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

The three of them drank and ate heartily in the private room. Zhang Kaizhi and Gao Rong were three parts drunk, while Wang Zhikai was seven parts drunk, his face flushed.

Gao Rong raised his glass, smiled, and said, "Director Wang, I'd like to toast you. Now, it's up to you to see how you perform."

Gao Rong's words were quite meaningful. When leaders speak, they only touch on the surface. If things are done well, it's the leader's credit; if problems arise, it's your responsibility. The leader never says anything.

You can also pretend to be confused and do nothing, and the leader will immediately replace you, marginalize you, and exclude you from the scope of power.

Wang Zhikai quickly picked up his wine glass, clinked it with Gao Rong's, and said with a big smile, "County Magistrate Gao, now you'll see how I perform."

Wang Zhikai drank it all in one gulp, then turned the glass upside down; not a single drop of wine spilled.

Gao Rong and Zhang Kaizhi exchanged a glance. Zhang Kaizhi looked at Wang Zhikai and said, "Director Wang, fill the glass. I'd like to toast you."

Wang Zhikai was a little flattered. He quickly filled his glass, picked it up, and his hands trembled slightly with excitement.

Zhang Kaizhi raised his glass and clinked it against Wang Zhikai's: "Director Wang, I have high hopes for you. Do your best."

Wang Zhikai smiled ingratiatingly and repeatedly said yes.

The two drank it all in one gulp. Wang Zhikai turned the glass upside down, and not a drop of wine spilled.

Zhang Kaizhi said, "That's enough for tonight. It's getting late, let's go."

Wang Zhikai hurriedly paid the bill and saw Zhang Kaizhi off first. Gao Rong said, "Director Wang, I have some other things to attend to. Please take a taxi back."

Wang Zhikai said with a smile, "County Chief Gao, please go ahead with your business. I'll take a taxi back."

After seeing Gao Rong off, Wang Zhikai lit a cigarette, took a puff, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it to extinguish the cigarette butt.

He was a little drunk, but his mind was still clear. He stood outside and hailed a taxi.

The next afternoon, Wang Zhikai was idly sitting in his office when his phone rang. He picked it up and saw that it was Lei Liangping calling. He waited for about ten seconds before answering the phone.

"Old Lei"

"Director Wang, I've come up to the county town. Are you in your office? I'm coming over."

"Old Lei, you don't need to come to the office. Let's have a couple of drinks after get off work."

"Okay, I'll be waiting for you at the courtyard house."

After hanging up the phone, Wang Zhikai pondered how to gather evidence of Chen Shi's alleged transfer of benefits with Donghai Zhencheng Group.

He considered hiring a professional to do it, but was afraid of being exposed. He couldn't come up with a suitable solution even by the time he got off work.

After get off work, Wang Zhikai called the Education Bureau's car to take him to Xiaoyuan Renjia. As the deputy director, he had the right to ride in a special car.

Lei Liangping was waiting outside. When he saw Wang Zhi arrive, he quickly went to open the car door.

"Director Wang"

Wang Zhi got out of the car, and Lei Liangping said with a big smile, "Director Wang, a private room has been arranged."

The two arrived at the private room, where Lei Liangping ordered the dishes in advance and asked the waiter to serve them.

Lei Liangping brought two bottles of fine wine, opened them, and filled them for Wang Zhikai.

A short while later, the food was served, and Lei Liangping raised his glass: "Director Wang, I'd like to propose a toast to you."

Wang Zhikai's mind was preoccupied with how to gather evidence of Chen Shi's bribery. He waved his hand and said, "Eat some food first. Drinking on an empty stomach is bad for your stomach."

Lei Liangping smiled obsequiously and repeatedly said yes.

After the two ate for a while, Lei Liangping raised his glass to toast again. Wang Zhikai picked up his glass, but Lei Liangping lowered it and gently touched it to his.

Lei Liangping drank it all in one gulp, then turned the glass upside down; not a single drop spilled.

Wang Zhikai took a sip and put down his glass.

Seeing that Wang Zhikai was in a bad mood, Lei Liangping asked, "Director Wang, what happened?"

