Who Calls the Shots?

Chapter 9: Who Has the Final Say? Most of the old-timers in Zhenshan County could read the sky. Director Li of the County Hospital had been right — the moment dusk fell, the night rain came again, a thin, persistent drizzle that shaved another few degrees off the evening air and sent the tempers of parents tending sick children quietly toward a boil.

'Rain, rain, rain — still raining. Rains all day, rains all night. Where does it all come from? Everything's soaked and dripping.

Just looking at it puts me in a foul mood.' There were only the two of them in the room, so Lü Wen didn't bother sparing her husband's pride. She pressed on: 'Why did you have to pick a place like this?

I think you'd have been better off staying in the city as a department director than coming to this godforsaken backwater to play county chief.' 'Didn't I explain all this before? We put in a few years here in Zhenshan County, build up our credentials, and then we can move up.

If I'd stayed in the city, how was I supposed to accumulate anything? Was I supposed to sit in that office director's chair until I retired?' He Zaiming groped along the wall for the light cord and pulled it.

'My father —' 'Enough. Watch your mouth. Don't go making trouble for yourself.' He Zaiming's tone sharpened. Lü Wen knew when to stop, and she stopped.

He Zaiming came from generations of poor peasants; it was only in his generation that the new policies had opened the door to schooling. Of the three brothers in the family, he was the only one who could sit still long enough to study, and he read his way from primary school all the way through to high school.

When he graduated, the urban-rural divide wasn't yet so rigid, and his good marks got him into the Agriculture Bureau — the first person in the He family to eat from the public bowl. He Zaiming was steady and practical, not rigid in his methods, and his class background was clean.

The bureau chief at the time — who would later become his father-in-law — took notice and gave him his only daughter in marriage. After that, people called him a kept son-in-law behind his back.

He Zaiming didn't care about his reputation; he cared about his future. He knew he needed someone reliable to guide him, to keep him from stepping into traps and making mistakes.

His father-in-law wasn't highly placed, but he had foresight. During those years when one faction was struggling against another and the chaos ran deep, his father-in-law told him not to stick his neck out, not to get tangled up in any of it, and sent him down to the countryside as an agricultural adviser.

He stayed there seven or eight years. Two years ago his father-in-law said the time had come. There happened to be a vacancy in the municipal Party committee office, and he was sent there to write documents.

His writing was middling — conscientious, but unremarkable. He Zaiming told his father-in-law he was suited to practical work, not desk work.

His father-in-law told him not to be impatient, to wait. And waiting, he found his opportunity. In his two years at the municipal Party committee office, he watched one after another of the men who wrote better than him, who spoke more cleverly than him, get purged and pushed out.

He, a newcomer, had somehow become the most senior person left standing — and by never making mistakes, he had even caught the mayor's eye. At the end of last year, the previous county chief of Zhenshan County was himself purged, implicated in an old murder case and brought down.

He Zaiming's name appeared on the shortlist for the position. Zhenshan County — before the Republic it had been a stretch of the ancient Tea-Horse Road, and it had done well enough hosting the merchants who passed through.

Now that no one traveled the Tea-Horse Road anymore, the place had fallen into decline. The county was small, with no factories or mines to speak of, mostly mountains and little arable land, agricultural development was difficult, and making any real achievements there would not be easy.

Two of the names on the shortlist withdrew voluntarily once they learned the situation. The opportunity fell to He Zaiming.

'Shh, shh, don't cry.' Lü Wen held the fussing child and tried to soothe him. In the dim light everything looked like a mess.

He Zaiming ladled out half a bowl of warm water and coaxed his younger son into drinking it. He Zaiming's heart softened.

He said, 'From now on, be more careful with what you say. Look at the ones who said whatever they liked in years past — where did they end up after last year's purges?' 'What is there to be afraid of?

I haven't taken a single public coin. I just think this place isn't as good as the city. Look — the child gets sick and I'm already worried the doctors here aren't good enough to treat him properly.

This is your own son. Don't you feel anything?' Lü Wen touched the child's forehead when she finished speaking. He seemed to have a slight fever.

Lü Wen grew anxious. 'Are the doctors at the County Hospital any good? Why is he still running a fever?' 'Don't panic. Fevers come and go — that's normal.

If he's no better by morning, we'll go back to the hospital.' He Zaiming tried to reassure her: 'Doctors vary in skill, but medicine is medicine.' The two of them were still fretting when the dim yellow bulb flickered twice and went out. Lü Wen said furiously, 'What kind of place is this?

They call it the County Committee Compound — I can't stand living here a single day more.' The buildings in the County Committee Compound were all old, never properly maintained over the years; even the bricks in the walls had come loose, and children who didn't know better would sometimes pry bricks out of their own walls to play with, earning themselves a beating when the adults found out.

