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

The Ministry of Personnel was located on the east side of the Imperial City.

Right next to the Ministry of Revenue, with gray walls and black tiles, the plaque above the door bears the four large characters "氨衡天下" (meaning "to weigh the world"), personally inscribed by Emperor Shizong.

When Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui arrived, it was just dawn, and many local officials were already lined up in front of the yamen waiting to report on their duties.

Some looked tense, some pretended to be calm, and others chatted in hushed tones in groups of three or five, inquiring about each other's whereabouts and backers.

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui did not join any group; they simply stood quietly at the end of the line.

Like two stones whose edges have been smoothed by flowing water, they have no sharpness.

He Jingzhong, the Minister of Personnel, personally received them.

This old minister is sixty-four years old this year. He has served as the Minister of Personnel for nearly ten years and is the most senior among the six ministerial officials.

He had seen countless local officials come to the Ministry of Personnel to report on their duties; some were passionate and eloquent, some were obsequious and subservient, and some were eager to show their loyalty.

But people like Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui neither deliberately showed off nor pretended to be humble.

He simply and concisely explained his local government affairs one by one.

It's rare to find a government that neither exaggerates its achievements nor hides its shortcomings, and whose data can withstand scrutiny.

He Jingzhong closed the evaluation files of the two men and lingered on Fang Xuanling for a while.

Of course he knew who those two people were.

He served as the Tongpan of Runzhou and the Sima of Changzhou for many years, never taking sides or currying favor. His resume was as clean as two blank sheets of paper.

His Majesty circled their names with a vermilion brush, and all the officials stared at him.

He didn't know if these two people could gain a foothold in the Six Ministries, but at least for now, it seemed that His Majesty hadn't misjudged them.

He instructed the clerk to take Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui to the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works to report for duty.

They were also instructed to attend the morning court session at the Qianyuan Hall the following day to express their gratitude to the emperor.

The real highlight is in the Qian Yuan Hall.

The next morning after the court session, Zhou Qian did not go directly back to the Imperial Study as usual.

Instead, Zhao Gao left Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui behind to meet the emperor in the East Warm Pavilion.

This was an extremely rare courtesy in the officialdom of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

For an ordinary third-rank official to take up his post, being able to kowtow and express his gratitude to the emperor in front of all the civil and military officials at the morning court session was already a great honor.

To be summoned for a private audience with His Majesty is usually reserved only for Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet and Ministers of the Six Ministries.

Inside the East Warm Pavilion, ambergris incense burned, and wisps of smoke rose slowly from the Boshan incense burner, drawing invisible patterns in the morning light.

Zhou Qian sat behind his desk, holding a teacup in his hand, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

He did not offer them seats, so Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui knelt respectfully before the table, heads bowed, their posture respectful but not humble.

"Fang Xuanling, I have read your performance evaluation in Runzhou. You have consistently performed above average every year, never standing out or causing trouble."

"Prefect Zheng Ke of Runzhou was a well-known incorruptible and loyal official. There were no more than three people in the entire Runzhou government who could endure so many years under his command without being scolded."

Zhou Qian's voice was not loud, but every word carried the weight unique to an emperor: "The Ministry of Revenue is the purse bag of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Every year, millions of taels of tax revenue pass through your hands."

"You were in charge of the finances of Runzhou, but now you're in charge of the finances of the entire empire in the Ministry of Revenue. I only have one question for you: what do you think is the most important thing the Ministry of Revenue should be doing right now?"

Fang Xuanling remained silent for a moment.

This problem seems simple, but it actually hides a deadly trap.

The Ministry of Revenue was the purse of the Great Zhou Dynasty and also the place where various forces fought most fiercely.

The Grand Canal transport benefited the grain transport guilds and the textile bureau, the salt and iron industries benefited the local powerful families and nobles, and the land tax benefited the aristocratic clans.

If he speaks too vaguely, he is merely placating His Majesty.

If you go into too much detail, you might offend someone you shouldn't.

He must give an answer that neither evades the question nor reveals his stance.

"Your Majesty, when I was in Runzhou, I discovered that the biggest loophole in local taxation was not in collection, but in transportation."

"Losses in canal transport, storage, and transportation—behind every single one of these losses, there are people lining their own pockets."