Lei Liangping was Wang Zhikai's confidant, and Wang Zhikai confided his thoughts to him.

"Yesterday I went to report to County Chief Gao. County Chief Gao was very dissatisfied with Chen Shi, but he didn't dare to make trouble for him because Chen Shi was Liu Youguang's confidant."

He hinted to me to collect evidence of Chen Shi's bribery. The Education Bureau's project, worth over 2 billion yuan, had three sections, all of which were won by Donghai Zhencheng Group. This was highly unreasonable, and it was impossible that there was no transfer of benefits involved.

The county magistrate also invited Secretary Zhang Kaizhi to have dinner with me. Zhang Kaizhi's words implied dissatisfaction with Chen Shi. I heard it was because of the project; Chen Shi showed Zhang Kaizhi no respect and offended him.

Lei Liangping was secretly pleased. Chen Shi had offended so many leaders that even with Liu Youguang and Zhang Xiangdong backing him up, he wouldn't be able to hold onto his position as bureau chief.

"Director Wang, when dealing with someone like Chen Shi who has connections, the evidence must be genuine and reliable. Hearsay won't do."

Wang Zhikai looked at Lei Liangping: "Old Lei, what's your opinion?"

Lei Liangping said in a low voice, "Director Wang, it's best if you don't handle this personally. Gao Rong and Zhang Kaizhi are dissatisfied with Chen Shi. They want to find a scapegoat. It would be best if they could bring Chen Shi down. If anything happens, they won't care. After all, Chen Shi's background is not to be trifled with."

Wang Zhikai said in a deep voice, "Of course I know all this. If you have no value to me, you don't even have the right to have dinner with these county leaders."

"Old Lei, think about it. As long as Chen Shi is in the Education Bureau, we have no future. If you want to transfer to the county, you have absolutely no chance if Chen Shi doesn't leave."

Lei Liangping replied, "This matter definitely needs to be done, but we can't do it ourselves. We can find someone who is dissatisfied with Chen Shi to do it. Even if something goes wrong, someone else will take the blame, and we can get away with it. If we really defeat Chen Shi, that will be our achievement."

Gao Rong and Zhang Kaizhi will definitely promote and give you important responsibilities.

Wang Zhikai said in a deep voice, "I've thought about that too. If there's no suitable person, this person must be reliable. If he tells Chen Shi about this, we're finished."

Lei Liangping's eyes lit up as he thought of someone: "Director Wang, I have a suitable candidate here, Dong Xuexi from the Party and Government Office. I have a good relationship with him, we've had drinks together a few times and I've listened to him complain. Dong Xuexi and Yang Xiaobo were junior high school classmates."

Yang Xiaobo's spot in the vocational school was given up by him. Dong Xuexi graduated from a prestigious university, but Yang Xiaobo was his superior, which made him very dissatisfied.

After drinking, he cursed the leaders of the Education Bureau, saying they didn't know how to use talent and instead employed sycophants like Yang Xiaobo.

His wife teaches at a rural primary school in Huangchang Town and has always wanted to transfer to the county seat. The couple has been living apart for many years, which is a source of great distress for him.

Wang Zhikai shook his head: "He's still unreliable. If he climbs up by stepping on us and tries to curry favor with Chen Shi, we'll be finished before we even get anything done."

Chen can easily deal with us now.

Lei Liangping thought for a moment and said, "Director Wang, let's first drag Dong Xuexi down with us, completely offend Chen Shi, and cut off his path to joining Chen Shi."

Wang Zhikai's eyes lit up. This method was feasible. Dong Xuexi had offended Chen Shi to the death and had no way out but to go down this path to the bitter end.

"Old Lei, you have so many clever ideas. I think this method is feasible."

Lei Liangping continued, "Director Wang, there's been something going on at the Education Bureau lately that Chen Shi is in charge of. He's getting Dong Xuexi to stand up and oppose it, so that he can completely offend Chen Shi. Dong Xuexi will have no way out but to follow us."

Wang Zhikai nodded repeatedly, lost in thought.