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

On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, when everyone officially returned to work, they were distracted and still immersed in the festive atmosphere.

On the morning of the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, Chen Shi went to his office, made himself a cup of tea, and checked the current affairs news. His mind was no longer on the Public Security Bureau. After the Lantern Festival, the county standing committee meeting would be held, and the appointment document would be issued, officially appointing him as the director of the Education Bureau.

After reading the current affairs news, Chen Shi remembered that he needed to help Chen Jianhua get a job, so he picked up his phone and called Wang Tao, asking him to come to his office.

After putting down his phone, Wang Tao strode into the office with a broad smile: "Director Chen, you wanted to see me?"

"Sit down," Chen Shi said, pouring Wang Tao a cup of tea. "How many years has your father worked at the tobacco bureau?"

Wang Tao didn't know what Chen Shi meant by asking this, so he answered truthfully, "More than twenty years."

"I hope Chen Jianyong can get a permanent position at the Tobacco Bureau. Please thank your father for me."

Wang Tao quickly said, "Director Chen, Chen Jianyong told my father that he is hardworking and performs well. He got the promotion on his own and it has nothing to do with my father."

Chen Shi was pleased with Wang Tao's modesty and didn't take advantage of the situation: "I heard from Chen Jianyong that the tobacco bureau is short of a security guard. His older brother, Chen Jianhua, only has a primary school education. Go back and ask your father if they really need a security guard."

It turned out that he was looking for a job for a relative. Even if they didn't need a security guard, they still needed one. Wang Tao replied, "Okay, Director Chen, I'll confirm it with my father now. Please wait a moment."

Chen Shi smiled broadly: "No rush, we'll ask again when we get back tonight."

After chatting for a few minutes, Wang Tao left the office and returned to his own. Even the smallest matter concerning his superiors was a big deal, so he immediately called his father.

"Dad, I have a question for you. Does the tobacco bureau need a security guard?"

"I don't know if the tobacco bureau needs security guards, I'll have to ask around. Why are you asking this?"

"Director Chen called me to his office earlier. His cousin, Chen Jianhua, is looking for a job. He is Chen Jianyong's older brother. Director Chen heard from Chen Jianyong that the Tobacco Bureau is short of a security guard. He asked me to ask you and arrange it for him."

"It's not that the tobacco bureau is short of security guards, it's that the warehouse is short of a guard. The person has already been chosen and officially started work yesterday, which makes things very difficult for me."

"It's difficult, but I have to do it. Director Chen has spoken. After the Lantern Festival, I will be officially promoted to the head of the Public Security Management Brigade and join the Party Committee of the Bureau. I'll be promoted to deputy section chief before I'm even thirty. Director Chen is going to transfer me to the Education Bureau to serve as its director."

I am Director Chen's confidant, and my future career will be tied to Director Chen's.

This is a small matter, you need to handle it. Find an excuse to fire him.

Wang Tao's father was weighing the pros and cons. The gatekeeper was a relative of the deputy director of the tobacco work station. He had invited him to dinner before the New Year and arranged for him to work as a gatekeeper.

For the sake of his son's career, he had no choice but to offend the deputy station chief, find a suitable reason to fire him, and have Chen Shi's relative take over the job.

"Okay, I'll arrange it. Tell Director Chen to have Chen Jianhua come to work in two weeks."

Wang Tao asked, "What are the salary and benefits like?"

"Meals and accommodation are included, and the take-home pay is around 4,200 yuan. There are also holiday benefits and social insurance and housing fund contributions."

After hanging up the phone, Wang Tao went to Chen Shi's office: "Director Chen, it's settled. It's not the tobacco bureau that's short of security guards, it's the warehouse that's short of a guard. The benefits are pretty good, the take-home pay is around 4,200 yuan, there are holiday bonuses, and they provide social insurance and housing fund."

You can start work in about two weeks.

Chen Shi smiled and said, "Please thank your father for me; I'm sorry to have troubled him again."

"Director Chen, let him guard the warehouse for now. When a suitable opportunity arises, my father will find a way to give him a permanent position."

