2: Chapter 2 My Senior Brother is the Deputy Mayor

"Senior Sister, you're back."

Sun Ning greeted her, then nonchalantly pulled his arm out from that softness.

It was really because he was in front of his respected teacher.

His bit of audacity vanished without a trace.

"Why doesn't my stinky little brother call me Sister Rou anymore? You're so well-behaved in front of the old man, hee hee..."

Hearing this silver bell-like laughter, Sun Ning was just about to explain.

But he was interrupted by a gentle voice.

It turned out to be the middle-aged man who had come with Shang Rou, who had also passed through the entryway.

"Teacher, Xiao Fengzi has come to see you."

Following the direction of the voice, Sun Ning took the opportunity to size up the middle-aged man before him.

Gao Feng!

Sun Ning's expression turned serious; he was both surprised and delighted by Gao Feng's appearance here.

Thanks to his enhanced memory.

He recognized this person immediately.

Gao Feng, the then-Executive Deputy Mayor of Zhongzhou City, Heyang Province.

It is now October 2004.

Around the beginning of 2005, Gao Feng would be reported by name.

As a result, the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection of Heyang Province would open an investigation into him.

The next day, staff from the Discipline Inspection Commission would search his home and find gold worth 200,000.

Although Gao Feng would consistently tell the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection that he did not know the origin of the gold.

He would be unable to produce evidence to prove his innocence.

Just like that, Gao Feng would be sentenced to one year and eight months in prison for the crime of having a huge amount of assets from unidentified sources.

Until many years later.

After the then-Full-time Deputy Party Secretary of Zhongzhou City, Deputy Secretary Zhao Weicai, fell from grace, the truth finally came to light.

It turned out that at the time, it was the critical moment for the struggle for the mayor's position between the 'outsider' faction, led by Gao Feng, and the 'local' faction, led by Deputy Secretary Zhao Weicai.

Because Gao Feng was in charge of the old city renovation project and his achievements were too prominent, he was frequently praised at the provincial level.

Deputy Secretary Zhao Weicai was afraid that Gao Feng would successfully ascend to the position during the leadership change a year later.

That was why he used some methods to arrange for a 'thief with a conscience' to report Gao Feng by name.

The reason Deputy Secretary Zhao Weicai was so aggressive was because he was reaching the age limit.

If he couldn't move up in this term, he would never be able to touch the threshold of a real-power department-level position in his life.

Not long after the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection working group left, Deputy Secretary Zhao Weicai logically sat on the throne of Mayor of Zhongzhou City.

Later, Deputy Secretary Zhao Weicai was promoted all the way to the position of Party Secretary of Anbei City before his scandal broke and he was investigated.

Sun Ning looked at the middle-aged man in front of him, unable to suppress the excitement in his heart.

My senior fellow apprentice is actually the Executive Deputy Mayor?

Immediately, a thought occurred to him.

Has the struggle reached a white-hot stage?

Has he come seeking help?

Sun Ning knew that by this time, the two had been fighting openly and secretly for the mayor's throne for a long time.

Gao Feng and Deputy Secretary Zhao Weicai each had their own strengths.

Gao Feng was a cadre who came from the Central Government ministries and later worked in developed coastal areas.

To implement the strategy of strengthening the provincial capital, Heyang Province asked the Central Government for talent capable of developing the economy.

After careful consideration, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee recommended this expert in economic development to the Provincial Party Committee.

Just like that, Gao Feng worked in Zhongzhou for three years and achieved quite excellent results.

Gao Feng's support mainly came from his own achievements.

Of course, it was said that there were also high-ranking leaders supporting him.

And Deputy Secretary Zhao Weicai's advantage was undoubtedly the local forces.

Since he started working, he had been deeply rooted in Zhongzhou for decades.

He had worked in powerful departments, the government system, and other sectors.

His disciples and former subordinates had penetrated every aspect of Zhongzhou.

The entire Zhao family also rose with the tide, and descendants of the Zhao family were spread throughout every corner of Zhongzhou.

Moreover, on the surface, Deputy Secretary Zhao Weicai had an air of boldness.

