My Dream Connects to 3000 Years in the Future

”For example, temporarily consolidating personnel authority for the shantytown zones under the Management Department...”

”...” Lu Jin was silent for a long, long time, discerning the unspoken meaning behind the words.

Finally, he drained the cup of cold tea in one go and said, ”You kid... you’re trying to get the union officially recognized.”

Lu Jin finally understood the man’s true intentions. All he could say was... he was truly and utterly shocked!

He was now beginning to believe that the intel this man possessed wasn’t gathered from the workers and poor of the shantytown zones alone. Some of the information was so outrageous, you would need a genuine mole high up in the government to even have a chance of obtaining it!

And even then, it was only a chance.

Most importantly, as Lu Jin mulled it over, he realized that this plan could only be proposed to him. He was the only one who could possibly make it succeed...

Had it been anyone else in Jinghai City—even the old governor, or the remaining city supervisor from the council of three—they would never have agreed!

Because Lu Jin was the only one actively trying to solve the problem of the shantytown zones!

”...Perhaps we should go back to discussing the Xue Family’s investments in Jinghai!” Madam Xue choked, at a loss for words. ’Even transferring that astronomical sum to Chu Bamboo,’ she thought, ’would probably be easier than pulling this off...’

”No, no, no, this is a good thing!” Chu Bamboo said with a wide grin. ”If we can really bring the shantytown zones into the system, then... this would be a major accomplishment for you, Old Lu! If I recall correctly, you’re in the running for a certain position, aren’t you?”

”After all, the shantytown zones are scattered throughout Jinghai City, a well-known source of instability! It’s a problem that Jinghai City, and indeed the entire Daqian Dynasty, has always wanted to solve but never knew how to approach. Especially here in Jingjiang, now that the union has consolidated them.”

”Yes, letting me serve as department head, letting me promote personnel at my discretion... it might look like you’re handing the shantytown zones over to me as a personal fiefdom.” Chu Bamboo paused before retorting, ”But are the shantytown zones not mine already? Look at it from another angle: this is a way for the government to finally gain control over them!”

Though Chu Bamboo had never truly considered the shantytown zones his private property, that didn’t stop him from using the point in his argument now.

”Furthermore, as time goes on, as long as the government implements fair policies and doesn’t deliberately discriminate... you’ll naturally win the hearts and minds of the people there, truly integrating the shantytown zones into Jinghai City.”

”By then, Jinghai City will be the only major city in all of Daqian known to have developed heavy industry without the instability of slums... COUGH COUGH, I mean, a city without shantytown zones! At that point, Jingjiang will be a model for the entire nation, and you, sir, will naturally be a nationally renowned star of reform!”

In essence, the shantytown zones were just slums... but the Daqian government had specifically forbidden the use of that term.

So...

”...You paint a very rosy picture!” Lu Jin’s head wasn’t in the clouds. He spoke calmly, ”But this all hinges on one condition: that you are truly willing to cooperate with me and the government, and won’t secretly cause trouble for me after the department is established!”

”Old Lu, have you forgotten something?” Chu Bamboo gave Lu Jin a strange look. ”You don’t actually think I’m trying to persuade you to accept my proposal, do you? I’m not your Staff Officer.”

”?” A sudden realization struck Lu Jin. ’That’s right, this is part of his deal... not a suggestion he’s making for my benefit...’

”The fact that this deal aligns our interests should be good enough. I’m not making things difficult for you, so what more could you want? As for you thinking it’s risky—that’s laughable. Even if this Management Department is never created, what happens if I go back, give the word, and have the union start another massive riot like before, one that draws blood? You think you’ll be off the hook then? You think you’ll be risk-free?”

Lu Jin: ”...”

He made so much sense that Lu Jin was actually speechless.

After a brief, wry moment, Lu Jin’s fist, hidden within his sleeve, clenched tightly. His emotions grew even more complicated.

’How can someone so capable exist? Building such a massive foundation from nothing is one thing, but he also aced the exam with a perfect score. His knowledge is unquestionable—after all, even university students find the civil service examination difficult...’

’And on top of that, his rhetorical and persuasive skills are so powerful that even a man of my standing was convinced...’

But even as he marveled at the man’s abilities, Lu Jin felt a deep sense of frustration.

The plan was nearly perfect... but that was the biggest problem. It was too perfect.

This entire proposal had come from Chu Bamboo... It wasn’t his plan at all!

It was so flawless he couldn’t even find a place to step in and make a change.

’Who’s the leader here, you or me? If you had just pledged your allegiance and called me ’Father-in-law,’ I could have accepted that. But no, you just had to...’

Finally, Lu Jin made up his mind.

He had to agree; it was a condition of the deal, after all. ’But I have to add some complications,’ he decided. ’I can’t let him think I’m so easily persuaded, that I have no mind of my own.’

”Fine! But even if it is established, the most I can give you is a Junior Ninth Grade position. As for your subordinates, they can only serve as clerks! And the quota for clerks cannot exceed thirty.”

Chu Bamboo raised an eyebrow. Logically, the total area of the shantytown zones was no smaller than an entire district. Its population of several hundred thousand was comparable to a major district as well.

Establishing a Jinghai agency of this scale, even if it wasn’t on par with a district-level Government Office like the First, Second, or even Third Districts, should at the very least be ranked just one level below them.

But Junior Ninth Grade... that was the absolute lowest rank in the nine-rank official system. The authority it granted was completely mismatched for managing a population of this size in Jinghai City.

And as for being a mere clerk... that was even more of a joke.

Clerks had no official rank. And a quota of only thirty? What a slap in the face. The Third District alone had nearly ten thousand officials and clerks.

Thirty people to manage hundreds of thousands?!

To this...

”No problem,” Chu Bamboo agreed without hesitation. ’Just getting my foot in the door is enough,’ he thought. ’Once I’m in, the sky’s the limit. As for raising the department’s rank in the future, there are countless ways to do that...’

To put it bluntly, if Chu Bamboo really wanted to, the moment Lu Jin agreed and the new department was entered into the official system—with the union transforming into the dedicated Management Department for the shantytown zones—

he could, by the very next day, use various methods to persuade the old governor, or even people in the Celestial Capital, to raise the department’s rank by one level a year until it reached a status appropriate for the population it governed.

”...You.” Lu Jin was choked up again. He glanced at Chu Bamboo, his lips moving several times without a sound.

”Alright, Old Lu,” Madam Xue suddenly interjected, placing her pale, delicate hand on the back of Lu Jin’s. ”I recall you saying the interview was to be kept under half an hour. But we’re already running over... Are you planning to postpone your next meeting? I have no objections, but you should at least tell Xiaosong.”

Lu Jin’s eyes widened. He followed his wife’s gaze to his daughter, understood instantly, and took the graceful exit she’d offered. ”Fine... Let’s leave it at that!”

”Alright, Xiaoxue, your mother and I will be leaving now. You should head home early! Of course, if you’re really not coming home... just give us a call and let us know!”

Lu Jin took Madam Xue’s hand, and they rose and walked briskly toward the door.

Leaving Lu Muxue standing there, completely baffled and bewildered. ’Why has the lockdown been lifted all of a sudden?’

’Haven’t you always been incredibly strict with me?’

Wait! Could it be...

Lu Muxue wasn’t a fool. As she realized something, she gasped and turned to look at Chu Bamboo in astonishment.

”What are you looking at me for? Aren’t you leaving?” Chu Bamboo rolled his eyes, getting up and stretching. He said, ”Are you really planning to stay here for a matchmaking session?”