Chapter 376: Zhu Junjie, Full-Time Deputy Secretary

Chapter 376: Zhu Junjie, Full-Time Deputy Secretary

  The county town.

  The mooncake factory.

  Deng Shirong once again tasted the mooncakes made by the master bakers. He took a small bite of each flavor and rinsed his mouth with tea after each bite. Deng Changyu, Deng Changpei, and the master bakers all waited quietly on the side.

  After tasting all the flavors, Deng Shirong finally said with satisfaction, "These mooncakes are good. Have you all noted down the recipes and procedures?"

  Deng Changpei happily replied, "Grandpa, we have noted them all down!"

  The master bakers also breathed a sigh of relief.

  They had been hired at high salaries but had not been able to make mooncakes that satisfied the boss. It was impossible for them not to feel some pressure. Fortunately, after multiple trials and adjustments, they finally managed to make mooncakes that met the boss's standards.

  Deng Changyu said, "Grandpa, it's already less than a month until the 15th of the eighth month. It's impossible to sell mooncakes this year. Let's stick to the original plan and produce a batch of mooncakes for a Mid-Autumn Festival gala. We can treat it as advertising for next year's mooncakes."

  Deng Shirong said, "It's indeed too late to sell them elsewhere, but if we just sell them in the county, we can still give it a try. Let's produce a batch and take them to my supermarket for a trial sale. Whatever we can sell is fine, and whatever we can't sell can be used for the Mid-Autumn Festival gala. This way, we won't delay anything."

  Deng Changpei said, "That's a good idea. Let's do it."

  Deng Changyu added, "Grandpa, how do you plan to organize the Mid-Autumn Festival gala?"

  Deng Shirong said, "We'll hold it in the Ye Deng residential complex. We'll set up a stage in the central square and invite the county theater troupe to perform. Our clan members have worked hard lately, so let them take a few days off to rest and watch the performances. They can resume work after the Mid-Autumn Festival."

  Deng Changyu nodded and said, "Alright, I'll take care of it."

  After the mooncake flavors were finalized, the mooncake factory officially began production.

  ...

  Afternoon.

  Sui Feng Restaurant.

  Deng Shirong was drinking with Old Zhang Guangzong.

  After chatting for a while, Zhang Guangzong said, "Boss, after the Mid-Autumn Festival, I might not come to the restaurant anymore."

  Deng Shirong was taken aback and asked, "Uncle Zhang, why not?"

  Zhang Guangzong took a sip of wine and explained, "Boss, everyone in the entire Baise knows the name of Sui Feng Restaurant, especially those in the underworld. They all know the restaurant is not to be messed with, so no one will dare to cause trouble anymore. It's time for me to step down!"

  Deng Shirong understood immediately and quickly said, "Uncle Zhang, don't say such things. My restaurant has been peaceful since it opened, thanks to your efforts. Even though the restaurant is now famous, we still need you to sit here. For the rest of your life, as long as your teeth haven't fallen out and you can still drink, come to the restaurant every day and drink until you can't move anymore."

  Zhang Guangzong laughed and said, "If I come every day to eat and drink, won't that be a burden on the restaurant?"

  Deng Shirong chuckled and said, "Uncle Zhang, don't worry about that. Even if a whole table of people came every day to eat and drink, it wouldn't be a burden for Sui Feng Restaurant. Just relax!"

  Zhang Guangzong raised his glass and clinked it with Deng Shirong's, saying, "Mainly, I feel I'm not contributing much, so I don't want to eat and drink for free all the time."

  Deng Shirong took a sip of wine and laughed, "Uncle Zhang, your contribution has been significant. We've known each other for so many years, so let's stop with the formalities."

  Zhang Guangzong smiled and said, "Alright, let's not mention it. Let's drink!"

  Just as the two were chatting and drinking, Zhu Junjie walked in with a beaming face.

  Deng Yunzhen, sitting at the cash register, couldn't help but tease, "County Magistrate Zhu, look how happy you are. Did you find some money?"

  Zhu Junjie chuckled and said, "Happier than finding money."

  Deng Yunzhen's heart skipped a beat, and she quietly asked, "Promoted?"

  Zhu Junjie smiled and nodded, then said, "I'll go say hello to Dad and Grandpa Zhang."

  With that, Zhu Junjie walked over to where his father-in-law and Old Zhang were drinking and greeted them, "Grandpa Zhang, Dad."

  Deng Shirong hummed in acknowledgment, while Zhang Guangzong smiled and invited him, "County Magistrate Zhu, why don't you join us for a drink?"

