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

The county party committee held a plenary meeting, at which Zhou Yun, Minister of the Organization Department of the municipal party committee, announced the appointments of the municipal party committee. Comrade Zhang Xiangdong was appointed as the secretary of the Chunyang County Party Committee, no longer concurrently serving as the county magistrate. Comrade Zhang Kaizhi was appointed as the deputy secretary of the county party committee and acting county magistrate.

Comrade Liu Youguang will no longer serve as the county party secretary and will be given another important post.

Qin Xiaoming, the former head of the Organization Department, has been appointed as the deputy secretary of the county party committee and will no longer serve as the head of the Organization Department.

Huang Xin, deputy director of the Organization Department, will serve as director of the Organization Department.

After the meeting, Zhang Xiangdong, along with the county's main leaders, saw Zhou Yun off.

After Zhou Yun left, everyone congratulated Zhang Xiangdong and Zhang Kaizhi. It was now clear that Zhang Kaizhi was the candidate for county magistrate.

Chen Shi wanted to report to Zhang Xiangdong, but seeing that he was surrounded by a crowd, he could only find another time to report to him.

Chen Shi has been keeping a low profile lately, refusing all dinner invitations, going to work, getting off work, going home to sleep, and not going anywhere else.

Time quickly passed to late March, when the election of the main leaders of the Mingzhou Municipal Government took place.

Wang Mingzhang was elected mayor, and Liu Youguang was successfully elected vice mayor, ranking lower in the list.

Upon learning that Liu Youguang had been elected as vice mayor, Chen Shi paced back and forth in his office, knowing that the candidates for the main leadership of Chunyang County would soon be announced.

He took out his phone and called Xu Mo.

Director Chen

"Is Secretary Zhang free? I'd like to report to him on my work."

"Director Chen, please come here, I'll make arrangements for you."

Chen Shi asked Yang Bin to go to the county party committee office, and they went to Xu Mo's office.

"Xu Mi"

"Director Chen," Xu Mo stood up to greet him and poured Chen Shi a cup of tea: "Please wait a moment, let me see if anyone is in Secretary Zhang's office."

"Thank you, Secretary Xu."

Xu Mo left, and returned shortly after, saying to Chen Shi, "Director Chen, Secretary Zhang wants to see you."

Chen Shi arrived at Zhang Xiangdong's office: "Secretary..."

Zhang Xiangdong stood up: "Sit down."

The two sat down in the reception room, and Chen Shi said, "Secretary, Secretary Liu has been elected as the vice mayor. Should we go to Mingzhou to congratulate him?"

"I called Mayor Liu earlier, and he asked you to come up tomorrow afternoon."

Chen Shi looked at Zhang Xiangdong: "Secretary, what should I do next?"

"You don't need to do anything. Soon the candidates for the main leadership of the county government will be announced. The municipal party committee's organization department will not recommend you as a candidate for executive deputy county head. It will be useless for you to do anything."

The Municipal Party Committee's Organization Department has recommended you as a candidate for Executive Deputy County Head. At this time, you should keep a low profile and just do your job well.

A staff member from the Municipal Party Committee's Organization Department spoke with me, and I recommended you for the position of Executive Deputy County Head. The Municipal Party Committee's Organization Department should speak with you again in a few days.

At this time, you need to stay calm and not rush.

Chen Shi nodded: "I will keep the Secretary's teachings in mind."

After chatting for a while, Chen Shi left the office.

The following afternoon, Chen Shi took Zhang Xiangdong's car to Mingzhou and went directly to the Water Cube.

Chen Shi and Zhang Xiangdong got out of the car. Zhang Xiangdong said, "Let's go to the private room and wait for Mayor Liu."

Chen Shi followed Zhang Xiangdong to the private room. Chen Shi stepped forward, pulled out a chair, and Zhang Xiangdong sat down. Chen Shi poured him tea.

The waiter came in, and Chen Shi took the order, ordering two bottles of good wine.

After waiting for half an hour, Liu Youguang walked into the private room, and Chen Shi and Zhang Xiangdong immediately stood up.

Zhang Xiangdong stepped forward and shook hands with Liu Youguang: "Congratulations, Mayor Liu."

"Face east, sit down quickly."

Chen Shi stepped forward and shook hands with Liu Youguang: "Mayor Liu, congratulations."

"Xiao Chen, don't stand, sit down."

Chen Shi pulled out the chair for the head of the table, Liu Youguang sat down, and Chen Shi called the waiter to serve the dishes.

