夤缘

yínyuán

[try to advance one's career by carrying favour with important people; make use of one's connections to climb up] 本指攀附上升, 后喻攀附权贵, 向上巴结

乔松孤立, 萝茑夤缘, 柔附凌云, 岂曰能贤。 --《旧唐书·令孤楚牛僧孺传赞》

夤缘得官