  Zhu Junjie nodded and smiled, "Sure, let's have a drink."

  On the other side, seeing that her husband had really been promoted, Deng Yunzhen couldn't sit still anymore. She stood up from the cash register and walked over.

  Deng Shirong and Zhang Guangzong were both experienced people. Even Deng Yunzhen could see the joy on Zhu Junjie's face, so they naturally noticed it too.

  Zhang Guangzong smiled and asked, "County Magistrate Zhu, what good news have you got?"

  In front of his elders, Zhu Junjie didn't hide it and said with a smile, "It's indeed good news. There's been a change in my position."

At that moment, Deng Yunzhen had already sat down beside Zhu Junjie, unable to contain her curiosity as she asked, "What position is it now?"

Zhu Junjie smiled and replied, "Full-Time Deputy Secretary."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Guangzong, who understood the significance of this position, immediately congratulated him, "That’s really great news! From now on, I’ll have to call you Secretary Zhu."

Deng Shirong also nodded in satisfaction, "Not bad."

Before, Zhu Junjie was just an ordinary vice-county magistrate, not qualified to join the council of elders.

Now, as the Full-Time Deputy Secretary, he not only successfully entered the council of elders but also joined the trio decision-making group with the party secretary and the county magistrate, significantly elevating his status.

To be honest, this position was more valuable than the position of the executive vice-county magistrate previously held by Deng Yunheng.

Firstly, in the council of elders, the Full-Time Deputy Secretary was firmly ranked third, only below the party secretary and the county magistrate.

The executive vice-county magistrate, although the second-in-command in the county government and a member of the council of elders, had more power than other vice-county magistrates, but his ranking in the council of elders was based on the time he entered the council.

If he entered the council relatively late, he would be ranked behind other council members.

Unlike the Full-Time Deputy Secretary, who, regardless of when he entered the council, would always be ranked just below the party secretary and the county magistrate, making him the undisputed third person.

Moreover, while the executive vice-county magistrate could also directly succeed the county magistrate, only the more outstanding ones, like Deng Yunheng, had the potential to achieve this.

If we follow the normal ranking order, the most qualified to succeed the county magistrate would be the Full-Time Deputy Secretary.

In a sense, the Full-Time Deputy Secretary was just one step away from a full-time county-level position. As long as he wasn’t over the age limit, his promotion to a full-time county-level position was almost a certainty, much more stable than that of an executive vice-county magistrate.

After all, there weren’t many talents like Deng Yunheng who could be directly promoted to county magistrate.

Deng Yunzhen, who originally knew little about politics, only knew that the party secretary was higher than the county magistrate, and the county magistrate was higher than the vice-county magistrate. She had no knowledge beyond that.

However, after marrying Zhu Junjie, whose husband held a government position, and with her brother also in politics, she naturally began to learn about these matters. She was well aware of the status of a Full-Time Deputy Secretary.

Therefore, knowing that her husband had reached such a crucial position, she was very pleased.

She got up and walked to the kitchen, instructing the master chef to prepare a few dishes that her husband loved, intending to reward him.

Hearing his father-in-law's praise, Zhu Junjie smiled broadly and said, "Dad, this is all thanks to you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to secure this position."

This wasn’t just lip service. He knew that the county magistrate had played a decisive role in his promotion, and he was well aware of whose face the county magistrate was considering.

Deng Shirong laughed, "You don’t need to be modest. As the saying goes, a blacksmith must be strong to forge iron. If you didn’t have the capability, the leaders wouldn’t have so readily promoted you to this position."

Zhu Junjie chuckled, as his father-in-law said, the county magistrate’s help was indeed crucial, but if he lacked the ability to command respect, they wouldn’t have pushed him into this role.

However, while many people could handle this position, he had managed to surpass his colleagues and secure it, thanks to his father-in-law’s influence, which he fully recognized.

Soon, the master chef prepared a few dishes, which the waitress brought to the table.

Deng Yunzhen, feeling joyful, asked the honest and dedicated employee Zhang Wenjuan to handle the cash register, then sat down to drink and chat with her husband and the elders.

After they had eaten and drunk to their satisfaction, Deng Shirong cautioned, "Ajie, don’t get arrogant or complacent. You need to continue to work hard."

Zhu Junjie smiled wryly, "Dad, with Yunheng as a role model, how could I have the luxury of being arrogant or complacent? I’ll keep working hard."

Thinking about his outstanding brother-in-law, Zhu Junjie felt a significant amount of pressure. From the day his brother-in-law started his career, they had been on the same starting line. When it came to being promoted to a deputy county-level position, his brother-in-law had already taken the lead.

