The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 153 "We Must Adapt to This Shift"

The morning drums sound.

Li Yichen wore a newly bestowed light blue official robe, with a silver fish-shaped pouch at his waist to indicate his status.

This was his first day as the Director of the Eastern Palace.

"Minister Siyi..."

Li Yichen silently recited the new official title in his mind.

To put it bluntly, they were the Crown Prince's close advisors and secretaries, responsible for reviewing, organizing, and even making preliminary annotations on documents submitted to the Crown Prince.

They have the right to offer corrections to any inappropriate points and to share the responsibility of handling specific affairs when the Crown Prince is overseeing state affairs.

This is a position that allows for close contact with core government affairs and grants a certain degree of influence and approval authority.

No longer the companion who could only stand by my side and occasionally offer advice.

Li Yichen understood that this was the first step he was gradually taking into the eyes of the world.

He didn't feel much joy inside.

He transmigrated here, initially only seeking survival. Relying on his understanding of historical trends and the guidance skills he gained as a teacher in his previous life, he managed to survive amidst perilous situations.

This can be considered a partial victory—at least temporarily diverting the crown prince's attention from the dead end of rebellion to the more secure power struggle.

However, the emperor's mind is unpredictable, the court is turbulent and unpredictable, outside the Eastern Palace, the King of Wei is eyeing the palace with covetous intent, the Shandong aristocratic families are still resentful, and the Guanlong Group's attitude is ambiguous.

The road ahead will only be more difficult, like walking on thin ice.

For him, the position of Siyilang was both an opportunity and a greater test.

He can finally move slightly from "behind the scenes" to "front and center," and has the opportunity to exert his influence more directly and systematically on the decision-making of the Crown Prince's palace.

His fate was now deeply intertwined with that of the Crown Prince; their fortunes were intertwined, one for all and the other for all.

On the premise of ensuring that Li Chengqian does not make any mistakes, he also needs to gradually demonstrate his own value, consolidate his position, and even... accumulate some real political capital for the possible future.

However, this change in identity made him feel somewhat uncomfortable for a while.

In his previous life, he was just a teacher whose duty was to impart knowledge, teach skills, and resolve doubts, and he faced relatively simple students.

Even though some colleagues later switched to administration and even became bureau chiefs or county heads, that was ultimately a different world.

He knew that he inevitably carried the habitual thinking of a "teacher," liked to teach others, and enjoyed explaining principles and analyzing advantages and disadvantages.

This kind of "fatherly" attitude might be surprisingly effective when used as a tutor to privately guide the crown prince, but it might seem out of place, or even offensive, in the position of Siyilang, which requires rigor, pragmatism, and an understanding of official rules and procedural justice.

"Be careful with your words and actions, listen and observe more, integrate first, and then think about other things."

Li Yichen silently warned himself.

He had to repackage those out-of-the-time insights and overly straightforward analyses with a discourse system more in line with the bureaucratic system of this era.

"Minister Li, the time is approaching; it is time to enter the hall to pay your respects to His Highness."

A clerk in a green robe approached and respectfully reminded him.

That attitude was subtly different from how he treated ordinary tutors in the past.

Li Yichen composed himself and nodded slightly.

"Thank you."

Stepping into the side hall of Xiande Hall, this place has been converted into the place where the Crown Prince handles his daily affairs.

Li Chengqian sat upright behind the desk at the head of the table, looking down as he flipped through a stack of documents.

His complexion was much calmer than before, but there was still a youthful vigor in his eyes.

Below, Du Zhenglun, the Left Vice Minister, Dou Jing, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and other key officials of the Eastern Palace had all arrived.

Upon seeing Li Yichen enter, everyone's eyes turned to him, some scrutinizing, some curious, and a hint of barely perceptible anticipation.

"Your subject Li Yichen greets Your Highness." Li Yichen bowed in accordance with proper etiquette.

Li Chengqian raised his head, a genuine smile appearing on his face.

"Yichen has arrived, no need for formalities. From this day forward, you will officially assume the position of Siyilang. You will need to take good care of the correspondence, memorials, and corrections from the Crown Prince."

His tone was gentle, but it carried a clear sense of reliance.

It's an inappropriate occasion to address someone as "sir" in front of a large crowd.

"Your Majesty, I will do my utmost to live up to your trust and expectations."

Li Yichen responded in a deep voice.

Du Zhenglun stroked his beard and said, "Li Siyi is young and promising, and His Highness has praised him many times. I hope you will work diligently and conscientiously, and live up to His Highness's high expectations."

He was a senior official of the Crown Prince's Palace, and his words carried the expectations of an elder and a hint of subtle scrutiny.

Li Chengqian gestured for Li Yichen to sit down at a newly set-up desk near him, where some of the documents and files to be processed that day were already piled up.

"These are all documents sent from various places today. Take a look at them first, classify them according to their importance and urgency, and report to us immediately if there is anything that needs to be dealt with immediately or if there is any doubt."

