Chapter 141: The County Magistrate is Here!

How could Hou Donglai and the others fail to understand Yang Dong’s intention? They immediately picked up their chopsticks and began helping themselves to the dishes.

Regardless of the Kaiyang County officials' true motives, filling their stomachs came first. Even if it came down to a drinking contest, they needed to have food in their systems. Hou Donglai even guessed that Zhao Yufei and the other Kaiyang officials had definitely eaten something in advance. But his team couldn't afford to do that; if they chugged those cups on an empty stomach, they’d be flat on their backs under the table in no time.

Once they were dead drunk, the consequences would be terrible. For a task force dispatched by the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission to make a fool of themselves right here in Kaiyang County would deal a heavy blow to their reputation once the word got out. If the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission found out and the leaders flew into a rage, their task force might be recalled immediately. Should that happen, Kaiyang County would achieve its goal.

"Do not judge others with the greatest malice"—this adage might apply in other circumstances, but it certainly did not hold true in the political system. Hou Donglai was forced to assume the worst about them.

Yang Dong also picked up his chopsticks and began eating without waiting for any cue from the Kaiyang hosts. Besides, there was nothing inappropriate about his actions. After all, he was a native of Kaiyang County and this was his hometown; it was entirely reasonable and proper for him to act as a local host and look after the other comrades from the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission.

Moreover, as Deputy Secretary Zhao had just mentioned, these dishes were prepared by Master Liao—a chef who had been stir-frying dishes for thirty years. Who could possibly find fault with them picking up their chopsticks to sample Master Liao’s culinary skills? If anyone was to blame, it was Zhao Yufei for being careless and handing Yang Dong the conversation.

Logically speaking, Zhao Yufei, the county's number three official who had served as a cadre for decades, shouldn't have been so careless. Was this a sign of goodwill released by Zhao Yufei? Or did Zhao Yufei himself harbor some ulterior motives? That remained unknown.

Zhao Guojun glanced at Zhao Yufei, feeling a slight surge of dissatisfaction in his heart, though he said nothing. As the Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee, Zhao Yufei held the highest position and rank at this table; no one could openly accuse him of doing anything wrong.

Song Sisong inwardly cursed his bad luck. According to the original plan, after he finished his toast, it would be the turn of Gong Hongyang, the Party Secretary of Xiashuizhen Town, followed by the Mayor of Xiashuizhen. Downing those five glasses would amount to a full jin of liquor. Taken so quickly and eagerly, even immortals with legendary alcohol tolerances wouldn't be able to hold out; they would pass out in no time.

Yet now, thanks to Yang Dong's interruption, the municipal discipline officials had all started eating. Once they had food in their stomachs, getting them drunk would no longer be so easy.

"Come, everyone, please use your chopsticks," Zhao Yufei said with a smile, turning to greet the Kaiyang officials once more.

"Comrade Yang Dong, you truly live up to your name as a son of Kaiyang County. You seem well-acquainted with both the fish from Moon Lake and this sweet and sour pork," Zhao Guojun said, turning his attention to Yang Dong and offering a word of praise first.

Yang Dong put down his chopsticks and replied, "County Magistrate Zhao, when I was a little boy, I was quite the wild urchin. In the summer, I would spend eight out of ten days soaking in Moon Lake. Naturally, I'm very familiar with the fish in it."

"As for this sweet and sour pork, it's prepared in Kaiyang's unique style. Unlike the traditional version, it uses a tomato-based sauce, which reduces the greasy feel and adds a touch of sweetness."

"And as for Master Liao from the county committee canteen, I've also heard of him. His ancestors used to prepare imperial cuisine, and the culinary skills have been passed down through generations."

"As a junior cadre, I'm finally fortunate enough to have the chance to taste dishes cooked by Master Liao from the county committee. County Magistrate Zhao, please don't laugh at my lack of exposure." Yang Dong smiled at Zhao Guojun.