Chen Shi was very satisfied with Wang Tao's performance. Some things should be arranged proactively by subordinates, rather than waiting for the leader to speak.

After chatting for a while, when it was time to eat, Chen Shi and Wang Tao went to a private room in the cafeteria to eat.

In the afternoon, Chen Shi called Huang Ming while at work.

"Secretary Huang, does Secretary Liu have time this afternoon? I'd like to come and report on my work."

Huang Ming glanced at Liu Youguang's work schedule: "Come over at four o'clock, you have half an hour."

Chen Shi prepared the content of his work report and arrived at the county party committee office at 3:30. He waited for Huang Ming in his office while drinking tea.

At 4:10, Qin Xiaoming, the Organization Minister, and Zhang Kaizhi, the Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee, came out of their offices.

The former organization minister was one of Hu Hai's men and was arrested along with him. Qin Xiaoming was transferred from the municipal party committee's organization department and had just arrived in Chunyang County; he didn't know Chen Shi yet.

Chen Shi quickly stepped forward, his face beaming: "Secretary Zhang, Minister Qin."

After exchanging greetings, he introduced himself, saying, "Minister Qin, I am Chen Shi, Deputy Director of the Public Security Bureau."

Earlier, when discussing personnel issues with Liu Youguang, Liu Youguang mentioned Chen Shi several times. Qin Xiaoming knew how important Chen Shi was to Liu Youguang, so he smiled and said, "Director Chen, come and report on your work."

Chen Shi smiled and nodded, watching the two leaders leave.

Upon arriving at Liu Youguang's office, Chen Shi smiled and said, "Secretary Liu, please give me a few minutes to report on my work this time."

Liu Youguang glanced at his watch, then looked up at Chen Shi: "I'll give you ten minutes."

Chen Shi organized his recent work in his mind and began to report. There was nothing important recently, and he finished reporting in about 2 minutes.

Liu Youguang nodded: "That's right. As the deputy director of the Public Security Bureau, you have to be responsible for every day you're in that position and get the job done."

Chen Shi repeatedly said yes.

Liu Youguang asked, "Is there anything else?"

"So soon you're sending me away?" he hurriedly said. "Secretary Liu, I have something else to report to you."

"Speak quickly!"

Chen Shi organized his thoughts and carefully chose his words: "Secretary Liu, I heard that Secretary Hou of Zhongshan Subdistrict Office has reached retirement age and will be transferred to the CPPCC. I would like to inquire who will succeed him as the head of Zhongshan Subdistrict Office."

Liu Youguang asked calmly, "You have an idea?"

"Secretary Liu, it's like this: the three high schools in the townships are being merged into the county, and correspondingly, three key high schools need to be built in the county, which takes up a lot of land. Chengnan Subdistrict is the old county town, and there isn't much land available to build schools, so we can only look for places to build schools in Zhongshan Subdistrict."

Land acquisition is a complicated matter and requires the support of the head of the Zhongshan Subdistrict Office.

A smile flashed across Liu Youguang's face: "You little rascal, you're incredibly shrewd. You haven't even taken office at the Education Bureau yet, and you've already started clearing obstacles for building schools."

Chen Shi smiled ingratiatingly and said, "I will complete the task you assigned me without any compromise, quickly and efficiently."

Liu Youguang was very satisfied with Chen Shi's performance: "Stop beating around the bush, just say who you want to recommend."

Chen Shi didn't mince words: "Li Hong, the mayor of Fushan Town, has many years of experience working at the grassroots level. Do you think he's suitable to serve as the Party Committee Secretary of Zhongshan Subdistrict?"

"Whatever you think is suitable, that's fine. I only have one requirement: produce results quickly."

Chen Shi felt immense pressure. Knowing that Liu Youguang wouldn't give him much time, he stood up and said loudly, "Secretary Liu, rest assured, I guarantee I will complete the task."

Leaving Liu Youguang's office, he couldn't help but worry. Liu Youguang had given him his full support, and if things went wrong and he couldn't produce results in the short term, his career would be in jeopardy.