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

The next day, the morning mist had not yet dissipated from the bamboo grove of the Grand Tutor's residence.

The old servant then came to report that Vice Minister Pei had arrived.

Kong Yan put down the well-worn copy of Mencius in his hand, stood up, straightened his clothes, and personally went to the door of the study to greet him.

The two old ministers met in the courtyard. Without much small talk, they simply bowed to each other and then went into the study together.

The old servant brought over two freshly brewed cups of Longjing tea, then quietly slipped out, leaving the door slightly ajar.

The only sounds in the study were the rustling of bamboo leaves in the morning breeze outside the window and the wisps of white steam rising from the teacup.

Pei Du sat opposite Kong Yan, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then got straight to the point: "Grand Tutor, you summoned me to your residence today, surely not for tea."

His voice wasn't loud, but his enunciation was extremely clear, each word sounding as if it had been weighed before being uttered.

Kong Yan did not answer immediately, but instead picked up the three copies of policy essays from the desk and handed them over.

Pei Du took it, glanced at the names on the cover—Yao Guangxiao, Wang Anshi, Su Shi—and then put it down again.

He came to the Grand Tutor's residence today with the same intention.

After the results of the imperial examinations were announced, the policy proposals of these three individuals became the talk of the town among the civil officials.

In particular, Yao Guangxiao's article "On the Essentials of Border Defense: Strengthening the Border and Ensuring the People's Peace".

Even several Grand Secretaries in the Cabinet privately discussed that this man's demeanor was not that of a Confucian scholar, but rather that of someone who had led troops.

Pei Du spent twelve years in the Censorate and developed a habit: the more prominent a person was, the more carefully he would observe them.

"I have come to see the Grand Tutor today precisely to hear his opinion on these three men."

Pei Du put down his teacup, crossed his hands on his knees, and said, "The Grand Tutor has seen countless people, and he must have read these three people's policy proposals more than once."

Kong Yan leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest, and pondered for a long time.

His gaze fell on the clumps of bamboo outside the window, shrouded in the morning mist, as if he were looking through the bamboo to see something even further away.

"Zizhan's talent flows like a river, his writing is naturally perfect. He is broad-minded and upright, a good candidate to become a famous minister."

"However, he is too outgoing and not good at concealing his talents. If he meets an enlightened ruler, he can become a literary master of his generation. If he encounters undercurrents, he will easily be broken."

Kong Yanxian commented on Su Shi, his tone carrying both admiration and regret.

Then he mentioned Wang Anshi, his fingers tapping the armrest slightly faster, "Wang Anshi's sharpness is like a newly honed blade; his talent lies in practical matters, and his ambition lies in reform."

"If this person were placed as a prefect in a local area, he could turn a poor county into a rich one in less than three years."

"If the reform is carried out in the imperial court, it will have both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that it can break with the old and establish the new, but the disadvantage is that it is too rigid and does not know how to be flexible."

"If used well, it is a powerful tool for the country; if used poorly, it is a double-edged sword."

Pei Du nodded slightly. The Grand Tutor's evaluation of Su Shi and Wang Anshi was basically consistent with his own feelings when he was reviewing the papers.

But he knew that Kong Yan had not yet mentioned the most crucial person.

Sure enough, Kong Yan removed his hand from the armrest, picked up the teacup, but did not drink.

He simply used the cup lid to gently stir the tea leaves floating on the surface and remained silent for a long while.

"As for Daoyan..." Kong Yan's voice suddenly lowered, "His strategies and theories are all gems, with not a single word superfluous."

"But Vice Minister Pei, have you ever seen a scholar's policy essay that can accurately state the specific number of troops stationed in each of the northwestern garrisons, and also provide detailed data on the administration and resettlement of surrendered Qiang households?"

"This is not something that can be acquired by reading thousands of books in a study, nor by traveling around to learn; it is the talent of strategizing and planning."

"If this person is only appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, it would be a waste of his talents. If he were to enter the Grand Secretariat, the political landscape of the court might be rewritten."

"But that's precisely what worries me most: why was such a talented person previously unknown?"

Who was his teacher?

Who recommended him to take the exam?

"He stayed at the Great Bao'en Temple for three years. During that time, who did he associate with?"

Pei Du picked up the teacup and gently stirred the floating tea leaves with the lid, his movements unhurried and deliberate.

Every question raised by Kong Yan hit the nail on the head, but his focus was slightly different from Kong Yan's.

Kong Yan was concerned with Yao Guangxiao's background, while Pei Du was concerned with Yao Guangxiao's stance.

"The Grand Tutor's concerns are very valid. This person has repeatedly quoted Wang You'an's 'Memorial on Military Farms' in his policy essays, and his discussion of the border defense structure is also in line with Wang You'an's."

"However, Wang You'an was known for his uprightness, his refusal to form cliques or engage in self-interest, which offended many powerful officials and ultimately led to his demotion."

Pei Du took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, and changed the subject, "Although this person's policy proposal is exceptionally calm, I have read it carefully from beginning to end, and there is not a single word in it that aligns with any faction in the court."

"I can't tell that he has someone behind him. I have reviewed countless documents and impeached countless people in the Censorate. All the policy essays I have seen are lofty and empty talk about principles."

"A person who can truly write in their policy essay, 'The way to secure the borders lies not in having many soldiers, but in strengthening the foundation,'..."

