Chapter Thirty: One Punch Knocks Down Two Chiefs

  Although Ye Ming has been working for four or five years, he has always had a nonchalant attitude towards promotion and advancement, with a somewhat passive tone of waiting for opportunities to come to him. As a result, he has never thought about or studied how to get close to his leaders or how to entertain them with gifts and banquets.

  At this moment, he saw Xu Fei say so definitely and confidently, and asked with great interest: "Director Xu, you know that I am a complete outsider in the official circle, with no experience or experience. I would like to ask boldly: for a leader like Secretary Li who is iron-faced and impartial, never accepting any gifts or money, what method do you have to get close to him and let him call Director Xia to promote your issue?"

  Xu Fei thought for a moment, then slowly said: "Xiao Ye, have you read the book 'The Second-in-Command'? The author of this book has a theme that runs throughout the entire book: being an official is a technical skill! Since it's a technical skill, there must be some methods and techniques. And these methods and techniques can be borrowed from and referenced by others."

  He looked at Ye Ming and said in a tone of gentle persuasion: "Let me tell you something. No matter how big an official is, no matter how he talks about principles or being iron-faced and impartial, at the end of the day, he is still just a person. And as long as he's a person, he'll have emotions and desires, joys and sorrows, and definitely weaknesses. Those who are good at currying favor, running relationships, and getting along with leaders, they're actually just figuring out what makes their leaders tick, seeing through the things they deliberately hide - their likes and dislikes. These likes and dislikes vary from person to person: some like women, some like money, some like to be refined and elegant, some like to seek fame and reputation...

  And the leader's preferences and private desires can be said to be the easiest weak points to break through in their carefully constructed strongholds, just like a martial artist's most vulnerable spot. Those who are good at running relationships and flattering leaders often start from these weaknesses: if they like women, send them beauties; if they like money, send them silver; if they like being elegant, send them calligraphy, paintings, and antiques; if they like to seek fame and reputation, promote and publicize for them... In short, wherever the leader itches, your hand will scratch there, making sure to scratch until he is comfortable and satisfied. Eventually, without realizing it, he will take you as his confidant and be willing to trust and promote you...

  Ye Ming nodded as if he understood, and asked: "From my understanding of Secretary Li, this man's lifestyle is simple and strict, with no bad habits, and he is strict with himself, clean and honest. He doesn't love money or beauty, and seems to look down on honor and fame. So, for a leader like him, where is his weakness? If you want to get close to him, where should you start?"

  Xu Fei nodded and said, "I've thought about this question a long time ago. I just reminded you: any leader, at the end of the day, is a person with seven emotions and six desires, and will definitely have weaknesses and vulnerabilities. As for Secretary Li, he is indeed strict with himself, upright and honest. If you try to gain his trust through wining and dining, giving gifts, or flattering him, it will definitely backfire. However, from what I know, he has two obvious soft spots: one is that he values emotions too much, and clearly distinguishes between gratitude and resentment; the other is that he is extremely filial to his mother, almost never going against her words..."

  Ye Ming interrupted him in surprise, "Director Xu, I don't quite understand this: being sentimental, knowing how to repay kindness, and being filial to one's parents are all virtues, so why have they become Secretary Li's weaknesses?"

  "I didn't say that's his weakness. What I mean is: these are the weaknesses and vulnerabilities that he can easily be attacked on. Because he values emotions and returns kindness, that's why I asked you to take me to meet him. If I had another official who knows him take me there, he probably wouldn't pay attention to me, or might even be disgusted with me. But if you take me, it will have a different effect: we are friends and brothers, and he has a grateful heart towards you. With the psychology of loving the house and its crow, I accompany you as your brother to visit him, he absolutely won't be disgusted, and might even be very happy."

  "Secondly, in the process of interacting with Secretary Li, we can consciously get close to his mother, understand her situation, and see if she has any special hobbies or habits. We can indirectly satisfy Secretary Li's wish for his mother to be happy through ways that delight the old lady. And this wish is also one of his weaknesses."

  Up to this point, Ye Ming finally understood Xu Fei's idea and thought process, and couldn't help but admire him: no wonder he was able to sit in a deputy department-level position at the age of thirty, indeed he is a capable person in the official circle...

  "Director Xu, I have another question: Why did the provincial bureau suddenly want to move Director Qiu of K City Local Taxation Bureau this time? Moreover, transferring Director Qiu from a municipal bureau head to be the director of the Salary Unified Distribution Center, although it's a lateral transfer, but the difference in authority between the two positions is too great. Why is that?"

  Xu Fei smiled and said, "As far as I know, this personnel adjustment has a great deal to do with you, little brother. It can be said that your anger led to a severe beating of your bureau chief, resulting in the downfall of two chiefs, and possibly even more people will be implicated. Little brother, your fists are very powerful, haha!"

  Jian Ye Ming had a mysterious expression on his face, and Xu Fei explained: "I heard from my friends in the Supervision Room that Secretary Li Runji personally called Director Xia to request that the Provincial Bureau cooperate with the Discipline Inspection Commission and the Procuratorate to conduct a thorough investigation into the illegal activities of Li Li, the head of Xinleng County. After receiving Secretary Li's phone call, Director Xia did not dare to delay and immediately convened a Party Group meeting to study the matter. Because someone had previously reflected that Li Li was a trusted aide promoted by Qi Shunming, the head of K City Taxation Bureau, in order to prevent interference from Qi Shunming and the K City Taxation Bureau during the investigation process, the Provincial Bureau's Party Group made a swift decision to transfer Qi Shunming away. According to my estimation, if Li Li is found to have serious disciplinary and legal violations, then Qi Shunming will definitely not be able to escape responsibility. At that time, it may be difficult for him to keep his position as the head of the Salary Distribution Center. If things go badly, he may even face imprisonment. That's why I said you knocked out two bureau heads with one punch."

  Ye Ming thought of Li Li's various ugly deeds and said with a sigh of relief: "It serves him right! A troublemaker like Li Li should be eliminated early on, so as not to affect the overall image of the land tax. It seems that my previous beating was well-deserved, it showed momentum, it showed level, it showed effectiveness... Haha!"

  The next morning at 7:30, Ye Ming made a phone call to Li Runji in front of Xu Fei, asking him how he was and whether he was in the hospital.

  Li Runji said with great joy: "Xiaoye, I've already returned home to rest, right inside the provincial tax bureau's family dormitory. The reason I want you to come over is that my mother must see you, this good kid who saved my life. You'll come over later and we'll have breakfast together at my place."

  Xu Fei heard that Li Runji's mother had to meet Ye Ming, so he took Ye Ming to the provincial bureau's family courtyard.