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

That evening, Chen Shi went to Li Nan's home in the municipal party committee compound.

The nanny, Xiao Chen, was at home, having prepared the meal and waiting for Li Nan to return.

Chen Shi had just sat down when Li Nan followed her home. Chen Shi quickly stood up and said, "Auntie."

Li Nan smiled and said, "It was almost time to leave work, but we had to hold a meeting, which made me late."

Li Nan went back to her bedroom, changed her coat, and came out calling out, "Xiao Shi, come and eat. Don't wait up. I called your uncle earlier; he has something to do tonight and won't be coming home for dinner."

Chen Shi was disappointed for a moment, but with a smile on his face, he went to have dinner with Li Nan.

After finishing their meal, Li Nan took out her phone: "I'll call Xiao Zhang. Tomorrow morning, go directly to the municipal government and find your uncle. He'll definitely have a way to get the money for you."

Chen Shi quickly said, "Thank you, Auntie."

Li Nan called Wang Mingzhang's secretary.

"Xiao Zhang, Xiao Shi is coming to the municipal government tomorrow morning to see his uncle. Could you make arrangements for him?"

Zhang Kai knew that Li Nan favored Chen Shi, so he said with a smile, "Principal Li, have Director Chen come over tomorrow morning, I'll make the arrangements for him."

Li Nan hung up the phone: "I've already spoken to Xiao Zhang. Go to the municipal government tomorrow morning and see your uncle."

Chen Shi chatted with Li Nan for a while before getting up to leave. Li Nan told him to stay at her house and not to go to a hotel when they arrived in Mingzhou.

Chen Shi said he could get reimbursed for expenses, as he was in Mingzhou on official business.

Li Nan said, "No hotel is as comfortable as home. I'll stay at home and go directly to the municipal government tomorrow morning."

Chen Shi didn't refuse and stayed at the house, still in his previous room. Li Nan smiled and said, "This room is for you. Stay at the house whenever you come to Mingzhou."

Li Nan can be considered a benefactor in Chen Shi's life. Without Li Nan, he would not have met Liu Youguang, let alone gained Wang Mingzhang's favor.

Chen Shi settled down in the municipal party committee compound. The next morning, he had breakfast with Li Nan. She was going to work at the school. Chen Shi now had a car, so he called Yang Bin to drive to the municipal party committee compound to pick him up.

Get in the car, call Yang Bin, and drive straight to the municipal government.

It was Chen Shi's first time visiting the municipal government. The security guards were unfamiliar with him, and his car did not have an entry and exit permit issued by the municipal government, so he was stopped by the guards.

Yang Bin took out a cigarette, handed it to the gatekeeper, and said with a smile, "We are from the Chunyang County Education Bureau, here to handle some business with the municipal government. Please make an exception for us."

The security guard glanced at Chen Shi sitting in the back seat and said curtly, "Cars can't drive in. Please get out, register, show your ID card and work permit, and call the person in charge of the government office. Once the person in charge agrees, they will call the security department before you can enter."

Chen Shi didn't expect to be stopped at the gate. The gatekeeper didn't take the director of the Chunyang County Education Bureau seriously. He had seen many cadres at the deputy director level or above in this place, so he didn't think much of it.

Chen Shi took out his phone and called Zhang Kai, saying with a smile, "Director Zhang, hello, this is Chen Shi."

"Director Chen, have you arrived at the municipal government?"

"At the gate, the security guard stopped me and told me to call the person in charge of the government office."

"Wait a moment, I'll call the security department."

A short while later, the security guard received a phone call and allowed him to pass without registering or showing his ID card or work permit.

Yang Bin drove the car to the parking lot and stopped. Chen Shi came out. He had seen Zhang Kai a few times. When he saw Zhang Kai coming out of the municipal government office building, he quickly went to greet him.

Zhang Kai is currently the deputy director of the municipal government office, at the deputy division level. If he were to be sent out to take up a post, he would at least be a deputy county head. If things went better, he could be promoted one level and become the head of a municipal bureau. If he were to go to the county, he could become a county head or county party secretary.

Secretaries working for high-ranking leaders often get promoted very quickly.

