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

Beijing!

Ministry of Revenue!

When Fang Xuanling received the visiting card in his office at the Ministry of Revenue, he was bent over his desk checking the tax accounts submitted by the Jiangnan Circuit this year.

The visiting card was written on the finest Chengxintang paper, which was as smooth and warm as jade, and the ink was as deep and rich as lacquer.

The post contained only a few words, polite yet neither servile nor arrogant, and was signed with a name at the end.

Below the name is a small personal seal with ancient seal script.

The inscription reads "Yingchuan Chen Clan".

He examined the visiting card twice, turning it over and over, and gently stroked the private seal of the "Yingchuan Chen Clan" with his finger.

The Chen family of Yingchuan was not a prominent family in the officialdom of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

There were very few officials with the surname Chen in the imperial court, and their ranks were not high.

However, Fang Xuanling served as a sub-prefect in Runzhou for many years, and had also spent decades in the officialdom of the Tang Dynasty in his previous life.

I know all too well what this "unremarkable" means.

For three hundred years since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the most prestigious families on the surface were the Yuwen family, the Kong family, and the Pei family—top aristocratic clans active in the imperial court.

But beneath these powerful families, there are some ancient clans with even longer histories.

These aristocratic families did not allow their sons to serve as officials in the imperial court, nor did they compete for the positions of ministers in the Six Ministries or the title of Grand Secretary in the Cabinet.

However, through land, wealth, marriage, mentorship, and religious practices, they wove a power network far more intricate and resilient than that of the imperial court.

For example, the Chen family of Yingchuan.

Their ancestors can be traced back to the Minister of Rites during the previous dynasty, the Great Qian.

When the Daqian dynasty fell, the Chen family was the first to present the household registration and land records of the three prefectures of Yingchuan to Emperor Taizu of Zhou, making a great contribution to the stabilization of the Central Plains.

In return, Emperor Taizu of Zhou bestowed upon the Chen family an iron certificate granting them hereditary succession, exempting their descendants from taxes, and allowing them to appoint their own officials.

Over the course of three hundred years, the Chen family has never produced a single official in the Six Ministries.

However, the first thing the prefect of Yingchuan did upon taking office was not to pay his respects at the governor's office, but to deliver a formal invitation to the Chen family's ancestral home.

Because 70% of the fields in Yingchuan belong to the Chen family.

The academy in Yingchuan was established by the Chen family.

Half of the officials in Yingchuan were students sponsored by the Chen family.

Another example is the Zheng family of Xingyang.

They are one of the three major sources of all the spiritual cultivation methods in the world.

The Zheng family ancestor once served as the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy during the reign of Emperor Wenzong of the Qianlong Emperor. He annotated the Six Classics extensively and created the Zheng family's unique method of "entering the ranks through classical studies".

Over the course of three hundred years, the Zheng family has never produced a single Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.

However, among the civil officials of the fourth rank and above in the country, at least a hundred people had attended classes, received guidance, and read Zheng's commentaries on the classics.

If a poor scholar cannot access the Dharma, he will be stuck at the third-rank literary cultivation level for the rest of his life.

In Zheng's study, there were no fewer than ten different methods for breaking through obstacles.

There is also the Lu family of Fanyang.

This family was deeply intertwined with the underworld, owning its own caravans and fleets, and controlling the smuggled salt route from Jiangnan to the capital.

They didn't compete for the canal transport because they disdained it.

We do not compete for salt and iron, because we do not need them.

The profits from smuggled salt were several times higher than those from official salt.

The Lu family supported more than a dozen second- or third-rate sects in the martial arts world. These sects did not participate in the conflicts of the martial arts world; their only task was to protect the Lu family's trade routes.

When local officials tracked down smuggled salt caravans to Lu's family, they often found that the escorts were more numerous and better equipped than the government troops.

Fang Xuanling gently placed the visiting card on the table, leaned back in his chair, and slowly tapped his fingers on the armrest.

The Chen family of Yingchuan is a family that has been passed down for hundreds of years and managed to escape unscathed when the previous dynasty, Daqian, collapsed.

He would never invite a newly appointed Vice Minister of Revenue for tea without a reason.

They are testing the waters.

He was testing Fang Xuanling's allegiance and trying to see if the emperor's loyal ministers could be won over.

They were testing whether this man, who had risen from a lowly family to become the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was truly clean or was simply waiting for a better price to go around.

He carefully put away the visiting card, stood up, straightened his clothes, and said to the old servant, "Please tell Mr. Chen that I will be there on time tonight."

As evening fell, Fang Xuanling changed into a slightly worn blue casual robe.

He took only one old servant with him and rode in an inconspicuous sedan chair to the villa of the Chen family of Yingchuan in the capital.

The Chen family's ancestral home is in Yingchuan, but this villa was built with utmost care.

Located deep within Yongningfang in the east of the city, a plaque made of ebony hangs above the door.