"Comrade Yang Dong, the fish in Moon Lake are all local fry, and local fry are best suited for local waters," Zhao Guojun said, building upon Yang Dong's remarks. "As the old saying goes, 'The soil and water of a region nurture its people,' but the same applies to fish."

"Fish cannot leave their native waters; local fish adapt to local waters in order to bring prosperity to their hometown. Kaiyang County is a land of fish and rice, and utilizing this to develop our economy is the fundamental path!"

"Don't you agree, Comrade Yang Dong?" Zhao Guojun used Yang Dong's words to pose another question.

However, his statement clearly carried a deeper meaning. Local fish adapted to local waters could bring blessings to the common people and generate income. Therefore, it was best if local fish did not leave local waters. Otherwise, if the fish flesh changed, tasting bad, and incomes dwindled, the common people would curse bitterly. And the glorious title of a land of fish and rice would become entirely undeserved.

Yang Dong understood Zhao Guojun's underlying message. When all was said and done, it still came down to those nineteen implicated officials. Indeed, Zhao Guojun himself was one of those nineteen, and he held the highest rank among them. Perhaps these remarks weren't made to plead for the nineteen officials after all, but rather to absolve himself. Zhao Guojun was casting himself as the local fish, always looking out for the local people.

However, Yang Dong had no intention of picking up that thread. He chose to play dumb.

"My friends and I used to catch fish in Moon Lake all the time back then. Having a hearty, delicious meal—words couldn't describe how happy we were."

"In the past, the water in Moon Lake was much clearer, completely unpolluted. Even at a depth of several meters, you could faintly see the aquatic plants and crabs on the lake bed."

"I haven't been to Moon Lake in recent years. I wonder if the water is still as clear now?"

Yang Dong changed the subject. Although they were still talking about Moon Lake, he deftly steered clear of Zhao Guojun's hints. His question caused both Gong Hongyang, the Party Secretary of Xiashuizhen Town, and Jin Hemin, the town's mayor, to put down their chopsticks.

The area of Moon Lake was not particularly large, but its watershed spanned both Xiashuizhen and Shangshuizhen. As the names implied, Shangshuizhen held the upper reaches of Moon Lake, while Xiashuizhen was downstream. As the local leaders of Xiashuizhen, no one knew the condition of Moon Lake better than the two of them.

"Well, Brother Yang, the water in Moon Lake is still quite clear," Gong Hongyang explained to Yang Dong. "It's just that ever since the great flood of '98, the sediment content in the water increased by thirty percent, so it's not as crystal clear as before. There's nothing to be done about that."

In truth, however, every county official seated at the table knew the real reason behind the deterioration of Moon Lake's water quality. Industrial pollution! In order to develop the economy, several electroplating enterprises and paper mills had been introduced around Moon Lake. While they generated economic output, they inevitably polluted Moon Lake as well. The fish in Moon Lake were technically still edible, but whether eating them would lead to illness was anyone's guess.

Song Sisong felt as though the atmosphere of the luncheon had cooled down by several degrees. He wondered if it was just his imagination. Just as he was about to raise his glass to propose a toast and liven up the mood, footsteps echoed from the stairway of the second-floor staff canteen, accompanied by a hearty, booming voice.

"Old Zhao, I heard that several comrades from the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission are dining here? I've come to freeload a meal!"

The voice arrived before the person could even be seen. That resonant, booming voice carried a distinct, gong-like quality.

Upon hearing it, every single Kaiyang County official immediately stood up. They all recognized whose voice it was. Zhao Yufei, the Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee, also stood up to welcome the newcomer.

Of course, the person arriving was not County Party Secretary Tan Long. As a member of the Municipal Party Standing Committee, Tan Long would never personally come over to accompany them for drinks. Unless Yang Dong held the rank of deputy division level or full division level, Tan Long wouldn't even consider making a personal appearance, since Yang Dong was currently merely a deputy section-level cadre.

Still, even though the visitor wasn't Secretary Tan, he was very close. The man arriving was none other than the County Magistrate of Kaiyang, Cheng Dayong!