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

Ye Shanshan thought about it again and realized that 950 million was too little. She didn't care about such a paltry sum.

Hu Santai gave her a look and said to Chen Shi, "Director Chen, I'm going to use the restroom."

Hu Santai stood up and left. Ye Shanshan took out her phone: "Director Chen, I'm going to make a call."

They also left the private room and went to Hu Santai's office.

Hu Santai said, "President Ye, Chen Shi is trying to curry favor with us. Learning materials and teaching aids have a large profit margin. The budget is 9.5 million, the cost should be around 4 to 5 million, and the net profit is around 4 million. The key is that this business doesn't involve any risk."

Ye Shanshan plopped down on the sofa and crossed her arms: "Old Hu, do you know that building a primary school can earn at least seven or eight million? Chunyang County is developing basic education and centralizing schools. How many primary schools will they build? How much can we earn from this?"

Chen thinks he can get rid of me with this paltry sum? He won't succeed.

Hu Santai looked at Ye Shanshan: "President Ye, what do you plan to do?"

"I'm going to show Chen Shi what I'm capable of. He wants to run for executive deputy county head, right? I'll make sure he doesn't succeed."

Gao Rong is very obedient; he asked my brother-in-law to support his candidacy for executive deputy county head.

Hu Santai smiled and said, "Chen Shi has a very strong background. His uncle is Wang Mingzhang, the number two figure in Mingzhou. He has a very good relationship with Xiao Chong, the municipal party secretary. No one will stand up to oppose Chen Shi becoming a candidate for executive deputy county magistrate and offend Wang Mingzhang."

Gao Rong is no match for Chen Shi; we mustn't bet on the wrong horse.

Ye Shanshan thought for a moment and said, "Old Hu, is this the end of it?"

"Chen Shi has already given us face. We should take our profits and call it a day. Making a few million is not bad."

Ye Shanshan knew that her brother-in-law Liu Daming's influence on personnel matters was not as great as Wang Mingzhang's.

"Alright, that's settled for now."

The two returned to the private room, and Hu Santai said with a smile, "Director Chen, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I'll punish myself with a drink."

Hu Santai picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Ye Shanshan sat down: "Director Chen, I'll also punish myself with a drink."

Chen Shi raised his glass: "Let's have a drink together."

The three of them clinked glasses and drank their wine.

Ye Shanshan put down her wine glass: "Director Chen, I am very interested in the project of learning materials and teaching aids. I hope you will give me your support."

"No problem," Chen Shi said with a smile. "President Ye, please put in a good word for me with Secretary Liu when I'm running for executive deputy county head."

"No problem, my brother-in-law dotes on me the most, he usually listens to what I say."

After reaching an agreement and having a few drinks, Hu Santai said, "Director Chen, let's go upstairs to sing karaoke."

Chen Shi understood Hu Santai's meaning. The girls upstairs were all pretty and could do whatever they wanted with him. At this critical juncture, he didn't want to cause any trouble and give his political enemies a handle to use against him.

"Boss Hu, I have something to do, so I won't be going to karaoke. I'll be going now."

Seeing that Chen Shi's eyes were firm and not just for show, Hu Santai stood up and, along with Ye Shanshan, saw Chen Shi off.

Watching Chen Shi's car disappear into the night, Hu Santai said, "Chen Shi is no ordinary man. He's so young, yet he can control his desires. He's destined for great things. We can only be friends, not enemies."

Ye Shanshan looked disdainful. "A country bumpkin, he's not good enough for anything. I gave him a chance, but he's useless."

The next day, Chen Shi and Xu Ping'an arrived in Mingzhou. Xu Ping'an's car was in front, and Chen Shi's car was following behind. Chen Shi checked the time; it was 10:30.

He took out his phone and called Xu Pingan.

Director Chen

"Ping An, stop the car up ahead. I'm going to buy some things to take to your father-in-law's house. It's not good to go without bringing anything."