He Zaiming made soothing noises at his son and found a moment to say to his wife, 'Don't be so hard on the place. When you first arrived you rather liked it — said the courtyard was spacious, more comfortable than those tube-block apartments.' 'That's only if it's a decent courtyard.' Lü Wen said, 'Speaking of decent courtyards — the other day Xiangqian mentioned there was a vacant property on Sanqing Lane.

He tried to make inquiries through connections and was turned away. Can you ask around again?' 'We'll make do for now. Spring planting is almost here — I don't have time.' Lü Wen ground her teeth in frustration and hit him.

'Work, work, work — all you know is work! Isn't your work supposed to give your wife and son a good life? Your son wants a proper courtyard.

Are you going to do something about it or not?' He Zaiming dodged a couple of blows. 'Careful — it's pitch dark, you can't see.

Mind you don't hit the child.' 'Are you going to ask or not?' 'Yes, yes, fine — I'll ask tomorrow.' Hearing that he meant it and wasn't just brushing her off, Lü Wen let it go. She felt her way through the dark and took the child back into her own arms.

'You still have work tomorrow. Go to sleep. I'll settle the child.' He Zaiming sighed. Children were such hard work. 'Our eldest is already with your parents in the city for school — I can't trouble your mother with this one too, or your brother and sister-in-law will be unhappy.

What if I asked my mother to come and help you with the baby?' Lü Wen snapped, 'Fine. Your mother comes, I leave.' 'There you go again — can't you just talk calmly?

What are you getting angry for?' Lü Wen gave a cold snort. 'I don't care. Your mother and I don't get along. Don't you dare invite her.' 'I only said it because I feel bad watching you wear yourself out with the child.' 'I'm happy to wear myself out.' Lü Wen turned away with the child, yanked the blanket over them both, and said nothing more.

He Zaiming tried again to reason with her; Lü Wen refused to hear a word of it, and when she'd had enough she told him to get lost. They bickered for a while, then the child started crying again, and both their hearts went straight to the child — they coaxed him quiet, and the room finally settled.

He Zaiming didn't sleep until after midnight. He woke in the morning without any energy, opened his umbrella, and stepped outside; the cold rain hit him and he came to his senses.

'The county chief's here.' 'Good morning — morning.' He Zaiming was always affable in public. He exchanged greetings all the way up the stairs, and on the second floor he ran into Sun Dajie.

Sun Dajie was carrying a teacup with nothing in it but a pinch of dry tea leaves. She was laughing and complaining to anyone who'd listen that their office's hot-water thermos had broken the month before and still hadn't been replaced.

'It's not just your office's thermos — our office has had two broken windowpanes for two months and they still haven't been fixed. So to keep the cold wind out, we've been stuffing newspaper in the gaps.' 'Ha, hard times all around.

Come on, let me borrow some hot water from your office.' And with that, Sun Dajie grabbed someone by the arm and off they went. He Zaiming quickly called after Sun Dajie.

She stopped. 'Good morning, County Chief. Something you need from me?' Everyone nearby looked over. He Zaiming waved a hand.

'Nothing official. I just wanted to ask — what was wrong with your grandson? Is he all better? Which doctor saw him?' 'Oh my — is your child still not well?' Sun Dajie heard the question and immediately understood what he was getting at.

He Zaiming nodded. 'He had an injection, but he was up crying several times in the night, and this morning he still had a low fever.' Sun Dajie said helpfully, 'If the injection isn't working, try Traditional Chinese Medicine.

We have some very capable doctors at the County Hospital — two of them used to run their own Medical Hall here in the county.' 'Who did your grandson see?' 'He saw Dr. Zhu.

But my grandson's situation was different from your child's — Dr. Zhu might not necessarily be the right fit for you.' Yesterday Sun Dajie had said that Zhu Changming was good with children's ailments, but that had been flattery; she'd never actually had him treat anyone in her family and didn't really know, so she certainly wasn't going to say anything reckless now.

The Zhu Clan again. He Zaiming thought of his wife's instructions to ask about the Zhu Clan's vacant property — but with so many people around, this wasn't the moment.

He thanked Sun Dajie and said, 'If he's no better, I'll bring the child back to the County Hospital this afternoon.' Word that the county chief's child was ill spread quickly after that. Anyone with a relative at the County Hospital eagerly recommended their favorite doctor for children's ailments to He Zaiming.

Sun Dajie had a private word with Old Zhang. Old Zhang asked her what she thought of the eldest daughter of the Zhu Clan.

