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

On the Grand Commandant's training ground, the flashes of swords were like snow.

The Second Prince, Zhou Xun, was engaged in a fierce battle with several sparring guards, wielding his unsharpened heavy sword with impressive skill.

He had just kicked over the weapon rack on the sidelines, scattering spears and short knives all over the ground.

The guards accompanying the sparring dared not step forward, nor retreat too far, and could only stand at the edge of the training ground, caught in a dilemma.

Zhou Jing stood on the sidelines, leaning on his bamboo cane, watching Zhou Xun vent his anger without saying a word.

Only after he cleaved the last wooden stake in two with a single stroke, panting heavily as he leaned on his sword, did he slowly walk forward and wave his hand to dismiss the guards.

"Finished venting?" Zhou Xun gasped for breath, sweat dripping from his chin onto the ground, staining a small dark patch on the blue brick.

He wiped the sweat from his face with the back of his hand, his voice hoarse: "Master, you're right, Third Brother is the biggest variable."

"The head of the Imperial Horse Stables! The Imperial Horse Stables! Hai Dafu is a distant relative of my mother, yet Father Emperor insisted on placing my third brother there. Isn't this clearly an attempt to allow my third brother to cultivate his own power within the Imperial Horse Stables?"

"And then there's the Ministry of Personnel's Performance Evaluation Office, which reviews everyone's performance evaluation files. All the people in my Grand Commandant's office are under his nose!"

"What's the panic?" Zhou Jing's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a heavy hammer hitting Zhou Xun's heart, instantly cooling his irritable emotions. "Let me ask you, what can the Third Prince see at the Imperial Horse Stable? He can see the account books, the equipment inventory, and the grain and fodder allocation."

"The Grand Commandant's office also has these things. The maps and military reports of the Ministry of War's Bureau of Military Affairs are now under your control. You may be afraid that he will see through your secrets, but you can also see through his secrets."

"As for the Performance Evaluation Office's review of performance records, can't you do the same? His Majesty appointed you concurrently as the Director of the Bureau of Personnel Administration so that you could know yourself and your enemy."

"The Bureau of Military Affairs is in charge of military intelligence throughout the land. You hold this powerful tool in your hands, yet you're wasting your time struggling with a few wooden stakes. What kind of ambition is that?"

Zhou Xun slammed the heavy knife into the ground, straightened up, and his breathing gradually became steady.

He stared at the scattered remains of wooden stakes for a long time in silence, then bent down, pulled out the heavy sword, put it back on the weapon rack, walked to the stone bench, picked up the water bag, and took several large gulps.

The icy well water flowed down my throat, extinguishing the nameless fire in my heart.

Zhou Jing walked to his side, leaning on his bamboo cane, and softened his tone: "You're worried that the rise of the Third Prince will weaken your power."

"But looking at it from another angle, your eldest brother is having an even bigger headache than you are right now. Who is most affected by the Third Prince's observation of the government at the Ministry of Personnel's Performance Evaluation Office?"

"It's because the Grand Tutor has disciples and former officials spread throughout the Six Ministries that they're having a headache."

Zhou Xun put down the water pouch, lost in thought. After a moment, a cold smile appeared on his lips. He picked up a cloth from the ground and wiped his hands: "Let them have a headache."

Seeing that he had finally calmed down, Zhou Jing nodded slightly, turned around and walked towards the study with his bamboo cane. When he reached the edge of the training ground, he stopped and turned back: "Tomorrow, go to the Ministry of War's Department of Military Affairs and retrieve the files that your third brother wants to see."

"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. If His Highness puts you on the defensive, then turn that defensiveness into initiative."

Zhou Xun nodded, bent down to pick up the weapons scattered on the ground and put them back on the shelf one by one. His movements were unhurried and calm, a stark contrast to his earlier demeanor.

He didn't say much, but just gazed at the palaces layered upon each other in the twilight in the distance, silently reciting something in his heart.

Third brother, you've endured for so many years, yet you suddenly appear at this critical juncture. I'd like to see just how much you're capable of.

Meanwhile, in the study of the mansion in Guihua Lane, Zhou Ying was sitting at her desk reviewing the inventory list of equipment sent by the Imperial Horse Administration.

He looked at the densely packed numbers and entries on the register one by one, sometimes making a small mark on the side with a vermilion pen, and sometimes stopping to write a few words on another piece of paper.

Suddenly, Qiu Wu's voice came from outside the door: "Your Highness, Chief Shangguan requests an audience."

Zhou Ying looked up, closed the inventory list, and placed it aside: "Let him in."