"Director Chen, don't buy it. My father-in-law hates receiving gifts from others. If you give him a gift, he'll think you need his help. He'll be happier if you don't give him a gift."

He especially dislikes receiving gifts from strangers.

"I'm not taking anything; my hands are empty."

"Don't bring anything, just come to my house and have a meal with my father-in-law. If he has a good impression of you, he will recommend you to someone else."

The car stopped in the underground parking garage of the community. I felt uneasy if I didn't take anything with me. However, everyone is different, and not everyone likes to receive gifts.

Xu Pingan got out of the car: "Director Chen, let's go straight up. I called ahead, and my father-in-law is home."

Chen Shi followed Xu Pingan to Fu Changshan's door and rang the doorbell.

The nanny opened the door and greeted Xu Ping'an with a smile, "Director Xu is here, please come in."

"Aunt Liu, just call me Xiao Xu."

"I'm used to calling you that, so I'll still call you Director Xu."

Xu Pingan looked at Chen Shi: "Aunt Liu, this is my classmate Chen Shi, who is now the director of the Chunyang County Education Bureau."

"Director Chen, hello." Aunt Liu greeted him with a smile.

"Hello, Aunt Liu"

Chen Shi followed Xu Ping'an into the living room, where Fu Changshan was reading. When he saw Xu Ping'an arrive with his entourage, he stood up to greet him.

"Ping An has arrived, please sit down."

Xu Ping'an smiled and said, "Dad, please have a seat."

He looked at Chen Shi: "This is my college classmate, Chen Shi, who is now the director of the Chunyang County Education Bureau. We came to Mingzhou together for a meeting."

Fu Changshan glanced at Chen Shi. This young man was quite good, with an upright air about him. He said, "Director Chen, please sit down."

"Hello, Minister Fu."

The three sat down, and Xu Ping'an asked, "Where's my mother?"

"Your mom went to your uncle's house and won't be back for dinner."

Chen Shi glanced at the book in Fu Changshan's hand. It was the Book of Changes. He had heard Xu Ping'an say that Fu Changshan was quite superstitious and studied feng shui, having examined the ancestral graves of many leaders.

Fu Changshan owes his current position to feng shui. He used to be a substitute teacher, but later became a full-time teacher. He then worked as a feng shui master for the town leaders, which earned them their appreciation. As a result, he was transferred to the central school as the vice principal.

Later, he went to the Party School for further studies, where he met the county leaders and was promoted and given important responsibilities. He followed the leaders and rose all the way to the city level. Now, the leaders who appreciated him have long since retired. He has been working as the executive deputy director of the Organization Department for five or six years without being promoted. Now that he is of age, he will retire in a few years.

Chen Shi didn't know what to say to Fu Changshan, but Fu Changshan picked up the book and started reading again.

Chen Shi and Xu Ping'an exchanged a glance. Xu Ping'an smiled. Every time he came to his father-in-law's house, he didn't know what to talk about with his father-in-law. Most of the time, he remained silent.

After sitting for half an hour, Aunt Liu, the nanny, prepared the meal and called the three of them to the dining room to eat.

Fu Changshan asked, "Do you drink?"

Xu Pingan then asked, "Dad, would you like some?"

"I don't drink alcohol; I have to go to the Organization Department this afternoon."

"We're not drinking either; we have a meeting this afternoon."

Chen Shi picked up his bowl and ate, feeling that this trip had been in vain.

Xu Pingan looked at Chen Shi: "Director Chen, you did some great things at the Education Bureau. As soon as you took office, you closed three township high schools and built three key high schools in the county seat, which were completed in just one year."

Previous education bureau directors had all proposed this plan, but none of them took any concrete action.

Furthermore, as the deputy director of the Public Security Bureau, you uprooted the Chengshi Entertainment Group and Yikun Group, two major criminal gangs, in less than a year, causing two major political upheavals in Chunyang County.