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

Chen Shi moved into the deputy director's office, which made everyone look at him with more respect, and the previous contempt for him disappeared.

Prestige is built up little by little; this is the first step.

Chen Shi sat in his chair and called Xu Linlin, asking her to come to his office.

Soon, there was a knock on the office door.

Chen Shi called out, "Come in."

Xu Linlin walked into the office with a big smile: "Director Chen, you wanted to see me?"

Chen Shi smiled and said, "Sit."

Chen Shi poured Xu Linlin a cup of tea.

"Sister Xu, how long have you worked at the police station?"

Xu Linlin smiled and said, "Including this year, it's been six years."

"Six years has passed; it's time for a promotion."

Xu Linlin's eyes lit up. What did that mean? Was there still room for me to get promoted? There were only two leadership positions in the police station: a station chief and a deputy station chief. Where could I be promoted?

"Director Chen, don't joke around. I have no connections, and I'm afraid I'll never have a chance to be promoted in my life."

Without wasting any words, Chen Shi took out a police station adjustment plan and placed it in front of Xu Linlin.

"Sister Xu, take a look at the documents. This is my plan for personnel adjustments at the police station."

The police station has more personnel than other police stations. As it is a unit directly under the Public Security Bureau, having only two leadership positions—deputy director and director—is far from sufficient.

I would like to adjust the personnel arrangements and set up three groups: the administrative group, the logistics group, and the security group. Under the deputy director, there will be three group leaders who will directly manage the group.

I recommend you as the head of the administrative group. I also recommend Zhang Youcai as the head of the logistics group; he agrees with the plan and has already signed it. The head of the security group is yet to be determined.

Xu Linlin looked at the personnel adjustment plan of the police station and fell into deep thought. She had only been the head of the administrative office before, without a clear position. Everyone was the same; it was just that she was put in charge.

If this personnel adjustment is actually implemented, I will be a genuine administrative team leader, at least a real leader in the police station.

She was also afraid that doing so would offend Wang Jianming, since she was his person and he would act first and report later without prior notice.

Xu Linlin wasn't stupid; he saw through Chen Shi's intentions at a glance. He was preparing to make this a reality, taking the personnel adjustment plan, having all three recommended team leaders sign it, plus his own signature as deputy director, and using it to pressure Wang Jianming into resigning.

He has to agree whether he wants to or not, otherwise he will offend everyone.

If Chen Shi were to directly discuss this personnel adjustment plan with Wang Jianming, Wang Jianming would undoubtedly reject it outright.

What does this mean? As soon as he takes office, he wants to make personnel changes, trying to seize power and establish his authority.

Looking at Zhang Youcai's signature, Xu Linlin knew that Zhang Youcai had already sided with Chen Shi. She was different; she had always been Wang Jianming's man. For the sake of a leadership position, should she betray Wang Jianming, or should she tell him in advance so that he could be prepared?

Chen Shi saw through Xu Linlin's thoughts and smiled, saying, "Sister Xu, if you want to advance in the system, you shouldn't be afraid of offending people."

This personnel adjustment plan is not substantial; you will still be doing the same work. It's just giving you a title. I believe Wang will not object.

Many people at the police station want this title, Sister Xu should think it over carefully.

Xu Linlin knew that Chen Shi was warning her that if she didn't sign, he would immediately find a suitable person to replace her.

Chen Shi is the deputy director and has a certain amount of influence in the police station. He is trying to secure benefits for everyone, which will easily gain their support.

Even if Wang Jianming disagreed a thousand times, he had no choice but to agree. As the head of the police station, he couldn't afford to incur the wrath of the public.

On second thought, the head of this administrative group, just like the person I'm doing now, has no real power, but is nominally a leader.

This might be the closest I've ever come to a leadership position, so I gritted my teeth and knew I couldn't let the opportunity slip by.

He had not sided with Chen Shi and remained Wang Jianming's man; he could explain this gradually.

At the same time, she was grateful to Chen Shi and remembered this favor.

I'll sign.

Chen Shi handed the pen to Xu Linlin. As he expected, within the system, there was no one who didn't want to be a leader, even if it was just a nominal one.

After seeing Xu Linlin off, Chen Shi held the personnel adjustment plan. As long as he could get Ma Guoliang on board that night, his prestige in the police station would be established, and his position as deputy director would be secure.

This personnel adjustment plan essentially changes nothing about the police station and poses no threat to Wang Jianming.

Xu Linlin from the administrative team and Ma Guoliang from the security team were both Wang Jianming's men. He was just going along with it and doing them a favor, making them owe him one.

The logistics team had always been under the deputy director's management, and Zhang Youcai had become one of his men without overstepping his bounds.

He abided by the police station's rules and made appropriate adjustments within those rules. Wang Jianming was not satisfied, but he couldn't find fault with him.

As the deputy director, I did not offend his authority as the director.

That evening, in a private room at Chunlai Restaurant, Ma Guoliang had a gloomy expression and was wary of Chen Shi.

His expression was tense, and he stared intently at Chen Shi.

Chen Shi poured Ma Guoliang a glass of wine and said with a smile, "Don't be so serious. We don't have any deep-seated hatred. You feel that I took your position as deputy director, but when did this deputy director position become yours?"

You never had it.

Ma Guoliang coldly said, "If you hadn't snatched it, this deputy director position would have been mine."

Chen Shi sneered, "You're too confident. Wang Jianming can't make the decision on this. One phone call from above and Wang Jianming will immediately change his recommendation to me."

It's unwise of you to put all your eggs in one basket with Wang Jianming. Even if I weren't involved this time, someone else would have stepped in.

Wang Jianming wasn't sure what to do, which is why he didn't dare accept your gift. It wasn't that he didn't want to accept it, but he was afraid that things wouldn't go smoothly, and accepting your gift would put him in an awkward position.

Ma Guoliang looked at Chen Shi with suspicion. How did he know that Wang Jianming hadn't accepted his gift?

He gave Wang Jianming gifts twice, but Wang Jianming refused to accept them, assuming that Wang thought they were too small.

Chen Shi noticed Ma Guoliang's confusion but offered no explanation. Leaders should be a little mysterious. Don't worry about how I know; I know, and that's enough. Don't try to fool me.

Actually, it's quite simple. Leaders are all extremely shrewd. They dare not accept gifts, especially in rural areas, if they are unsure about something. If they accept a gift and something goes wrong, and they don't return it, others might hold a grudge and report them. It would be a losing proposition.

Returning it would be a loss of face. Where is the leader's authority? Returning a gift that has been accepted is like slapping the leader in the face.

They often don't accept gifts if they're unsure. If it works out, it's my credit, and you thank me. If it doesn't work out, you won't complain, and I won't accept your gift, so it's not my fault.

That's how Ma Guoliang is now. He can't blame Wang Jianming even if he wants to. Wang Jianming didn't accept his gift, so even if he's angry, he can't take it out on him.

If Ma Guoliang accepted the gift, he would have the confidence to question Wang Jianming, and at the same time, he would have leverage over Wang Jianming: "If you don't give me the position of deputy director, you'll have to give back what you've taken."

In front of Ma Guoliang, Wang Jianming's authority vanished completely.

Gifts are not easy to accept, and that's where Wang Jianming's brilliance lies. He never accepts gifts in advance that are not within his control.