Chen Shi picked up the wine bottle, opened it, and poured wine for Liu Youguang and Zhang Xiangdong. Tonight, he was the underling, responsible for serving tea and wine.

Zhang Xiangdong looked at Chen Shi: "Let's all raise a glass to Mayor Liu and congratulate him on his successful election."

Liu Youguang raised his glass: "Xiang Dong, you are now the county party secretary. You need to have your own people in the county government. Xiao Chen must be elected as the executive deputy county head and join the standing committee to help you."

Zhang Xiangdong nodded and repeatedly said yes.

The three clinked their glasses and drank it all in one gulp.

Zhang Xiangdong and Liu Youguang put down their wine glasses, and Chen Shi quickly poured more wine for them.

Liu Youguang said, "Xiao Chen, the executive deputy county head, shouldn't have any major problems. I recommended you to several key leaders of the municipal party committee, and they praised your achievements."

Chen Shi raised his glass: "Thank you for your guidance, Mayor Liu. I'd like to toast you."

Liu Youguang picked up his wine glass, clinked it with Chen Shi's, and drank it all in one gulp.

The three chatted and ate. Liu Youguang was in a good mood, having finally resolved the issue of the deputy director-level position. He suggested they go to a karaoke room to sing.

Chen Shi and Zhang Xiangdong accompanied Liu Youguang to a KTV private room. Liu Youguang was full of pride, having been successfully elected as the vice mayor. He no longer needed to be careful and called Fang Min to come over for karaoke.

The four sang until 1 a.m. Liu Youguang got sleepy, so Chen Shi and Zhang Xiangdong saw him off. Fang Min drove herself there, but to avoid suspicion, she didn't come with Liu Youguang.

After seeing Liu Youguang and Fang Min off, Chen Shi asked, "Secretary, are we going back to Chunyang County?"

"It's too late. Let's stay here for the night and go back tomorrow morning."

Chen Shi asked the waiter to open two presidential suites so he could rest.

Fang Min drove behind Liu Youguang's car. When Liu Youguang returned to his residence, Fang Min waited for more than ten minutes. Seeing that no one was around, she parked her car in the parking lot next door and went into Liu Youguang's residence.

Fang Min pushed the door open and went in; Liu Youguang hadn't locked it.

Fang Min sat down next to Liu Youguang: "Old Liu, now that you're the vice mayor, my coming to see you won't have any negative impact, right?"

Liu Youguang lit a cigarette and took a puff.

"I still need to avoid suspicion. Now that I'm the deputy mayor, there are a lot of people who are jealous and will be watching me. I don't want my political enemies to have any leverage over me."

Fang Min complained, "It's really boring. Even as the deputy mayor, people are still watching me, and I have to avoid suspicion."

"There's no other way. There are only a few deputy mayors in Mingzhou. If you don't go down, how will they come up? There are too many wolves and not enough meat. The higher you go, the more dangerous it becomes."

Fang Min looked at Liu Youguang: "I don't want to do this secretly. If you transfer me to the municipal government and make me your secretary, we can be together openly and legitimately."

Liu Youguang shook his head: "Absolutely not. Have you ever seen a leader who dares to use a female secretary? If a leader and his secretary are together, even if nothing happens, his political enemies will try to stir up trouble for him. So many high-ranking leaders have fallen because of issues with their work style."

"After a while, once I've secured my position as vice mayor, I'll transfer you to the People's Congress."

"It's the National People's Congress again. Can't we switch departments? There's no point in being in the National People's Congress."

"The CPPCC (Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) is also acceptable."

"Forget it, I'll stay in the National People's Congress. At least the National People's Congress has some power. The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference is just for retirement; it has no power at all."

Liu Youguang knew very well that Fang Min was just a pretty face and that he couldn't put her in an important position in a powerful department, or she would cause him trouble.

Having no power in the National People's Congress, no one fawned over her, so she could only rely on herself.

Fang Min stood up: "I'm going to take a shower, do you want to?"

Liu Youguang looked at Fang Min with a big smile: "Let's take a bath together."

"I hate you! You only last a minute or two every time, it's so uncomfortable. You should get some Chinese medicine to take."

Despite his advanced age and declining health, Liu Youguang confidently declared, "I've had a friend bring me a miracle drug from America. I'll make you beg for mercy in a minute."

Fang Min said with a disdainful look, "I hope it's not another fake medicine that's completely useless."

"You just wait and see how I deal with you." Liu Youguang stood up.