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

In the twenty-second year of Yonghe, it was the day of Rain Water.

Zhou Xing is eight years old.

The eight-year-old Ninth Prince has grown taller than last year.

Chunlan measured his height and found it to be more than two fingers' width longer than the scratch that was carved on the side hall door frame last year.

His eyebrows and eyes had matured a bit since he was a child, losing some of his childishness and gaining more handsome features, but the timid look on his face remained unchanged.

He still habitually lowers his head when he sees people, speaks softly, and prefers to walk close to the wall when walking on the palace path.

When people in the palace talked about the Ninth Prince, they still used the same old words: obedient, honest, and unremarkable.

Zhou Xing liked these three words very much; they were his best camouflage, even more effective than Xu Chu's black iron armor.

After the Spring Equinox, the summoning icon for the Elite Team on the system panel lit up again.

Zhou Xing sat cross-legged on the bed in the side hall, Chunlan was doing needlework in the outer room, and Qiuju was watering flowers in the courtyard.

No one noticed that His Highness dismissed them an hour earlier than usual today.

He looked at the golden light screen that only he could see, took a deep breath, and silently uttered a summons in his heart.

Golden light surged up like a tide, even more intense than before.

Several lines of text appeared on the light screen, written with sharp, knife-like strokes, like silver hooks and iron lines.

"Six-Star Elite Team"

"Group Name: Three Outstanding Students from Poor Families"

Six stars.

It is the same star level as Xu Chu and his "Hidden Dragon Guards".

Zhou Xing suppressed his excitement and continued to look down.

This time, the number of members is only three, which is even more streamlined than the usual configuration of an elite team.

But the six-star rating doesn't lie; the system gave these three people the same potential score as Xu Chu and the other three.

If three scholars can stand on equal footing with four top-tier martial artists, then their abilities must lie in other dimensions.

The list of members has emerged.

Zhou Xing's gaze swept over the three names, his pupils contracted slightly, and then he leaned against the headboard and smiled silently.

"Yao Guangxiao, Wang Anshi, Su Shi."

The configuration the system provided this time was so precise that he could hardly believe it.

If these three people can truly establish themselves in the court, the void in the civil service system will be filled in one fell swoop, and with the most outstanding talents in one step.

Yao Guangxiao was the chief strategist under Emperor Yongle (Zhu Di) of the Ming Dynasty, and was known as the "Black-Robed Prime Minister".

He was well-versed in Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, and knowledgeable in military strategy. When Zhu Di launched the Jingnan Campaign, he was in charge of planning and strategizing from the rear, making him the true chief architect of the entire campaign.

His strengths lie in his foresight, deep calculations, and composure. He excels at strategizing in secret, and while others are still focused on the next three moves, he has already deduced the endgame of the game.

In Zhou Xing's previous life, there was a saying in the internet circle: "You're still on the first level, while others are already on the fifth level." Yao Guangxiao was the kind of person who always thought five steps ahead of you.

Wang Anshi, one of the "Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song Dynasties," was the most famous reformer of the Northern Song Dynasty.

His defining characteristic is his exceptional execution ability; once he sets his mind on something, he will push it through to the end, even if the whole world opposes it.

Although the Xining Reforms were highly controversial, no one could deny Wang Anshi's courage and ability.

He is an indestructible hammer, capable of shattering any old conventions and bad habits, but because he is too rigid, he needs someone to cushion his blows.

Zhou Xing silently labeled him in his mind: a reformist vanguard who needs to be paired with someone who is good at mediating conflicts.

Su Shi needs no introduction.

He was proficient in poetry, calligraphy, and painting, and his writing was unparalleled. He was the kind of genius who would automatically become the center of attention wherever he went.

His personality was the complete opposite of Yao Guangxiao's.

Yao Guangxiao was deep and reserved, while Su Shi was open-minded and extroverted.

Yao Guangxiao plotted and strategized from the shadows, while Su Shi stood in the open, maneuvering and maneuvering with great skill.

In Zhou Xing's previous life, Su Shi was one of the most popular literati, and countless people used his poems as their personal signatures.

But few people know that Su Shi's political talent was also not to be underestimated.

He once served as a Hanlin Academician and a drafter of imperial edicts, and also served as a prefect in a local area, where he achieved remarkable political success.

His weakness is that he is too straightforward and not tactful enough, but if he is used in the right position...

His personal charisma and literary influence will be an immeasurable political asset.

Three people, three styles, three directions.

Yao Guangxiao was the mastermind behind the scenes, responsible for formulating strategies, analyzing situations, and secretly acting as a go-between.

Wang Anshi was the bulldozer at the forefront, responsible for pushing policies hard in the court and breaking the old pattern of interests.

