Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 1091 - 710: Eager to Return Home

On September 2nd, the water levels of the main stream of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River began to recede entirely, and the section from Ezhou to Xiaochikou resumed navigation. That section had been closed for thirty-seven days.

The news mentioned that the water levels of the Nenjiang River and the Songhua River had also fully receded.

Jingzhou is located at the junction of the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Although the water level in Jingjiang had receded somewhat, it hadn't dropped quickly enough. The Shishou to Hanwu section hadn't met the standards for the resumption of navigation. Since the dike had been submerged in floodwaters for too long, the National Flood Control Headquarters demanded vigilance and ensured the safety of the dike during the recession period.

Previously, only a month's worth of "ammunition" and "rations" had been prepared, resulting in a two-month-long tug of war with the flood. The Linghai Reserve Camp was practically out of resources again, turning it back into a "strategic reserve team."

The main forces like earthwork construction, earthwork transport, and water rescue operations were resting in place, while only a few small teams such as water supply assurance, medical and health care, grouting rescue, and film screening remained busy.

In fact, the busiest ones were not the few logistic support teams but Old Ge, Old Wang, Political Commissar Yang, Vice Minister Li, Yang Jianbo, and Zhao Jiang.

Three days ago, the National Flood Control Headquarters issued a "Notice on Supporting and Caring for Flood Response Troops," calling for extensive publicity of the heroism of the people's soldiers, close ties with the troops, cherishing forces, and effectively carrying out logistical support work.

The flood fight was nearing its end, and the latter two points seemed a bit like acting in hindsight, but everyone paid great attention to the first two points from top to bottom.

The Jingzhou Flood Control Command, Jingzhou Military District, Beihu Province Flood Control Command, Beihu Province Military District, and the 404 Division Political Department. The Binjiang Military District, Binjiang Reserve Regiment, Jiangnan Army Reserve Division, Yangtze Port Supervision Bureau, Yangtze River Navigation Bureau, Binjiang Customs, Binjiang Border Control Station... as long as they were superiors, they were calling for materials!

Old Ge, Old Wang, Political Commissar Yang, Vice Minister Li, and others gathered in the small meeting room of the Development Zone Management Committee's Dunship, busy and overwhelmed.

The printer and copier borrowed from the Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau were humming nonstop these days, using up who knows how many ink cartridges and reams of printing paper.

All the rescue engineering materials were prepared, and the necessary signatures and seals were completed. Now was the time for sorting and binding. Various engineering materials were piled high in the large conference room on the third floor of the Linghai Port Project Command Center.

Engineers like Yao Lirong, Sun Youyi, and Lu Wei were equally busy.

The materials needed to be organized and bound in sequence, with thousands of photos to be sorted out, each to be correctly inserted into the respective set of documents...

Barely taking a breather, Han Yu decided to take a stroll around Jingzhou City.

Having traveled so far and been away for so long, he couldn't return without bringing a gift for his daughter.

He toured the city with his father-in-law, bought a doll and several bags of Beihu specialty sesame candy, and returned to the Dunship only to be startled. Old Ge was so busy he was taking two calls at once.

"Director Dong, please hold on, I'll take the call from the leader of the Changhang Bureau first."

"Hello, Director Liao, I'm Ge Weidong from the Linghai Transportation Bureau. Sorry, sorry, for bothering you with a personal call. Plans can't keep up with changes; we might not make it to Hanwu. Even if we pass by, we won't go ashore. Everyone has been out for two months now, each with their concerns, anxious to return."

Old Ge nodded in greeting to Han Yu and Master Han, continuing, "And then there's the fact that although we've won the flood fight, another battle awaits for Salted Fish and them. Yes, yes, cracking down on smuggling. We'll return once the fleet can pass under the Hanwu Yangtze River Bridge, but of course, we have to wait for orders from above.

The Beihu Provincial Committee, Provincial Government, and Provincial Military District are holding a commendation meeting? Has the time been confirmed? We can't wait, so why don't we do this - we'll head back first and send representatives to attend once the time is set. Thank you, Director Liao, for taking care of us. Yes, we'll keep in touch by phone if anything comes up."

