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

Late that night, in the East Warm Pavilion of Qianyuan Hall.

Zhou Qian did not return to his palace, but instead sat alone in the warm pavilion reviewing memorials.

Wang Zheng, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, stood by his side with his hands at his sides, like a lifeless wax figure. Apart from occasionally going forward to add tea and trim candles, he made almost no other move.

The moonlight outside the window was cold and clear, and the faint sound of a clapper could be heard in the distance; it was already past midnight.

After Zhou Qian finished reviewing the last memorial, he placed his vermilion brush on the brush rest and suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question: "Do you think Xu Chu is trustworthy?"

Wang Zheng was stunned for a moment.

He had served the emperor for twenty years and knew his master's temperament well; he rarely asked such questions late at night.

Once he asks, it means that this matter has been on his mind for a long time.

Wang Zheng carefully considered his words and replied cautiously, "Your Majesty, this old servant has never fought General Xu and dares not comment on his martial arts skills. However, judging from his performance on the stage today, he is a very steady person with a very measured approach to his moves. He is not a reckless person."

"Moreover, given his strength, if he truly harbored ulterior motives, he wouldn't need to expose himself so ostentatiously during the competition. Concealing his strength would be the best cover."

"He did the opposite, either because he had a clear conscience or because someone was guiding him behind the scenes, and he deliberately used a high profile to dispel doubts."

Zhou Qian nodded slightly, but did not reply. He just stroked the jade thumb ring on his thumb thoughtfully.

Wang Zheng hesitated for a moment, then added, "However, I also think there is some truth to what the Grand Tutor said on the platform today. The fact that the three of them came from the Imperial Guard Camp, concealed their cultivation levels, and stood out in the competition at the same time is indeed not a coincidence."

"So I sent Qin Wu to investigate," Zhou Qian said. "Investigate, but I trust my own eyes more. I won't abandon those who are capable just because of suspicion, and I won't be lenient with those who are not.

He paused, then suddenly changed the subject, "By the way, how's the Ninth Prince doing lately?"

The topic jumped so quickly that Wang Zheng almost couldn't react.

He quickly composed himself, bowed, and replied, "Your Highness is well. As usual, I pay my respects to the Empress every day, return to my side hall to study and practice calligraphy, and occasionally go to the Imperial Garden to play. I am more robust than last year, and I have also grown quite a bit taller."

"How is his talent in martial arts?"

Wang Zheng was stunned again.

The Ninth Prince Zhou Xing had a pitifully low presence in the palace; even the Empress might not remember him. Why did His Majesty suddenly become concerned about this insignificant son?

However, he remained calm and answered truthfully: "Your Majesty, the Ninth Prince has not yet started learning martial arts. According to the rules of the palace, princes begin their education at the age of six and begin their foundation building at the age of seven. The Ninth Prince is exactly seven years old this year, and should have begun his foundation building by now. However, the Ninth Prince has always been weak, and Her Majesty the Empress wishes to postpone it, fearing that his foundation will not be stable."

Zhou Qian was silent for a while, then suddenly said, "Have Physician Li from the Imperial Hospital examine him tomorrow. If he is healthy, let him begin the Foundation Establishment stage. Seven years old is not young. If we delay any longer, his bones will harden and it will be difficult for him to practice."

His tone was calm, as if he were talking about a trivial matter, but it stirred up quite a ripple in Wang Zheng's heart.

The emperor personally intervened in the foundation-building ceremony of one of his princes, making the ninth prince the first among the seventeen princes to do so.

Wang Zheng dared not ask any more questions, but respectfully replied "Yes," and then quietly stepped forward to add new tea for the emperor.

As the aroma of tea wafted through the air, Zhou Qian picked up a memorial again and opened it, and the warm pavilion returned to silence.

Meanwhile, in a small hut in the backyard of the Imperial Household Department on the other side of the imperial city, Zhao Gao was sitting under an oil lamp, with a thin manual spread out in front of him.

That was the inventory list of the various warehouses of the Imperial Household Department that Chen Ju had just given him this afternoon, as well as an upcoming winter procurement plan.

As is customary, winter procurement is the largest expense of the Imperial Household Department in a year, involving charcoal for heating the palaces, fabric for winter clothing, and festive supplies for the Lunar New Year. The amount involved is huge, many people are involved, and the profits are substantial, making it the focus of open and covert struggles among the various departments of the Imperial Household Department.

Chen Ju handing the list to Zhao Gao signifies that his trust in his adopted son has reached a new level.

Zhao Gao flipped through the list page by page, his gaze lingering on each number and each supplier's name for a moment, imprinting them into his mind.

His fingers lightly traced across the paper, occasionally pinching a very faint mark next to a name with his fingernail.

