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

Wei Zhongxian received his transfer order in the personnel department office.

The document was thin, containing only a few lines, with concise and clear wording.

Wei Zhongxian, the head of the Personnel Department, has been diligent and conscientious in his duties. He is hereby promoted to Deputy Director of the Imperial Household Department, a sixth-rank official, while still concurrently managing the Personnel Department.

After reading it, he folded the document, put it back in the envelope, placed it on the corner of the desk, and picked up his teacup to take a sip of cold tea.

Then, leaning back in his chair and gazing at the spiderweb on the roof beam that had been there for three years, he suddenly grinned.

From today onwards, all personnel transfers within the twelve directorates, four departments, and eight bureaus of the inner court must first pass through his approval process.

No one knew the details of everyone in this palace better than him.

Who is whose godson, who is whose fellow townsman, who is backing up for whom, and who owes whom a favor?

All these files were in his mind, more complete than the dusty old files in the Imperial Household Department.

The curtain was lifted, and Xiao Shunzi came in carrying a freshly brewed cup of Longjing tea. Seeing Wei Zhongxian staring blankly at the roof beam, he followed his gaze and looked up, then laughed and said, "Brother Wei, what are you looking at? That spider web has been there for three years, and you haven't even had someone sweep it up."

Wei Zhongxian took the teacup and blew on the tea leaves floating on the surface.

He slowly said he wouldn't sweep it; it was his feng shui principle—the bigger and denser the spider web, the more secure it was.

Xiao Shunzi didn't understand, but seeing Brother Wei smiling broadly, he chuckled twice as well.

Then, remembering something, he added that Steward Chen had asked Brother Wei to go to the main hall, saying that he had something to tell him.

The grandeur of the main hall of the Imperial Household Department was completely different from that of the office of the Personnel Department.

Chen Ju sat behind the large rosewood desk, reviewing the recent purchasing accounts of the Imperial Household Department.

His hair and beard are now completely white, but he is still very energetic, and his old eyes are still as sharp as two awls.

When Wei Zhongxian entered, he bowed respectfully, and Chen Ju waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down.

He then instructed the eunuch serving him to make tea, and then took off his reading glasses and placed them on the account book, scrutinizing Wei Zhongxian.

His gaze held a mixture of scrutiny and感慨 (a sense of感慨, a feeling of mixed emotions, including regret and reflection).

"Wei Zhongxian, how long have you been in the Personnel Department?"

Wei Zhongxian bowed slightly: "Reporting to the Chief Steward, it has been more than three years."

"For more than three years, you were in charge of the staffing and inventory, you re-verified the personnel files of each prison, and you also handled the personnel allocation for this year's spring election."

"The files of the twelve directorates, four departments, and eight bureaus of the inner court, and tens of thousands of servants are all in your head."

Chen Ju leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice. "To outsiders, the position of deputy chief steward is just the second-in-command of the Imperial Household Department, but in my eyes, he is the successor."

"I'm getting old, and the Imperial Household Department will eventually be handed over to the younger generation. Zhao Gao is my adopted son, and I won't show him any favoritism. His path lies in the Directorate of Ceremonial, not in the Imperial Household Department."

"Your path lies beneath our feet."

Wei Zhongxian quickly stood up, bowed, and said, "Steward Chen is too kind. I was just doing my job carefully. I am not worthy of the title of 'successor'."

Chen Ju waved for him to sit down, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then changed the subject, his tone suddenly becoming a bit colder: "You know, among the old guard of the Imperial Household Department over the years, you're not the only one eyeing the position of Deputy Chief Steward."

"The warehouse steward and the purchasing steward, aren't they both veterans who have served in the palace for over a decade or two?"

"Our family specifically chose you, do you know why?"

"I don't know, please enlighten me, Steward." Wei Zhongxian lowered his eyes.

"Because you know how to conduct yourself."

Chen Ju put down his teacup and looked at his face. "You are meticulous in your work and adept at managing people. But what's most valuable is that you make people respect you, not fear you."