Everyone praised him for not being bound by trifles and for being loyal.

There were also some individuals in various units below who cheered him on.

However, those familiar with the rules of the system knew that the election of a provincial-level mayor mainly depended on decisions from above.

In this regard, Deputy Secretary Zhao Weicai was clearly at a disadvantage.

Sun Ning guessed that the leadership change was about to begin.

With the mayor's throne about to fall to Gao Feng.

That was why Deputy Secretary Zhao Weicai took a risky path.

Elder Shang saw Gao Feng arrive and beckoned to him.

"You came just in time; I was just about to call you."

"Sun Ning, let me introduce you. This is Gao Feng, a graduate student I once taught, who is currently the Deputy Mayor of Zhongzhou City in Heyang Province."

After Elder Shang finished the introduction, Sun Ning hurriedly greeted Gao Feng.

"Xiao Fengzi, this is my final disciple, Sun Ning, from Bianzhou, Heyang Province."

"He is preparing to return home to build his hometown; as his senior fellow apprentice, you should look after him a little."

Sun Ning knew that Elder Shang was introducing a backer for him, and he was very grateful.

As the saying goes, the most important thing in the officialdom is choosing the right side.

If you stand on the wrong side, you will spend your life retiring in some remote corner.

And the ultimate goal of choosing a side is to find a backing stone for yourself.

In his previous life, Sun Ning didn't even have the chance to choose a side; in this life, he wouldn't have to struggle to choose a side.

At this moment, when Gao Feng heard Sun Ning's background, his eyes lit up.

Elder Shang's final disciple—that's not something just anyone can become.

Thinking of himself, he considered himself intelligent, yet when he wanted to become Elder Shang's disciple, he was rejected.

He could only earn his master's degree under Elder Shang.

Now, it was even quite difficult for him to see Elder Shang.

He only dared to enter the door this time because he was brought by the youngest daughter of the Shang family.

The reason for this was Elder Shang's status and personality.

Elder Shang, whose full name is Shang Aiguo, was the former Vice Dean of the School of Economics at Yanjing University.

Later, because he didn't like the busy work of administrative positions, he resigned from the vice deanship to focus on teaching and educating people.

Elder Shang is now the honorary director of an economic research institute and honorary chairman of an academic committee.

He is also a senior government consultant and a recipient of special allowances.

Therefore, although Elder Shang is far from politics, he has always moved within important departments.

The leaders he contacts are existences that many people within the system can never reach in their entire lives.

Therefore, Elder Shang generally turns away those students who have entered politics and come to visit him.

The old man has been upright his whole life and has dealt with academics his whole life.

He does not like that set of welcoming and sending off, nor does he want to ruin his reputation in his later years.

However, Elder Shang loves Sun Ning from the bottom of his heart.

He has always treated Sun Ning like a nephew.

That is why he spoke up to ask for help this time.

However, this attitude of asking for help was indeed a bit dictatorial.

"That's great! Our Heyang Province is in dire need of talent."

"A great talent like Junior Brother returning home will definitely be a hot commodity."

"First, let Junior Brother come to the Comprehensive Section II of the Zhongzhou Municipal Government to work for a while, and when the time is ripe, he can go down to train for a few years."

Gao Feng wanted to say something more, but was interrupted by Shang Rou's exclamation.

"No! Xiao Ningzi, you cannot go to the local level!"

This sentence was blurted out by Shang Rou in her excitement; after saying it, she felt it was inappropriate, and a rare flush appeared on her face.

One must know that she has never been a shy person.

Realizing she had been a bit unseemly, Shang Rou stopped speaking.

However, she moved closer to Sun Ning and kept moving her fingers—soft as silk—around his waist.

Accidentally, her round bosom pressed against Sun Ning's arm again, making Sun Ning secretly enjoy it.

After venting the shyness in her heart, Shang Rou hurriedly asked Elder Shang.

"Father, why not let Sun Ning stay in the ministries for a few more years?"

"With his ability, it won't be a problem for him to strive for a division-level position in three to five years."

"That's much easier than at the local level."