The low-key prince summons trainees from the Imperial Household Department at the start of the game.

April 22nd, 24th year of Yonghe.

The practical arrangements for the princes, agreed upon by the Ministry of Personnel in consultation with other ministries, were officially issued.

The documents were transmitted to various government offices in the form of imperial edicts approved by the Directorate of Ceremonial.

In addition to overseeing government affairs in the cabinet, the eldest prince Zhou Cong also served as the Director of the Revenue Department of the Ministry of Revenue, in charge of auditing the accounts of taxes levied throughout the country.

In addition to assisting with military affairs in the Grand Commandant's office, the Second Prince Zhou Xun also served as the Director of the Military Affairs Department of the Ministry of War, in charge of maps, military intelligence, and border defense reports.

The third prince, Zhou Ying, concurrently served as the supervisor of the Imperial Horse Administration and went to the Ministry of Personnel's Performance Evaluation Department to observe government affairs.

The fourth prince, Zhou Bin, was appointed as the Director of the Construction Department of the Ministry of Works.

The fifth prince, Zhou Gui, was appointed as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Revenue.

The sixth prince, Zhou Ke, was appointed as the Director of the Department of Rites.

Princes below the seventh prince's age, being under fourteen, were not assigned practical duties and remained in the palace to study.

The release of this list caused an uproar in the imperial court.

The focus of the uproar was not on the eldest and second princes.

They had already established themselves in their respective fields, and this appointment was merely icing on the cake.

What truly made the courtiers drop their teacups was the third name on the list.

The Third Prince Zhou Ying, a figure almost forgotten by the entire court, actually obtained two positions at the same time.

Supervisor of the Imperial Horse Administration, and Observer of the Performance Evaluation Department of the Ministry of Personnel.

The former was one of the most powerful government offices in the inner court, in charge of the allocation of military equipment and provisions for the imperial guards.

The latter is the most sensitive personnel assessment agency among the six ministries, and all officials' promotions and assessments must go through the Assessment and Evaluation Department.

What's even more intriguing is that his father, Liu Wenzhao, received his transfer order on the same day the list was issued.

He was transferred from Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites to Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.

Zhou Bangyan, who was originally above him, was transferred to the Imperial Academy as Chancellor. His rank remained the same, but he was moved from a powerful position to a lowly office.

This transfer order made everyone understand one thing.

The Third Prince is no longer the obscure prince that no one pays attention to.

The root of all this was simply that Emperor Wu of Zhou had a casual meal at Ningcui Pavilion.

In the days following the issuance of the appointment, people lined up at the alley entrance to deliver gifts to the Third Prince's residence.

Some people handed in their business cards, some asked others to pass on messages through connections, and some even waited at the door with gift boxes in hand.

The Third Prince refused to see anyone, only instructing his old servant to leave a note at the door.

"He is recuperating and refusing visitors."

But the note couldn't stop those cats who smelled fish, nor could it stop them from trying every means to curry favor with this newly popular celebrity.

For the first time ever, several senior officials from the Ministry of Personnel's Performance Evaluation Department volunteered to compile the performance evaluation files of Beijing officials in recent years for him.

Several heads of the Imperial Horse Stables even personally visited to deliver the inventory list of equipment, their attitude so respectful it was as if they had changed their demeanor.

Inside the Grand Tutor's residence, Kong Yan and the eldest prince Zhou Cong faced each other across the tea table in silence, a silence that had lasted for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

The tea in front of Zhou Cong had long since gone cold, but he was completely unaware of it, staring blankly at the list issued by the Ministry of Personnel.

The handwriting on the list was neat and the names were all short.

But the name "Third Prince Zhou Ying" was like a fine needle stuck in his eye, impossible to pull out or rub away.

"Supervisor of the Imperial Horse Stables, and Inspector of the Ministry of Personnel's Performance Evaluation Department." He finally spoke, his voice strained with barely suppressed emotion, "What does the Grand Tutor think of these two positions?"

Kong Yan twirled the prayer beads, one by one, slowly and deliberately.

He could practically recite that list by heart, but when he heard Zhou Cong's question, he didn't answer immediately. Instead, he picked up his teacup and took a sip.

The tea was cold, but he seemed unconcerned. After setting down the teacup, he slowly asked, "What did Your Highness see?"

"Father is promoting my third brother. The Imperial Horse Administration is in charge of the weapons and provisions of the Imperial Guards, and the Performance Evaluation Office is in charge of the promotion and assessment of all officials."

"Placing either of these positions in the hands of any prince would be a signal that he is about to rise to prominence."

Kong Yan nodded slightly, then shook his head slightly: "Your Highness only saw the first level."

"The position of Director of the Imperial Horse Stables sounds prestigious, but the Imperial Horse Stables Commander-in-Chief, Eunuch Hai Dafu, is still in office, and his deputy, Zheng He, is a cautious and prudent person."

"The Third Prince's appointment as supervisor may seem glamorous, but in reality, he is being suppressed by Hai Dafu above and Zheng He below. The number of people he can mobilize and the amount of money he can allocate are limited."

"As for the Ministry of Personnel's Performance Evaluation Office's 'Observation of Governance,' 'Observation' does not mean taking charge of governance; 'observation' means watching, while 'governance' is done by others."

"He can observe but not approve, discuss but not decide. This is His Majesty giving him an opportunity to learn, not giving him power to use."

He paused, placed the prayer beads on the table, and raised his cloudy yet still sharp eyes to look directly at Zhou Cong: "But the most brilliant part of Your Majesty's move is not what it gave the Third Prince, but what signal it gave to the court officials."

"Your Highness, think about what situation the Third Prince was in before? His mother had fallen out of favor, his maternal family was in decline, and he was insignificant among the seventeen princes."

"But His Majesty only went to Ningcui Pavilion for a meal and approved a memorial, and the Third Prince went from being ignored to having a bustling crowd."

"What does this show? It shows that those people in the court don't see the Third Prince's abilities, but rather His Majesty's good intentions."

"What they truly fear is not the Third Prince, but the unpredictable nature of His Majesty's heart."

"But that's exactly what I'm most worried about." Zhou Cong's voice suddenly lowered, so low that only the two of them could hear it. "No one knows what Father Emperor talked about with Third Brother when he went to Ningcui Pavilion for dinner."

"But after that meal, my third brother was completely transformed. He was appointed to the Ministry of Personnel's Performance Evaluation Office, which is exactly what the Grand Tutor was talking about. He can see everyone's performance evaluation files."

"With so many disciples and former subordinates under the Grand Tutor, each one's promotion and assessment must go through the Examination and Evaluation Department. If Third Brother is just taking a look, that's fine, but if he has any ulterior motives..."

"He can't move." Kong Yan's tone was firm, but his next sentence left room for interpretation, "At least not for now."

"Feng Nianwen, the Director of the Personnel Evaluation Department of the Ministry of Personnel, is a protégé of the old minister. He is upright and incorruptible and will not flatter the prince just because he is observing politics."

"But just as Your Highness feared, the Third Prince's move has indeed reached a point where it should not be underestimated."

"This man has endured for many years, and now that he has gained power, he is no ordinary person. His Majesty uses him to keep the two princes in check."

"This is the art of imperial strategy, a calculated move. Your Highness cannot and should not be hasty."

Zhou Cong remained silent for a long time, then drank the cooled tea in one gulp, put down the teacup, and stood up.

He suddenly remembered something his father had said in the imperial study that day.

"Get them moving, I'm watching."

He slowly exhaled: "The Grand Tutor is right. I shouldn't have been in such a hurry. My father is watching, so I'll let him watch."