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

The news of what happened in the Imperial Garden spread throughout the entire inner court in less than half a day.

Each person relaying the message had their own version.

Some say that Zhao Gao turned hostile on the spot in front of the pavilion.

Some say the second prince has also come.

Some say that when the old woman was dragged away, one of her shoes was kicked off, and her cries could be heard across half of the Imperial Garden.

But all versions share a common core: Zhao Gao stood up for the Ninth Prince and had the old nanny serving Consort Huang beaten to death. Instead of blaming him, His Majesty ordered Zhao Gao to rectify the etiquette of the inner court.

When Wei Zhongxian heard the news, he was sitting in the Personnel Department office reviewing the newly sent personnel transfer rosters for various prisons.

After Xiao Shunzi finished his vivid storytelling, he picked up the teapot and gulped down half a pot of cold tea, then wiped his mouth and waited for him to speak.

Wei Zhongxian merely squinted and chuckled twice, then placed the roster on the table, stood up, and straightened his clothes.

"Let's go to the Directorate of Ceremonial."

When he arrived at the entrance of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Zhao Gao was sitting at his desk reviewing a stack of official documents, with a freshly brewed cup of Longjing tea beside him, its aroma wafting through the air.

Wei Zhongxian knocked on the door frame and stepped inside before Zhao Gao could respond, plopping down in the chair opposite him.

Zhao Gao looked up at him, put down his vermilion brush, and pushed the teacup towards him.

"You've come quickly," Zhao Gao said in his usual calm tone.

However, Wei Zhongxian noticed that he was reviewing official documents much faster than usual today.

The stack of official documents on the table has been mostly approved.

"How could we not hurry? The entire inner court is in an uproar."

Wei Zhongxian picked up his teacup and took a big gulp, grimacing from the heat, but still forced it down. "Old Wei has heard at least five versions of this story outside."

"Some say you pulled out the knife on the spot."

"Some say you slapped that old woman three zhang away."

"There's another version that says even the Second Prince is applauding you. Which one is true?"

"None of them." Zhao Gao took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and slowly wiped the cinnabar off his fingers.

Then he briefly recounted what had happened in the Imperial Garden that day.

His account was calm and accurate, without any embellishment.

But Wei Zhongxian listened very carefully, especially when he heard the sentence, "Those who have no one to support them are indeed those who have no one to support them."

The smile on his face faded slightly.

When Zhao Gao recounted what he had said to the emperor, Wei Zhongxian suddenly slapped his thigh, making a sharp cracking sound.

"Brilliant!" He gave a thumbs up, his eyes narrowing into slits with a smile. "The brilliance lies in the fact that you're standing up for the rules, not for His Highness the Ninth Prince."

"That was a brilliant move. The more you stand up for the rules, the less those who want to find fault with you will be able to open their mouths."

"They can't just say the rules are wrong, can they? If Consort Huang goes to His Majesty to complain, His Majesty will have to praise you for doing the right thing."

"Old Wei may not have your martial arts talent, but when it comes to the ability to treat people differently based on their status, I admire you."

Zhao Duan picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said calmly, "This matter is not over yet."

"His Majesty has given me the task of regulating the etiquette of the inner court. I am responsible for investigating and dealing with any servants or maids in the palaces and courtyards who do not follow the rules."

"Consort Huang was just the first. She cried and complained to His Majesty for half an hour, but His Majesty not only did not punish me, but also issued an order for me to rectify the situation."

"This shows that His Majesty has long been aware of the abuse of power by these palace maids, but he just needed a knife to cut them down, and now I am that knife."

Wei Zhongxian narrowed his eyes, his smile fading slightly, and whispered something only the two of them could hear: "Every blow you strike with this knife ultimately hurts the master's opponent. Old Wei understands."

After he finished speaking, he leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and his tone suddenly became sentimental.

He spent most of his previous life in the Ming Dynasty palace; what kind of demons and monsters hadn't he seen?

The maids serving the empresses in the palace would fawn over whoever was favored and trample on whoever was not. Having gotten used to trampling on others, they eventually forgot who they were.

When the old nanny scolded the Ninth Prince for having no one to care for him, who was she scolding? It was the master.

Wei Zhongxian had witnessed many similar incidents in the Ming palace.

Those unfavored princes could be treated badly even by a favored eunuch.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gao paused slightly in his hand, which was holding a teacup.

He looked up at Wei Zhongxian, his gaze revealing a tacit understanding that only the two of them could comprehend.

