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

Chen Shi hung up the phone, sent the address to Dong Xuexi, and then called Yang Bin.

Yang Bin had just arrived home, changed his shoes, and lay down on the sofa to rest when his phone rang. He picked it up and saw that it was Chen Shi calling. He quickly sat up and answered the phone.

Director Chen

"Yang Bin, come to the family dormitory and pick me up. I need to go out for a bit."

"Okay, I'm coming over now."

After hanging up the phone, I put on my shoes and went outside.

His wife exclaimed, "Where are you going so late?"

"Director Chen has something to attend to, I'll drive to pick him up."

His wife complained, "This job is unbearable. We're on call 24/7, available at any time. Drivers are people too; they have wives and children. We have no time for ourselves. Since you became Chen Shi's driver, have you ever had a hot meal?"

Yang Bin gently comforted his wife: "Being a leader's driver isn't an easy job. Rights and obligations are equal. If you don't want to do it, there are plenty of others who will. Your job can be transferred to the county town with just a word from the leader. I'm a contract worker, but if the leader is in a good mood one day, he can make me a permanent employee with just one word."

Don't always think about the benefits without wanting to give anything in return.

His wife lost her temper: "Okay, drive carefully tonight."

Yang Bin drove to the Education Bureau's staff quarters, where Chen Shi was already waiting at the entrance.

Yang Bin stopped the car, quickly got out, and opened the car door.

Chen Shi sat down: "Let's go to Longteng Shopping Mall."

Chen Shi chose to meet Dong Xuexi in a crowded place in the mall, not afraid that Dong Xuexi would cause trouble. He also carried a dagger with him for self-defense.

At the police station, with a gun, you're not afraid to go anywhere. Now that you don't have a gun, you can only carry a dagger for self-defense.

Chen Shi went to a teahouse, asked for a private room, and waited for Dong Xuexi.

The waiter prepared the tea, and Dong Xuexi walked in. He had arrived by taxi and was carrying a briefcase.

Dong Xuexi sat down opposite Chen Shi, took out the report materials from his briefcase, and handed them to Chen Shi.

"Director Chen, please take a look at this report."

From the moment Dong Xuexi entered, Chen Shi had been watching his every move. Taking the report materials, Chen Shi didn't look at them, but placed them in front of him and looked at Dong Xuexi: "Tell me the specifics of what happened?"

Dong Xuexi had already figured out how to tell Chen Shi.

"Director Chen, let's start from the beginning. Lei Liangping and I are friends. He came to the bureau for meetings and had dinner with me a few times."

All the teachers and staff of Qinghe Village Primary School were teaching in a dilapidated building. Lei Liangping was held responsible for the incident and was punished. He was then transferred to Laoyan Town Central School as the principal.

He came home on the weekend, invited me to dinner, we drank some wine, and he complained about you, saying some bad things about you. I listened quietly at the time.

Later, he said he was working for Deputy Director Wang Zhikai and had called Wang Zhikai to come over for drinks. I didn't believe him at the time, but unexpectedly, Wang Zhikai actually came.

Lei Liangping said that my wife, Huang Feng'e, teaches at a rural primary school in Huangchang Town, and we have always lived apart.

Wang Zhikai said that when he helped Huang Feng'e transfer to the county town, he didn't take it seriously at the time.

Later, Wang Zhikai actually transferred Huang Feng'e to the county town. He had Lei Liangping find me and asked me to confront you at the democratic life meeting.

I immediately thought they were trying to use me to attack you. In order to find out their next move, I decided to do as they said.

At the democratic life meeting, I challenged you, and as expected, I gained their trust. Later, Section Chief Guan canceled Huang Feng'e's transfer, and Lei Liangping told me to make a big fuss about it. They wanted me to completely offend you, leaving me with no way out, all for the sake of this real-name report.

In order to gain their trust, I did as they asked. I went to find Section Chief Guan, got into an argument, and even hit him.

I was punished by the bureau, which completely earned their trust.