"Yes," Li Yichen replied, took a deep breath, and began to read.

The documents were of various types, including general summaries of political affairs copied from the Three Provinces and Six Ministries and sent to the Crown Prince's Palace, petitions from various bureaus and offices of the Crown Prince's Palace requesting instructions, and letters of thanks or suggestions directly submitted to the Crown Prince's Palace by local officials.

He needs to quickly scan the data, assess its importance, offer preliminary suggestions, and even draft responses.

At first, he read it quite slowly.

The classical Chinese language, the complex official jargon, and the various subtle hints and subtexts all required him to spend more effort to understand them.

He tried hard to recall the scattered knowledge about official document processing from the original owner's memories, and combined it with his previous life's research on the Tang Dynasty system, carefully annotating it.

As time passed, Li Yichen gradually found his footing.

He abandoned overly "teacher-style" comprehensive analysis and tried to write annotations in a more concise and procedural language.

"This is standard practice, so it can be followed."

"This matter concerns the development of Xizhou. I suggest that you forward it to Grand Tutor Dou for detailed discussion."

"This petition exceeds the regulations and should be returned to our department."

During this time, he came across a document from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices requesting additional funding for music and dance.

He picked up his pen and wrote: "Please examine the recent surplus in the Crown Prince's expenses. If there is no way to allocate funds, then reject the application according to regulations, and make it clear that the national treasury is in dire straits."

It not only pointed out the key issues but also provided a compliant approach to handling the situation.

He organized the annotated documents and presented them to Li Chengqian for review.

Li Chengqian read the documents carefully and would occasionally ask a question or two. Li Yichen was able to answer based on the contents of the documents and the regulations. Although he did not say anything surprising, his answers were always steady and reliable.

Just after noon, a clerk from the Secretariat delivered an urgent document.

After reading it, Li Chengqian frowned slightly and handed it to Du Zhenglun and Dou Jing, who were sitting below him, to read. "Everyone, take a look. This is from the grain transport department. They say that the grain ships from Luokou Granary to Shanzhou have been delayed recently. The transport commissioner said that the river is too shallow for boats to travel and requested that the grain and provisions be delayed for ten days before reaching Guanzhong."

After reading it, Du Zhenglun pondered and said, "It is indeed normal for the river to be shallow. However, the spring floods have not yet passed this year, so how can you say that the water is shallow? Moreover, delaying it for ten days may affect the supplies for the military and civilians in the capital."

Dou Jing was in charge of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and was more familiar with practical matters.

“Your Highness, there may be something fishy about this matter. I remember that the Ministry of Works dredged this section of the river just last year. Even if the water is shallow, it shouldn’t have caused a blockage for ten days. What the Transport Commissioner said may not be the whole truth.”

Li Chengqian looked at Li Yichen.

"Yichen, you've just read the documents related to the Grand Canal transport in the past month. What are your thoughts?"

He recalled the documents he had just reviewed, one of which was a routine report from the canal transport office half a month ago, which mentioned that the water flow in that section of the river was stable and the canal transport was smooth.

The other document is a summary from the Ministry of Civil Affairs regarding the shipment of grain tribute this year, with clear figures.

He rose and cautiously replied, "Your Highness, I have indeed seen the relevant documents just now. Half a month ago, the canal transport office reported that the waterway was clear, but now it is suddenly said that the water is shallow and has caused delays for ten days. The timing seems a bit abrupt."

"Furthermore, according to the documents from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the amount of grain transported this year is similar to that of last year, and there is no indication of any special increase in transport causing congestion."

"The reasons given by the Transport Commissioner seem insufficient. Perhaps he could be asked to provide a detailed account of the specific circumstances of the obstruction, such as the specific section of the canal, the number of cargo ships involved, and how the water conditions compare to those of the same period in previous years."

"At the same time, you can consult the Water Department of the Ministry of Public Works to verify the recent hydrological conditions of that section of the river. It is not too late to make a decision after clarifying the reasons."

Instead of directly questioning the envoy's claims of lying, he pointed out ambiguities in the report and requested more specific information and cross-verification, demonstrating clear thinking and following proper procedures.

Upon hearing this, Du Zhenglun chimed in agreement.

"What Siyi said is very true. The matter is unusual and should be investigated in detail. We cannot allow the delay based on just one side of the story, otherwise it will easily become a pretext for shirking responsibility."

Li Chengqian nodded: "Good! Let's go with this proposal. Dou Zhanshi, draft an inquiry document immediately and send it to the Grand Canal Administration and copy it to the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Water Resources, ordering them to provide a clear response within a specified period!"

"My minister obeys."

Dou Jing accepted the order, glanced at Li Yichen, and her eyes showed more approval.

After this matter was dealt with, the atmosphere inside the hall seemed to become more lively.

The gazes of the officials from the Eastern Palace toward Li Yichen became less scrutinizing and more accepting.