"Either they have personally experienced border defense work, or they have a very deep family tradition of learning."

"This person comes from a poor family, so he is clearly not the latter."

He paused, then made his point clear: "What the Grand Tutor suspects is also what I suspect, but my conclusion differs from the Grand Tutor's. I believe this person can be used, but we must observe him first before employing him."

"What does Vice Minister Pei mean?" Kong Yan's gaze sharpened slightly.

"There's no need to rush to pull him into either side, nor to rush to exclude him."

Pei Du picked up the teacup again, this time taking a big gulp, and then placed the teacup back on the table with a soft sound.

"These three are currently observing politics in the Hanlin Academy, a place known for its upright officials and the best location to observe the court."

"Grand Tutor and I, Pei, might as well each send one or two people to observe them secretly, to see what books they are reading in the Hanlin Academy, who they associate with, what articles they are writing, and what matters they are discussing."

"Time will tell. Once the observation period is over, their character, stance, and abilities will naturally become clear."

"If the Grand Tutor wishes to take it, or if I wish to investigate it, we will both have legitimate reasons."

After he finished speaking, he and Kong Yan looked at each other for a long time, and then the two nodded slightly at almost the same time.

A rare smile flashed in Kong Yan's eyes. He picked up his teacup and gave Pei Du a perfunctory toast.

"As expected of Vice Minister Pei, he is a pillar of the Censorate. His judgment of people and matters is impeccable."

"Since Vice Minister Pei has also taken a liking to these three young men, then I will not stand on ceremony."

"Su Shi was a free and easygoing person, and I intended to take him as my disciple so that our literary lineage could be passed down."

"Wang Anshi is a man of practical talent. I will recommend him to the Ministry of Personnel to observe administration in the Ministry of Revenue."

"As for Yao Guangxiao," Kong Yan put down his teacup, leaned back in his chair, and said in a serious tone, "if this man proves to be useful, he can be entrusted with important matters of border defense in the future."

"At that time, I will personally recommend him to His Majesty for entry into the Ministry of War or the Zhenwu Division. If these three steps can be completed, the civil service structure of the Great Zhou for the next twenty years will have three new pillars."

As Pei Du rose to take his leave, he reached the study doorway and suddenly stopped, turning back to look at Kong Yan. "The Grand Tutor just said that Su Shi is easily broken if he encounters hidden currents, and Wang Anshi is a double-edged sword if not handled properly."

"And what about Yao Guangxiao?" the Grand Tutor asked, without finishing his sentence.

Kong Yan did not get up to see his guest off. Instead, he sat at his desk, picked up his teacup, and gazed silently at the dissipating morning mist outside the window for a while.

"I really can't see through Yao Guangxiao. His thoughts are so deep that they have reached the point of being unrecognizable."

"Every piece of data in his policy proposal is accurate and every argument is irrefutable, but his own stance is kept completely hidden."

"Those who are unfathomable are either harmless or the most dangerous."

His voice was so low that it almost blended into the rustling of bamboo leaves outside the window.

Pei Du didn't ask any more questions, cupped his hands in greeting, and turned to leave.

When he walked out of the gate of the Grand Tutor's mansion, the morning mist had already dissipated, and the rising sun illuminated the entire alley.

Before getting into the sedan chair, he glanced back at the black plaque with gold lettering on a background of the Grand Tutor's Mansion, but what he was thinking was...

If someone capable of writing such policy essays were merely an ordinary traveling scholar, that would be the biggest joke in the Great Zhou court.

Almost at the same moment, in the office of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs deep within the imperial city, Zhao Gao was kneeling before Wang Zheng, receiving a whisk with an ebony handle with both hands.

The handle of the whisk was oily and shiny, with a line of small characters engraved on it.

"Bestowed the seal of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs by imperial decree in the first year of Yonghe reign".

This was a token that Wang Zheng never parted with during his twelve years in charge of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and it was also a symbol of power passed down through generations of the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Today, Wang Zheng passed it on to Zhao Gao, not in a formal ceremony, but privately in his small duty room.

This move means that from this day forward, Zhao Gao is no longer a court eunuch, but the de facto successor to the position of head of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

All the eunuchs in the room, including the chief scribe and the attendant eunuchs, knelt down and bowed, saying, "Congratulations, Eunuch Zhao."

Zhao Gaoduan bowed respectfully in return, his expression as calm as ever.

But the moment he took the whisk, no one noticed that his fingers gently stroked the small characters "Yonghe Year 1" on the whisk handle.

In the courtyard of the Hanlin Academy, Yao Guangxiao sat by the window of his duty room, with a copy of the "Great Zhou Code" spread out in front of him and a cup of tea that had long since gone cold beside him.

His gaze wasn't on the pages of the book, but on the few new bamboo stalks in the courtyard outside the window.

Today is their second day in the Hanlin Academy, and no fewer than five groups of colleagues have come to visit them under various pretexts.

Some came to build rapport, some to test the waters, and some to secretly assess the new top scholar's background.

He knew this was just the beginning. The Hanlin Academy, though seemingly quiet, was actually a microcosm of the civil service factions. Every new scholar who entered the Hanlin Academy would be secretly investigated by various forces.

Kong Yan's men will come, Pei Du's men will come, and Yuwen Lie's men will also come.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip of the cool tea, and turned his gaze away from the bamboo, back to the pages of the book.