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

Chen Shi and Jiang Yiqiu stayed overnight in the municipal party committee compound. Chen Shi got up very early and did not sleep in as usual.

Wang Mingzhang got up even earlier. By the time Chen Shi got up, he had already run back, and Zhang Kai was already waiting for him in the municipal party committee compound.

Chen Shi smiled and greeted Zhang Kai. Being a leader's secretary isn't easy; getting up so early to wait for the leader to go to work.

Wang Mingzhang didn't eat breakfast at home. He went upstairs to change his clothes and then came downstairs.

Chen Shi stood to the side and said, "Uncle, you have to go to work so early?"

"Today is your first day of work, so go home early."

Chen Shi quickly said, "I'll go back in a bit."

After seeing Wang Mingzhang off, Li Nan asked the nanny, Xiao Chen, to make breakfast. Chen Shi and Jiang Yiqiu ate breakfast, and Yang Bin's car was already waiting at the municipal party committee compound.

Li Nan said, "It's the first day back to work after the New Year. Nothing much to do. I'll go home a little later, have lunch first."

Chen Shi said, "Auntie, we're not eating anymore. We're going back with you. The government has a lot of things to deal with before the New Year, but they've been put on hold during the Spring Festival."

Li Nan saw Chen Shi and Jiang Yiqiu off to their car. Jiang Yiqiu said, "Auntie, we'll come to see you again when we have time."

"Come straight to my home in Mingzhou," Li Nan said with a smile, waving goodbye to Chen Shi and Jiang Yiqiu.

Back in Chunyang, Chen Shi went to work at the county government, Jiang Yiqiu went home, and the school would officially reopen in a few days.

On the first day back at work, everyone was out of sorts. In a small place like Chunyang County, the New Year celebrations wouldn't be over until after the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and people would officially start working.

During the few days he was at work, Chen Shi was basically drunk every day, treating each other to drinks.

On the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, the county party committee held an enlarged meeting to begin planning for the new year's work.

After the meeting, Chen Shi returned to his office. He had a heavy task: to go to the provincial capital to get approval for the expressway, but there had been no progress.

Chen Shi checked the relevant officials in the province and found a familiar name: Zhu Xiaoyong, the vice governor, who also served as the director of the provincial development and reform commission and was in charge of the transportation department.

As long as Zhu Xiaoyong is dealt with, there won't be any problems with the highway approval.

Chen Shi suddenly remembered that the name sounded familiar. Zhu Xiaoyong's son, Zhu Tong, was Wang Lingze's boyfriend. Could this be a starting point?

He quickly dismissed the idea, saying that Zhu Tong was just a kid, and he wouldn't be able to connect with Zhu Xiaoyong at all.

Chen Shi racked his brains for a while but couldn't come up with a good solution; it was already time to leave work.

I'm not going to think about it anymore. I'll just take it one step at a time. I'll go to Yizhou tomorrow and try to see Zhu Xiaoyong first.

The next morning, Chen Shi arrived at the office, where Xie Shanquan was already waiting.

Chen Shi first checked for any important political news. After reading the news, he said to Xie Shanquan, "Xiao Xie, I need to go to the provincial capital to get the highway project approved. You don't need to come with me. I'll assign you a few tasks."

Xie Shanquan quickly took out his notebook and waited for Chen Shi's instructions.

"Please follow up on the progress of the land mortgage loan for Chunyang Urban Development Co., Ltd., and make sure Duan Yanping implements it as soon as possible. The loan of 700 million yuan should be approved before March."

The construction progress of the dilapidated housing renovation project needs to be monitored. The county government's 2014 economic report needs to be completed in the next few days, along with the economic reports from the last two or three years.

Xie Shanquan quickly jotted down Chen Shi's speech in his notebook.

After assigning the tasks, Chen Shi said, "Have Yang Bin drive over; I need to go to Yizhou now."

Xie Shanquan called Yang Bin and asked him to wait at the door.

Chen Shi put the documents into his briefcase. Xie Shanquan stepped forward, picked up the briefcase, took Chen Shi's thermos, filled it with water, and saw Chen Shi into the car.

Chen Shi took a nap in the carriage and didn't wake up until they reached Yizhou. Yang Bin asked, "County Chief Chen, where are we going?"

Chen Shi thought for a moment: "Let's find a hotel near the provincial government and stay there first."

Yang Bin drove to a hotel about one kilometer from the provincial government and stopped. Chen Shi got out of the car, checked into a room, and went to rest.

He didn't know anyone in the provincial government. When he went in to report to Zhu Xiaoyong, he didn't even know who to call.

Chen Shi checked Zhu Xiaoyong's ranking in the provincial government. His ranking was relatively high, and he would be next after the executive vice governor.

Among the several vice governors, he ranked second. The First Comprehensive Division of the Provincial Government Office serves Governor Fu Liang. Following this order, the Third Comprehensive Division should serve Zhu Xiaoyong.

Chen Shi found the office phone number of the Third Comprehensive Division of the Provincial Government Office and called it.

It took more than ten seconds for the call to connect.

Chen Shi, with a broad smile, said, "Hello, is this the Third Comprehensive Division of the Provincial Government Office?"

"This is the Third Comprehensive Division of the General Office. Who are you looking for?"

"I am Chen Shi, the executive deputy county head of Chunyang County. I would like to see Governor Zhu and report on the situation in Chunyang County to him."

"Governor Zhu is very busy. If you have something to report, you can report to your mayor. If your mayor thinks it is necessary to report to the province, then your mayor can do so."

Before Chen Shi could say anything more, the other end of the phone had already hung up.

Even a county magistrate isn't qualified to report to the provincial governor, let alone a deputy one.

Directly contacting Zhu Xiaoyong wouldn't work, so Chen Shi thought of his classmate Xiao Xiao from the Party School, who was said to be the head of the General Affairs Section of the Provincial Government Office.

The provincial government's office is the General Office, not the General Office. We should ask Ding Yi about the situation. Xiao Xiao has a better relationship with Ding Yi, so we should know which department he works in within the provincial government.

Having no connection with Chen Shi, he went directly to Xiao Xiao but couldn't get a word in.

Chen Shi took out his phone and called Ding Yi.

Director Ding

"Chen County Magistrate, what are your instructions?"

"How could I dare to give instructions? Are you free tonight? I'm in Yizhou, let's go out for a couple of drinks."

"I've been drinking a lot lately, and I can't drink anymore. Come on up here and keep me company, I'll just have one drink."

"Director Ding, I'll drink alcohol, and you can have tea. Is that alright?"

"You shouldn't drink alcohol either, let's have tea together."

Ding Yi asked, "What important matter have you come to Yizhou to undertake?"

"Director Ding, you understand me best. I'm under a lot of pressure right now. The Party Secretary put me in full charge of the highway construction project. The highway project approval was submitted to the province, but there's been no follow-up. I came here to see the relevant leaders and report on the situation in Chunyang."

I'm not familiar with the provincial government; I can't even get in the door. Director Ding, do you know which department Xiao Xiao works in?

"Xiao Xiao is currently the deputy director of the Fifth Comprehensive Division of the General Office of the Provincial Government."

"Director Ding, please invite Xiao Xiao out for a couple of drinks tonight. Ask him to help us see if he can meet with the relevant leaders and report on our work."

"We're classmates. Let's invite him over tonight. I'm not familiar with the provincial government, so I can't help you there."

"Director Ding, you're being too polite. Your invitation to Xiao Xiao to dinner is a huge help to me."

"I have something to do. Can you arrange a place and send me the address? I'll talk to Xiao Xiao."

Chen Shi thanked him repeatedly and hung up the phone.