Now, his brother-in-law had rocketed to a full-time county-level position, leaving him far behind. After being overtaken, it was impossible for him to catch up again. All he could do was try not to fall too far behind.

Moreover, next year, another outstanding brother-in-law would graduate and start his career, and it was inevitable that he would catch up to him.

All he could do now was run as fast as he could, trying not to be overtaken too quickly, which would be embarrassing.

In summary, having these two outstanding brothers-in-law was both a blessing and a curse.

The blessing was having two powerful allies who would undoubtedly provide him with significant support in the future.

The curse was that his position in the family was now clear.

Fortunately, his wife was not a capricious and stubborn woman but a considerate and kind-hearted one, which was the most comforting thing.

...

One week later.

The first batch of mooncakes from the mooncake factory was produced.

The factory immediately sent people to transport the mooncakes to Yongjia Supermarket for sale.

Yongjia Supermarket had already been instructed to allocate the most prominent display space for the mooncakes—Deng Family Mooncakes.

Deng Family Mooncakes was the name Deng Shirong had given to the mooncakes.

In his past life, Huang Family Mooncakes in Guangxi were already quite famous. Deng Shirong borrowed this name and called his mooncakes Deng Family Mooncakes.

Deng Family Mooncakes came in different grades. The simplest and cheapest were those packaged in plain oil paper.

Mid-range mooncakes were packaged in specialized paper boxes.

The high-end mooncakes were packaged in a way that was very upscale, inspired by the high-end packaging of mooncakes from his past life.

These three grades of mooncakes could satisfy the needs of different customers.

Regardless of which grade, the taste of the mooncakes was not bad.

In the future, although the brand and packaging of mooncakes were often more important than the taste, many people chose mooncakes for gifts based on their reputation and packaging, rather than their taste. As long as the gift looked good, the taste was not a significant concern.

However, Deng Shirong had a different idea. He emphasized both packaging and taste, aiming to make Deng Family Mooncakes the best in all aspects—brand, packaging, and taste. His goal was to ensure that those who gave and received gifts knew that Deng Family Mooncakes were not only high-end and elegant but also the best in taste among similar mooncakes.

As long as he stuck to this principle, after a dozen or twenty years, when people thought of mooncakes, they would first think of Deng Family Mooncakes. That would be the sign of success.

Before the mooncakes were put on sale at Yongjia Supermarket, Deng Yunzhen had already sent mooncakes to the wives of influential people in the county.

Gift-giving was a traditional part of Chinese social interactions, and Deng Shirong did not prohibit it as long as it did not reach the level of corruption or Bribery.

...

One morning, Helan Ying finished her exercise and prepared to go to Yongjia Supermarket to buy two packs of instant noodles.

Upon arriving at Yongjia Supermarket, she saw the crowd and couldn't help but marvel at how good the business was.

Helan Ying still vividly remembered the first time she visited Yongjia Supermarket. She had been curious and decided to go in.

That one visit had made her a loyal customer of Yongjia Supermarket. Even if she only needed to buy a needle, she would come here.

After entering the supermarket, her eyes were immediately drawn to the wide variety of mooncakes.

These mooncakes left Helan Ying speechless.

The simple oil paper and soft paper box packaged mooncakes were not particularly impressive, at most they had slightly more attractive patterns than other mooncakes, but they were not stunning.

However, the other two types of mooncakes were truly stunning.

One type was the highest-end mooncakes of this era, packaged in iron or aluminum boxes. The patterns on these boxes were extremely exquisite and looked expensive.

The other type was packaged in a large, sturdy paper box, larger than a whole block of tofu. The patterns on this box were incredibly beautiful, and Helan Ying had never seen such beautiful mooncake patterns before.

Inside this sturdy paper box, the mooncakes were wrapped in plastic and displayed in transparent vacuum packaging, allowing customers to see the mooncakes clearly.

The inside of the box was a regal yellow, giving it a high-end feel.

Helan Ying felt an impulse to buy them and then checked the price tags.

Among them, the oil paper and soft paper box packaged mooncakes were about 25% more expensive than other mooncakes on the market.

The iron or aluminum box packaged mooncakes were about 33% more expensive than similar mooncakes.

The highest-end mooncakes packaged in the sturdy paper box were the most expensive. They came in 1, 2, 3, and 5-pound packs. Helan Ying just glanced at the prices and shook her head; such high prices were beyond her means.

In the end, after much hesitation, Helan Ying chose a box of iron or aluminum box packaged mooncakes.

