Reborn as a Noble s Son

Chapter 621: Chapter 577: Xiao Erjie loses her temper (Request for monthly ticket)_1
 

After a moment, Tian Xujian descended, his face grave and serene. At this point, Yi Chang went to the left side of the first official car, opened the rear door, and positioned one hand on the door frame. Normally, this would be a task for a secretary. However, Tian Xujian still hadn’t chosen a secretary, so this became Yi Chang’s responsibility.

After Tian Xujian boarded the car, Yi Chang was about to follow suit when he noticed that Tian Xujian sat in the seat behind the front passenger seat and didn’t move from there. This irked Yi Chang.

This disrespect left no room for Yi Chang, who was not Tian Xujian’s secretary. According to hierarchy, the Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee should either sit in his own official car or share the backseat with the leader. Currently, Tian Xujian had no secretary and so Yi Chang had to accompany him. However, Tian Xujian’s gesture clearly indicated that Yi Chang should sit in the front. This seemed intentional.

Nevertheless, Yi Chang intentionally neglected to close the door; instead, he walked over to the front passenger side, opened the door, and sat inside. This action cast a cloud over Tian Xujian’s face. An eye for an eye, and so swiftly. Yet, there was nothing Tian Xujian could do. This was not an issue that could be openly addressed.

As the convoy set off, Yi Chang turned to Tian Xujian and said, “Secretary Tian, today’s schedule is as follows: we will inspect the overall construction of Wanghai New Port in the morning, and then have lunch there. In the afternoon, we’re invited by the retired officials to attend the symposium for the 50th National Day organized by the Veterans Affairs Bureau.”

Tian Xujian knit his brow. Yi Chang was rather bold, arranging activities for him without consultation. However, considering that the Veterans Affairs Bureau was a key support base for him in Wanghai City, Tian Xujian his lips but didn’t protest. He grunted, indicating his acceptance of the arrangement.

Truth be told, Yi Chang’s arrangement wasn’t arbitrary. He was dedicated and diligent in his work. The issue was that Tian Xujian was displeased with him, and so anything Yi Chang did was likely to irk him. It was a pattern of thinking that had become habitual.

Guided by the police, the convoy smoothly made its way into the construction site of Wanghai New Port.

Wanghai New Port was a project initiated by Lin Zhengxing during his time at the Eastern Sea Group. The entire port was divided into three zones. The first and second port districts were located on the north side of the old port, close to Quanhai City. Upon completion, these districts would have four berths for 100,000-ton ships, six berths for 50,000-ton ships, and two container terminals for 30,000-ton ships. The annual throughput will reach over 60 million tons. The third port district would mainly consist of medium and small berths for the transfer of bulk cargoes.

Since its commencement, Wanghai New Port had been characterized by private-sector dominance complemented by the Wanghai City Port Group. Private firms made significant investments and held the majority of shares. Wanghai Port Group and Wanghai Customs merely carried out their respective official duties.

When Tian Xujian’s convoy arrived at Wanghai New Port, representatives of the investors and leaders from the Wanghai Port Authority and Wanghai Customs had already prepared to welcome them.

Although neither the customs nor the investors were under the jurisdiction of Wanghai City, the fact was that this was Wanghai territory. When the top official of the city committee visited, they must put on a good show to commit to their duties.

General Xiao’s sister did an excellent job in creating an atmosphere of welcome. A red carpet stretched from the entrance of the Wanghai New Port Authority Building to the office building. On both sides, a row of hostesses stood. Behind these hostesses, a band was prepped for a performance. This grand reception was almost akin to the one for central leaders.

As the convoy stopped and the car door opened, the moment Tian Xujian stepped out, the band began to play a cheerful welcome tune. Concurrently, General Xiao’s sister along with the Director of the Port Authority and the Deputy Director of Wanghai Customs stepped forward to greet him.

At this moment, Yi Chang introduced them to Tian Xujian, “Secretary Tian, let me introduce you. This lady is Ms. Xiao Yali, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Executive CEO of the Wal-Mart Group.”

Ms. Xiao Yali, who had arrived in Wanghai on her private jet the night before, was not in a good mood. She was unimpressed by a city party secretary holding a deputy ministerial level position. Her father-in-law was one of the country’s most powerful men, and her family was highly influential. She was hardly intimidated by a deputy minister-level city party secretary.

Smiling, she extended her hand and said, “Secretary Tian, thank you for the support the Wanghai City Party Committee and City Government have shown for the construction of Wanghai New Port and for the Wal-Mart Group. We welcome your inspection and guidance.”

