Binjiang Police Affairs

4:30 in the afternoon, the bid results came out.

Director He enthusiastically announced that the Yangtze River Channel Engineering Shipyard's design proposal won the bid, and under the witness of leaders from the Yangtze Navigation Bureau, Changhang Police Bureau, and Binjiang Port Authority, a design contract was signed with the person in charge of the Yangtze River Channel Engineering Shipyard.

Representatives from more than a dozen unsuccessful bidders were very disappointed. They planned to host a dinner that evening to thank everyone for their bids, and to explain why the Channel Engineering Shipyard won.

While Han Yu was apologetically serving drinks, Fang Guoya suddenly called, saying he was waiting at the entrance, sounding very urgent.

Han Yu had to find an excuse to leave the Sailor Club and followed Fang Guoya into a narrow alley.

"Boss Fang, what's so urgent?"

"Director Lei from the Human Resources Division of the Port Authority came to me."

"For what?"

Fang Guoya glanced back at the entrance of the alley and said eagerly, "The Port Authority has re-established the Security Department and formed the Economic Police Team, right? Director Lei wants me to transfer back as the Deputy Division Commander of the Economic Police Team and also the Chief of the Fire Brigade."

The leadership of the Port Authority really knows how to poach people, and they hit the nail on the head with this guy.

Han Yu sighed inwardly and asked, "To be appointed as Deputy Division Commander means you will definitely be promoted to Deputy Director. What are your thoughts on this?"

Fang Guoya said helplessly, "Director Lei thinking of me is an honor. The local bureau's leadership has also treated me well. Other military transfer officials need to work for at least two or three years before being assigned a post, but I was made a squad leader in less than a year after being transferred to the local bureau. It's made me feel torn, so I'm eager to discuss it with you."

Conflicts among leaders create difficulties for the subordinates.

Han Yu could understand Fang Guoya's feelings and spoke in a low voice, "Boss Fang, maybe you shouldn't rush to agree to Director Lei, nor should you rush to reject him, because the situation has changed a bit now."

"What's changed?"

"The matter of the Port Authority reinstating the Security Department and establishing the Economic Police Team..."

Han Yu briefly recounted the events that occurred in the small meeting room that afternoon and then added with a wry smile, "Director He seems to have scored a point, but he's won the battle yet lost the war. Even if the Port Authority is willing to make corrections, the Security Department and Economic Police Team will only be led by the local bureau on the surface."

Fang Guoya agreed and said with a bitter expression, "Since this change is just a façade, it's still not appropriate to drag things out."

"When did Director Lei look for you?"

"He reached out before the Economic Police Team was officially launched."

Fang Guoya envied Han Yu for being far away from these issues and continued, "Now that enterprise firefighters have all become Economic Police, my position as the Firefighting Squad Leader has become irrelevant. Not having subordinates is one thing, but the key is that the station has tasked me with fire supervision in the Port District."

Han Yu was stunned and took a while to grasp the true intention behind Director He's decision.

The conflict seemed to be initiated by the Port Authority, but in fact, Director He might have been looking forward to this showdown. Because only through a confrontation, the fire supervision work in the Port District could be effectively implemented.

Previously, since it was "all in the family," even if there were safety hazards in fire prevention, at most a rectification notice would be issued, and no one had the heart to impose a fine.

Always amiable and reluctant to impose heavy fines, who would take firefighting seriously?

The major fire on New Year's Eve served as a lesson; if the dock manager had taken immediate action upon receiving the rectification notice, the fire would never have happened, and the significant economic losses could have been avoided.

Actually, Director Zhang had considered truly enforcing supervision when he was in Binjiang and even planned to have this Deputy Division Commander offend people. But time has changed, and the responsibility has unexpectedly fallen on Fang Guoya.

As Han Yu was at a loss for words, Fang Guoya whispered, "Director Yu, it's different for me. I was initially transferred to the Port Authority, and I'm from the Port Authority. In order to transfer to the Port Authority, my father-in-law approached many people, including several leaders of the Port Authority."

"You don't want to offend anyone?"

"Who wants to offend others if they can avoid it, and besides, I'm just a firefighter!"

Although Fang Guoya did not explicitly state it, his attitude was clear; it seemed he wanted the transfer.

Han Yu wanted to remind him that although the Economic Police are police, they are not the public security police, but considering that people aspire to higher positions, he didn't know what to say next.

"Boss Fang, have you discussed it with your father-in-law?"

"I did."

"What did your father-in-law say?"

Fang Guoya hesitated for a moment, then said with an embarrassed expression, "He suggested that I transfer back to the Port Authority, and my wife also hopes that I return there."

Han Yu realized what he truly meant and looked up, "Does that mean you're worried that Director He and Political Commissioner Jiang won't let you go?"

"..."

"I understand. Director He and the Commissioner are inside, and they're in good spirits today. I'll ask them for you; I think it shouldn't be a big issue."

"Director Yu..."

"The leadership of the Port Authority has also approached me. Director He knows about this; he said people aspire to higher positions like water flows to lower ground, and that if I wanted to transfer, he'd warmly see me off."

"Then why didn't you transfer?"

"I want to build new ships, and I've grown accustomed to staying at Bailong Port."

Feeling awkward about progressing his career as a "deserter," Fang Guoya hastily changed the subject, "So after the bidding, which company won?"

Han Yu didn't want to keep talking about the previous topic and couldn't help smiling, "The Yangtze River Channel Engineering Shipyard won the bid. They had the lowest bid, and they will definitely lose money on the design."

