The game of power begins with the police officers at the local police station.

Tian Guangming was in his office, observing everything below.

Tian Defu pushed open the office door and hurriedly walked in.

"Director, Chen Jianhua has brought back the embezzled fertilizer, and Chen Shi has also arrived. You should go and take a look. We can't let them leave the fertilizer at the village committee; otherwise, the evidence will be gone."

Tian Guangming said calmly, "Defu, sit down, don't rush."

He wouldn't confront Chen Shi directly. Once the two reached a cooperation agreement, the matter would be over, and he wouldn't pursue it further.

Even if I wanted to investigate, I wouldn't have the power to do so.

Tian Defu was in no mood to sit and said anxiously, "Director, hurry and stop them, they're about to put the fertilizer away."

"Don't rush, let them release it."

Tian Defu looked at Tian Guangming: "Director, you're not going to pursue this further."

"How do we investigate?" Tian Guangming asked rhetorically.

"We have recordings. Let's take this opportunity to get rid of them, including Chen Shi. Even if we can't send them to jail, we'll ruin Chen Shi's job."

"Defu, don't you know about Chen Shi's relationship with Li Hong?"

"We went to the county discipline inspection commission to report it, but if that didn't work, we went to the city discipline inspection commission."

Tian Guangming laughed: "You think you can get away with writing a complaint letter? What are you thinking? Even if they do get it, it'll just be sent back to the town government for investigation, and it'll end up back in Li Hong's hands anyway."

You need to know who's behind Chen Shi. He's someone the county magistrate appreciates. We can't even get a chance to see the county magistrate. That's the difference.

I inquired privately and learned that Chen Shi's mother, Wang Guihua, has a half-brother who is now the deputy secretary of the municipal party committee.

Tian Defu looked incredulous: "Director, is this just hearsay? I don't think it's possible. If Wang Guihua had a younger brother who was the deputy secretary of the municipal party committee, how could she have stayed in the village all this time? The Chen family would have become wealthy long ago; they wouldn't have been able to wait until now."

Tian Guangming smiled and said, "Defu, think about it. Why did Chen Shi gain the county magistrate's favor? Before, he was just like us. He couldn't even get into the county government building, let alone get acquainted with the county magistrate."

"Director, are you saying that Chen Shi was able to gain the county magistrate's favor because of his uncle, the deputy secretary of the municipal party committee?"

"What do you think? Ordinary people would find it difficult to even meet a town mayor, let alone a county magistrate."

When Wang Guihua's father was young, he joined the army. After retiring, he was assigned to drive for the Mingzhou Post Office. There, he found a woman and divorced Wang Guihua's mother.

Wang Guihua was left behind in her hometown and raised by her grandparents. Naturally, she had no emotional connection with her younger siblings and had no contact with them.

It was probably only after Chen Shi graduated from university and was transferred back to the police station from the Public Security Bureau that they were able to make contact.

Tian Defu nodded: "That explains it. It seems Chen Shi has a strong background."

Tian Guangming poured Tian Defu a cup of tea: "Do you still want to get rid of Chen Shi?"

"Forget it, it's not something we can afford to offend. We just can't swallow this insult. Look at Chen Jianhua, he's just a bully, acting all high and mighty, pointing fingers at us and yelling at us. He really thinks he's the emperor."

I'm unhappy with Chen Jianhua, but I don't have any personal grudges against Chen Shi. Among the younger generation, he's one of the best in Qinghe Village.

When he returned from his studies, he was humble and polite. He always greeted the village elders with a smile, without the pedantry often associated with scholars.

"Don't worry, Chen Jianhua will voluntarily resign as acting village party secretary and get out of the village committee. This is what Chen Shi promised me."

I gave him the joint application and the recording device; let's see what he does next.

"Director, if you trust Chen Shi so much, what if he destroys the evidence and goes back on his word? We'll be at a huge loss."

Seeing Chen Jianhua's sour face makes me physically disgusted; it's like looking at him for even a second shortens my lifespan.