Tian Xujian exchanged a perfunctory handshake, appearing very reserved. He withdrew his hand immediately after shaking hers and smiled, “General Xiao, you’re too kind. Wal-Mart Group is a nationally renowned star corporation; Wal-Mart supermarkets and shopping plazas are spreading all over the country. Inviting such a big corporation, big company is a huge honor indeed.”

Afterward, accompanied by Yi Chang’s introduction, Tian Xujian shook hands and exchanged greetings with the two other leaders. Wei Dongsheng, Director of the Port Authority, smiled and said, “Secretary Tian, please, this way. The conference room is ready.”

Generally, inspections begin with a welcome reception, followed by receiving a work report. This is a standard routine.

However, at this moment, Tian Xujian smiled and said, “Well, as the saying goes, ‘seeing is believing while hearing is not.’ Instead of listening to the report right away, why don’t we go and see the construction of Wanghai New Port first?”

This statement made the atmosphere a bit awkward; it was a clear refusal to give face. The expressions of Xiao Erjie and the Deputy Director of Customs were not pleasant.

Wei Dongsheng was also displeased. After all, he had carefully arranged all this, and this was the standard process. Tian Xujian was playing cards out of order. It’d have been acceptable if they were familiar with each other. But behaving like this during their first meeting was overstepping the mark. It was a denial of the effort put in by his subordinates.

Nonetheless, Wei Dongsheng understood that it was not the time for him to get upset. After all, Tian Xujian was the Party Secretary.

Soon, Wei Dongsheng gave a wry smile and agreed, “Alright, since Secretary Tian suggests so, let’s head to District One Port first.”

District One Port was of critical importance to Wal-Mart Group. In terms of the Group’s overall national layout and the commencement of Wal-Mart Group’s global retail network, logistics was a significant issue constraining the Group’s growth. WangHai New Port was the Group’s main venture in the logistics industry.

“Secretary Tian, this is District One Port of Wanghai New Port. The entire port spans 1,962 meters along the coastline. The depth of the port is over 50 meters. Once completed, it will be able to accommodate cargo vessels of 100,000 tons,” Wei Dongsheng, playing the role of a guide, explained as he walked alongside Tian Xujian.

After months of construction, the outline of the enormous District One Port had started to emerge. Large warehouses were neatly lined up, and giant gantry cranes had been erected on the docks. The modern port was taking shape.

Wei Dongsheng was confident about this. The grade and construction of Wanghai New Port adhered to the standards for international mega ports according to Wal-Mart Group. At this point within the country, it even surpassed Tianshang Port in Tianshang City in terms of scale, capacity, and advanced technology.

This was the source of Wei Dongsheng’s confidence. With the massive financial support of Wal-Mart Group, Wanghai New Port had broken numerous national records.

This was precisely why Nie Zhenbang regarded Wanghai New Port so importantly. Upon completion of the port, Wanghai New Port would become the most important seaport along the southeast coast serving the eastern and central regions of the country. With railways, roads, and airways developing simultaneously, Wanghai City would become the country’s largest logistics center and distribution hub.

However, at this moment, Tian Xujian gravely commented, “Although the construction of Wanghai New Port as a whole is commendable, I feel..”

His words caused a stir among the attendees. Everyone knew that in officialdom, it was not the first statement that mattered, but what followed.

They feared words that had such a twist. Tian Xujian continued, “I believe that in life and at work, it’s important to stay grounded. Wanghai New Port’s layout is hugely spread out. If it does not meet the expected results, this large amount of capital spent would amount to a waste of resources. I think the scale must be downsized. How did so much land get approved? Building the economy should not be about blind expansion. Does Wanghai City have such a large freight volume and economic market?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Wei Dongsheng responded with a forced smile, “Secretary Tian, I believe there should be. Wanghai City is an important seaport for several provinces in Minnan and the middle of the country. The advantages of the Wanghai economic zone can greatly save various costs. Furthermore, Wanghai is one of the two direct shipping trial cities across the strait…”

Before Wei Dongsheng could finish, Tian Xujian brusquely interrupted him, stating seriously, “Director Wei, all that is theoretical estimation. Judging by the current freight throughput of Wanghai, it is far from meeting this requirement.”

At this point, Xiao Yali was also successfully provoked. Now she understood why the third brother insisted on her coming in person. This man was clearly here to cause trouble, and nobody dared to challenge him without her presence. Although what he said seemed reasonable, business growth is impossible without expansion.

Therefore, Xiao Yali countered calmly, “Secretary Tian, I think you misunderstand. Wanghai New Port is a comprehensive economic entity led by our Wal-Mart Group. It represents a classic joint venture between state-owned and private enterprises. How to construct it and whether it’s a waste is primarily our call. ” (To be continued. If you enjoy this book, please visit qidian.com to vote and recommend. Your support is my biggest motivation.)