He knew that Wei Zhongxian was referring to his past life.

In his previous life in the Ming Dynasty palace, Wei Zhongxian knew better than anyone how he climbed from a lowly servant to the position of the Ninth Prince. He understood what it felt like to be trampled on.

In this life, they were bound to the same boat from the very beginning.

Their master was also that "unfavored little prince".

"So that old nanny must die." Zhao Gao put down his teacup, his voice completely calm.

But the words behind them were as cold as a knife just pulled from an ice cellar: "It's not just because she insulted her master."

"It's not that there are so many people like that in the inner court; they don't think it's a big deal to insult an unfavored prince."

"Because in their eyes, being unfavored is equivalent to having no status, and having no status means that anyone can step on you."

"If we don't make an example of them this time, this kind of thing will happen again."

"If the master can tolerate it, I cannot tolerate it, you cannot tolerate it, and none of the people who follow us in this inner court can tolerate it."

Wei Zhongxian was silent for a moment, then straightened his expression, sat up straight, and asked in a low voice, "How do you plan to rectify this? Twelve Directorates, Four Offices, Eight Bureaus, tens of thousands of servants—this is no small task."

Zhao Gao took a document from the table and handed it to him.

That was the rectification plan he had just drafted, which listed three core measures: First, to re-evaluate the staffing and ranks of maids and servants in each palace and courtyard, and to establish etiquette according to rank, without any overstepping of authority.

Secondly, a complaint box was set up at the entrance of the Imperial Household Department. Any servants or maids who abused their power or defied their superiors would be severely punished once verified. Those who made a true report would be rewarded.

Third, each supervisory commission and bureau shall conduct its own internal investigation of personnel who have violated regulations and shall report the findings within one month. Those who fail to report by the deadline will be severely punished if they are found to have violated regulations.

After reading through the document line by line, Wei Zhongxian returned it to Zhao Gao, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest of his chair.

He thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "The third point needs to be changed."

"Just the 'self-inspection and reporting' process is something those shrewd people can cover up or delay. When the deadline comes in the last month, all they report are trivial matters."

"You need to add a clause: those who voluntarily report during the self-inspection period will be treated leniently, while those who conceal information will be severely punished once verified."

"That way they'll rush to report it, afraid that someone else will report it first and drag them down with them."

A rare hint of admiration flashed in Zhao Gao's eyes.

He picked up his vermilion pen and added Wei Zhongxian's supplement next to the third measure, without changing a single word. Then he put down his pen and looked up again: "There is one more thing you have to do for me."

"What is it?"

How many personnel files do you have for Consort Huang?

Wei Zhongxian's lips slowly curled up, revealing a mouthful of uneven teeth.

He leaned back in his chair, placed his teacup on the table, and spoke with a confident and leisurely tone.

He said that the Personnel Department was in charge of this, and that Consort Huang had more than just that old hag who had died. When she was dragged away and beaten to death, not a single servant pleaded for her.

What does this tell us?

What do you call this deep master-servant affection?

A pack of dogs fight over a bone when there's meat on it, but scatter when the bone's gone.

He turned around and retrieved the files of everyone around Consort Huang.

She knew everything about who recommended whom to enter the palace, who was from the same hometown as the head of which prison, and who owed gambling debts outside the palace.

If she stops causing trouble, fine. But if she dares to act up again and annoy her master, any one of these reasons could be enough to get her into serious trouble.

Zhao Gao nodded, picked up the teacup but did not drink it. Instead, he gently tapped the rim of the cup with the lid, making a very light and crisp sound.

Wei Zhongxian was very familiar with this sound.

Each time Zhao Gao tapped the rim of his cup, it meant that he had sorted out his thoughts and the next course of action had been formulated.

He stood up, straightened his clothes, and prepared to take his leave. When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and turned back to look at Zhao Gao.

He paused for a moment, then spoke in a lower voice, but with an unusually solemn tone.

"Brother Zhao, in our past lives we both stood at the highest point and also fell to the lowest point."

"So we both know that in this palace, following the right person is more important than anything else."

"Our master is a man capable of great things; all four of us know that."

"But what I admire most about what you did today is not your methods, but your courage to stand up for your master at this time."

"Well done, our future will be brighter and brighter."

Zhao raised his teacup and gave him a polite bow, the lid lightly tapping the rim of the cup with a crisp sound.

The sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet duty room, like two extremely heavy pieces being placed simultaneously on two open chessboards.