Tian Guangming said earnestly, "Since you don't want to fall out with Chen Shi, you have to completely trust him. The joint application and the recording device are our way of showing our sincerity."

Chen Shi is a smart man. This incident shattered his illusions; Chen Jianhua was not cut out to be the village party secretary.

I believe in him; he will do it.

If he really goes back on his word and doesn't appreciate our kindness, then we can submit another joint application to the town party committee, and we can still remove Chen Jianhua as the acting village party secretary.

The Chen family's reputation will be trampled on. Chen Jianhua is foolish, but Chen Shike is smart and won't let that happen.

I think he will make Chen Jianhua resign as acting village party secretary, so that the Chen family can retain a last shred of dignity in the village.

Of course, even if no one from the Chen family is in the village committee, they're still not someone we can afford to offend. If you see Chen Jianhua in the future, stay away and don't provoke him.

Tian Defu nodded reluctantly; that was all he could do.

Chen Shi watched as the fertilizer was put into the village committee's warehouse. Chen Jianhua went back to his office to get the key, locked the warehouse, and then left.

Chen Jianyong caught up with him: "Xiao Shi, are you still going back to town?"

"There's a meeting tomorrow morning, I'll go back with you."

"It's so late, just go back earlier tomorrow morning. I asked your sister-in-law to kill a free-range chicken, one that's been raised for three years without being fed commercial feed. It's already stewed. Come over, brothers, let's have a couple of drinks together."

Seeing Chen Jianyong's pleading eyes, Chen Shi felt that his second cousin was much more sensible than Chen Jianhua.

"Okay, I happen to have something to tell you."

Chen Jianyong beamed with joy and then went to call Chen Yanshi and Chen Xing.

Chen Jianhua wanted to go back, but Chen Jianyong pulled him along and took him home.

When Chen Jianyong's wife, Xu Hui, saw them arrive, she greeted them with a smile and quickly invited Chen Shi and the others to sit down, and made them tea.

The free-range chicken was stewing in the pot, and the aroma filled the air.

Xu Hui was busy in the kitchen. She didn't cook hot pot. When entertaining important guests, cooking hot pot is just a formality. Cooking other dishes is the only way to show sincerity.

She cooked eight or nine dishes, bringing out all the good food in the house, and carried them out one by one from the kitchen, placing them on the table.

He quickly invited Chen Shi and the others to sit down for a meal.

Chen Jianyong poured wine for Chen Shi and the others, and only poured wine for Chen Jianhua last.

Chen Jianhua's face darkened. "I'm your own brother, and you won't pour for me, but you're good at sucking up to others."

He didn't dare show it and voluntarily resigned as acting village party secretary, but now he regrets it somewhat.

However, it was indeed my fault for not considering things carefully and for being at fault first. Tian Guangming and his group seized on this and prevented me from becoming the village party secretary. They might even report me to the county discipline inspection commission.

Compared to going to jail, I'd rather not be the village party secretary. I don't care. After a while, I'll go work at the power management office.

Chen Shi has a good relationship with Director Qin, so there shouldn't be any problem.

Chen Jianyong raised his glass and first toasted Chen Yanshi, saying that respecting Chen Yanshi was respecting Chen Shi. As the old saying goes, "Thirty years ago, one looked at the father to see the son; thirty years later, one looks at the son to see the father."

Chen Shi would certainly have no objection to respecting Chen Yanshi. He felt that Chen Jianyong was much more sensible and would observe him carefully. If he was worth cultivating, he would still lend a hand if the opportunity presented itself, provided it did not violate any principles.

Chen Shi had a strong sense of family.

Seeing that Chen Shi looked much better, Chen Jianhua and Chen Xing quickly followed Chen Jianyong's example and toasted Chen Yanshi.

Chen Yanshi's face was flushed from drinking, and his previous worries vanished. He felt much better now. His son was capable; no matter how big the problem was, he could resolve it perfectly with his intervention.