Chapter 185 - 147: Members of the Troupe

Chapter 185: Chapter 147: Members of the TroupeAt 1:24 PM, the "Fishing Boat Formation" docked one after another at the small dock of the Fishery Station, where eight fishing boats were handed over to the care of personnel from the Fishery Command. Early in the morning, all forty-two suspects were handed over to the Port District Bureau, which conducted the investigation together with the Port Supervision and Fishery Administration. It seemed like a futile effort, but actually, it relieved the pressure on "Binjiang Water Police." Even if there were ready-made office spaces for handling cases, there weren’t enough personnel to do so. Even if they could "borrow" people from brother units, they weren’t familiar with each other, and there was simply no time to blend in. Obviously without the strength to handle the investigation, if they had to force themselves to do it, they wouldn’t have done a good job on the case. More importantly, "Binjiang Water Police" had a big operation at night! Compared to those criminals who buy eel fry on a large scale, smuggle them, and even beat up law enforcement officers at will, the ones caught in the morning were just small fries. Xu Sanye transferred the suspects to the Port District Bureau’s Director of Police and sent the majority of the troops back, then headed to No.3 Pier, where the departure would take place at night, aboard the Binjiang Port Police Bureau’s transport boat, warmly invited by Binjiang Port Police Bureau Criminal Investigation Department Director Jiang Xiaojun and Deputy Director Zhou Hong. It’s rare for old friends on the criminal investigation front to gather, and Director Jiang had prepared food and drinks early, delivered to a duty room at the pier. The river was still full of eel fishing boats, but the pier was empty. No work today, leaders from the Port Authority wouldn’t come for inspection, so a little drink was fine. "We just withdraw like this, won’t the city leaders be unhappy?" Director Wei was worried, even drinking uneasily. Just as Xu Sanye was about to speak, Jiang Xiaojun picked up a peanut and laughed, "Even if the city leaders are unhappy, they will only look for Scholar Yu. We are just following orders; they can’t blame us." "What Scholar Yu—it should be Director Yu!" Xu Sanye raised his chopsticks and pointed at him, saying with disdain, "Jiang Feijun, you may also wear Makuni, but you only have a junior high school diploma, and your associate degree was through correspondence education, which is almost the same as buying a diploma; who are you to look down on others?" "It sounds like your diploma is much more solid." "While I may be a university student from the ranks of workers, peasants, and soldiers, my associate’s diploma is recognized by the country." "What’s the use of recognition if not utilized?" "Do I need others to utilize me? As long as I want to get things done, there’s nothing I can’t accomplish. Old Wei Deputy Director, you are a regular Director in Makuni, but still, you get pushed around by my orders, hahaha." This point was undeniable. He was clearly only a police station chief from Yanjiang, but after transferring to Bailong Port for only half a year, he became the "top chief in party, government, and military" of Bailong Port Region. Bailong Port Passenger Pier, Bailong Port lock, riverside gas station, and even the Basic Civilian Soldiers from Four Factory Town and Sanhe Town were all under his command. Now he had become even more formidable, extending his reach to Binjiang. From the bottom of his heart, Jiang Xiaojun admired this station chief who was four years younger than him, raising his cup and saying with a smile, "Alright, alright, you’re awesome, okay?" Director Wei asked with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, "Sanye, are you really planning to set up a substation in Binjiang?" "Don’t talk nonsense; I am here at the request of Director Yu to assist." "Director Yu still listens to you!" "It’s not about listening to me; we just share the same vision and want to maintain the security of the river." "Is there a difference?" "Yes, he wears Makuni; I wear Dique Liang. He’s a Director, I’m just a regular stock. He’s the head of the City Bureau’s business department, and I’m just a basic level police station chief." "Don’t spin us these tales; even Old Zhou here is no stranger. Tell us, what are your plans next?" As Xu Sanye was about to speak, his walkie-talkie suddenly broadcast Zhang Lan’s voice. "Director Xu, Director Xu, can you receive?" "Received, go ahead, what’s up?" "We just docked at the Port Supervision Bureau’s storage boat. The city leaders and Director Feng just disembarked; Director Yu asked me to see where you are." "I’m at the Port Authority’s No.3 Pier." "Okay, we’ll head over." "Why come here? How are things on Director Yu’s side?" "Things are going very smoothly. We’re coming to pick you up and, meanwhile, waiting for the City Bureau to deliver the flare." "The City Bureau has flares?" "The City Bureau