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

Chen Shi and Liu Youguang ate and chatted. Liu Youguang picked up a cigarette case from the table, took out a cigarette, and Chen Shi quickly picked up a lighter from the table and lit the cigarette in Liu Youguang's hand.

Liu Youguang took a drag of his cigarette: "Xiao Chen, don't feel any pressure. Go back and do your job well. When I'm transferred to the city as vice mayor, I'll recommend you for the county party committee standing committee and the position of executive vice county head."

"Take advantage of the end of the year to network with other city leaders. With Mayor Wang's connections, the city leaders will support your bid for a seat on the Standing Committee."

Chen Shi understood Liu Youguang's meaning: to start making moves and gain some exposure in front of the city leaders.

In 2014, the leadership team of Chunyang County will be adjusted, and the leadership team of the city will also be adjusted. We must seize this opportunity. If we miss it, we will have to wait several more years. Whether our backers will still be there after several years is another matter.

Chen Shi drank a bottle of wine with Liu Youguang before the two left Lao Huang's farmhouse.

Huang Zhang's fish soup making skills are a bit lacking; this fish soup doesn't taste as good as the one Lao Huang makes.

Chen Shi escorted Liu Youguang back to the Party School. The next morning, Chen Shi had classes, so he asked for leave and went directly back to Mingzhou to visit Wang Mingzhang at the municipal party committee compound.

Upon arriving in Minnesota, Chen Shi called Li Nan.

"Xiao Shi"

"Aunt, were you home at noon? I'm in Mingzhou, and I came to visit you and Uncle."

"I'm at school. Come to my house, and I'll be right back. Your uncle went to a meeting in Yizhou."

Chen Shi was somewhat disappointed, as he rarely encountered Wang Mingzhang.

"Okay, Auntie, I'm coming over now."

Chen Shi asked Yang Bin to drive to the municipal party committee compound. The nanny, Xiao Chen, was at home. When she saw Chen Shi arrive, she quickly poured him tea.

After waiting for more than twenty minutes, Li Nan returned from school.

Chen Shi stood up: "Auntie"

"Xiao Shi, you came from Chunyang."

"I'm studying for a part-time postgraduate degree at the Provincial Party School. I went to the Party School for class yesterday. I came down from Yizhou and passed through Mingzhou, so I came to visit you and my uncle."

"Your uncle is too busy. Mingzhou is a big city with a population of six or seven million. The development of the economy and whether the people can live a comfortable life all depend on him."

He's rarely home, always busy. I haven't seen him for almost half a month. He led a team on an overseas inspection trip a while ago and only returned on New Year's Day. Since then, he's had endless meetings. This morning, he went to Yizhou for an investment promotion conference.

Chen Shi smiled and said, "Uncle has a lot to consider for the development of Mingzhou, so naturally there are many things to do."

Xiao Chen brought over some fruit, and Li Nan said, "Have some fruit."

"Okay," Chen Shi picked up the grapes and ate a few. Li Nan looked at Chen Shi and said, "The municipal government leadership will be adjusted in 2014. After the Two Sessions in March, the mayor and several deputy mayors will be re-elected, as will the county heads and deputy county heads of each county government."

"Xiao Shi, take this opportunity to come to the city more often and try to run for deputy county head."

Seeing that Li Nan also had this idea, Chen Shi smiled and said, "Aunt, I also have this plan. I'll take advantage of the end of the year to visit the relevant leaders in the city."

Li Nan asked, "How many relevant leaders in the city do you know?"

"Director Hong Xiaojia of the Finance Bureau, Director Zhou Quanfu of the Education Bureau..."

Li Nan interrupted Chen Shi: "These bureau chiefs have no say in your promotion."

Hong Xiaojia, the director of the Finance Bureau, was originally nominated as a candidate for vice mayor, but Liu Youguang snatched the position. It is unknown who in the province Liu Youguang was working for.

