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

The 25th year of Yonghe, the beginning of spring.

The snow from last year has not yet melted, and there are still gray snowdrifts piled up at the foot of the palace walls.

The wedding of the Fifth Prince Zhou Gui and Zhou Ruotang was not extravagant.

Compared to the grand weddings of the Second Prince to Lady Han and the Fourth Prince to Lady Zhao, this was a far cry from the pomp and circumstance of the weddings of the Second Prince to Lady Han and Lady Zhao.

The Taibao Mansion acted with exceptional restraint.

The betrothal gifts were twelve loads, the wedding banquet had sixteen tables, and even the wedding procession was less than the usual standard.

But not a single official in the court dared to underestimate this marriage.

Because on the day after the wedding, Zhou Qian issued an imperial decree.

Zhou Bangyan, the former Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, was transferred to the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, a third-rank official, was in charge of criminal law and administration throughout the country, making him the second most powerful position in the Ministry of Justice after the Minister.

This position had been held by the Fourth Prince's faction for many years.

After the joint trial by the three judicial departments, the former vice minister was implicated and dismissed, leaving the position vacant for several months, during which various forces were secretly vying for power.

Zhou Qian issued an imperial decree to inform everyone.

This position is for the fifth prince's father-in-law.

When the news reached the Hanlin Academy, Su Shi and several colleagues were proofreading the newly compiled national history in their office.

Upon hearing the news, he put down the book in his hand, leaned back in his chair, unfolded his folding fan and waved it, then turned to Yao Guangxiao, who was sitting in the corner, and whispered with a smile, "The Grand Tutor's Mansion made a brilliant move."

"Zhou Ruotang is a disciple of Confucius, and Zhou Bangyan is a student of the Grand Tutor. Now the Zhou family is linked to the Grand Tutor's family through marriage."

"Zhou Bangyan has also obtained the substantive post of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. The reputation of the Confucian school has been restored, the foundation of the Grand Tutor's Mansion has been stabilized, and the Fifth Prince is no longer a rootless tree in the court."

"But there is one thing: both the Taibao Mansion and the Confucius School thought they were the winners, but they didn't know that there was someone they couldn't see in this game."

Yao Guangxiao held a cup of cool tea, his expression calm: "Let them not see it. Those who cannot see are the most dangerous."

"However, what deserves more attention right now is not the Fifth Prince's marriage. With Zhou Bangyan being transferred to the Ministry of Justice, the Third Prince's father-in-law, Liu Wenzhao, will have one less potential competitor for the position of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites."

"When Zhou Bangyan was transferred out of the Imperial Academy, Liu Wenzhao filled his vacancy. Now that Zhou Bangyan has gone to the Ministry of Justice, he will naturally not return to the Ministry of Rites."

"Liu Wenzhao's position as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites is now secure. The Third Prince has been very successful in managing the Imperial Horse Administration and the Ministry of Personnel's Performance Evaluation Office over the past six months."

"With the Liu family backing him in the Ministry of Rites, he has formed a third pillar in the court."

Su Shi closed his folding fan and tapped it lightly on the corner of his desk: "It's a good thing for us that there are many opposing forces in the court. The muddier the water, the easier it is to catch fish."

"But when you think about it, you're the most astute. Who the Grand Tutor's Office chose, how the Zhou family was reassigned, and how the court structure changed—all of these were within your expectations."

"When did you ever misjudge things with your eyes?"

Yao Guangxiao did not respond, but simply placed the teacup gently on the table.

My gaze passed over the few newly sprouted weeping willows outside the window and looked towards the layered palaces in the distance.

Of course he made a mistake; he miscalculated in his past life.

They thought Zhu Yunwen would be a good emperor, but the Jingnan Campaign lasted for four years.

In this life, he will not miscalculate again.

……

In the side hall, Zhou Xing was practicing calligraphy at his desk.

He is now eleven years old, and has grown taller than last year. The childishness in his eyes has faded, and he has gained a handsome young man's charm.

Chunlan was doing needlework in the outer room, Qiuju was watering the flowers in the courtyard, and Granny Liu went to the Imperial Household Department to collect the fabric for spring clothes.

Since Wei Zhongxian was promoted to deputy chief steward of the Imperial Household Department, the allowances for the side hall have never been reduced, and even Chunlan and Qiuju's clothes are brighter than before.

He finished writing the last stroke, put down his brush, picked up the Xuan paper, blew on the ink, then leaned back in his chair and silently uttered a summons in his heart.

A golden light curtain unfolded before my eyes like ripples on water.

The light was more composed and restrained than before, like an undercurrent in a deep pool, unassuming yet possessing a profound power.

"Six-Star Elite Team"

"Team Name: Fang Mou Du Duan Agency"

Zhou Xing stared at the words "office" for several breaths, his lips twitched, and then he relaxed.

The system's quirky naming style never disappoints.

But the six-star rating gave him confidence; being on the same level as Su Shi and the other three outstanding scholars from humble backgrounds, its prestige was self-evident.

The light screen continued to flicker, displaying line after line of member information.

Zhou Xing's gaze swept over the four names, his pupils dilated slightly, and the curve of his lips slowly deepened.

