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

Diao Kuan was transferred to Lehei Primary School as a part-time principal. Lehei Primary School was still an old tile-roofed building, all of which were dilapidated and could not bear the teaching task at all. A rainstorm could cause it to collapse at any time.

Lehei Primary School has only seven teachers: six are substitute teachers and only one is a permanent teacher with a formal teaching position. He is about to retire and used to be a substitute teacher before becoming a permanent teacher.

When Diao Kuan arrived at Lehei Elementary School, he had nowhere to stay. He stayed at the village secretary's house, but he couldn't understand the language. Lehei Village has more than a thousand villagers in seven natural villages, all of whom are ethnic minorities.

Diao Kuan felt like he was living a life of misery at Lehei Elementary School, spending all his time thinking about how to transfer back to Laoyan Town Central School.

He had contacted everyone he could, but Diao Kuan had been transferred to Lehei Elementary School by Chen Shi, so no one dared to plead for him.

Diao Kuan had been at Lehei Elementary School for half a year. By May, he knew he would go crazy if he stayed any longer.

Diao Kuan's cousin teaches at the Fushan Town Central School and has a good relationship with Ding Xiaochi's wife. Diao Kuan asked his cousin to help deliver gifts to Ding Xiaochi's wife, and Ding Xiaochi's wife put in a good word for him, so Ding Xiaochi agreed to meet Diao Kuan.

Ding Xiaochi is Li Zhe's man, and Li Zhe has influence over Chen Shi.

Diao Kuan arrived in Fushan Town and called Ding Xiaochi.

After waiting for about ten seconds, the call was finally answered. Diao Kuan greeted him with a big smile: "Principal Ding, hello, this is Diao Kuan. Are you home? I'd like to come and visit."

Ding Xiaochi didn't want to see Diao Kuan, but his wife greeted him curtly, saying, "I'm home, come over here."

Diao Kuan, carrying two boxes of valuable gifts, arrived at Ding Xiaochi's door and gently knocked.

Ding Xiaochi opened the door, and Diao Kuan greeted him with a broad smile: "Principal Ding, I'm sorry to disturb your rest."

Ding Xiaochi glanced at the two boxes of gifts that Diao Kuan was carrying: "Principal Diao, come in and sit down."

Diao Kuan walked into the living room with a smile and put down the gifts. He found no one home except for Ding Xiaochi.

Ding Xiaochi poured Diao Kuan a cup of tea and called out again, "Sit down."

Diao Kuan sat on the sofa with half his bottom on the ground, a fawning smile on his face, and said, "Principal Ding, under your leadership, education in Fushan Town has improved rapidly. You are a role model for us to learn from."

Ding Xiaochi looked at Diao Kuan: "Principal Diao, you are also good. You are able to go deep into the grassroots and serve as the principal of Lehei Primary School. You are also a role model for us to learn from."

"Principal Ding, please don't make fun of me. I had no choice. There's nowhere to live at Lehei Elementary School. It's full of ethnic minorities, and I can't understand many of their languages. If I stay any longer, I'll go crazy."

Ding Xiaochi said solemnly, "Principal Diao, that's not right. We are like bricks in the organization, meant to be moved wherever needed. How can we be picky? How can we understand the needs of grassroots teachers if we don't go deep into the grassroots?"

Diao Kuan thought to himself, "Why don't you go to Lehei Elementary School? You couldn't even stand staying there for a few days, let alone a few months."

He quickly said yes.

"Principal Ding, I want to be your subordinate. I will do whatever you ask me to do and carry it out strictly. Fushan Town Central School is currently short of a vice principal. I want to work under you and listen to your teachings."

Ding Xiaochi knew about Diao Kuan's situation. He used to be Wang Zhikai's man and was promoted to deputy director of the Party and Government Office. Later, he offended Chen Shi and was transferred to Laoyan Town to serve as vice principal.

When Dong Xuexi was appointed as the acting vice principal of Laoyan Town, he was not taken seriously and was transferred by Chen Shi to Lehei Primary School to serve as the principal.

Don't think that just because you have no room for demotion, you can disregard your boss. If your boss wants to get rid of you, they have plenty of ways to do so.