"The amount of taxes collected by the imperial court each year is enormous, but the amount actually transported to the capital is often nearly 10% less than what is recorded in the books."

"This one percent wasn't swallowed up by the people, it was swallowed up by the parasites along the way."

"In my opinion, to govern the Ministry of Revenue, we must first govern the Grand Canal. If the Grand Canal is running smoothly, taxes will be collected smoothly, and if taxes are collected smoothly, the national treasury will be full."

His voice was steady and deliberate, neither impassioned nor timid.

Zhou Qian picked up his teacup, took a sip, and remained noncommittal. He then turned to Du Ruhui and said, "Du Ruhui, I have read your evaluation in Changzhou. You are too upright and not good at socializing. These are the comments from your previous superiors."

"I don't think being upright is a bad thing. The Ministry of Works is in charge of the national water conservancy projects and government-run workshops. It's a tough job that requires both technical expertise and the ability to offend people."

"You've managed criminal and financial matters in Changzhou for many years without a single mistake. This level of meticulousness would be perfect for the Ministry of Works. What are your plans for the Ministry of Works?"

Du Ruhui raised his head. His face was thin, his cheekbones were high, and his back was slightly hunched from years of working at his desk. But his voice was more robust and direct than Fang Xuanling's: "Your Majesty, when I was in Changzhou, I discovered that the biggest problem with local water conservancy projects was not a lack of money, but that money was spent but things could not be accomplished."

"A river channel has been under construction for many years and is still not finished. Tens of thousands of taels of silver have been spent, but the river channel is still the same."

"I have checked the accounts and found that every penny was documented and every step was in accordance with the rules, but the river channel just can't be repaired."

"In my opinion, the biggest problem with the Ministry of Works is not corruption, but inefficiency. After I take office, I will spend six months clearing up the backlog of projects in the Ministry of Works, repairing the dikes that need to be repaired, and dredging the canals that need to be dredged."

"These are all facts; there's no need to offend anyone, just get things done."

Zhou Qian tapped his fingers lightly twice on the armrest of the dragon throne, then suddenly asked, "Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, were you two Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examination) in the same year?"

Fang Xuanling replied, "Your Majesty, Du Ruhui and I passed the imperial examination in the same year, but we have been separated in the provinces for many years. We are deeply grateful for Your Majesty's great favor in transferring us back to the capital at the same time."

Zhou Qian nodded slightly, his tone suddenly becoming more serious: "I know that you have been in the local areas for many years, without taking sides or forming factions."

"I promoted you not because of your outstanding abilities. There are plenty of people in the Six Ministries who are more capable than you."

"I promoted you because you are clean. The Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works are the two most easily corrupted departments among the Six Ministries."

"I've placed you in these two positions so that you can manage my finances and projects well, and not let me down."

He paused, picked up the teacup but didn't drink, only gently stirred the tea leaves floating on the surface with the lid, his voice suddenly softening: "Do a good job, I'm watching you."

These words carry more weight than any reward.

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui kowtowed to receive the decree, then rose and left the East Warm Pavilion.

Zhao Gao stood under the eaves, holding a whisk, and lowered his eyes slightly as they passed by.

Fang Xuanling did not stop walking, nor did Du Ruhui's gaze shift.

There was no extra communication between the three of them.

But Zhao Gao knew that there was a detail in His Majesty's words that only he had noticed.

His Majesty said, "I promoted you because you are clean."

This statement is both a compliment and a warning.

Cleanliness is the greatest asset, but also the most vulnerable one.

As I stepped out of the East Warm Pavilion, sunlight streamed down from the glazed tiles of the Qian Yuan Hall, illuminating the entire white marble square in a golden glow.

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui walked down the steps side by side. When they reached the center of the square, Fang Xuanling suddenly stopped.

He gazed at the majestic palace gate ahead, beyond which lay the Six Ministries, their new battlefield where they were about to take up their posts.

He said to Brother Keming, "From now on, we are no longer just classmates; we are in the same boat."

Du Ruhui nodded, saying that it was the same boat and the same game of chess.

The Ninth Prince is in the shadows, while they are in the light. This game has only just begun, and they must play it carefully.