After eating these mooncakes, the box could be reused to store eggs or other items, which was very practical.

Many customers entering the supermarket had similar thoughts. Those with better economic conditions chose the aluminum box packaged mooncakes, while those with tighter budgets chose the soft box or oil paper packaged mooncakes. As for the highest-end mooncakes, many people looked but almost no one bought them.

This was actually quite normal. Deng Shirong had positioned this product primarily for gift-giving, not for ordinary customers to buy and eat at home.

As long as the high-end image of the mooncakes was established, they would naturally have a steady market in the future.

In the 1990s, more and more people would use mooncakes as gifts, leading to the creation of many luxury mooncake boxes.

For example, a mooncake gift box in Changchun priced at over 1,800 yuan contained a set of golf clubs; a mooncake gift box in Kunming priced at over 310,000 yuan contained a digital camera, Wuliangye liquor, a Parker gold pen, tea, and even a 100-square-meter apartment.

The purpose of these mooncakes was clear to those who understood the context.

Some "clever" manufacturers even turned mooncakes into futures:

A 100-yuan mooncake voucher would circulate among dealers, consumers, and scalpers, ultimately being repurchased by the manufacturer for 50 yuan.

The entire process involved no actual production of mooncakes, yet everyone made a profit, as illustrated in the following diagram:

Deng Shirong had no intention of engaging in such underhanded tactics. Their high-end mooncakes would focus on brand, packaging, and taste, earning the money they deserved. As for those mooncakes that facilitated corruption, they would not produce them.

...

On the fifth day of the eighth lunar month, Monday.

Baise County welcomed several special guests from Shuicheng County in Guizhou Province, including the county magistrate, the county People's Congress chairperson, and county CPPCC leaders. They came to Baise County for a visit and inspection.

After negotiations between the leaders of both counties, they signed a friendship agreement on the eighth day of the eighth lunar month, based on the principles of "complementary advantages, enhancing friendship, promoting cooperation, mutual benefits, common development, and long-term cooperation."

In the future, Baise and Shuicheng would organize exchanges and cooperation in areas such as official visits, economic and trade collaboration, and comprehensive cooperation, focusing on exchanges in areas like officials, enterprises, talent, technology, and tourism, to improve the level of cooperation and maintain communication.

After signing the friendship agreement, the Shuicheng leaders began their journey back the next day.

Baise County then presented these leaders with some local specialties.

These specialties included longan meat and two boxes of high-end Deng Family Mooncakes for each person.

For the newly established Deng Family Mooncakes to be chosen as a gift for leaders from other counties was a form of recognition for the brand.

...

Soon, only two days remained until the 15th of the eighth lunar month.

Deng Shirong returned to the village to mobilize the clan members to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in the Ye Deng residential complex in the county town. This would allow them to watch the Mid-Autumn Festival gala, promote the new mooncakes from the food company, and give everyone a chance to rest and relax after their hard work.

Most of the clan members enthusiastically went to the Ye Deng residential complex in the county town, leaving only some elderly people, children, and women behind.

This was inevitable, as someone had to feed the pigs, dogs, chickens, and ducks, and take care of the cattle. It was unrealistic for everyone to go to the county town.

Deng Shirong was not concerned about this. He only needed to move the majority of the clan members, and the small number left behind would not affect his ginkgo planting plan.

On the first night after most of the clan members arrived in the county town, Deng Shirong quietly planted three ginkgo trees.

This village road was over 3,000 meters long, with nearly 2,000 meters being part of the township road. In this section, there was a stretch of road that was some distance from the villages. The three ginkgo trees were planted in this area.

Even if clan members or passersby saw them the next day, they would not be suspicious.

After all, just three trees—what was there to be suspicious about?

After some time of consideration, Deng Shirong had come up with a relatively safe method to plant the ginkgo trees.

He would start by secretly planting a few trees. In a couple of days, he would find an opportunity to move about a dozen ginkgo trees to the roadside. When the clan members returned, he could have them plant the trees themselves, using the excuse that the supplier had to leave in a hurry and unloaded the trees at night. This would allow him to get away with it.

Deng Shirong had already informed his family and clan members that he would stay in the village to receive the landscape trees over the next few days.

When the clan members returned and saw the already planted and the newly placed ginkgo trees, they would not be surprised.

Thus, each night he transplanted three trees, and on the evening of the Mid-Autumn Festival, he placed 15 ginkgo trees.

He did not intend to plant more, as he believed it was better to be low-key. Taking a bit more time was not a problem; the most important thing was not to raise any suspicions.

...

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(End of Chapter)

Chapter end