"Fang Xuanling, in his previous life, was a famous prime minister of the Tang Dynasty during the Zhenguan era. His 'planning' was as well as Du's 'decisiveness', which helped Emperor Taizong of Tang create the prosperous Zhenguan era."

"He is a man of great wisdom and decisiveness, adept at discerning the clearest clues from complex situations and formulating long-term strategic plans."

"Implanted identity: Tongpan of Runzhou, fourth rank, forty-two years old, five years in office, mediocre performance, never deliberately takes sides."

"He worked with Zheng Ke, the prefect of Runzhou, for many years. Although he had no outstanding achievements, he managed to keep the affairs of Runzhou in perfect order. No one could stir up trouble in Runzhou without him noticing."

"Du Ruhui was a famous prime minister of the Tang Dynasty during the Zhenguan era. He was known as 'Du' in the phrase 'Fang Mou Du Duan' (meaning 'decisiveness' in 'Fang's planning and Du's decisiveness'), and was often referred to as 'Fang Du' along with Fang Xuanling."

"He has an extremely accurate eye and can pinpoint the right path among countless forks in the road without hesitation or regret."

"Implanted identity: Sima of Changzhou, fourth rank, forty-one years old, has served as Sima of Changzhou for many years. He is upright and honest, and has been ostracized by his colleagues for refusing to curry favor with his superiors. He is ridiculed as 'pedantic' by his colleagues."

Despite his poor interpersonal relationships in Changzhou's official circles, he managed the criminal cases, finances, and household registration of the entire prefecture in an orderly manner without ever making a mistake.

"Lu Zhi was a famous prime minister and political theorist in the mid-Tang Dynasty. His memorials can be regarded as a model of writing for all time. He used parallel prose to discuss politics incisively and assisted Emperor Dezong of Tang in suppressing rebellions and stabilizing the court."

"His literary talent was outstanding, yet he did not let the words obscure the meaning; every memorial he wrote hit the nail on the head."

"Implanted identity: Magistrate of Jiangdu County, Yangzhou, sixth rank, thirty years old, served in Jiangdu for three years, judged cases fairly and did not accept bribes."

"But because he was unwilling to curry favor with his superiors, he was suppressed for many years. He was always rated as average or above average in performance reviews and never received an excellent rating, so there was no hope for promotion."

"Xu Jie, in his previous life, was the Grand Secretary of the Jiajing Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He endured for decades to bring down Yan Song and was the most patient and shrewd strategist in history."

"His outward appearance is as gentle as a spring breeze, but his heart hides a knife that has been sharpened for decades. When he does not move, he is silent; when he does, it is a fatal blow."

"Implanted identity: Former Supervising Censor of Jiangxi Circuit, rank 7, age 32, demoted to a remote prefecture and county due to his repeated impeachments of local officials."

"After many years of transfers, he was finally transferred back to Jiangxi. His political achievements during his tenure were mediocre. He never publicly offended anyone and was an inconspicuous figure in Jiangxi's officialdom."

Four people, four positions, four lurking postures, as precise as a key inserted into four locks.

Fang Xuanling held the rank of fourth grade magistrate in Runzhou, making him the highest-ranking official among the four, and also the one closest to the capital.

Du Ruhui was a fourth-rank official in Changzhou. Although he was marginalized, he firmly controlled the criminal and financial affairs of Changzhou Prefecture.

Lu Zhi was a sixth-rank official in Jiangdu, Yangzhou. Although he was a minor county magistrate, he was in charge of the local water and soil and the daily lives of countless merchants in this key area of ​​the Grand Canal.

Xu Jie was a seventh-rank official in Jiangxi Province, the lowest rank, but he was a censor and had the power to directly impeach officials.

The four individuals, ranging from high-ranking local officials to county magistrates, from prefectural judges to military commanders to censors, seemingly had no discernible pattern in their official positions, but in reality, they covered all levels of the local official system of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Decision-making, execution, and supervision—none of these are overlooked.

Zhou Xing read the information on the screen three times, then picked up a pen and wrote down the names and positions of the four people on a blank sheet of Xuan paper.

Fang Xuanling, Tongpan of Runzhou, was a fourth-rank official and a colleague of Zheng Ke.

Du Ruhui, Sima of Changzhou, was a fourth-rank official in charge of criminal and financial matters.

Lu Zhi, magistrate of Jiangdu County, Yangzhou, was a sixth-rank official and a key figure in the Grand Canal.

Xu Jie was a supervising censor of Jiangxi Province, a seventh-rank official, with the power of impeachment.

He put down his pen, leaned back in his chair, and gazed out the window at the old locust tree swaying gently in the spring chill. Its shadows danced like a game of chess being slowly unfolded.

The local officials' plans were finally completed.

From then on, the power struggles in the imperial court were no longer a solitary battle. Every prefecture and state had his eyes and ears, and every memorial from the localities would first be screened by his people.

He spread out the self-made relationship diagram, wrote down the names of four people in the "local officials" column, and then drew a circle next to it with a word inside the circle.

Momentum!

The combined power of the imperial court, the local government, the martial arts world, the business community, and the military is what truly makes an unstoppable force.