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

At noon, Wang Zhikai went to the Zhongshan Subdistrict Office and invited Li Hong and Wang Jianming to lunch. In the private room, Wang Zhikai opened a bottle of wine and personally poured a full glass for Li Hong and Wang Jianming.

Li Hong, beaming, said, "Director Wang, we have another meeting this afternoon. Let's just have this one bottle among the three of us so it doesn't affect our work this afternoon."

Wang Zhikai smiled and said, "Secretary Li, I'll follow your instructions and drink this one bottle."

The three of them toasted each other, finished a bottle of wine, and then stopped drinking.

Wang Zhikai lit a cigarette, took a puff, exhaled the smoke, and said loudly, "Secretary Li, Director Wang, Director Chen gave instructions this morning that the land acquisition compensation will be transferred to you in the next two days. However, he made a request: Dawandi is undeveloped wasteland, and the Zhongshan Subdistrict Office must improve the infrastructure."

Water, electricity, and roads must be available to avoid hindering later stages of the project. The Education Bureau needs to sign a supplementary agreement with the Zhongshan Subdistrict Office regarding infrastructure.

Li Hong and Wang Jianming exchanged a glance. They were calculating in their minds that the Greater Bay Area was still an undeveloped wasteland with zero infrastructure. It would take at least ten million yuan to improve the infrastructure. Where would they get that ten million yuan?

Both men understood each other's thoughts. Wang Jianming took a sip of tea and slowly said, "Director Wang, of course, we need to develop the infrastructure in the Greater Bay Area. Not only do we need to develop it, but we need to develop it well. However, the Zhongshan Subdistrict Office is penniless and simply cannot afford it. I have come up with a plan: the Education Bureau will advance the funds first, and we will go down and calculate how much money is needed. We will then issue an IOU to the Education Bureau so that we can expedite the infrastructure development and ensure that it does not affect the normal construction of later projects."

Li Hong replied, "Director Wang's plan is good. We'll hold a meeting this afternoon to discuss it. As for funding, we'll borrow from you first. We'll get the infrastructure done within a month, which won't affect the later stages of the project."

You two are trying to fool everyone with your back-and-forth. Lending money to you and expecting it back is like throwing good money after bad – it's gone forever.

"Secretary Li, Director Wang, infrastructure is something you absolutely must do well. The Education Bureau's budget is also very tight. The budget for building three universities is 2.7 billion yuan, but the government has only allocated 1 billion yuan. We have to find a way to cover the rest ourselves. We simply can't come up with the money to lend you for infrastructure."

Wang Jianming said with a troubled expression, "Director Wang, the Zhongshan Subdistrict Office really can't afford the money for infrastructure. The Education Bureau can't lend us this money. If the infrastructure isn't done well in the short term, it will affect the later stages of the project."

Li Hong drank his tea without saying a word.

Wang Zhikai cursed inwardly, "What kind of nonsense is this? It's telling me, 'You're in a hurry, but we're not. If you don't lend us money, the infrastructure won't be done, the project can't be carried out, and if Secretary Liu holds us accountable, it won't be our problem.'"

Unable to deal with the two, Wang Zhikai suppressed his anger and said, "Secretary Li, Director Wang, this is a serious matter. I'll go back and report to Director Chen to see what instructions he has."

Li Hong replied, "We'll also hold a meeting to discuss and think of a solution. It's not that we're unwilling to cooperate, but we simply lack the resources."

Wang Zhikai paid the bill and rushed back to the Education Bureau.

Upon arriving at Chen Shi's office, Chen Shi stood up and said, "Director Wang, please have a seat."

The two sat down in the reception room, and Wang Zhikai reported on the proposal put forward by Wang Jianming.

Chen Shi listened to Wang Zhikai's report with a blank expression, then solemnly said, "Are they dreaming? They want to build up the infrastructure of the Greater Bay Area Economic Development Zone without spending a single penny of their own money."

The Education Bureau isn't the Finance Bureau. The funding for building three universities is still undetermined; where would they get the money to lend them for infrastructure? And even if they did, could they expect to get it back?

Wang Zhikai said angrily, "They are fearless because they think we are rushing to meet the deadline, but they are not in a hurry. They want to use this to blackmail us into lending them money to build infrastructure."

Chen Shi looked at Wang Zhikai: "Director Wang, how do you plan to resolve this matter?"

Wang Zhikai thought for a moment and then slowly said, "We can't lend them money. If we do, we must not get it back. Let them figure out their own way to improve the infrastructure."

Chen Shi said in a low voice, "They just say they don't have money and drag it out for months. They can afford to wait, but we can't. If we can't start school next September, and Secretary Liu holds us accountable, the responsibility will be all ours, not theirs."

Wang Zhikai didn't understand what Chen Shi meant. He wanted to lend money to the Zhongshan Subdistrict Office for infrastructure development. Anyway, you're the top leader, so you make the decisions. As long as you can get the money back, you can lend it to whomever you want; it's none of my business.

With a worried expression, he showed that he had no other choice. The Education Bureau was not the superior department of Zhongshan Subdistrict Office and could not command them to do things according to the Education Bureau's requirements.

Chen Shi said calmly, "Director Wang, you go back first. I'll handle this."

Wang Zhikai stood up and left. What he couldn't solve, Chen Shi could. From then on, he was half a head shorter than Chen Shi and had no right to fight him.

He didn't believe that Chen Shi could improve the infrastructure without lending money to the Zhongshan Subdistrict Office.

After Wang Zhikai left, Chen Shi called Li Hong.

Secretary Li

Li Hong said with a smile, "Director Chen, what are your instructions?"

Chen Shi smiled and said, "Secretary Li, how could I dare to instruct you or ask for your help?"

Li Hong knew what Chen Shi was going to say, and his tone became serious: "Is it about the infrastructure in the Greater Bay Area? Director Wang came over at noon and talked about it. We'll have a meeting later to discuss it and think of a solution. It's not that we don't want to improve the infrastructure, it's just that we don't have the money."

"Secretary Li, Zhongshan Subdistrict Office has always been overshadowed by Chengnan Subdistrict Office. Zhao Xiongcai, the Party Secretary of Chengnan Subdistrict Office, has entered the Standing Committee of the County Party Committee. If you can develop the Greater Bay Area Economic Development Zone and make its GDP surpass that of Chengnan Subdistrict Office, you can also enter the Standing Committee of the County Party Committee."

Chen Shi's words struck a nerve with Li Hong. He had been in a section-level position for several years and desperately wanted to advance. If he couldn't get into the deputy division-level position in the next two years, he would be too old and would never have another chance.

Chen Shi continued, "The Education Bureau has set up three key high schools in the Greater Bay Area to serve as your vanguard. With these three schools in place, the area will become more popular, making it easier to attract investment."

The most important aspect of investment is to develop good infrastructure. Without good infrastructure, no one will be willing to invest, and the economy will not develop.

Li Hong was a smart man and understood Chen Shi's meaning. He used this opportunity to ask the Finance Bureau for money to build infrastructure. This was not for Chen Shi's sake, but for his own political achievements.

They certainly won't care about other people's affairs, but when it comes to their own, they'll put in every ounce of effort.

"Director Chen, don't worry, I will secure the infrastructure funding as soon as possible and improve the infrastructure in the Greater Bay Area at all costs. I will not hold you back."

Chen Shi smiled and said, "Secretary Li, I'll wait for your good news."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Shi believed that Li Hong would find a way to solve the problem. Often, it's not that there's no way to solve it, but rather a matter of whether or not one wants to.