Chapter 216: Reflections on the Bureaucracy

Could a national leader attend a dinner just because of the sales of a small factory's Eight-Treasure Porridge in a city like Binhai? Clearly, that's impossible. For a minor issue like the sales of Eight-Treasure Porridge, arranging it through a secretary would suffice; there's no need for a high-profile appearance.

Although Lin Zekang isn't the national leader yet, as the Secretary of the Binhai Municipal Committee and a member of the Politburo, he is a significant figure. Given that he is not well-acquainted with Zhou Ming, his presence is unexpected. The only plausible explanation is that he has something he wants to discuss with Zhou Ming, and the Eight-Treasure Porridge issue is a secondary concern.

Lin Zekang did not beat around the bush. After instructing his secretary, he directly asked Zhou Ming, "Comrade Zhou Ming, I've heard that you were personally received and honored by Elder Yang during your visit to Yanjing?"

"Not much. I just did what a citizen should do. The real work was done by the country," Zhou Ming replied.

Lin Zekang's eyes lit up at Zhou Ming's response. The question seemed ordinary but was actually tricky. Praising oneself too much would come off as boastful, while excessive modesty might imply that the country places too much importance on the individual. Zhou Ming's answer was excellent; he deflected the praise onto the nation, which was an admirable approach.

"Comrade Zhou Ming, you're too modest. Without your intelligence, the country might not have made such arrangements. Your contribution is still significant," Lin Zekang said. "I heard you discovered a problem through a foreign girl at Yanjing University. Can you tell me about your thoughts on this?"

"Technically, it shouldn't be considered as discovering a problem from her directly. Since these are state secrets, I can't be sure if she was a foreign spy. However, her behavior on campus did give me some hints," Zhou Ming said.

"What hints? Are they about the situation in Western countries and Eastern Europe?" Lin Zekang asked.

Zhou Ming wasn't surprised by Lin Zekang's knowledge. Since he had entered the Politburo, he would have access to some confidential information, or perhaps this had been discussed in a recent central meeting, given the significant changes in Eastern Europe that could affect global dynamics.

"Yes, not only that but also reflections on our national system," Zhou Ming said.

Lin Zekang was surprised by this answer: "Reflections on the system? What kind of reflections?"

"Simply put, it's about confusion," Zhou Ming explained. "In recent years, both Eastern European countries and our own country have undergone various reforms. These reforms impact the economy and politics, but ultimately lead to a state of confusion among citizens who begin to doubt their original system. At this point, if Western countries provide a slight nudge, instability can occur."

"Indeed, it's confusion!" Lin Zekang sighed. "You might not know this, but I've visited many schools in Binhai City and found that students are very confused. Talking to them, I realized they have lost their faith and don't understand their future path. They're only dissatisfied with everything and want to vent, eventually blaming everything on the government."

Zhou Ming hadn't expected this. Lin Zekang, who was directly appointed as the mayor of Binhai, dared to engage with the students who were most passionate and currently discontent with the government. It was clear that Lin Zekang was quite bold, which explained why he could command Binhai in his past life. It seemed that those who reach high positions must have considerable skill.

"Seeing those students' expressions, I'm truly worried about them. I fear something might happen to them. But now, since you've identified the culprits, I can rest easy," Lin Zekang said.

"But I think we should be more vigilant," Zhou Ming countered.

Lin Zekang responded, "How so?"

"Like I said, 'Three feet of ice isn't frozen in a single day.' Although foreign forces contribute to the problem, we must also consider why this is happening," Zhou Ming explained.

"Then what do you think is the problem? Do you also believe it's an issue with the national system?" Lin Zekang asked.

Zhou Ming smiled, "Secretary Lin, I'm not one of those passionate students; I've graduated."

Lin Zekang was initially taken aback but then laughed, "You can speak freely. Today is just a private conversation; there are no outsiders here. Once you leave this room, everyone will forget about it."

"There's an old saying, 'Flies don't sting a seamless egg.' Although this saying might be a bit rough in evaluating the national system, it holds some truth. If we have no issues ourselves, then no one can exploit us," Zhou Ming said. "The biggest problem we face is the lack of regulations. This is the main issue right now. Due to reforms and possible changes in directives, people are confused, and foreign forces take advantage of this."

