Under normal circumstances, the first-in-command would treat assistants with great propriety.
Although the rank of Vice Director is higher than that of the assistant, in terms of authority, they each have their merits. To be accurate, the assistant to the Dean is akin to a Director Level, comparable to people like Director Tan, Director Xie, and Director Tang Fei.
But behind them stands the Dean; the Director may also be directly accountable to the Dean, but ultimately, there's a subtle difference.
It's akin to the difference between a minister and a close servant.
In ancient times, the person closest to the emperor was surely the chief eunuch; some favored eunuchs not only held official seals but could even approve documents on behalf of the emperor. Ministers, even those holding the position of Prime Minister, rarely received the emperor's trust openly.
