Reborn as a Noble's Son

“After leaving the Yang family, Nie Zhenbang started the car and hit the road once again. Returning to Beijing this time, Nie Zhenbang initially planned not to visit any family but to head straight back to Xibei after dealing with his business.

However, the mishap at Dong Wan’s house prompted him to visit the Dongs first and then the Yangs. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang decided to go home as well. He owned an explanation to his grandfather concerning his elopement.

The car came to a full stop at the entrance of his home. After knocking on the door, a security guard opened it. Seeing that it was Nie Zhenbang, the guard saluted him. With a smile, Nie Zhenbang asked, “Is my grandfather around, Brother Wang?”

These people were law enforcement officers and servicemen assigned to his father. Despite their seemingly ordinary appearance, they were impressively skillful.

Nie Zhenbang could feel the strength of others. In return, others were also aware of Zhenbang’s might. They had respect for men of strength. The guard, Brother Wang, replied smilingly, “Young Master is back. The Chief should be resting now. Please go inside.”

Nie Zhenbang nodded and entered the yard. After his elder brother got married, he moved out. Zhenbang’s father was in Yanbei, and his uncle also had a house at the army district compound. Their aunts had all married and left, returning only once in a while. Hence, the Nie’s courtyard seemed rather quiet and empty.

As soon as Nie Zhenbang sat down in the living room, his grandfather came walking out from inside. Wearing a gray woolen shawl on his shoulders, the elderly gentleman looked a little frail.

Nie Zhenbang promptly stood up in respect, “Grandfather!”

Waving his hand, Elder Nie looked at Zhenbang with a smiling reproach, “So you know to come back? What happened? Can’t hide anymore? You’re a grown man who can’t even face these issues. What’s the use?”

Looking at Nie Zhenbang, the old man continued, “But your performance today was commendable. Earning forgiveness from the Dong and Yang families will play an irreplaceable role in your future.”

Upon hearing these words from his grandfather, Nie Zhenbang felt a warmth in his heart. With things that happened in the morning already reaching his grandfather’s ears in such a short time, it was clear that he always kept an eye on him.

Soon, Nie Zhenbang felt a bit awkward. He was known for his stubbornness and his obstinacy only increased when confronted. But his defenses would soften in a less aggressive environment, causing him to feel more self-conscious.

Looking at his grandfather, Nie Zhenbang muttered quietly, “Grandfather, I’m sorry. This incident must have put our family in an awkward situation.”

At this moment, Elder Nie slightly nodded his head. Although he had already forgiven Zhenbang in his heart, he made a point not to show it explicitly. He noticed that Zhenbang had started making decisions on his own. The traces of his folk influences were quite apparent in the way he thought and acted – something Elder Nie found quite reasonable. Despite his grandfather being a capable and remarkable man, he had not got around to educating Zhenbang for long. Given this, Zhenbang’s performance was commendable.

If another family member who was nurtured from a young age, like Jialei or Jiamin from the Nie family, were to face this situation, they would neither make such a decision nor have the courage to do so.

Reflecting on this, Elder Nie voiced in a grave tone, “Zhenbang, thinking about how far you’ve come, I considered some options for you. There are two paths you can take. The first one is to continue devoting yourself to Xibei and New Li City, though this option might require a bit longer time-wise. You’re currently 24 years old. If the current trend of the government system persists, where ranks are shuffled after four years, you will have to stay in New Li City for four more years. The other path entails that I arrange for you to return to the Ministry for some toughening up, after which you can be repositioned.”

Hearing his grandfather’s words, Nie Zhenbang fell into deep thought. His grandfather’s attitude seemed unusually off that day.

Nie Zhenbang contemplated his grandfather’s words. As it stood now, at the age of 24, he was an incredibly young deputy-level party and government leader. He had achieved this feat at such a young age, and it was unlikely for anyone to break this record. Internally, there were plans for provisions regulating appointments of party and government leaders. Once officially implemented next year, advancing three ranks in a single year would become impossible. This achievement, being the youngest leader on record, seemed likely to last for a long time.

Now, Nie Zhenbang has almost exhausted his accomplishments in New Li City; further accumulation won’t guarantee his promotion. If he returns to the ministry, he would still be able to ascend the ranks in a few years. The outcome at this moment would be the same regardless.

However, the elder’s goals are obviously not as such. But what exactly they are, Nie Zhenbang can’t figure out. The elder’s eyes are as deep as the ocean, revealing no trace of his intentions.

Nie Zhenbang pondered for a while and began weighing his options. After some time, he decided to follow his instincts. Looking up at the elder, Nie Zhenbang calmly answered, “I choose to stay in the Xibei.”

