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

At 3 p.m. on July 6, a director's office meeting was held. Chen Shi led Huang Ming and three other deputy directors into the meeting room.

Members of the Education Bureau's secondary leadership team and principals of various central schools attended the meeting.

Chen Shi and the other three sat down on the dais, and the meeting room fell silent.

Chen Shi glanced at everyone and said loudly, "The Education Department's special education fund support project has been approved by Chunyang County. There are nine counties that have passed the review. The Education Department will organize an expert review panel to assess the nine counties that have passed the review from July 15th to August 15th. The county with the highest score will receive one billion yuan in special education fund support."

Today's meeting topic is how to receive the expert review team sent by the Department of Education.

The expert review panel was selected by drawing lots, without prior notice to the Education Bureau. The Education Bureau was notified only after the assessment was completed, and a symposium was held.

Everyone shared their thoughts on how to welcome the expert review panel.

Huang Ming added: "From July 15th to August 15th, the expert review panel will assess the nine counties that have passed the review. I suggest that during this month, teachers be sent to patrol the jurisdiction of each central school and report any people with Yizhou accents in a timely manner."

The principals of each central school are to inspect all rural primary schools within their jurisdiction and promptly rectify any dilapidated school buildings found.

Li Zhe said loudly, "I believe that to mobilize the local people, the expert review panel must understand the situation by contacting the local people. They can find out about the expert review panel as soon as possible and report to the Education Bureau in a timely manner, so that we can understand the movements of the expert review panel."

Wang Zhikai glanced at everyone. At this moment, if he didn't say something, it would seem that he, as the deputy director, had no say.

He said in a deep voice, "What the expert review panel will assess is crucial. We need to be fully prepared for the assessment so that we won't be caught off guard no matter when the expert review panel arrives."

The content of the expert review panel's assessment is confidential. Ding Yi called this morning, saying that the expert review panel mainly assesses the current state of education in the area, whether the education bureau is making every effort to invest the 1 billion yuan special fund for education in the project, and whether it can change the backward state of education. The education department will let the results speak for themselves.

Chen Shi was now certain that the local government's emphasis on education was tailor-made for Chunyang County.

Chunyang County is already building three key high schools, demonstrating the high importance that the county party committee, county government, and education bureau place on education.

Three deputy directors spoke, followed by members of the secondary leadership team who shared their thoughts.

In his concluding remarks, Chen Shi said, "Everyone shared their thoughts, pooling their wisdom. As the saying goes, three cobblers are better than one Zhuge Liang, and we have come up with a plan to receive the expert review panel."

First, within the jurisdiction of each central school, teachers and staff will be assigned to patrol the area from July 15th until the expert review panel's assessment is completed. During this period, teachers and staff will patrol 24 hours a day and report any outsiders they find in a timely manner.

Secondly, each central school should mobilize students' parents to promptly report to the school if they discover that outsiders have come to the village to inquire about education-related matters.

Thirdly, the principals of each central school, as the persons in charge, are responsible for any problems that arise in that central school and will voluntarily resign.

The focus of our work in July and August is preparing for the expert review panel's assessment. Every leader must concentrate on doing a good job in their assigned area. Anyone whose work fails to meet these requirements should proactively resign.

Chen Shi checked the time; the meeting had lasted for over three hours. He called out, "Meeting adjourned."

After the meeting, Chen Shi called Huang Ming to his office. The two sat down, and Chen Shi said, "The content of this expert review panel's assessment is confidential. Nobody knows what they are assessing. I found out from inside the Education Department that they are mainly assessing the local education bureau and the government's level of attention to education, that is, what they have done for education."

Huang Ming beamed with joy: "That's great! Now that we know what the expert review panel will assess, we can make thorough preparations to meet the requirements."

"Director Huang, I'd like to entrust this matter to you. You'll be in charge of supervising the construction of the three key high schools. Please arrange for your subordinates to follow up on this."

The expert review panel will go to rural areas, and we must prevent the local people from spreading rumors. If we discover the whereabouts of the expert review panel, we must take action and select some villagers who are good at speaking to tell the expert review panel about the importance that the county party committee, the county government, and the education bureau attach to education.

The expert review panel has never been to a rural area and is unfamiliar with rural life; they shouldn't be misled by the villagers.

Huang Ming nodded: "In the entire Donghai Province, no county attaches as much importance to education as Chunyang County. Secretary Liu has mentioned changing the backward state of education many times, and County Chief Zhang has also mentioned educational adjustments many times at county government meetings."

You went to great lengths to raise funds.

"The villagers are unaware of everything we've done. We need to prepare in advance and inform the expert review panel about our work through the villagers' accounts."

"Director Chen, don't worry, I'll arrange it."

Chen Shi glanced at the time: "It's getting late. Let's have a couple of drinks. Should we report to Xiaoman?"

Huang Ming smiled and said, "No need, Xiaoman isn't home lately; she's on a trip with my mother-in-law."

The two stood up and walked out of the office together.

After the meeting, Wang Zhi drove his car to a farmhouse inn in the suburbs.

Led by the waiter, they arrived at a private room where Zhang Kaizhi and Gao Rong were already waiting.

Wang Zhikai said with a smile, "Secretary Zhang, County Chief Gao, I'm sorry, the afternoon meeting went on for a while and I was delayed. I rushed over as soon as the meeting ended."

Gao Rong called out, "Zhi Kai, sit down. We just arrived. What kind of meeting is this that takes so long?"

Wang Zhikai sat down: "Chunyang County passed the review of the education special fund support project of the Department of Education. The Department of Education organized an expert review team to conduct an assessment of the nine counties that passed the review from July 15th to August 15th. The meeting mainly discussed how to receive the expert review team."

Gao Rong and Zhang Kaizhi exchanged a glance and smiled, saying, "Zhikai, your chance has come. If Chen Shi messes this up and fails to pass the expert review panel's assessment, he won't be able to get the 1 billion yuan education special fund support project. The three key high schools will be abandoned, and the education adjustment in Chunyang County will not be able to proceed. Liu Youguang will transfer Chen Shi away immediately, and then Secretary Zhang will recommend you to take over as the head of the Education Bureau."

Wang Zhikai's eyes lit up as he looked at Zhang Kaizhi, who was the full-time deputy secretary and had a significant influence in promoting cadres.

Zhang Kaizhi said slowly, "As long as Chen Shi is transferred, no one in the Education Bureau has the qualifications to surpass you. You are the most suitable candidate to be the head of the Education Bureau."

Gao Rong called out, "Zhikai, why don't you toast Secretary Zhang?"

Wang Zhikai quickly raised his glass: "Secretary Zhang, this is a toast from Xiao Wang. Look at my performance."

Zhang Kaizhi picked up his glass, clinked it against Wang Zhikai's, and drank it all in one gulp.

Wang Zhikai thought of Dong Xuexi as a chess piece, and decided to make use of him.

He was well aware that he was a pawn of Gao Rong and Zhang Kaizhi. There was nothing wrong with being a pawn; at least you still had some value. If you had no value at all, then you were completely finished.