doesn’t, but the Military District does. Director Zhong knew we had a big operation tonight; after Director Yu brought it up, he arranged for people to go to the Military District through the radio. Director Xu, Director Yu is coming back after sending off the leaders; I’ll let Director Yu speak to you." "Okay." Seeing that Old Wei, Jiang Feijun, and Director Zhou were all watching him, Xu Sanye pointed with his chopsticks. Then, the voice of Scholar Yu came through the walkie-talkie. "Director Xu, we’ve sorted out the office space. It’s the Aquatic Bureau’s house, very close to Jiezhi Gate, on the riverbank, not on the riverside. I’ve been there once before to help my father-in-law buy fish. The courtyard is large, and there are plenty of rooms. It’s just right next to the cold storage, so it definitely has a fishy smell." "First we secure a place. We’ll think of ways to improve the working environment later." "That’s the only way to think about it." "What about funding and personnel?" Scholar Yu grinned and said, "We have funding; Mayor Cao has approved sixty thousand yuan for us. As for personnel, Mayor Cao mentioned it to the Fishery Command. Surprisingly, the leaders of the Fishery Command are very interested. They have been advocating for the establishment of Fishery Police and even a Fishery Court for a long time." Xu Sanye was amused and asked with a smile, "Are they willing to sponsor a squadron?" "Not a squadron, but they are willing to sponsor a full company. However, there is one condition." "What condition." "Although the problem of eel fishing on the river is severe, their main focus is still on the sea. They stated that when they enforce the law at sea in the future, they will also need our assistance." Scholar Yu was aware that he was not familiar with the situation at sea and thought for a moment before explaining, "The Fishery Law was only enacted the year before last. There are no corresponding supporting regulations, and even the Fishery Law itself is not a perfect piece of legislation. For instance, the purpose of its introduction was to protect fishery resources and promote the development of fisheries. A permitting system is implemented for fishing, but for the construction of fishing vessels, direct administrative approval is utilized. The county has the authority to give approval, so does the city, and there is no control over the total number of fishing vessels from the source. Moreover, not implementing a permit system for the construction of fishing vessels is one thing, but there are also significant loopholes in the inspection of fishing vessels. It only prescribes behavioral patterns, that is, what safety standards must be met, yet there are no legal consequences. It’s best if someone builds according to the standard, but there is no way to hold them accountable if they don’t." Truly a Bachelor of Law, he speaks in long, flowing arguments. Xu Sanye reminded him, "Focus on the main points." Realizing this, Scholar Yu hurriedly said, "Due to incomplete regulations and weak management methods, the intensity of fishing has almost become uncontrollable. There are many fishery disputes due to competition for resources between regions and production units. Last May, Diwu County in Dongshan Province and Huahuang County in Beihai Province had a dispute over the setting of their fixed-net fishing grounds. The conflict between the two provinces escalated, and they could not be mediated. The Agricultural Bureau, authorized by the National Council, conducted multiple investigations and coordination. They proposed the arbitration opinion of temporarily delineating the management line of the fixed-net fishing grounds of the two counties, but neither province complied with the arbitral opinion, and some fishermen even staged a sit-in at the door of the Agricultural Bureau, escalating the lawsuit to the National Council and the National People’s Congress Standing Committee." Our Binjiang Sea Area’s fishery administration falls under the jurisdiction of the East Sea Zone Fishery Command of the Agricultural Bureau. However, the East Sea Zone Fishery Command is located far away in the East Sea, out of our reach. Some fishermen often erupt into mass brawls over fishery resource competition during their nearshore fishing operations. The fishery administration agency only truly started to be established in the second half of 1987. It’s been less than two years until now, so it’s normal to be not well-established. For example, the Binjiang Fishery is chaotic to the point of being incomprehensible. It is both a fishery port and vessel supervision and inspection office set up by the provincial fishery department in Binjiang, and also a fishery station under the Binjiang City Agricultural Bureau. And there are fishery stations set up in places like Dacang across the river, while Binjiang has no jurisdiction over Dacang, after all, it’s not part of the same prefecture-level city, hence it is externally referred to as the Binjiang Fishery Command. Though it is clearly a