When Shangguan Jin Hong pushed open the door, he was still wearing that coarse cloth short brown outfit, but after entering, he respectfully clasped his hands in a salute.

Zhou Ying gestured for him to sit down, her gaze lingering for a moment on his calm face before she suddenly asked, "How many of the Imperial Horse Stables' munitions inventory records have your men handled at the docks?"

Shangguan Jinhong sat down in the chair, took the tea that Zhou Ying handed her, and took a sip.

He answered truthfully that he had handled about a dozen batches of military equipment from the Imperial Horse Administration that year, mainly bows and arrows transported from the capital to various towns in the northern border region, all of which had seals and escort documents from the Imperial Horse Administration.

He personally signs off on and inspects every batch of goods, and the delivery slips are locked in a metal cabinet in the dispatch room, which can be accessed at any time.

Zhou Ying gently placed the teapot on the tea tray, looked up at him, and asked him if anyone at the dock was interested in this shipment.

"Yes," Shangguan Jin Hong answered readily. "Last winter, the Cao Gang tried to pry open a box of crossbows, but my men caught them on the spot."

"I tied up those two members of the canal gang and sent them to Chief Qiu. After that, the canal gang never dared to touch the goods of the Imperial Horse Administration again."

"I have come to see Your Highness today to ask for your advice on the matter of the Workers' Association transporting the Imperial Horse Administration's military equipment."

"The contracts were previously signed with the Imperial Horse Administration. Now that His Highness is in charge of the Imperial Horse Administration, should these contracts continue as before, or should they be re-approved?"

Zhou Ying leaned back in her chair, tapped her fingers lightly on the table twice, and suddenly smiled.

Shangguan Jin Hong's words were both a request for his advice and a statement of his position.

He used to run the Imperial Horse Stables business, but now the Imperial Horse Stables are overseen by the Third Prince, so he came to ask the Third Prince what to do.

This sense of self-awareness pleased Zhou Ying greatly.

"You are my man, and your man is my man."

"Regarding the transport of military equipment by the Imperial Horse Stables, I will speak with Eunuch Hai and the workers will be given priority in transporting them in the future. But there is one condition..." He held up one finger, "The damage rate cannot exceed one percent, and the delay cannot exceed three days. If you can do that, I will renew the contract for you. If you cannot, I will handle this officially."

Shangguan Jin Hong put down his teacup, stood up, and solemnly clasped his hands in thanks: "On behalf of the thousands of brothers at the dock, I thank Your Highness for your grace."

"Since Your Highness has given me this opportunity, I will speak frankly. The old rule at the docks has always been that gangs govern their own areas. The workers' association used to make a living only from small-scale trading."

"Now that Your Highness is overseeing the Imperial Horse Administration, if the Workers' Association can coordinate the transportation of goods at the Northwest berths under the name of the Imperial Horse Administration, it will benefit Your Highness, the imperial canal transport, and the brothers at the docks."

Zhou Ying picked up the teacup but didn't drink it; she simply used the lid to gently stir the floating tea leaves.

He certainly understood the underlying meaning of Shangguan Jin Hong's words.

Shangguan wanted to use his position as the supervisor of the Imperial Horse Administration to expand the Workers' Association from a small-scale merchant group to a government-run canal transport group, thereby truly becoming a major player at the docks.

But he doesn't resent this ambition.

Ambitious people are the most useful.

A person without ambition is also incapable of doing things for him.

"The Northwest Berth is the territory of the Sea Sand Gang. You don't need to worry about Qiu Wu's side, but you still have to keep up with the rules on the surface."

"The workers' association's transport of military equipment is considered government service. Government service occupies civilian berths, and people in the Ministry of Revenue's Canal Transport Department will gossip about it."

"I will have Vice Minister Liu draft an official document in the Ministry of Rites to designate the transport of military equipment by the Imperial Horse Administration as a special task of the court, with dedicated berths for this task, making it perfectly legitimate."

"Your Highness's consideration is thorough, and I admire it. I will await the official document and then invite Your Highness to the dock to inspect the workers' association's loading and unloading schedule."

Zhou Ying put down her teacup, stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the direction of Tongzhou Wharf, which was faintly visible in the night, where the lights reflected on the river like scattered gold.

He remained silent for a while, then spoke in a low voice as if reminding Shangguan Jin Hong.

It's more like a summary of his years of forbearance and dormancy: "I trust you with what you're doing at the docks, go ahead and do it."

"But I must remind you that Father Emperor is fair and impartial, while I am just starting out and my foundation is still shallow."

"If you take this step steadily, you will be my help; if you miss, you will be my weakness."

"I do not wish for a day when someone will tie you up and bring you before my father, using you as a bargaining chip against me."