"Manager Ma is a very capable person in charge of the warehouse, but he treats his subordinates like thieves, and all those brats in the warehouse are cursing him behind his back."

"Manager Sun is an expert in purchasing, but he's making so much kickbacks he doesn't know it. Does he think we don't know?"

"You're different. In the past few years in the Personnel Department, we know how many people you've helped solve their problems and how many people you've helped find jobs."

"Those godfathers you worship—Old Sun, Ma Bao, Zhao Daquan, Tian happy—aren't they all old guys who've been almost completely forgotten?"

"You take care of them in their old age and see them off in their final days, and they pave the way for you. There's nothing shameful about that. Which old fellow who lives to this age in the palace hasn't accumulated some connections?"

"It's your skill to be able to keep them under control."

Wei Zhongxian's heart stirred slightly.

Chen Ju's words were not meant to reprimand him, but rather to tell him something.

We understand your approach and accept it.

He paused for a moment, then stood up and bowed respectfully to Chen Ju again: "Chief Steward Chen, if I may be so bold as to say a few words from the bottom of my heart."

"I was born a servant, and my talent in martial arts is not as good as Zhao Gao's, nor is my literary skill as good as those gentlemen from the Hanlin Academy."

"But after all these years of struggling in the palace, I've come to understand one thing: to gain a foothold in the palace, ability alone is not enough; you also need to have good relationships with others."

"Being popular isn't about flattery; it's about genuinely caring for others. I worship those godfathers not because they are high-ranking officials or those in charge of cases, but because they are pitiful people who are still being sidelined at an advanced age."

"The younger ones served them soup and medicine, kept them company and kept them company. They truly treated them like their own fathers."

"They helped me out of kindness, and it was their right not to help. I never forced them to."

Chen Ju leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping slowly on the table, and remained silent for a long while.

Then he nodded slightly and said a sentence in a low voice, which warmed Wei Zhongxian's heart: "The position of deputy chief steward is yours."

"From today onwards, you will be in charge of all personnel arrangements, staffing approvals, and the review of personnel seconded to various supervisory offices within the Imperial Household Department."

"I'll speak to Steward Ma and Steward Sun. If they're not satisfied, let them come and find me."

Wei Zhongxian lifted his robe and knelt down properly to kowtow.

He didn't say anything about being grateful, but instead said in a very calm tone, "Don't worry, Chief Steward Chen, I will definitely take good care of things at the Imperial Household Department for you."

Looking at him, Chen Ju suddenly realized that this young man who used to bow and scrape to him in the servants' quarters had now grown into a strong and independent tree.

He stood up, helped Wei Zhongxian up, and patted him on the shoulder: "Work hard, and this position will be yours when I retire."

When Wei Zhongxian came out of the main hall of the Imperial Household Department, it was already dark.

The palace lanterns under the eaves had just been lit, and their dim yellow light cast long shadows on the bluestone pavement.

Xiao Shunzi was squatting in the corner waiting for him. When he saw him come out, he quickly went up to him and greeted him with a big smile, calling him Steward Wei.

Wei Zhongxian laughed and flicked his forehead, telling him not to shout nonsense. The deputy chief steward was still a deputy, with the word "deputy" in his name.

Xiao Shunzi rubbed his forehead and said with a grin that it was only a matter of time; once Brother Wei became the deputy manager, their good days would begin.

Wei Zhongxian did not respond.

He stood under the corridor, watching the palace lanterns gradually light up at the end of the passageway.

Suddenly, I remembered the year I first entered the palace. I was just a clueless servant who didn't even get to see the head eunuch.

Now he walked out of the dormitory, into the personnel department office, and then into the main hall of the Imperial Household Department.

He walked this path step by step, leaving clear and distinct footprints.

He lowered his head, straightened his cuffs, and walked towards the personnel department's duty room.

I still have a few personnel transfers to approve today, and I need to pay my respects to a few godfathers tomorrow.

Tell them you got promoted, and let them share in your joy.