He can quickly get into the role, handle documents clearly and logically, and offer practical suggestions at crucial moments. It seems that he has only lacked an opportunity in the past three years.

Li Yichen knew that this was only the first step.

There is still much for him to learn in this new position.

One must avoid being too paternalistic and attracting attention, while at the right time and in a manner befitting one's status, demonstrating one's value and subtly influencing the Crown Prince's decisions.

He sat back down at his desk and continued to bury himself in the sea of ​​documents.

At the end of the Shenshi hour (3-5 PM), the drums sounded again, signifying that the day's administrative work had temporarily come to an end.

The officials tidied their desks, rose, bowed to the Crown Prince, and took their leave.

As we walked out of Xiande Hall, the afterglow of the setting sun lingered.

Several colleagues came over.

The registrar of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, a middle-aged official surnamed Wang, smiled and said to Li Yichen, "Director Li's criticism of the grain transport documents today is spot on. In the past, such vague reports were often let off lightly, which only encouraged inefficiency among subordinates."

Another attendant from the Left Spring Palace chimed in, “Exactly. His Highness has been making great strides lately, and the power of the Eastern Palace is increasing daily. As a result, the various ministries and departments are submitting documents more and more frequently. However, the quality of these documents is uneven, and it is precisely because of the meticulousness of someone like Director Li that they need to be able to identify and correct them.”

Li Yichen quickly replied modestly, "You two are too kind. I am a beginner and am merely following the rules and regulations. There are many things I still need to learn from my colleagues."

His respectful attitude and lack of arrogance pleased his colleagues even more.

Dou Jing, who was walking slightly behind, also stepped forward slowly and walked alongside Li Yichen, saying in a low voice, "Yichen, there's no need to be so modest. His Highness is well aware of your talent, and we have all seen it as well."

Dou Jing was very satisfied with Li Yichen's handling of Wang Laowu's case.

In his view, Li Yichen broke the Crown Prince's passive situation in Shandong.

"The Eastern Palace is not what it used to be. His Majesty has granted us more and more power to listen to government affairs. As officials of the Eastern Palace, we have a heavier burden on our shoulders. In the past, although we were ranked in the Eastern Palace, we were actually quite idle. Our families regarded it as a prestigious but unremarkable position, and we could not hold any real power."

He paused, a hint of barely perceptible pride in his voice.

"But things are very different now. The Crown Prince has the power to participate in decision-making regarding the development of Xizhou, the follow-up disaster relief in Shandong, and even the handling of daily government affairs."

"To be honest, recently, the elders of my clan have become much warmer towards me. Even those high-ranking officials from the ministries and provinces who used to be arrogant and haughty are now much more polite when we meet. This is all because the Crown Prince's power has increased significantly."

Li Yichen listened silently, understanding the situation.

This is the most direct change brought about by power.

The Eastern Palace was no longer just a symbolic institution for the crown prince; it gradually became a "political sub-center" with actual decision-making power.

These officials serving the Crown Prince's Palace, who were originally just arranged by their families to "invest in the future" and had limited power, are now truly beginning to wield some real power, and their social and family status naturally rises accordingly.

This change will undoubtedly greatly enhance the cohesion within the Eastern Palace and the enthusiasm of its officials.

“What Lord Dou said is absolutely right,” Li Yichen echoed.

"With the Crown Prince's status elevated, we should be even more diligent and conscientious in fulfilling our duties, so as not to fail His Majesty and His Highness's trust, nor to live up to the expectations of our families."

"Indeed," Dou Jing nodded.

"Therefore, a capable person like you is in the right place at the right time. Do a good job, and His Highness will not mistreat a meritorious official."

As they spoke, they had already arrived at the gate of the East Palace.

The group bowed to each other in farewell and went their separate ways.

Li Yichen did not immediately return to his residence, but instead walked slowly along the passageway outside the palace wall.

He reflected on everything that had happened that day.

The duties of the Siyilang were more complicated than he had anticipated, requiring immense patience and meticulousness.

He did feel uncomfortable, that awkward transition from "thought leader" to "task executor".

Often, he instinctively wants to analyze a matter in depth, breaking it down like explaining a problem to a student.

But reason told him that in officialdom, often all that was needed was to give a conclusion and suggestions that followed procedures; too much explanation would only appear redundant and weak.

"We must adapt to this shift."

he said to himself.

"Here, pragmatism and efficiency are often more important than profound truths. The 'paternalistic' attitude should be put away, but the ability to observe and analyze problems cannot be lost; only the way of expressing it needs to change."

At the same time, he also keenly sensed the new atmosphere emerging within the Eastern Palace.

The officials' morale was high due to the substantial increase in their power, which was a good thing for Li Chengqian, as it strengthened team cohesion.

But this could also bring new problems, such as arrogance, friction with other bureaucratic systems, and more attention-grabbing attacks.

As a councilor, he is in a position where information is gathered, so perhaps he can do more in this area.

(End of this chapter)