Sun Dajie said nothing extra — she simply raised her thumb. Old Zhang understood. The previous evening Sun Dajie had taken her grandson to Sanqing Lane.

When she arrived, a group of children were just heading home for dinner; before they left, they lined up to drink half a bowl of sugarcane water each. The eldest daughter of the Zhu Clan examined her grandson, had him drink half a bowl of water as well, and gave him a Peace Talisman.

That night the child slept straight through without making a sound. First thing this morning Sun Dajie had pressed a meat ration coupon into her daughter-in-law's hand and told her to go early and buy two jin of meat to send to the Zhu Clan as thanks.

The methods of the Xuan Sect that the Zhu Clan practiced couldn't be spoken of openly — to say such things aloud was to speak of feudal superstition, the very things the campaign to destroy the Four Olds had targeted. But people had their own scales in their hearts, and they knew what deserved respect.

Secretary Yang called Sun Dajie into the office. When He Zaiming asked her about the Zhu Clan's vacant property, Sun Dajie refused outright — she didn't know the details, and she advised He Zaiming not to set his sights on the Zhu Clan's house.

'Don't they have a vacant property? Even if they won't sell, surely they'd rent?' 'That I don't know. Why not ask Liu Xin?

She married into the Zhu Clan — she'll know far more than I do.' Liu Xin had caught wind of the story about the county chief's brother-in-law coveting the Zhu Clan's property. When she was summoned now, she had exactly one thing to say: 'Not for sale.

Not for rent.' He Zaiming tried to open a negotiation. Liu Xin gave him no face whatsoever — county chief or not, she said, 'I'm not sure where you heard this, but let me say it plainly: my family has no vacant rooms.

If you don't believe me, feel free to go and ask around about the Zhu Clan yourself.' Liu Xin turned and walked away, leaving He Zaiming staring after her in disbelief. Even with his famously even temper in public, he couldn't hold back his anger.

'What is the meaning of that? I asked a simple question and she throws that look at me?' He Zaiming was ready to curse. Talking to a superior like that — where was her head?

Secretary Yang was a sent-down youth from the city. In 1972 he had been held up as a model for saving someone's life, his story printed in the newspapers, and he had later been specially promoted into the county committee as a representative of the educated youth and given a position.

He was an outsider and didn't know the Zhu Clan's history, so he tried to smooth things over: 'Don't be upset. Let me go home and ask around for you.' Secretary Yang was from the 1965 cohort of sent-down youth — no longer young.

After joining the county committee he had married a local woman. He didn't know the Zhu Clan's affairs, but his wife probably knew something.

'County Chief He, Comrade Lü Wen sent word through someone — the child has a high fever again. She's taken him to the hospital.' He Zaiming forgot all about the Zhu Clan.

He gave Secretary Yang a quick word and rushed to the hospital, so flustered he left his umbrella behind. He Zaiming ran through the rain to the hospital.

Lü Wen was there holding the still-crying child. Her younger brother Lü Xiangqian was also there, glaring at the doctor with a dark expression, looking like a fighting cock that had just come off a brawl.

When he saw He Zaiming arrive, Lü Xiangqian straightened up and called out, 'Brother-in-law.' He Zaiming clapped Lü Xiangqian on the arm and turned quickly to his wife. 'How is he?' Lü Wen's eyes were red.

'They just gave him another injection. The doctor said if this one doesn't work either, they'll have to try something else — the injections are hard on a child's body, and too many isn't good.' Lü Xiangqian tilted his chin toward the doctor inside the room and said with contempt, 'Sis, let's take the child back to the city hospital.

The doctors here — tsk.' The several doctors who had been summoned by Director Li heard this and their faces darkened at once. He Zaiming quickly reprimanded him: 'You can be worried about the child without talking like that.' Director Li was displeased inside, but he kept his smile.

'Understandable, understandable.' He Zaiming's gaze swept across the doctors and he asked Director Li, 'Which one is Dr. Zhu?

I've heard Dr. Zhu is skilled with children's ailments.' Director Li gave a small cough. 'Dr. Zhu had a family matter come up and left early on leave.' Just now, when the county chief's wife had arrived with the child, Director Li had called in the available doctors to take a look.

Zhu Changming had been free, but the moment Director Li mentioned it was the county chief's wife, Zhu Changming turned and walked out, saying he didn't want to be called for anything like this in the future. He Zaiming didn't catch the refusal in those words and pressed on: 'Dr.

Zhu lives on Sanqing Lane? Could we ask him to come by once he's finished with his family matter?' 'I'm afraid not.' He Zaiming had been turned down repeatedly today.

The smile on his face could no longer hold, and his tone went cold. 'All the other doctors are at their posts. It doesn't look good for Dr.

