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

Chen Shi was in his office, looking at the college entrance examination score lines for Donghai Province in 2012.

For liberal arts, the cutoff scores are as follows: First-tier university: 550; Second-tier university: 495; Third-tier university: 445; Vocational college: 360. For science, the cutoff scores are as follows: First-tier university: 520; Second-tier university: 460; Third-tier university: 410; Vocational college: 280.

Chunyang County's top scorers in both science and arts are from Chunyang No. 1 High School: 614 in science and 601 in arts. The undergraduate admission rate for Chunyang No. 1 High School is 34.5%, for Chunyang No. 2 High School it's 9.5%, for Chunyang No. 3 High School it's 10.1%, and for Chunyang No. 4 High School it's 8.8%.

春阳县2012年的本科率15.7%，2011年是21%，下降了5.3个点。

Chen Shi was heartbroken when he saw these results and called Yang Xiaobo to his office.

"Old Yang, have you seen this year's college entrance exam results?"

Yang Xiaobo nodded: "I've read it."

Chen Shi pressed further, "You've read it, what are your thoughts?"

Yang Xiaobo thought for a moment: "This year's college entrance examination results show that the undergraduate admission rate is 5.3 percentage points lower than last year. I heard from some senior high school homeroom teachers that this year's college entrance examination was extremely difficult. Many students cried after the exam because they couldn't answer the questions..."

Chen Shi interrupted Yang Xiaobo: "Is it a problem of not knowing how to do it? This year's exam was difficult, not just in Chunyang County, but for all the candidates in Donghai Province. Why can others get good results while we can't? This is a problem of teaching quality and students' lack of solid basic knowledge."

Sometimes I do well on tests, sometimes I don't. When I do well, the questions on the test happen to be ones I know how to answer; when I do poorly, the questions on the test are ones I don't know how to answer. Ultimately, it comes down to a lack of solid foundational knowledge. Exams aren't a matter of luck; anything can happen. If your foundation isn't strong, don't blame the test for being too difficult and complain that other tests aren't difficult.

Yang Xiaobo listened to the reprimand with his head down, thinking to himself, "What does this have to do with me? If you're going to reprimand someone, shouldn't you be reprimanding the principals of No. 1 Middle School, No. 2 Middle School, No. 3 Middle School, and No. 4 Middle School? I've really walked right into their line of fire."

Chen Shi looked at Yang Xiaobo: "Go down and inform the principals of No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 Middle Schools that there will be a bureau chief's office meeting at 10:00 AM tomorrow. The three deputy bureau chiefs must also attend. How are we going to explain these college entrance examination results to the county?"

Yang Xiaobo hurriedly left his office to announce the start of a meeting.

Chen Shi had just arrived at his office in the afternoon when he received a call from Liu Feng.

"Director Chen, Secretary Liu wants you to come to his office now."

Chen Shi asked, "Secretary Liu, how is Secretary Liu?"

"His face looked grim; when he saw the college entrance examination results for Chunyang County, his expression darkened."

Chen Shi knew he was going to be criticized.

He quickly called Yang Bin, who drove to the county party committee office. Arriving at Liu Youguang's office, he greeted him with a smile, "Secretary Liu."

Liu Youguang looked up at Chen Shi and said, "Sit."

Chen Shi sat down, and Liu Youguang came into the reception room and said in a deep voice, "Chunyang County's undergraduate enrollment rate is 15.7%, ranking last in Mingzhou City and seventeenth from the bottom in the entire Donghai Province. Do you know what the sixteen counties ahead of it are? They are all ethnic minority autonomous counties."

Chen Shi had nothing to say. He had to stand up straight when he was being beaten. The facts were right in front of him. He was just taking the blame for Li Changming. He had been at the Education Bureau for less than half a year, and this year's failure in the college entrance examination had nothing to do with him.

Liu Youguang continued, "This year's results are none of your business, but if it's the same next year, you can stop being the director of the Education Bureau and go home to farm."