Su Shi was a star in the spotlight, responsible for influencing public opinion, winning over centrists, and shaping a positive image for the Ninth Prince's faction both inside and outside the court through his writings and personal charisma.

The system continues to display detailed information and the implanted identity.

"Yao Guangxiao: His implanted identity is a monk staying at the Great Bao'en Temple in Beijing. His Dharma name is Daoyan. He is well-versed in Buddhism and Confucianism and often interprets fortune sticks for worshippers. He has quite a reputation in the temple."

He has cultivated to the third rank of literary cultivator, and his righteous spirit is beginning to take shape.

Current status: Diligently studying in the temple, preparing to leave secular life and participate in the imperial examinations.

"Wang Anshi: The implanted identity is a poor scholar from the outskirts of Beijing. He once passed the county-level imperial examination, but due to his family's poverty, he could not continue his studies. He made a living by teaching in Wangjiazhuang, a village on the outskirts of Beijing, while teaching and learning, waiting for the next year's imperial examination."

He has cultivated to the second rank of literary cultivator, and his righteous spirit has begun to take shape.

Current status: Studying diligently behind closed doors, saving up travel expenses, and preparing to go to the capital for the imperial examination next year.

"Su Shi: The implanted identity is a traveling scholar who lives in the Great Bao'en Temple. He lives in the same temple as Yao Guangxiao. He has not yet participated in the imperial examination. He makes friends through poetry and prose and has already gained some fame in the literary circles of the capital."

He is a second-rank literary cultivator, possessing a righteous and unrestrained spirit.

Current status: Studying and preparing for exams at the temple, often discussing literature and politics with Yao Guangxiao; the two have a deep friendship.

After reviewing each item, Zhou Xing became increasingly satisfied with the system's arrangement.

The identities of these three individuals were implanted as cleanly as three blank sheets of paper.

There are no complicated official backgrounds, no suspicious connections, just three ordinary students from poor families preparing for next year's imperial examinations.

Especially Yao Guangxiao, whose Great Bao'en Temple was located in the southern suburbs of the capital and was one of the royal temples of the Great Zhou Dynasty. High-ranking officials and nobles often went there to offer incense and worship Buddha.

A young monk who is eloquent and accurate in interpreting divination slips can easily build connections and a good reputation among these powerful figures. After entering the government in the future, the good relationships he has formed in these temples will become intangible political resources.

Su Shi lived in the Great Bao'en Temple, spending his days with Yao Guangxiao. The two were a scholar and a monk, one unrestrained and the other reserved, one with brilliant literary talent and the other with profound knowledge.

This contrast makes them the most eye-catching duo wherever they go, yet they also cleverly conceal each other.

Others only see Su Shi's talent, but they don't notice the unassuming monk behind him.

The imperial examinations will be held next spring, which is less than a year away.

For the past six months or so, he needed to have Lu Changfeng's Beggars' Sect secretly monitor the movements of these three people to ensure that they were not disturbed by the outside world during their exam preparation.

Heshengyuan also needs to secretly provide some resources.

Wang Anshi came from a poor family and made a living by teaching in a private school. He might not have had enough money to prepare for the exams, so he could ask Heshengyuan to sponsor students from poor families.

He received a sum of money through the local gentry of Wangjiazhuang, which solved his immediate problem without revealing its true source.

As for the Great Bao'en Temple, Lu Changfeng can arrange for one or two spies to visit the temple regularly as worshippers.

Under the guise of interpreting the divination slips, he made contact with Yao Guangxiao, conveying the latest developments in the palace and the political landscape to him, allowing him to familiarize himself with the game in advance.

But all of this must be done extremely discreetly, leaving no trace whatsoever.

These three people will be standing in the sunlight in the future, and their relationship with the Ninth Prince must go from "complete strangers" to "accidental acquaintances" and then to "shared interests". Each step must be natural and can withstand anyone's investigation and scrutiny.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, the fake vortex of qi in his dantian still slowly rotating, his breath steadily maintained at around the first grade.

The second-grade cultivation level was sealed deep within the spine, as quiet as a hibernating seed.

Chunlan yawned in the outer room, and the sound of needle and thread sewing stopped.

After watering the flowers, Qiuju was squatting in the yard talking to the gray sparrow.

The moonlight outside the window was cool and clear, shining on the leaves of the evergreen plant on the windowsill, and the dew on the tips of the leaves reflected a shimmering light.

Next spring.

He silently repeated it to himself.

The imperial examinations were the gateway for civil officials and the only upward mobility for children from poor families.

If any one of Yao Guangxiao, Wang Anshi, or Su Shi could stand out in the imperial examinations, he would have secured his first place in the court.