“Who?” Chen Feng asked instinctively.
“Who else? Of course, it’s the top leader of the provincial capital, Xiang Wentian. In the provincial capital, there’s nothing Xiang Wentian can’t handle,” Zhou Kewang explained with a smile.
“Old Zhou, is there any way to bypass Xiang Wentian?” Chen Feng was slightly stunned. He was very familiar with Xiang Wentian. However, having just met him through the Japanese investment group, rushing to ask Xiang Wentian for favors now would surely displease him, making the request appear too opportunistic.
“What? You know each other?” Zhou Kewang asked curiously. Chen Feng didn’t conceal anything and directly recounted the previous incident with the Japanese investment group to Zhou Kewang.
“Chen Feng, I never imagined you’d have grown this much? In my impression, for years, no one below the provincial capital, including the provincial capital itself, has ever satisfied Xiang Wentian. To think that you actually pleased him greatly not long ago. Your capabilities truly shock me. Your consideration is correct; you’ve only recently gotten familiar with Xiang Wentian, and seeking his help at this moment is indeed untimely. Forget Xiang Wentian, anyone would find it distasteful.” Zhou Kewang said earnestly.
“That makes sense, but the problem is, if we don’t involve Xiang Wentian in Cui Yali’s matter, who else can we turn to?” Chen Feng pressed.
“You could approach that person, but your personality doesn’t seem to suit dealing with him…” Zhou Kewang frowned.
“As long as it helps Cui Yali, I’m willing to approach anyone,” Chen Feng stated immediately.
“Chen Feng, I’ve known you for more than a year or two, and I understand your character well. You are kind-hearted, but the person I need you to approach is rather wicked at heart, and I suspect you wouldn’t like dealing with such a person…” Zhou Kewang replied with a hint of difficulty. He was merely the head of the provincial Development and Reform Commission and couldn’t truly manage matters concerning the provincial Personnel Department. In the provincial Personnel Department, only Xiang Wentian and that other person held sway. However, Chen Feng couldn’t touch Xiang Wentian’s network prematurely. Xiang Wentian, as the provincial capital’s top leader, was Chen Feng’s most important connection, and one shouldn’t exploit it too early unless absolutely necessary. Furthermore, the provincial capital’s top leader strongly disliked people constantly asking him for favors. Then there was that other person. That person was none other than the provincial capital’s second-in-command, in charge of finance. The smooth operation of the provincial Personnel Department’s work depended on his nod. Therefore, changing the head of the provincial Personnel Department was difficult without his approval.
“Old Zhou, are you referring to the provincial capital’s second-in-command, Wang Hai?” Chen Feng tentatively asked.
“Yes, it’s Wang Hai. In the entire provincial capital, apart from Xiang Wentian, Wang Hai is the second most influential. However, Wang Hai is quite peculiar, and given your personality, you likely wouldn’t enjoy dealing with someone like him,” Old Zhou said sheepishly. He had been saved by Chen Feng and had been looking for an opportunity to repay his benefactor. Yet, Chen Feng had never sought his help. When he finally did, he realized he could no longer assist Chen Feng. One had to admit, this young man, Chen Feng, was growing truly fast. The circles of power Chen Feng was now involved in surpassed even his own as the head of the provincial Development and Reform Commission.
“Old Zhou, you worry too much. Having been in the political arena for so many years, I deeply understand one principle. In politics, if one were only kind and upright, they would have long been squeezed out of existence. To navigate politics successfully, one must be both righteous and unprincipled.” Chen Feng replied earnestly.
“You mean you’ve also done unscrupulous things?” Zhou Kewang asked curiously. He had always thought Chen Feng was solely righteous and kind, but today he discovered otherwise.
“Is demanding money from businessmen considered unscrupulous?” Chen Feng didn’t hide anything. Zhou Kewang was his friend, and there was nothing to conceal.
“You mean you also accept money?” Zhou Kewang asked in shock.
“Yes, of course, I do. Old Zhou, as an experienced veteran in politics, you must know that without money to pave the way, advancement is impossible, no matter how capable one is! It’s like in university; the ones who get national scholarships are never the ones with the best grades, but rather female students who use money or their bodies to build connections. Especially in my situation, starting as a village leader’s driver, I need money even more to forge ahead. And if I’m paving the way with money, then I need to earn money…” Chen Feng explained word by word.
Zhou Kewang was impressed. He had previously worried that Chen Feng, this young man, was too upright for politics, but it turned out to be unfounded concern.
“Chen Feng, a follow-up question: Aren’t you afraid of being called a corrupt official for actively soliciting money from businessmen?” Zhou Kewang asked intentionally.
“I’m not afraid. As long as I am true to the people, I don’t care about being called a bad official by the wealthy. To be honest, if the rich call me a good official, then I’d truly be afraid,” Chen Feng said with a smile.
“What? You’d be afraid if the rich called you a good official?” Zhou Kewang asked back curiously.
“Old Zhou, think about it. If the rich call me a good official, it means I don’t take their money. But the way the rich get things done is by throwing money around. If I don’t take their money, it’s equivalent to thwarting their methods, and would they tolerate me remaining in politics? Definitely not. In this way, they’d try to push me out of the political arena. To put it bluntly, the more they curse me as a bad official, the more they actually like me.”
“Chen Feng, Chen Feng, you’ve mastered these little tricks of the political arena. In that case, I have no worries about you dealing with Wang Hai.” Zhou Kewang’s heavy burden was finally lifted.
“By the way, Old Zhou, do you know if Wang Hai and Xiang Wentian are in the same faction?” Chen Feng asked earnestly and tentatively.
“What do you mean?” Zhou Kewang was momentarily taken aback. Wasn’t it straightforward to seek someone’s help? Why was he asking about factions?
“Old Zhou, you are a seasoned veteran in politics, and you should know the unwritten rules of the arena. If Wang Hai and Xiang Wentian are not in the same faction, it means they stand on different sides. If I seek Wang Hai’s help now, it would mean I’m not aligning with Xiang Wentian. What is the most terrifying thing in politics? It’s standing on the wrong side. Throughout Chinese history, how many powerful officials were exterminated along with their entire families precisely because they chose the wrong allegiance?” Chen Feng said with a solemn expression.
“Chen Feng, if you hadn’t reminded me, I would have truly forgotten this important matter. However, rest assured, Wang Hai and Xiang Wentian are in the same faction. To put it plainly, Xiang Wentian plays the good cop, presenting a clean image, while Wang Hai plays the bad cop, acting corrupt. In the end, they split the illicit gains.” Zhou Kewang explained.
“Old Zhou, since you say so, I’m relieved. By the way, Old Zhou, besides money, what else does Wang Hai like?” Chen Feng asked opportunistically.
“Isn’t money enough?” Zhou Kewang was stunned. Was he getting old? His views on many issues no longer kept pace with Chen Feng’s.
“For ordinary official positions, indeed, money is sufficient. However, the provincial Personnel Department is a very important department in the provincial political arena. It’s not just about money; I estimate it might require a token of loyalty…” Chen Feng explained word by word.