"For example, there's the issue of state officials, traditionally seen as having a secure job with guaranteed pay," Zhou Ming continued. "Although the central government started reforms years ago, the scope is too broad for effective implementation. While some pilot regions might be doing better, in most areas, family inheritance and nepotism are still common. This creates unfairness and turns state agencies into stagnant pools, much like the completely rigid systems in Eastern European countries."

"So, what do you propose for reform?" Lin Zekang asked.

"It's about establishing a system," Zhou Ming replied. "As the saying goes, 'Without rules, nothing can be accomplished.' For state agencies to function properly, they must follow a system—a system that can invigorate the entire bureaucracy."

"You're quite ambitious, dismissing our current system in one go," Lin Zekang joked.

"You've misunderstood me, Secretary Lin. I haven't dismissed our system entirely. On the contrary, I think there are many good aspects. However, I believe we need to improve the entry requirements for officials. Ideally, we should have exams, establish laws for position classification, recruitment and assessment, appointments, promotions, rewards, punishments, and training. This would significantly improve the situation," Zhou Ming said.

Lin Zekang was delighted and slammed the table, "Well said! 'Without rules, nothing can be accomplished.' 'All determined by law,' you've expressed it perfectly!"

Seeing Lin Zekang's excitement, Secretary Ren explained, "Secretary Lin has always been dedicated to advancing administrative reforms, especially in the state bureaucracy."

"That's right. I've wanted to push for bureaucratic reform in Binhai, but have faced obstacles. However, after hearing your words, it feels like you've opened a door for me. Your insights are key to solving the issue of bureaucratic reform. With your previous intelligence on domestic spies, you're truly a great savior sent by heaven to our country!" Lin Zekang said.

Faced with Lin Zekang's praise, Zhou Ming felt a bit embarrassed. His ideas were derived from years of post-era discussions and validated conclusions. The reforms he proposed were already standard practice in later years. However, for Lin Zekang, who was striving to reform in the late 1980s, Zhou Ming's insights provided a significant boost to his ideas.

"Comrade Zhou Ming, why did you choose to share this directly with me?" Lin Zekang suddenly asked.

Zhou Ming admired Lin Zekang's ability to remain calm and analytical even in such an excited state. He scratched his head and said, "Because I thought Secretary Lin would want to hear this."

Lin Zekang laughed and pointed at Zhou Ming, "No wonder Elder Yang called you slippery. You truly are!"

Zhou Ming shrugged indifferently, not disputing the point. The dinner with Lin Zekang was very enjoyable. Lin Zekang also had a few more drinks with Zhou Ming. It wasn't until an hour later that Zhou Ming left the guesthouse and returned to his hotel room.

Zhou Ming and Yuan Zhigang were staying in a suite, as Zhou Ming had arranged for convenience in discussing matters. When Zhou Ming returned, he found Yuan Zhigang reading a newspaper. Upon seeing Zhou Ming, Yuan Zhigang jumped up, looking startled.

"Director Yuan, what's going on? Did you see a ghost?" Zhou Ming asked, puzzled.

Yuan Zhigang shook his head, stammering, "Zhou… Boss Zhou, Lin… Secretary Lin has entered the Central Committee."

"Central Committee?"

Zhou Ming was surprised. He quickly took the newspaper from Yuan Zhigang's hands. The front page headline was indeed about Lin Zekang being elected as a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and Chairman of the Military Commission.

Seeing this news, Zhou Ming took a sharp breath. With his past-life memories, he understood the significance of this news. In his previous life, Yuan Zhigang had entered the Central Committee in this way and gradually became a core leader.

This meant that Lin Zekang's visit to Binhai was during his final days there, and he had come to see Zhou Ming before moving to the Central Committee. 

This is quite an honor!

Zhou Ming felt immense pressure, but recalling his conversation with Lin Zekang at the dinner, he hoped that his insights might help speed up the implementation of the civil service system.