I spoke with your uncle before, and your uncle felt that since he didn't have any achievements to show, if he were transferred to the city, he would at most become the director of a bureau, and it was impossible for him to be promoted to the position of vice mayor. He told him to wait a little longer.

Hong Xiaojia has been working in the Finance Bureau for three or four years and has done an excellent job. Your uncle recommended her to the province as a candidate for vice mayor, but unexpectedly, the provincial party committee's organization department rejected the recommendation at the last minute and replaced her with Liu Youguang.

Your uncle asked Secretary Xiao about it, and Secretary Xiao said it was the provincial Party Committee Organization Department Minister's decision, so he couldn't object. Liu Youguang and Hong Xiaojia are both people who follow your uncle, so I think it doesn't matter who goes up.

Chen Shi thought to himself, "Li Nan doesn't understand politics. This is completely different. The leader wants to recommend someone, but the province doesn't agree. This is a signal that the province doesn't trust Wang Mingzhang."

They were all Wang Mingzhang's men. Liu Youguang rose to power through his own connections, hoping to break free from Wang Mingzhang and establish his own faction.

Now that Liu Youguang has become the vice mayor, Wang Mingzhang can no longer help him advance further; he needs to find a bigger backer.

"Aunt, last night I talked to Liu Youguang. He was training at the Provincial Party School and told me that when he becomes the vice mayor, he will recommend me to the Standing Committee of the County Party Committee and serve as the executive vice county head."

I think he was able to get the support of the province by following the path of the former provincial party secretary. The former provincial party secretary had a lot of influence in Donghai, and many leading cadres were promoted by him.

The provincial party committee's guesthouse has a chef named Huang Guoqiang, who makes very fresh fish soup. The former provincial party secretary loved to drink it and often invited him to his home to make it. It is said that the two had a very good relationship.

Huang Guoqiang now runs a farmhouse restaurant in Chunyang County. Liu Youguang and other county leaders often go to his house to drink fish soup.

His son also runs a farmhouse restaurant in Yizhou. Last night, Liu Youguang took me there to have fish soup.

Liu Youguang got in touch with the former provincial party secretary through Huang Guoqiang. Many provincial leaders were promoted by the former party secretary, including Secretary Xiao. If he just said a word, even a mere vice mayor would give him face.

Li Nan thought it made sense: "This Liu Youguang is like a knife cutting tofu, smooth on both sides. Your uncle didn't help him become the vice mayor, but he made his own moves and snatched the candidate recommended by your uncle. He's a real scoundrel."

He's just dangling a carrot in front of you; don't believe his lies.

Chen Shi could understand Liu Youguang. This was his last chance. If he couldn't become the vice mayor, he would have to wait until the next term, when he was past the age limit. Before retiring, he could only hope to reach the deputy director level in the CPPCC, which would be his limit.

A rift has developed between Wang Mingzhang and Liu Youguang. For the time being, Liu Youguang does not dare to turn against Wang Mingzhang. He is using Lao Huang's connections to get close to the former provincial party secretary. However, this relationship is not reliable. If he wants to secure his position as vice mayor, he still needs Wang Mingzhang's support.

Last night, he took me to Lao Huang's son's place for dinner, hoping to use me as a pretext to tell Wang Mingzhang the truth: he's not strong enough yet and needs Wang Mingzhang's protection.

Chen Shi didn't want the two to fall out; reconciliation would be of the greatest benefit to him.

"Aunt, Liu Youguang was promoted by Uncle. He only got lucky this time. He doesn't dare to go against Uncle. He's a smart man. Without Uncle's support, he can't hold onto the position of deputy mayor."

"With his abilities, it's wishful thinking to think he can hold onto the position of deputy mayor. He has no achievements and cannot win the support of the people. That's why your uncle didn't recommend him to the province."

Li Nan looked at Chen Shi: "Given your relationship with your uncle, you need to avoid any appearance of impropriety regarding your promotion. He can't help you openly, but he can have Zhang Kai introduce you to the relevant leaders in the city privately."

Chen Shi quickly said, "Thank you, Aunt."