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

Lei Liangping returned to Laoyan Town on July 7 and called Dong Xuexi to his office.

"Old Dong, are you getting used to life in Old Salt Town?"

Dong Xuexi sat down on the sofa: "I think it's great. It's close to Huangchang Town, which is better than sitting on the sidelines in the Party and Government Office. The only downside is that the smog is too bad, and it's difficult to breathe."

Lei Liangping took out a cigarette, handed one to Dong Xuexi, lit it, and took a puff.

"There are many coal mines in Laoyan Town, which cause serious pollution. There's nothing we can do about it. Chunyang County is an impoverished county, and we can't bear to shut down these coal mines. The coal mines, large and small, in Laoyan Town pay one or two hundred million yuan in taxes to the county's finances every year."

Dong Xuexi raised his voice: "The county leaders only care about how to make money, and don't care about the lives of the 50,000 to 60,000 people in Laoyan Town. The incidence of lung cancer here is more than ten times higher than in other places, and nobody cares. If officials don't serve the people, they might as well go home and grow sweet potatoes."

Lei Liangping took a drag of his cigarette and chuckled, "Old Dong, you're still as outspoken as ever."

He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray: "Old Dong, any plans for tonight? Let's grab a couple of drinks."

Dong Xuexi took a drag of his cigarette: "Principal Lei invited me for a couple of drinks, but I had to decline even if I had other plans. I need to distinguish between the important and the trivial."

Lei Liangping chuckled: "Old Dong, we're brothers. When we're alone, just call me Old Lei. If you have plans, go ahead and do yours. If not, let's have a couple of drinks."

Dong Xuexi quickly replied, "There are no arrangements."

Dong Xuexi stubbed out his cigarette and asked, "Principal Lei, what message did the Education Bureau convey by convening this meeting of principals from various central schools?"

"They didn't convey any spirit or message. Chunyang County passed the review of the Education Department's special education fund support project. The Education Department is going to send an expert review team to Chunyang County for assessment. Chen Shi told us to prepare for their reception."

Dong Xuexi became interested: "Is the expert review panel coming to Laoyan Town? I want to report the environmental pollution here to them."

Lei Liangping thought to himself, "Who do you think you are? You want to control everything. Do you think you can handle it?"

With a smile on his face, he said, "I don't know. Maybe they will come, maybe they won't. The expert review panel conducts a secret assessment and doesn't notify the Education Bureau."

Dong Xuexi asked, "Then how should we prepare so that we are ready if the expert review panel suddenly comes to Laoyan Town?"

Lei Liangping said in a deep voice, "We won't do anything, everything will remain the same. Nobody wants to come to a godforsaken place like Laoyan Town."

Seeing that Lei Liangping showed no interest in the expert review panel, Dong Xuexi chose to remain silent. He was now on Lei Liangping's side, and Chen Shi's failure to secure the education department's special funding for the education project might actually be a good thing for him.

After get off work, Lei Liangping drove Dong Xuexi to dinner.

As soon as the car stopped, Dong Xuexi quickly got out and opened the car door for Lei Liangping.

Lei Liangping got out of the car, satisfied with Dong Xuexi's performance. The two went into the restaurant and asked for a private room.

When the food was served, Lei Liangping handed the car keys to Dong Xuexi: "Old Dong, there are two bottles of good wine in the trunk. Go get them, let's have a good drink tonight."

Dong Xuexi took the car keys, got up and walked out of the private room, bringing in two bottles of fine wine.

Dong Xuexi opened the bottle and poured Lei Liangping a full glass.

The two toasted each other and drank to their hearts' content.

After finishing one bottle, Dong Xuexi was slightly drunk. He opened another bottle and filled it for Lei Liangping.

Seeing that they had drunk enough, Lei Liangping decided it was time to get down to business.

I took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a puff.

"Old Dong, your chance has come."

Dong Xuexi looked at Lei Liangping with a puzzled expression, then put down the chopsticks in his hand.

Lei Liangping continued, "Do you know why Liu Youguang sent Chen Shi to the Education Bureau?"