"Why would they accept a loss-making deal?"

"Designing at a loss, making money through construction, eighty to ninety percent of the future construction will also be handed over to them."

"Do they have the capability?"

Han Yu explained, "The channel shipyard is a subsidiary of the Yangtze River Navigation Bureau and has been building engineering vessels since 1952. A large number of the dredging and salvage ships operated by the Navigation Bureau on the river were built by them. Compared to those steel cable grab dredgers and cutter suction dredgers, the technical content of our firefighting and rescue ships is not really high, so they are fully capable of construction."

Fang Guoya chuckled, "A subsidiary of the Navigation Bureau, this is keeping the wealth within the system—it's like keeping the water in one's own rice paddies!"

"There is that factor."

Han Yu turned to look down the alleyway, sighing gently, "In the past, when the channel engineering shipyard was profitable, they didn't have to look for orders; they were built according to the national directive plans, with twenty to thirty specialized vessels every year. Now, with the market economy, without directive construction tasks and unable to compete with those large shipyards, if the departments within the Changhang System don't take care of them, then who will?"

"I get it, it's just about having them do the construction, but isn't it troublesome when it comes to major repairs later on?"

"It's not a hassle; the Waterway Bureau has a Waterway Section in Binjiang. The engineering ships of the Binjiang Waterway Section are all serviced by them, and they have guaranteed that if there is any problem after the new ships are put into service, they'll be readily available to take full responsibility."

...

After seeing off Fang Guoya and returning to the Sailor Club, managers and guests were just dispersing.

Han Yu, transforming into a driver, drove the leaders of the Marine Bureau and the Changhang Police Bureau to Wushan Hotel for a rest.

Waiting to return to the branch office to speak with Director He and Political Commissioner Jiang before heading back to Bailong Port, he found two bottles of fine wine and two packs of premium cigarettes in the back seat.

Thinking carefully, he suddenly remembered that after coming back from Wushan Hotel, he was pulled aside by the person in charge of the winning bidder for a chat, and the wine and cigarettes must have been stuffed into the car then.

It's not easy for others to keep an enterprise going, and Han Yu didn't want to accept the gifts just like that, so he straightforwardly carried them into the director's office.

"Salted Fish, what are you doing?"

Before Director He could finish speaking, Political Commissioner Jiang teased, "Should I excuse myself first?"

Han Yu hurriedly explained, "Political Commissioner, I'm not here to give gifts to Director He; these were put in my car by someone else."

Director He chuckled and asked, "Gifts from the winning bidder?"

"Seems so."

"What are you going to do with them?"

"If I knew, I could bring them here; Director He, Political Commissioner, I'll be heading back to Bailong Port soon, so I'll leave these here; please help me deal with them."

The young man is the richest person in the branch, now with an additional income from publishing articles.

It's not just that he neither smokes nor drinks; even if he did, he wouldn't accept gifts from others, as he is Xu Sanye's disciple after all.

Director He smiled slightly, pointing to a corner of the wall, "Just put them there for now."

"Thank you, Director He."

Han Yu put down the items, then, with cautious thought, added, "Director He, Political Commissioner, there's one more thing."

"What's the matter?" Director He asked with a smile.

"Fang Guoya came to me today, he... he comes from the military, has a straightforward character, and enjoys vigorous activities. Organizing firefighting training and leading the charge to fight big fires, he is adept at it; making him do Fire Supervision is really a hardship for him."

"Does he want to change his position?"

"He wishes to continue engaging in firefighting training and firefighting."

Han Yu spoke tactfully, but Director He could clearly hear the implied meaning, looking up to ask, "Does he want to transfer to the Port Authority's Economic Police Team to continue leading the troops?"

"Yes."

"Did the Port Authority mention arranging a position for him?"

"Deputy Division Commander of the Economic Police Team and Big Commander of the enterprise fire brigade."

"What do you think?"

Han Yu was silent for a moment, then said, "From a personal point of view, I don't think he should make the transfer. Although we are industry police, the industry police are just as much the police as any other. What kind of police is the Economic Police? Giving up the regular army to become a guerrilla, what's the point in that?

However, he's different from us; he changed his career from the military and has only been in the police for less than a year, mostly busy with training, and hasn't developed a real connection to police work. So, wanting to transfer back is understandable, after all, it does mean being promoted to Deputy Director."

Director He nodded, motioning Han Yu to continue.

Han Yu turned to look at the Political Commissioner and continued, "From a work perspective, I think it's better for him to transfer than to stay in the branch."

"Why do you think so?" Director He asked instinctively.

"Director He, although we currently have some misunderstandings with the Port Authority, at least on the issue of firefighting, we and the Port Authority are on the same team—prospering and suffering together. The Binjiang Port Enterprise Fire Brigade was not easy to set up and organize training to the current level, having experienced actual combat and possessing a certain fighting capacity."

Seeing that the director and the Political Commissioner were contemplating, Han Yu took the opportunity to press on, "If Fang Guoya isn't allowed to go there to lead the troops, the enterprise fire brigade will lose direction and gradually lose fighting effectiveness. For the Port Authority, this would be a great loss, and for us, it would be the same."

After weighing the facts, Director He laughed, "You make a good point. Since he wants to transfer back, we welcome him warmly."

Political Commissioner Jiang then looked at Han Yu with a smile and asked, "Salted Fish, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"I heard that Secretary Miao plans to make you Branch Captain."

"Political Commissioner, don't tease me. Today is Han Han's first full month, and I need to hurry back to Bailong Port."