Zhang Kai, in his early thirties and a bit older than Chen Shi, was beaming with pride. Seeing Chen Shi approach, he extended his hand and grasped Chen Shi's.

"Director Chen, you've come at just the right time. Mayor Wang is available now, so I'll take you to see him. I have a meeting to attend later, but we only have about twenty minutes."

Chen Shi smiled broadly: "Thank you, Director Zhang."

Following Zhang Kai, they arrived at the mayor's office. Wang Mingzhang was reading the Mingzhou Daily. When Chen Shi entered, he put down the newspaper.

Chen Shi suddenly didn't know what to call him, whether to call him Mayor or Uncle. He felt that he should call him Uncle. Calling him Mayor was not enough for him to be of a higher rank to report to the Mayor.

With a broad smile: "Uncle"

Wang Mingzhang said indifferently, "Sit."

Chen Shi, carrying a briefcase, sat in the reception room when Wang Mingzhang approached. Zhang Kai poured Chen Shi a cup of tea, filled Wang Mingzhang's thermos with warm water, and then left the office.

Wang Mingzhang sat down, glanced at Chen Shi, and asked, "What brings you to the municipal government?"

Chen Shi knew that the senior leader was pressed for time and didn't want to waste time talking to him, so he told him to get straight to the point.

Chen Shi took out the documents on rebuilding three key high schools from his briefcase, stood up, and handed them to Wang Mingzhang with both hands.

"Uncle, I'm going to serve as the director of the Education Bureau this year to oversee the education reform in Chunyang County. This is Secretary Liu's idea; he trusts me. Here is the education reform plan; please take a look."

Wang Mingzhang took the documents: "Sit down. Come here and tell me what you want to do."

Wang Mingzhang didn't look at the documents; he just left them on the table. He wasn't interested in the specifics of the education reform in Chunyang County.

Chen Shi carefully chose his words and said, "Chunyang County has three high schools in the townships. Now, the three township high schools will be abolished and merged into the county seat for centralized education. The three key high schools will be rebuilt in the county seat. The budget is 2.7 billion. Chunyang County has a meager budget and can only allocate 1 billion. I will have to find a way to allocate the remaining 1.7 billion myself."

Upon hearing this, Wang Mingzhang exclaimed, "Seventeen billion yuan is no small sum! You've got some nerve, taking on any job. Wouldn't it be better to stay in the public security system?"

He looked at Chen Shi: "Is there anything else?"

Chen Shi was completely bewildered. What did this mean? He was supposed to be given at least a hundred or two hundred million, but this guy wasn't giving him a single cent and was just trying to get rid of him.

With a smile on his face: "That's all."

"I have another meeting later. If anything comes up, find Zhang Kai and ask him to help you figure something out."

Zhang Kai was Wang Mingzhang's secretary. Many times, when it was inconvenient for Wang Mingzhang to handle something in person, Zhang Kai would step in and resolve it. Chen Shi instantly understood what this meant.

"Uncle, I'm leaving now."

Chen Shi left the office, and Zhang Kai escorted him to the parking lot. Chen Shi grasped Zhang Kai's hand and said, "Director Zhang, Chunyang County is going to rebuild three key high schools. The budget is 2.7 billion yuan, but the government has only allocated 1 billion yuan. I have to find a way to cover the remaining 1.7 billion yuan myself."

This time, I want to ask the Municipal Education Bureau for 400 to 500 million yuan and the Municipal Finance Bureau for 400 to 500 million yuan to make up a billion yuan. As for the remaining 700 million yuan, I will go to the Provincial Department to think of a solution.

I'm not familiar with the city's leaders, so I'd like to trouble Director Zhang to help me by introducing me to the leaders of the Finance Bureau.

Zhang Kai guessed that Wang Mingzhang's attitude was supportive of Chen Shi, and said with a smile, "Director Chen, your business is my business. I am familiar with Wen Xianglin, the director of the Party and Government Office of the Finance Bureau. I will ask Director Hong of the Finance Bureau to make an appointment with him later to see if he is free tonight. You go back first and wait for my call."

Chen Shi quickly said, "Thank you, Director Zhang."