Dong Xuexi didn't understand what Lei Liangping meant and shook his head repeatedly, "I don't know."

Lei Liangping laughed and said, "Old Dong, you lack political wisdom. Liu Youguang comes from an education background. Bringing Chen Shi to the Education Bureau is to carry out educational reforms and change the backward educational situation in Chunyang County."

The key is to close three high schools in townships and rebuild three key high schools in the county seat. Moving high schools from townships to the county seat will facilitate the management of the education bureau and will definitely improve the quality of education.

Rebuilding three key high schools will cost more than 2 billion yuan, but the county government doesn't have the funds. Chen Shi will have to find the funding for the schools himself.

If Chen Shi can't secure the 1 billion yuan special education fund from the Education Department for the project, the construction of the three key high schools will be abandoned.

If Chen Shi cannot complete the task assigned by Liu Youguang, can he still stay in the Education Bureau?

With Chen Shi transferred, and given Wang Ju's qualifications, no one in the Education Bureau could compete with him for the top position.

Last night, Director Wang had dinner with Secretary Zhang and County Chief Gao. Secretary Zhang gave him the definite answer: Chen Shi would be transferred from the Education Bureau, and Director Wang would be recommended to take over as the head of the Education Bureau.

When Director Wang became the head of the Education Bureau, he gave you a definite answer: he would promote you to Director of the Party and Government Office.

The opportunity is in front of you; whether you seize it or not is up to you.

Dong Xuexi was confused about what this had to do with him, and asked with a puzzled look, "Principal Lei, I don't know what I can do?"

Lei Liangping said in a deep voice, "Old Dong, as long as you report Chen Shi to the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection and the County Commission for Discipline Inspection by your real name for accepting bribes from Donghai Zhencheng Group, even if Liu Youguang wants to suppress this matter, the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection will not agree."

A formal complaint has been filed, and the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection will definitely send someone to investigate. The Donghai Zhencheng Group won all three bids for the three high school bidding projects. Who would believe there wasn't some kind of bribery involved in such a large project?

Today is July 7th. From July 15th to August 15th, the expert review panel will conduct assessments on the nine counties that have passed the initial screening.

At this time, Chen Shi is under investigation by the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection. What will the expert review panel think? The head of the Education Bureau is a corrupt official. He invested money in Chunyang County, so wasn't the money going into his own pocket?

The expert review panel will definitely give Chunyang County a low score in the assessment.

Dong Xuexi instantly sobered up, no longer drunk at all. This whole thing felt incredibly unreliable.

"Principal Lei, we have no evidence that Chen Shi accepted bribes from Donghai Zhencheng Group. Even if we file a formal complaint, it won't do anything to Chen Shi. At most, the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection will intervene and investigate to clear Chen Shi's name. It will have no impact on Chen Shi."

Lei Liangping's face darkened, and he said sternly, "Old Dong, how come you still don't understand what I mean? We're not trying to bring down Chen Shi, we're just trying to get the expert review panel to give Chunyang County a low score in the assessment, so that the education department's special education fund support project, worth 1 billion yuan, won't be invested in Chunyang County."

Without money, the construction of the three high schools will be abandoned. Chen Shi won't be able to complete the task and will be transferred. When Director Wang takes over as the new head, your opportunity will come.

Dong Xuexi's face was full of bitterness. What opportunity? If Chen Shi didn't fall, he would get himself killed.

Lei Liangping noticed Dong Xuexi's concerns and raised his voice: "Old Dong, don't be timid. You've already reached the bottom. What can Chen Shi do to you? You're a civil servant; he doesn't have the right to fire you."

Laoyan Town is the most remote town in Chunyang County. Where else could he transfer you?

These are all temporary. Your opportunity will come as soon as Director Wang takes over as the head of the Education Bureau.

Everything has risks. If you don't take risks, you'll stay in Old Salt Town your whole life.

You have nothing now, so what is there to fear? You have nothing left to lose. What's there to be afraid of if you're barefoot? This is your chance to change your fate. The opportunity is yours; it's up to you to seize it.