Upon uttering these words, Nie Zhenbang felt liberating. He hadn’t been comfortable during his ministry days. In contrast, he thrived in New Li City. This was a stark difference. Seeing the local residents of New Li City advancing towards a better life filled with hope, Nie Zhenbang felt a sense of fulfillment.

At this moment, Nie Zhenbang’s thoughts were clear, and his words were articulate. He confirmed again, “Grandfather, I have decided to stay in the Xibei and settle in New Li City. My aim is to make New Li City a model for the entire Xibei, or even the whole country. Not just economically, but also in terms of politics, social welfare, healthcare, education reform, and so on. I hope to have your support.”

Listening to Nie Zhenbang’s words, a glint of satisfaction flashed across the elder’s face. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded and said, “Good, with such ambition, I naturally support you. We, who rebelled and overthrew Jiang Guangtou, crave a prosperous country and a wealthy populace. In our lifetime, we have experienced war, struggle, and even the construction and economic development of our nation. We’ve taken many detours and made many mistakes. Now, under the wise and brave leadership of the older generation and the outstanding abilities of President Yuan and Prime Minister Yun, our generation can no longer achieve the goal of a wealthy nation and a strong populace. It will be up to your generation.”

He paused for a moment, his tone filled with admiration, “Zhenbang, your choice pleases and satisfies me greatly. A true party member should be grounded at the grassroots level and not concern himself with personal gains or losses. A simple village could produce a Deputy Premier. Your Deputy Prefecture-level city governs over 300,000 people and spans tens of thousands of square kilometers. I believe that this grounding is only temporary. Your current hibernation is meant for a broader and longer future path. This attitude is commendable.”

The elder’s words left Nie Zhenbang quite shaken. Today, the elder seemed out of character. Usually, he would never interfere in his descendants’ work. The elder, or rather the Nie family, believed in a laissez-faire management approach. This was vastly different from the Zhou family’s nurturing strategy. The elder often had a hands-off attitude. But if someone at the local level threatened the core interests of his descendants’ development path, he would step in.

Today, however, the elder’s unexpected talk left Nie Zhenbang surprised. What was the elder implying? Was it a final instruction or something else?

Immediately after, Nie Zhenbang whispered, “Grandfather, I understand. I will work hard. With you here, I believe I will succeed.”

At this moment, the elder waved his hand and replied calmly: “Zhenbang, I’m getting old. I probably won’t be able to see your success. However, since you’re prepared to plant your roots long-term in New Li City, just do it well. The saying, ‘Heaven helps those who help themselves,’ is not without reason.”

After a pause, the elder returned to the topic of Nie Zhenbang’s marriage. But this time, the elder was somewhat serious. In a solemn voice, he said, “Let’s not discuss my health. I am well aware that it’s deteriorating day by day. I don’t know how much longer I can protect and guide you. Originally, I had high hopes for Old Yang. After all, his ties with the old leaders are deeper, and his relationship with President Yuan is good. With him on your side, your future political career could have been smoother. But since you’ve made this choice, I have nothing to say.”

As he spoke, Elder Nie glanced at Nie Zhenbang and said unexpectedly: “Zhenbang, considering your character, and the relationship between Dong Wan and Anna, I guess you wouldn’t give up either of them. Plus the mysterious woman you placed in the Dynasty Club. At the provincial or deputy national level, there shouldn’t be any major issues. But if your goal is that position, this will be an obstacle for you. From now on, you need to be mentally prepared for this.”

Elder Nie used the phrase ‘be mentally prepared’ twice, which left Nie Zhenbang feeling rather unsettled. It sounded like the elder was giving him instructions for his deathbed.

Nie Zhenbang nodded, stood up, and said, “Grandfather, I understand. You rest for a while. I’ll go out and buy some groceries. Tonight, I’ll personally cook dinner and have a drink with you.”

Under the supervision of the health care doctor, the elder didn’t drink. They had a casual dinner. The elder’s spirits seemed lower than before. After watching the daily news at seven o’clock and catching up with politics, he retired to his room to rest.

At this point, the health care doctor also accompanied the elder to his room. After a while, he came out and looked at Nie Zhenbang. Surprisingly, he sat down and said, “Third young master, since the eldest young master got married, the leader’s spirits haven’t been as high as before. People age. All functions of the body are starting to degenerate overall. You should prepare yourself mentally.”

PS: I’m sorry, the update is late. Today the senior leader inspected. The moment he arrived, he reprimanded us and we had a banquet at noon. We had a meeting in the afternoon. The day was lost without writing a word. The second update is here. Before twelve tonight, there should be one more.