Chen cursed inwardly, "The education system in Chunyang County has been ranked at the bottom year after year, and this cannot be changed overnight."

"Secretary Liu, I assure you that next year's results will be better than this year's."

Liu Youguang solemnly said, "The education in Chunyang County has been hovering in the bottom three for years, and this year it has directly come in last place. I hereby make a solemn pledge that next year's college entrance examination results in Mingzhou will be able to get rid of the bottom three. Can we do it?"

Chen Shi quickly thought that Mingzhou had nine districts and counties, and to escape the bottom three, it needed to at least be in sixth place.

Mingzhou's education system is very strong in the entire Donghai Province. Apart from the provincial capital Yizhou, Mingzhou's education system can dominate the entire Donghai Province. It is known as the "perennial runner-up," and that title is well-deserved.

Liu Youguang wanted results, and Chunyang County was expected to rank sixth among the counties in Mingzhou District in the short term. This was simply impossible. Chen Shi had seen the rankings over the years, and Chunyang County was always either last or second to last. It had never ranked third to last, let alone fourth to last or sixth.

Chen Shi said nervously, "Secretary Liu, it will be quite difficult to get out of the bottom three. I assure you, we will try our best to get out of last place next year."

Liu Youguang said sternly, "Is it interesting whether you're last or second to last? I want you to change the backward state of education in Chunyang County. Use your grades as an example, get out of the bottom three, and move into sixth place. Can you do that?"

Don't give me excuses, just tell me if you can or you can't.

Chen Shi rarely saw Liu Youguang so stern, so he decided to agree first. If he didn't agree, Liu Youguang would think he lacked courage. Anyway, there was still a year left, so he could slowly figure out a solution.

"Secretary Liu, I can do it. We can get out of the bottom three and into sixth place."

Liu Youguang immediately beamed with joy: "That's right, young man, stop dawdling. You need to be decisive. There's nothing that can't be accomplished if you put your mind to it. If you want to do great things, you have to have the courage to try."

He immediately composed himself, his smile fading, and said solemnly, "If you fail to complete this task, I will dismiss you and transfer you to a remote town. You will have to reflect on your actions. This is a military order, and I will keep my word."

Chen Shi forced himself to say, "If I can't complete it, I won't have the face to see Secretary Liu. I'll voluntarily apply for resignation."

Liu Youguang looked at Chen Shi: "Remember what you said."

As Chen Shi left Liu Youguang's office, his back was soaked with cold sweat. If he achieved the same results next year, his career would probably be over.

Fang Min came out of her office and walked towards Liu Youguang's office. Fang Min had been transferred to the County Party Committee Office and promoted to deputy director of the County Party Committee Office.

Chen Shi knew that Fang Min and Liu Youguang had a special relationship, so he quickly went up to her and greeted her with a big smile: "Director Fang."

Fang Min said with a smile, "Director Chen, I've come to report to Secretary Liu."

"I'm here to accept criticism; my college entrance exam results this year were not ideal."

"That's just how education is in Chunyang County, Director Chen. You need to work harder. I'm going to report to Secretary Liu now, I'll talk to you later."

The politeness carried a hint of distance. Chen Shi felt that this beautiful young woman was no ordinary person. From a music teacher in a rural primary school to the current deputy director of the county party committee office at the level of a section chief, she was close to the leaders and had many opportunities.

Chen Shi walked out of the county party committee office and called Xu Mo: "Secretary Xu, is County Chief Zhang free? I'd like to come over and report on my work."

Xu Mo knew about Chen Shi's relationship with Zhang Xiangdong, and said with a smile, "Director Chen, there's no one in County Zhang's office right now. Please come over first, and I'll report to County Zhang."

"Okay, thank you, Secretary Xu."

Chen Shi first went to Xu Mo's office, where Xu Mo poured him a cup of tea: "Director Chen, please wait a moment while I go report."

Xu Mo went out and returned shortly after: "Director Chen, County Chief Zhang wants to see you."