The inscription reads "Yingchuan Villa".

The characters are simple and elegant, and there is no signature, but Fang Xuanling recognized at a glance that it was the calligraphy of Emperor Wenzong of the previous dynasty.

The fact that the imperial calligraphy of the previous dynasty could be used for a plaque without violating any taboos is a unique honor that has been reserved for only one dynasty since the founding of the Great Zhou.

The sedan chair stopped in front of the side gate, where the steward was already waiting. He led him through several courtyards and finally stopped in front of a waterside pavilion.

The pavilion is surrounded by carved wooden windows on all four sides, outside which lies a pool of spring water. Several clumps of bamboo grow on the bank, their leaves rustling in the evening breeze.

The faint sound of the zither emanating from the waterside pavilion was made even more serene.

As Fang Xuanling stepped into the waterside pavilion, he immediately saw the old man sitting behind the zither table.

The old man was about seventy years old, with white hair and beard, and was wearing a faded gray cloth robe.

If he weren't sitting in such an exquisite waterside pavilion, others would probably think he was just an ordinary old village tutor.

But Fang Xuanling noticed that the old man's fingers were long and strong when he played the zither, and when his fingertips pressed on the strings.

The strings dipped slightly, yet emitted a very soft and delicate hum, as if responding to the flow of energy in his fingertips.

Fang Xuanling felt that this person looked like an ordinary tutor, yet he inspired a sense of awe from the bottom of one's heart.

He knew that this was the head of the Chen family of Yingchuan.

Chen Jing'an!

"This junior greets Mr. Chen."

Fang Xuanling stepped forward and gave a proper bow.

Chen Jing'an did not get up, but merely raised his hand to gesture for him to sit down on the cushion opposite the zither table.

The butler silently withdrew, leaving only the two people and a pot of freshly brewed tea in the waterside pavilion.

Chen Jing'an removed her fingers from the strings, picked up the teapot and poured a cup for Fang Xuanling, gesturing for him to enter.

Fang Xuanling took the teacup, sipped it, and praised the tea for its delicate aroma, saying it resembled pre-Qingming Longjing tea, yet with a subtle sweetness.

Chen Jing'an smiled and said that this tea was wild tea from his own tea garden, planted on the back mountain of his old house in Yingchuan. He only harvested a few kilograms each year, and it was not sold or given away, but only used to entertain guests.

Fang Xuanling gently set down his teacup, his gaze lingering on Chen Jing'an's face for a moment.

He knew that the old gentleman's invitation to his home for tea was not merely to show off a pot of wild tea.

As expected, Chen Jing'an's next words confirmed his judgment.

The old gentleman picked up his teacup but didn't drink it. He simply used the lid to gently stir the tea leaves floating on the surface and suddenly said, "I've heard that Lord Fang has been doing quite well in the Ministry of Revenue lately."

"The tax accounts were meticulously recorded, the losses from the canal transport were thoroughly investigated, and even the land tax in Jiangnan Circuit was recalculated in silver."

"Minister Shen praised you publicly in court a few days ago, saying that your calculations were even clearer than his, which is truly remarkable."

"The Ministry of Revenue is a very murky place. You're the first newcomer in recent years to have managed to establish yourself there."

"When I was young, I worked in the Ministry of Revenue for a few years. That place was too lucrative and had too many personal connections. Out of ten newcomers, not one could survive a year there."

"Not only did Lord Fang pull through, but he also kept the accounts crystal clear. I admire his composure."

"You flatter me, sir. I was just doing my job carefully," Fang Xuanling replied.

Chen Jing'an nodded slightly and gently placed the teacup on the zither table.

His fingers unconsciously plucked a string, producing a very soft and delicate hum.

His gaze lingered through the carved wooden window at the pond in the night. He remained silent for a moment, then spoke slowly, his voice a few decibels lower than before: "I have seen many officials from the capital in this waterside pavilion."

"Some came seeking official positions, some seeking wealth, some seeking calligraphy, and some seeking connections."

"You don't seek official positions, wealth, or connections; I'm rather curious, what is it that you seek?"

Fang Xuanling knew that this was just the beginning of the night.

The pleasantries have been exchanged, the probing has been completed, and every word that follows will be like a move in a game of chess, each step concealing a hidden agenda.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, remained silent for a moment, then looked up and stared directly at Chen Jing'an, his voice steady and sincere: "What I seek is peace of mind."

"Peace of mind." Chen Jing'an repeated the word, then suddenly laughed. "Peace of mind is the hardest thing to find in this world. You've probably offended countless people in the Ministry of Revenue. How can you possibly have peace of mind?"

"As long as one maintains upright conduct, one will have peace of mind," Fang Xuanling said.

Chen Jing'an remained silent for a while, then suddenly changed the subject: "I've heard that Lord Du Ruhui's position in the Ministry of Works is not easy either."

