Qi Tongwei: Sign-in relationship started during student days

Chapter 700 Going down the well

After leaving Long Fuhai's office, Pi Dingzhong decided to have a talk with Sha Ruijin before going downstairs.

Unfortunately, when Sha Ruijin received a call from Pi Dingzhong, he was in the Black Triangle Coal Mining Area.

After entering winter, heavy snowfall occurs frequently. Sha Ruijin is worried that the water flow from the melted snow and the low temperature will threaten the safety of the coal mines. He is even more worried that some inactive officials will choose to let workers start work during this dangerous period.

Sha Ruijin said to Pi Dingzhong on the phone: "I'm sorry, Minister Pi, I may not be able to make it back for the time being. I may have to go down the well later."

Pi Dingzhong asked: "What are you doing down there?"

Sha Ruijin said: "Some mines that should have been rectified have resumed operations. Although they say they have already made corrections, I am worried that they are covering up the truth and sending workers back into the mines without making any corrections.

It's freezing cold at this time of year. If an accident happens, rescue work will be very difficult. I must go down and take a look."

Pi Dingzhong was a little surprised. "As a mayor, you go down the well yourself, aren't you afraid of danger?"

Sha Ruijin replied calmly, "I used to work in coal mine rescue operations in the army, so I have experience. Besides, being mayor is just a position; it doesn't mean my life is more precious than that of a worker."

Pi Dingzhong was slightly moved. "Wait for me. Don't go down the well yet. I'll be there soon."

After saying that, he hung up the phone and asked the staff of Tianzhou Municipal Party Committee to arrange a car for him. He also instructed Ma Da to go downstairs to collect opinions from the masses first, and then rushed to the Black Triangle Development Zone to meet Sha Ruijin.

As soon as the car entered the Black Triangle Development Zone, Pi Dingzhong saw a busy scene.

Everywhere you look, you can see huge trucks with their tails pulled high up roaring past on the road, stirring up gusts of black wind.

On the roadside were groups of women and children picking up coal.

Whenever a large truck was hit by a small mud pit and its body shook violently, scattering black coal all over the ground, women and children would rush over and put the coal into their own woven bags.

However, sometimes the black coal is run over by another large truck before it even has time to stay on the ground, frightening the women and children who are about to pick up the coal and causing them to curse at the driver of the truck that is driving away.

After cursing, he continued to shovel coal, which was very dangerous.

Dirty and messy was Pi Dingzhong's first impression, and it also made him question Long Fuhai's words for the first time.

Such a place and environment have made him lose hope for safety work in the mining area.

We watched the development zone all the way, and soon the car stopped in front of a simple coal mine.

Through the car window, Pi Dingzhong saw Sha Ruijin and provincial newspaper reporter Ye Mei, wearing miners' hats and some simple equipment, giving a speech to the workers.

Seeing Pi Dingzhong getting out of the car, he went to meet him.

The two men shook hands. Pi Dingzhong looked at the mine, then at the group of people, still a little skeptical, "Mayor Sha, are you really planning to go down the mine?"

Pi Dingzhong insisted on coming over to check it out. In fact, he just wanted to get to know Sha Ruijin and see if he was a news mayor or if he really dared to risk his life by going down the well. Now looking at the other party's posture, it didn't seem like he was faking it.

A person who dares to disregard life and death is not as bad as Long Fuhai and others say. If he really wants to be a news mayor, he only needs to give a speech here and take a few photos. Why go to such a dangerous place?

Sha Ruijin said: "I have to go down. I just asked the workers nearby. This mine has not been rectified and has not received orders. They let the workers go down the mine in violation of regulations. Because there is no communication equipment, I have to go down and bring the workers up."

Pi Dingzhong pointed at the workers in the distance and said, "It won't be much use if you go down there. Just let them go down and notify them."

If something happens to a mayor, it will be a big earthquake for Tianzhou, and even he may be implicated.

Sha Ruijin said: "The workers will not listen to them. Only if I, the mayor, go there will they believe me."

As he was speaking, another car drove up and several men got out.

Sha Ruijin threw Pi Dingzhong aside and criticized a few people he caught. From their words, Pi Dingzhong understood that they were several leading cadres of the Black Triangle Development Zone.

Sha Ruijin asked: "Why didn't you follow my order to close these Category 4 and Category 5 mines? Why are you still operating them?"

Long Zaitian, the deputy district chief in charge of the Black Triangle, shifted the blame: "Mayor Sha, we conveyed your order, but...some mine owners, blinded by the money, secretly started operations.

As you know, the district is short of manpower, and it is quite difficult to inspect these nearly 2,000 coal mines. We don’t even know if someone secretly went down the mines.”

How could Sha Ruijin believe the other party's lies? He knew that this group of people had shares in these mines.

Coal consumption surges in winter, which is a rare peak season. Prices also rise slightly at this time. How could they miss this opportunity to make money? Even if the mine owner does not make money, these cadres will force him to arrange workers to go down the mine.

Sha Ruijin didn't say much, but just asked Long Zaitian to notify the mine owner, put on equipment, and prepare to go down the mine.

Long Zaitian was stunned. "Mayor, what am I...what am I doing down the well?"

Sha Ruijin said with a stern face: "I, the mayor, have to go down the well, shouldn't you accompany me? When the boss comes later, he will also have to accompany him.

Since you think the mine is safe, don't be afraid. If the workers can go down, you can go down too. What's more, I, the mayor, am with you. What else do you have to say?

Also, I remind you that this time I will be the one notifying the workers below. If you don't follow my orders next time, I will make you the one specifically responsible for going down to the mine to notify the workers."

Sha Ruijin's words made Long Zaitian complain bitterly. In order to keep his official hat, he had to wear the miner's equipment.

Pi Dingzhong, who was standing by, also became interested. "Mayor Sha, please give me a set of equipment as well."

Sha Ruijin was startled. "Minister Pi, are you going down the well too?"

"Yes, I heard some comrades say that closing the Black Triangle Coal Mine would have more advantages than disadvantages and would affect the city's economy. They also said that you, Comrade Ruijin, were deliberately using safety as an excuse to deny the work of a certain leading cadre in order to demonstrate your authority. So I need to know if this is really the case."

Ye Mei couldn't bear to listen any longer. "Minister Pi, you've been misled. Our investigation shows that at least several hundred people are buried in these nearly 2,000 mines in the Black Triangle Development Zone every year. If we sacrifice the lives of ordinary people for economic development, I don't think there's any need for economic development."

Pi Dingzhong nodded in agreement. "Reporter Ye said a lot, so I have to go down the well. Only by experiencing it myself can I know who is telling the truth and who is lying."

Sha Ruijin and Ye Mei exchanged a glance and nodded. "Alright, Minister Pi, please follow me closely. The alleys down there are complicated and it's easy to get lost."

Pi Dingzhong nodded and said, "Don't worry, I will follow your orders."