Among these names were several that he had already discovered problems with in previous ledgers.

Kickbacks, falsification, and selling inferior goods—the methods weren't particularly sophisticated, but they were all subtly linked to a network of relationships with a concubine in the harem or an official in the previous dynasty.

He's not moving now not because he's afraid to, but because the time isn't right. He wants to fatten up the rats before catching them, and to weave a tight net before pulling it in.

As he turned the pages, he silently constructed the topology of this network of relationships in his mind.

Who is whose person, who depends on whom, who has a vested interest in whom, and who is outwardly friendly but inwardly hostile.

This information is more valuable than the numbers of silver coins on the books.

Meanwhile, in a dilapidated temple in the western city, Lu Changfeng sat cross-legged in front of a broken offering table, with a map of the capital city spread out in front of him.

The map was drawn on rough paper, with the names of all the streets, alleys, shops, and government offices densely marked on it with charcoal.

This map was created by his men over two months, painstakingly tracing every street and alley. It was even more detailed than the official map in the Jingzhao Yin's office.

Official maps won't indicate which restaurant owner is related to which minister's steward by marriage, nor will they indicate which dock foreman is a purchasing agent for which prince's residence.

Lu Changfeng's gaze moved across the map, finally settling on an area in the northern part of the city.

Several families of Ministry of War officials lived nearby, and the Ministry of War was in charge of the allocation of provisions and the manufacture of weapons for the Imperial Guards in the capital region.

He pondered for a moment, picked up a charcoal pencil and drew a small circle next to that area, then turned to the dark-skinned, thin man beside him and said, "Tomorrow, arrange for two people to go to the North City to keep an eye on the comings and goings of Lord Li, the Director of the Armory Department of the Ministry of War. The key is to see who goes there, when they go, and whether they bring anything."

The dark-skinned, thin man nodded in agreement, then asked, "Boss, news from Deshengfang says that the East City Military Command has been investigating unemployed vagrants recently. Several of our brothers have been questioned several times. Should we lay low for a while?"

Lu Changfeng squinted and thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No need to hide. The more you hide, the more suspicious it becomes. Let them do what they need to do. Beggars should continue begging, and porters should continue carrying their loads. The East City Garrison's checks on refugees are routine; they're not targeting us. But if they do find something..."

He paused, a cold glint in his eyes, "Let them remember that they must stick to the fact that they are just beggars and know nothing else."

Outside the dilapidated temple, the night wind howled past, carrying withered leaves and making a rustling sound.

The moon disappeared behind the clouds, and the entire capital city was plunged into the deepest darkness before dawn.

In this darkness, countless invisible lines are silently extending, intertwining, and tightening.

In the Ninth Prince's side hall, Zhou Xing lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling with his eyes open.

He wasn't sleepy tonight, not because of the competition results. Xu Chu and the others' performance was exactly as expected, and the system's six-star rating never disappointed.

He couldn't sleep because he was thinking about his next move.

Zhao Gao had already established himself in the Imperial Household Department, and the position of Purchasing Inspector was a good stepping stone.

Wei Zhongxian has established his own team in the servants' quarters. Where should he transfer them next?

Gao Lishi has already established a very detailed information network in the kitchen, and the Imperial Kitchen is paying more and more attention to him. It's time to give him a chance to make a move.

What about Zheng He? Zheng He is still chopping wood. But after chopping wood for so long, the foundation of his "Iron Bone Kung Fu" should be extremely deep.

It's a waste to keep a martial artist with a solid foundation in the woodshed; we need to find him a more suitable place.

The network of information outside the palace is steadily expanding, and the Beggars' Clan members have established themselves in every street and alley of the capital.

Today, Xu Chu and the other three have officially come into the sights of the highest level. Dian Wei and Zhan Zhao have also been rewarded, and their status and influence in the Imperial Guard Camp have been greatly enhanced.

But these are not enough.

With an intelligence network, connections within the inner court, and advanced military force, he still lacked one thing.

money.

Without money, you can't support more people; without money, you can't spread a larger net.

His monthly allowance was pitifully small; after saving for half a year, he only had a dozen or so taels of silver, which was far from enough.

It's time to find a solution to this problem.

He turned over and buried his face in the pillow.

The Emperor personally instructed him to begin foundation building today, and this news reached him this afternoon through Gao Lishi's channels.

He didn't know why his father had suddenly noticed him, but it wasn't a bad thing.

Foundation Establishment means that one can begin to cultivate martial arts, and cultivating martial arts means that one can legitimately become stronger, without having to pretend to be a weak and sickly child anymore.

Outside the window, the clapper struck after the fourth watch.

Zhou Xing closed his eyes and let his breathing gradually become even and long.

There's still a lot to do tomorrow.