"As soon as he arrived, he turned all the backlog of river works accounts upside down, and even went to the Yongding River construction site in person to measure the dikes inch by inch against the account books."

"Many people in the capital are criticizing him, saying he's an outdated and impractical person."

Impractical!

This word is an insult when used on other people, but it's a good word when used on Du Ruhui.

The murky waters of the Ministry of Works can't be stirred up without a few pedantic people.

"Let me ask you this: Lord Fang and Lord Du are both Jinshi graduates of the same year, and now they both serve in the Six Ministries. How do you two plan to stir up this mess?"

Fang Xuanling was silent for a moment, knowing that Chen Jing'an was asking about his relationship with Du Ruhui.

It also asks whether there is a unified approach behind this batch of newly appointed "pure ministers".

If he says "no," it's like he's trying to cover something up.

If he says "yes," he is giving others a handle to use against him.

He carefully chose his words, his tone steady and cautious: "Although I am the same age as Lord Du, we have each been living in our respective localities for many years and have not had any contact with each other for a long time."

"After returning to Beijing this time, we will each manage our own affairs. He will repair his river channels, and the younger generation will calculate the taxes of the younger generation."

"As for muddying the waters, I wouldn't dare say that; I just want to do my job well."

Chen Jing'an looked at him thoughtfully, then suddenly smiled.

Then he changed the subject and asked Fang Xuanling what he thought of His Majesty.

This problem is more dangerous than any of his previous problems.

Fang Xuanling felt a chill run down his spine, but his face remained impassive.

He put down his teacup, stood up, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards the Qian Yuan Hall, and solemnly said, "Your Majesty's kindness in recognizing and appreciating my talents is something I will repay with my life."

"If I had to offer a comment, it would be about my time in Runzhou."

"I once heard someone say: In the three hundred years since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, there have been very few emperors who have personally selected local officials like Your Majesty."

"I don't know if this statement is right or wrong, but I know that I was saved by Your Majesty's vermilion brush, and my life belongs to Your Majesty."

Chen Jing listened quietly, and after a long while, slowly nodded.

He said it seemed that everything he, the old man, had said tonight was superfluous.

His Majesty's choice was indeed correct.

Then the topic shifted back to those days.

"When Emperor Taizu of Zhou pacified the country, the Chen family of Yingchuan presented a household registration and land register."

"The figures in that booklet are not much different from the statistics compiled by the imperial court itself, but there is a 30% error."

"Emperor Taizu originally intended to punish my grandfather, but later it was found that it was not that the Chen family concealed the truth, but that local officials had been extorting money from the emperor at every level, and the figures reported to the court were false."

"The Emperor Taizu did not blame them; instead, he bestowed upon the Chen family an iron certificate."

"Three hundred years have passed, and the Great Zhou Dynasty has reached the point where it needs to submit its household registration and land registers once again."

"Does Mr. Fang know how much of this household registration and land register is fake?"

Fang Xuanling was startled. He knew that Chen Jing'an was not showing off the Chen family's foresight, but telling him something.

Like his grandfather, he was someone who was willing to lend a helping hand to the imperial court at crucial moments.

He carefully considered his words before replying, "The name of the Chen family of Yingchuan is known throughout the land."

"When I was in Runzhou, I heard Lord Zheng Ke mention Mr. Chen."

"Lord Zheng said that the Chen family of Yingchuan are among the most discerning people in the world."

"It is my great honor to be able to listen to your teachings in person today."

"The old gentleman asked me what I thought of the future of the Great Zhou. I dare to say that in the three hundred years since the founding of the Great Zhou, countless aristocratic families have risen and fallen."

"The reason why the Chen family has been able to thrive for hundreds of years is not because of power, but because of vision."

Chen Jing'an remained silent for a long time, so long that the music outside the waterside pavilion stopped at some point, leaving only the croaking of frogs in the pond outside the window.

Then he suddenly laughed, a laugh that was extremely rare on his thin face.

It was as if a crack had suddenly appeared on the surface of a river that had been frozen for many years, revealing the gurgling spring water beneath.

He gently pushed the teacup towards Fang Xuanling, saying that he had talked too much tonight.

Fang Xuanling was a guest from afar, so Fang Xuanling had to spend a lot of time and effort talking to him.

This cup of tea is an apology.

Fang Xuanling picked up the teacup and took a sip. The tea had gone cold, but he felt that the cold tea tasted better than the hot tea he had just had.

He said the old gentleman was too kind, and that he had benefited greatly from the evening's events.

Chen Jing'an did not try to keep him any longer, but said only one sentence as he got up to take his leave: "I never make judgments lightly about the people His Majesty chooses."

"But after tonight, I feel that your peace of mind is more than just peace of mind."

Fang Xuanling paused slightly, but without turning around, he simply cupped his hands behind him and disappeared into the night.