self-financing institution, it possesses enforcement powers, with almost overlapping jurisdiction over the Yangtze River Fishery with the Binjiang Port and Navigation Supervision Bureau, and overlapping authority over maritime fishery administration with the East Sea Fishery Command under the Agricultural Bureau... While others feared trouble, Xu Sanye did not. Thinking of the chance to enter the sea, Xu Sanye pondered and said, "Agree to it first, if we don’t, what if they really create a Fishery Police in the future? The police represent the power of the state; we can’t let them mess around aimlessly." "That’s what I thought, too." "Anything else?" "Regarding the members of the division team—the Political Commissioner, Deputy Director, and the Secretary of the Office who is also the Director of the Political Work Office—Director Zhong has asked me to solicit your opinion. If you have suitable candidates, you can recommend them, and the bureau’s party committee will seriously consider them when the time comes. He also suggested that you, as the Director of the Linghai Water Police Department, concurrently serve as a member of the division party committee." The Division’s team members allowed him to recommend! Director Wei was stunned, Jiang Xiaojun and Zhou Hong wore astonished expressions, unable to believe the City Bureau’s leadership would be so easy to talk to. But the three thought about it and soon came to terms. After all, the Water Police Division was established on the basis of the Yanjiang Police Station. If he did not support it, this Water Police Division would not come to fruition. Besides, he owned Binjiang’s most advanced 001 vessel, and if the Water Police Division only had people without boats, its establishment would still be meaningless. As for making him serve as a member of the Water Police Division’s party committee, it’s equivalent to giving him, the "Shadow Director," a title. Anyway, it is a concurrent position and does not involve a promotion in administrative rank. "Director Yu, for the choices of Political Commissioner, Deputy Director, and Director of the Political Work Office, how are you considering it?" "How would I know who is suitable? Director Xu, you should recommend instead." "Let Zhang Lan use the high-powered radio to contact Wang Xiazhi and tell Wang Xiazhi to notify Director Yang and the blind man to rush to our station for a meeting immediately. Just say it’s extremely urgent." "Okay." Director Wei and Jiang Xiaojun had known Xu Sanye for many years and were not surprised by this. Zhou Hong, the Deputy Director of the Criminal Investigation Department of Binjiang Port Police Bureau, was not very familiar with Xu Sanye and could not believe that a police station chief was actually notifying directors to attend a meeting he called. He was inwardly shocked when Xu Sanye put down the radio and looked at him with a smile, asking, "Chief Zhou, are you interested in becoming a real criminal police officer?" "Director Xu, I’m already an investigator." "How many criminal cases can there be at the port? If you don’t mind the lower salary and treatment of the local police and wish to become a true criminal officer like Old Wei, join our Water Police Division as the Deputy Director of Criminal Investigation." "Director Xu, are you joking?" "I’m not joking." Xu Sanye turned to Jiang Xiaojun, "Old Jiang, maintaining security on the river cannot rely solely on the Water Police Division. If your bureau could arrange someone to be the Deputy Director in the Water Police Division, it would only be beneficial to both of us." Jiang Xiaojun was startled and then realized that he was not joking. He hurriedly said, "Old Zhou, think it over. If you’re not interested, I must report to Director Chen immediately." "It’s all too sudden; I’m totally unprepared." "I feel the same way. It’s all thanks to Reporter Wang, who blew the lid off the issue. Otherwise, it would take at least two to three years for Director Yu to properly get the Water Police Division up and running." Sёarᴄh the Novёlƒire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Sanye smiled and looked up at Director Wei, "Old Wei, quickly ask your bureau’s leaders if they’re interested in the position of Director of the Political Work Office and Secretary to the Office in our Water Police Division." Director Wei asked with a smile, "Does our division also get a share?" "Without your support, river security would not improve either. This is a position equivalent to Deputy Director level. Let your bureau’s leaders think it over. Give me a reply before it gets dark. But the person must be capable; if someone just comes to slack off, I will also help Director Yu send him back." "Maybe I’ll go be the Political Commissioner for Director Yu." "You wish. I already have a candidate for the Political Commissioner. Besides, you’re already on a ’golden assignment’ at the Port District Bureau and will return to the City Bureau sooner or later. Even if I wanted to poach this talent, the City Bureau would not agree."