Ge Diao is really impressive now, already communicating directly with the leaders of the Changhang Bureau.

While Han Yu was quietly reflecting, Old Ge picked up the landline and asked with a smile, "Director Dong, I'm Ge Weidong from Linghai. Both the City Bureau and the Police Department are in need, huh? All right, give me an hour, and I'll send you the list of participating police and auxiliary police and their stories!

Director Dong, there's one thing I must clarify: it'd be best if you could get back to me quickly. The attitude of our Linghai Municipal Committee and Municipal Government is very clear; every participant in flood control must be recognized and awarded. Each individual should be recorded for third-level merit, and of course, if they can receive second-level or first-level merit, even better.

Our managing 404 Division gave us recommended spots, and both the army-level and military region-level also awarded us spots. The Jiangnan Province Military District and Jiangnan Army Reserve Division are also waiting for our nominations. Just moments ago, Director Liao from the Changhang Bureau called me, saying that the Beihu Provincial Committee, Provincial Government, and Provincial Military District are about to hold a commendation meeting to honor the participants.

We have limited participating officers, so we need to plan properly. Yes, that's exactly what I mean. Why don't we do this - I'll report ten comrades to you, and these ten will be commended by the Provincial Police Department and your Binjiang City Bureau. All right, let's settle on that..."

Han Yu asked curiously: "Our Binjiang Police Department Political Office's Director Dong?"

"Yes, everyone's demanding materials now. They weren't this enthusiastic when we dispatched."

Old Ge put down the phone, picked up the list, took out his pen, and made notes while laughing, "It's good they want to commend, otherwise Linghai would have to backstop. If we really had to award third-level merits to hundreds, the value of those awards would decrease significantly."

A leader who doesn't consider his subordinates is not a good leader.

Han Yu looked at the list and asked while smiling, "All sorted out?"

"Sorted. I just spoke on the phone with Xia Jianqiang and Jiao Junhao. The leaders from Changzhou, Gaoru, Chonggang District, and Binjiang Development Zone have contacted them. The reserve soldiers from these districts and counties, and those whose work relations have been transferred there, will all receive commendations from them."

Old Ge put the list down and introduced with a smile: "The 404 Division and the 105th Army gave us a total of 18 spots, Binjiang Military District and Jiangnan Army Reserve Division gave us 10 spots, and along with the spots from the Binjiang Police Department, Jiangnan Provincial Police Department, and systems of the Changhang Bureau, we can basically achieve complete coverage for recognition and awards."

"Uncle Ge, you can't just think about others, you have to consider yourself too!"

"I'm this age, what merits do I need to earn?"

Old Ge now exuded an absolute sense of calmness and ease, smiling as he changed the subject: "Almost forgot, the East Sea Pudong New District's Armament Department contacted me through the Changhang East Sea Police Branch. They said they've formed a Reserve Force. They mentioned your brother-in-law and Dongdong are now East Sea people and asked if you could transfer their military registration there, letting them serve in the reserve over there."

This attempt to recruit was quite thorough, practically uprooting!

Han Yu leaned in with a laugh and asked, "Instructor Yang, can military registration be transferred?"

"Sure."

Yang Jianbo set down his work and walked over with a smile, "Manager Zhang wants to transfer over, which is a bit troublesome. After all, Manager Zhang is a reserve officer and needs to go through the Provincial Military District and the Jiangnan Army Reserve Division. But since it was proposed on their side, we can't refuse either. It should be completed within a week at most. After all, it all belongs to the Nanjing Military Region, without crossing military region borders. Dongdong's transfer is easier. Soldiers are different from officers; Dongdong's file is with our regiment's military affairs section. Just bringing the file over is enough.

Vice Minister Li found the matter interesting and couldn't help but look up with a smile, "Secretary Han, the service time of reserve units counts as military service. If Dongdong wants to join the army after graduating from college, the three years of high school and four years of university all count as military service. By then, he could only be granted the rank of lieutenant by regulations, while Dongdong should at least be granted the rank of captain. Otherwise, those seven years in the reserves would have been in vain."

"Is there such a regulation?"

"There's no explicit regulation, but the superiors also can't ignore those seven years of military service, hahaha."