Last night, Lei Liangping came back from a meeting at the bureau and gave me the materials for the report, asking me to file a formal complaint against you with the municipal and county discipline inspection commissions. He said they didn't have any evidence and were just trying to get the discipline inspection commissions to investigate you.

From July 15th to August 15th, the Department of Education will organize an expert review panel to conduct an assessment. If the expert review panel sees that you are under investigation by the Discipline Inspection Commission, regardless of whether it is true or not, they will not have a good impression of you and will give Chunyang County a low score. As a result, you will not be able to obtain the 1 billion yuan education special fund support project from the Department of Education.

The three newly built key high schools will be abandoned without funding. If you fail to complete the tasks assigned by Secretary Liu and lose his trust, you will be transferred out of the Education Bureau. Wang Zhikai has connections with Zhang Kaizhi and Gao Rong. Of the three deputy directors of the Education Bureau, Wang Zhikai is the most senior, so he can rightfully take over your position.

Chen Shi was shocked after hearing this, never expecting that Wang Zhikai was up to so many tricks behind the scenes.

He was skeptical of Dong Xuexi's words, but picked up the report materials and began to read them carefully.

The report lacked concrete evidence; it merely aimed to get the disciplinary committee involved and make the expert review panel believe that the head of the education bureau was suspected of embezzlement and bribery. In this case, the expert review panel would not give Chunyang County a high score.

Chen Shi put down the report materials and thought about how to deal with the situation.

There's no turning back now that the arrow has been released. Wang Zhikai saw that Dong Xuexi hadn't filed a formal complaint, so he would have Lei Liangping personally file one. Chen Shi had a plan in mind.

Chen Shi looked at Dong Xuexi and asked, "Where do you live now?"

Dong Xuexi quickly replied, "I'll stay at home."

"Don't go back to Laoyan Town yet, and don't answer their calls. Wait for my call."

Dong Xuexi nodded; this was a way to make himself disappear.

Chen Shi then said, "Leave the report materials here, and I'll have Yang Bin take you back."

Chen Shi called Yang Bin: "Yang Bin, drive to the mall entrance, take Dong Xuexi home, and then drive to Yang Xiaobo's house to pick him up."

Riding in a leader's official car was an honor, and Dong Xuexi left with a heart full of joy.

Chen Shi called Yang Xiaobo, who was already asleep. When his phone rang, Yang Xiaobo picked it up and saw that it was Chen Shi calling. This was the first time Chen Shi had called him so late, so it must be something important. He quickly answered the phone.

Director Chen

"Old Yang, are you asleep?"

"not yet"

"Get ready, I'll have Yang Bin pick you up by car. He needs to talk to you."

Yang Xiaobo didn't ask any further questions, only saying one word: "Okay."

After hanging up the phone, he got up and got dressed. His wife asked, "Where are you going so late?"

"You go to sleep first, I have to go out for a bit." Yang Xiaobo hurriedly left the house.

Yang Bin drove to Yang Xiaobo's house and saw Yang Xiaobo waiting at the door. He quickly got out of the car and opened the door.

Yang Xiaobo sat down and asked, "Yang Bin, is there something you need from Director Chen that you're looking for me so late?"

"I don't know either. After Director Chen and Director Xu Pingan of the Public Security Bureau had dinner, I had just gotten home when I received his call and asked him to take me to Longteng Shopping Mall."

Later, Director Chen called me to take Dong Xuexi back and then come pick you up.

Yang Xiaobo sensed something was wrong. Dong Xuexi had been disciplined and transferred to Laoyan Town, so why did he suddenly appear? Chen Shi approached him late at night and even asked Yang Bin to take him back.

Seeing that the car wasn't heading towards the Education Bureau, Yang Xiaobo asked, "Where is Director Chen?"

Still at Longteng Shopping Mall

Yang Xiaobo's expression turned serious. Something big must have happened. He was avoiding the Education Bureau's staff quarters because he was afraid of being seen.

Was this matter directed at him or at Chen Shi? What did Dong Xuexi say to Chen Shi that prompted him to come overnight?

Even though Dong Xuexi had no leverage over him, Yang Xiaobo's heart still pounded.