Zhu to be absent during working hours.' Director Li said, 'You're right that it doesn't look good. I've already given the order — his entire day's wages are docked.' He Zaiming said nothing.

The Zhu Clan again. Lü Xiangqian had taken a dislike to the Zhu Clan's name and gave a scornful laugh. 'Well, well — you're a hospital director and you can't manage one doctor?

If a doctor won't serve the people, what's he doing in a hospital? Fire him!' Director Li smiled. 'Every family has its complications.

If we fired people for that, we'd have to shut the hospital down.' Lü Xiangqian hadn't expected Director Li — who had been all smiles for his brother-in-law moments ago — to be so blunt with him. Fury rose in his chest.

'A hospital full of quacks, I'd say —' He Zaiming cut him off sharply. 'That's enough. What's a perfectly decent young man doing putting on this act?

And not even convincing.' The doctors who had stayed quiet were laughing inside. Not convincing? What would convincing look like?

Lü Xiangqian was young and couldn't take the loss of face. He turned and walked out. He Zaiming gave a rueful smile and spoke to Director Li — partly by way of making amends.

'My father-in-law is a strict man. He has three sons and one daughter. He kept a tight rein on the older two. My brother-in-law Lü Xiangqian is much younger than his brothers, so he was rather spoiled — and this is what came of it.

His temper runs hot, but he's not a bad person. If he ever actually stepped out of line, my father-in-law would never allow it.' Director Li laughed along pleasantly and said nothing more than was necessary.

The child's fever hadn't broken, and He Zaiming and Lü Wen didn't dare take him home. They asked for a hospital bed and stayed to watch over him.

It was still only mid-afternoon. Lü Wen discussed it with He Zaiming: 'What if we take the child to the city hospital now?' 'It's still raining outside.

What if his condition gets worse on the way?' The water route to the city took five or six hours. The land route only had one bus in the morning — there was no way to go now.

'So we just wait?' 'We have no choice but to wait.' Lü Wen couldn't contain her anger. 'You're the county chief and your word means nothing here?

Can't you think of something?' 'Let's not get into that now. We're new here and don't know the lay of the land. Give it some time.' The Zhu Clan had ties running through every corner of the county, and everyone was protecting them.

He hadn't even figured out the Zhu Clan yet, let alone anything else — nothing could be moved quickly. There was no rush.

He Zaiming had already worked out in his mind how he would, in time, put his own people in the key positions. He Zaiming sat by the hospital bed keeping the child company.

By evening the fever had eased a little, and the two of them allowed themselves a moment of relief. To be safe, they decided to spend the night at the hospital.

They thought if they could just get through the night, everything would be fine — but in the small hours the child suddenly burst into wailing again, and the fever came roaring back. 'Doctor!

Doctor!' He Zaiming ran out to call for a doctor. The doctor rushed in, examined the child, then ran back out to fetch the Silver Needle.

'Hold him still.' He Zaiming and Lü Wen held the child down. Even after the needles went in the child kept crying — eyes open, crying, not looking around wildly but fixed on some point in the empty air above him.

Director Li was on night duty and hadn't left. He came in, took one look at the situation, and said, 'The Silver Needle probably won't do it.

Taking the child to the Zhu Clan might help.' 'To the Zhu Clan?' Director Li slapped the back of his own head. 'Ah — probably won't work.

Have you people offended the Zhu Clan? They might not be willing to help.' Lü Wen was crying with panic. 'I don't even know anyone from the Zhu Clan — how could I have offended them?

Just get a doctor in here!' The doctor who had just used the Silver Needle understood what Director Li meant. This wasn't a matter for a doctor anymore — this called for a master.

In any other situation Director Li would certainly have kept his mouth shut. But this was a life, and the child was innocent; whatever quarrel existed between the adults shouldn't be visited on a child.

Director Li said, 'Whether you've offended them or not, I can't say. I'm only telling you that the Zhu Clan may be able to save your son.

Whether you go and ask them is up to you.' He Zaiming hadn't risen to where he was today by being a fool. He might not be the sharpest man alive, but he wasn't stupid either.

If the director said it like that, there was a reason for it. He didn't understand, so he would listen. Try it. It might work.

As for the Zhu Clan — He Zaiming let out a slow breath, and his mind cleared. To ask a favor is to stand one step lower.

When he needed nothing from anyone, he was the county chief — high in rank, heavy with authority, the one who had the final say in this little patch of ground. Even if he didn't have it yet, he had ways of getting it in time.

But right now the Zhu Clan had something he needed, and he was going to them to beg for his child's life. That meant it was the Zhu Clan who had the final say.