"Principal Diao, you're wrong again. We do what the organization tells us to do. We're all serving the people, not ourselves. Do you understand?"

"Principal Ding is absolutely right. I misspoke again."

"As for your wish to transfer to work in Fushan Town, I need to report this to the bureau. Only if the bureau agrees can you be transferred to Fushan Town."

Diao Kuan smiled broadly: "Principal Ding, your relationship with Director Li is just a matter of a word."

Ding Xiaochi said in a deep voice, "When it comes to personnel transfers, no one can do it without Director Chen's approval."

Ding Xiaochi looked at Diao Kuan: "I have other things to do, so I won't keep you any longer. Go back and wait for news."

After Diao Kuan left, Ding Xiaochi opened the two boxes of gifts Diao Kuan had given him and nodded in satisfaction. Diao Kuan had stayed at Lehei Elementary School for half a year and had become more obedient.

Diao Kuan has no connections now. After being transferred to Fushan Town, he can only cling to his powerful backer. He needs a lackey who will absolutely obey his orders.

He picked up his phone and called Li Zhe.

"Director Li, are you free tomorrow? I'd like to come to the Education Bureau to report on the pilot program for basic education."

"I'll be at the Education Bureau tomorrow, come up here."

Ding Xiaochi prepared a gift and went to the county town early the next morning. He first delivered the gift to Li Zhe's house before going to the Education Bureau. He first went to Chen Shi to report on his work before going to Li Zhe's office.

Li Zhe called out, "Old Ding, sit down."

Ding Xiaochi sat down and reported on the progress of the pilot program for basic education. After finishing the report, he looked at Li Zhe and said, "Director Li, Xu Mengmeng has been transferred to the Party and Government Office as director. Who do you think would be suitable to fill the vacant vice principal position?"

Li Zhe hadn't found a suitable candidate yet, so he asked, "Old Ding, do you have any suitable candidates to recommend?"

"Director Li, do you think Diao Kuan is suitable? He is the vice principal of Laoyan Town Central School. It's a lateral transfer for him to Fushan Town Central School to serve as vice principal."

Li Zhe thought for a moment and concluded that Ding Xiaochi recommended Diao Kuan because Diao Kuan had suffered greatly at Lehei Elementary School and was seeking help from Ding Xiaochi.

Diao Kuan is currently without anyone protecting him in the bureau and wants to find a powerful patron to rely on. Li Zhe is weighing the pros and cons: will taking in Diao Kuan offend Chen Shi?

On second thought, Chen Shi didn't take Diao Kuan seriously. The person Diao Kuan offended was Yang Xiaobo, and as long as he wasn't transferred back to the bureau, Yang Xiaobo wouldn't pursue the matter.

Ding Xiaochi is one of his own people, so he should give his subordinates some benefits. When Diao Kuan was appointed as the vice principal of Fushan Town Central School, he could only rely on Ding Xiaochi to facilitate his pilot work in basic education.

"Old Ding, I fully support your work. I'll find an opportunity to mention it to Director Chen."

Ding Xiaochi quickly said, "Thank you for your support, Director Li."

That evening, Ding Xiaochi treated Li Zhe to dinner, and the two drank two bottles of good wine.

Two days later, Li Zhe reported his work to Chen Shi. After the report, seeing that Chen Shi was in a good mood, he said softly, "Director Chen, last time you asked me to find a suitable candidate for the vice principal of Fushan Town Central School. I looked around and found that Diao Kuan is doing a good job at Lehei Primary School. He understands rural primary schools. Transferring him to Fushan Town Central School as vice principal will allow him to better cooperate with the basic education pilot program."

Chen Shi entrusted the pilot program for basic education to Li Zhe, giving him considerable power.

Chen Shi didn't take Diao Kuan seriously at all; he was just an insignificant nobody. If Diao Kuan got in his way, he would kick him aside; if he needed him, he would kick him back.

"The pilot program for basic education is the Education Bureau's top priority this year. Director Li, I will support whoever you choose to use, but I have only one requirement: let the results speak for themselves."

"You can raise this at the upcoming Party Group meeting."

Li Zhe quickly replied, "Director Chen, don't worry, I guarantee I'll complete the task you assigned me."