"Unfortunately, Dongdong doesn't want to be a soldier; he just wants to sail ships."

"True, he doesn't need to be a soldier, unlike us back in the day who had to rely on being soldiers to change our fate."

Amid the laughter, a phone rang.

Han Yu took out his phone, glanced at the caller ID, and quickly pressed the call button, raising it to his ear, "Major General Jiang, it's Han Yu. Is there any news?"

Major General Jiang, who was in the military command post, glanced up at Vice Army Commander Lu and said with a note of regret, "There is news. The superiors have agreed to your withdrawal. I was hoping to attend the Beihu Province commendation meeting with you, but you have an important task, so you can only head back first."

"There's no choice. The anti-smuggling fight back home has already begun. We are the main force for water anti-smuggling. Without us, the water-based anti-smuggling operations can't proceed."

"I know, and the superiors know as well. The military region commander has asked me to convey that your battalion performed excellently in flood relief and hopes you will continue to work hard to achieve new successes in the upcoming anti-smuggling efforts."

"Yes!"

"But now there's a problem: Jingjiang is currently in a recession period, and navigation has not yet resumed from Shishou to the Hanwu section. The main concern is that ship navigation will affect the dykes on both banks. Your engineering machines can be transported back by land first, but the engineering fleet and support fleet will have to wait for navigation to resume."

"I understand. We can wait a few more days."

"When you confirm the day to return, remember to report in advance. Vice Army Commander Lu wants to personally send you off."

"Thank you for the concern of the leaders, but it's really not necessary."

"It's not a bother, Vice Army Commander Lu has already decided."

...

At the time, the flood relief was ordered from above, and now wanting to return requires the same level of approval. It's imaginable that the superiors Major General Jiang referred to are not the 105th Army, not even the Guangzhou Military Region, but those above and the National Flood Control Headquarters!

For a reserve camp to disturb the higher-ups and the National Flood Control Headquarters twice, Han Yu was filled with emotion.

At this moment, Master Dai entered carrying a heavy large cardboard box.

Soon after, four military district inspectors came in carrying cartons, following him into the small conference room.

"Master Dai, what's that?"

"Flood relief commemorative medals."

Master Dai carefully placed the carton in the corner, opened it, took out a beautifully crafted red gift box, and handed it to Han Yu, explaining, "Secretary Han, the Beihu Province Military District knows you're eager to return to Linghai and that our emergency rescue assault team is disbanding, so they prioritized us for awarding. These are newly designed and newly produced, the first batch. Other units might not be awarded until the end of the month."

Just as Master Dai finished speaking, Political Commissar Yang raised his head and laughed, "It's the same over in Nanhu Province. The Political Department Deputy Director from the Nanhu Province Military District called me this morning to award commemorative medals to the officers and soldiers who participated in the rescue and evacuation during the breach at Anzao Dam."

The commemorative medals were beautiful, similar to military merit medals, and could be pinned on the chest.

Han Yu was captivated by them, and Old Ge added, "The Jingzhou Military District also plans to award commemorative medals to the troops who participated in the Jingjiang flood relief. Director Huang called me this morning and said he plans to bring them over early tomorrow morning."

"So we only have two medals, while Political Commissar Yang, Master Dai, Xu Mingyuan, and Ma Jintao will have three because we were always in the Beihu flood relief and never went to Nanhu?"

"Secretary Han, I can ask for a few more."

"We can't ask for more. We haven't been there, so we can't claim credit for work not done. After all, this too is an honor."

"This reminds me of something," Old Ge pondered, "Xiao Dai, wait a moment and count the numbers. Leave me three sets each of the Beihu Province Military District and Jingzhou Military District commemorative medals."

"Yes."

"Uncle Ge, why leave three more sets?"

"Mayor Qin, Deputy Division Commander Tao, and Secretary Ye all visited us. Mayor Qin and Deputy Division Commander Tao personally carried sandbags. They not only fought against the floods but also supported our flood relief efforts. Without leadership support, we couldn't have achieved such results."

A person who has been a leader has a more comprehensive perspective than others.

Han Yu looked up to him with admiration, laughing, "Understood, you make the arrangements."