deserved. After all, he was the parent official of Taoyuan County, and for Fish Head Village to embark on the road to prosperity, the support of county leadership was indispensable.

“Xiao Tang, you look spirited!” Wu Zhengyao, just over forty, smiled as he shook Tang Long’s hand.

After a few polite exchanges, the secretary took the front passenger seat, while Tang Long accompanied Wu Zhengyao in the back. The driver set off towards Donghe Town.

“Xiao Tang, you’ve only just returned to Fish Head Village, haven’t you?” Wu Zhengyao asked.

Tang Long nodded with a smile. “Yes, I haven’t even been back a month.”

Wu Zhengyao knew that in many parts of Taoyuan County, especially in remote mountain villages, the village chief was a figure of great respect, often serving for decades. The successor was usually chosen or appointed by the previous chief. Wu Zhengyao had heard about the upheavals in Fish Head Village, especially those involving Qiangyuan Company. The investigative team established recently was still conducting discreet inquiries.

He had come to Taoyuan County for his ideals. He wanted to lead the county’s two hundred thousand people out of poverty and toward prosperity. If he couldn’t achieve that, what was the point of holding office?

“What branch of the military did you serve in?”

Tang Long shook his head. “County Chief Wu, that involves confidential matters—I'm afraid I can't disclose it.”

Wu Zhengyao was momentarily surprised, then smiled. “Alright, I won’t ask.” After a brief pause, he shifted the conversation. “As for Fish Head Village, what plans do you have, Chief Tang?”

Tang Long’s gaze was deep. He shook his head. “To be honest, I have no plans at all. Right now, we’re just stumbling forward like blind men crossing a river by feeling the stones.”

He continued, “Before I returned, Qiangyuan Company forcibly occupied our village’s ‘Liangou Hollow’ to set up a breeding farm and repeatedly assaulted villagers, injuring and crippling several. The death of our former village chief was closely tied to people from Qiangyuan Company.”

Wu Zhengyao’s face darkened and he nodded. “I’m aware of this. If you hadn’t privately reached a settlement with Qiangyuan Company’s general manager, Liu Meijia, a county workgroup would have investigated thoroughly.”

Tang Long was taken aback and smiled bitterly. “I didn’t know. At the time, I just wanted to get some money back from Qiangyuan Company. As you know, Fish Head Village is desperately poor. Recently, heavy rains destroyed a third of the houses, and the rest are now hazardous. Without the compensation from Qiangyuan, I wouldn’t have known what to do.”

Wu Zhengyao asked curiously, “I heard you used the compensation to build new houses for villagers?”

“That’s right. Secretary Xiu’e from our village asked a classmate in the provincial capital to design the blueprints for us—it didn’t cost much. We’re preparing to completely rebuild Fish Head Village based on its current layout. Whether it looks good or not is secondary; at least for the next thirty to fifty years, villagers won’t have to worry about their homes being washed away.”

Thanks to Tang Long and Zhang Xiu’e securing funds from Liu Meijia, otherwise, waiting for subsidies from the town or county—even if they arrived eventually—would only be enough for patching up homes, not real improvement. Of course, Tang Long couldn’t say this directly to Wu Zhengyao; it would be too embarrassing.

Tang Long didn’t know Wu Zhengyao had just arrived in Taoyuan County, and he himself had only just returned from military service. In the ten years since he left until now, Fish Head Village had hardly changed.

“But our village has, in a sense, found fortune in misfortune. The rainstorm collapsed the mountain behind us, revealing the ‘King of Ghosts Cave.’”

Tang Long shifted the topic, smiling. “Now, the King of Ghosts Cave is gaining a reputation not only in Taoyuan County but also in surrounding counties and cities. Secretary Xiu’e and I have been discussing whether we can leverage this to guide Fish Head Village onto the path of tourism development.”

Wu Zhengyao nodded. “That’s a good idea. I actually had someone investigate your ‘wild scenic spot.’ It’s well-managed—better than I expected, especially in terms of utilizing and protecting the King of Ghosts Cave. Your approach is steady in the midst of urgency. Even I could learn from your spirit!”

“County Chief Wu, you flatter me. All these suggestions came from Secretary Xiu’e. Tourism must not come at the expense of destruction. The King of Ghosts Cave belongs to Fish Head Village, but it’s also the heritage of all Taoyuan County’s people,” Tang Long replied respectfully.

“Excellent, excellent! What Taoyuan County needs are young, enlightened grassroots officials like you—people with vision, courage, and action.” Wu Zhengyao showed great appreciation for Tang Long’s work. Smiling, he asked, “I heard Fish Head Village has already registered its own collective company?”

“Yes, we registered our own company,” Tang Long replied, pausing before continuing, “and next, we plan to establish our own brand.”

“Good!”

Wu Zhengyao thought for a moment and said, “In terms of funding, neither Taoyuan County nor Donghe Town can provide much support. But when it comes to policy, I can make decisions—support and reward where needed. I might even designate Fish Head Village as a pilot for economic reforms in the county.”

Tang Long said happily, “That would be wonderful! To be honest, our villagers fear the town or county will forcibly reclaim the King of Ghosts Cave and then lease it out for profit. As long as the cave remains in our hands, I, Tang Long, can guarantee that as long as Fish Head Village exists, it will never be deliberately damaged. We will protect it, generation after generation!”

If the county is truly determined to take the cave away and lease it to some company or individual, that would be Tang Long’s greatest concern. Now was the perfect time to confirm the cave’s ownership with Wu Zhengyao—preferably with a written agreement—to avoid future disputes and complications with government departments.