The number one sycophant of the Ming Dynasty

He looked at Chen Han, his gaze calm, but his tone carried a hint of testing:

"Supervisor Chen, I understand both of your points."

"Filial piety remains unwavering, and rules are never broken—that's beautifully said. But I have another question I'd like to ask."

"Please speak, sir." Chen Han bowed slightly.

"When you were splitting up the list, did you ever think about how the Emperor would see it?" Zhang Juzheng's words were like a needle piercing the most sensitive spot in the warm pavilion:

"His Majesty is a Taoist and values ​​auspicious numbers most. You've split the offerings into two parts, one following the rules of the Heaven Worship Ceremony and the other the rules of the Fasting Ritual. On the surface, it's in accordance with the rules, but have you considered whether the Emperor might think you're being opportunistic and using his faith for your own purposes?"

That's a more tricky and dangerous question.

What will the Emperor think?

Who among those present didn't want to know the answer to this question? But no one dared to ask.

Zhang Juzheng asked, and he asked so directly, leaving no room for doubt.

Prince Yu's expression changed slightly, and he subconsciously looked at Chen Han, feeling a pang of worry for him.

Gao Gong frowned, feeling that Zhang Juzheng's question was a bit too much. How could a lowly eighth-rank official possibly try to fathom the emperor's thoughts? Wasn't that making things difficult for him?

Xu Jie, however, continued to twirl the beaded string, a gentle smile on his face, but his eyes were fixed on Chen Han, wanting to see if this young man could withstand Zhang Juzheng's blow.

Chen Han's heart tightened slightly.

Zhang Juzheng's problem was more troublesome than those of Gao Gong and Xu Jie.

Gao Gong asked "How to do it?", Xu Jie asked "How to learn it?", and Zhang Juzheng asked "What did you think about it?"

This is testing his vision and probing his stance.

He was silent for a moment.

This moment of silence was not out of panic, but rather a process of organizing one's thoughts.

He knew that if he didn't answer this question well, all the good impressions he had made so far would be ruined.

"Lord Zhang, I have indeed thought about this issue." Chen Han raised his head and looked at Zhang Juzheng with an open and honest gaze. "To be honest, before I split the list, I thought about this issue over and over for two days and two nights."

"Oh?" Zhang Juzheng raised an eyebrow. "So how did you finally figure it out?"

"I've figured something out," Chen Han said calmly. "I don't need to guess His Majesty's thoughts; I only need to guess the rules of the 'Great Ming Code'."

That's a clever way of putting it.

Zhang Juzheng's eyes flickered slightly.

"The Great Ming Code is a set of rules established by the founding emperor, and it is the foundation of the Great Ming Dynasty," Chen Han continued. "I am acting in accordance with the rules and separating ancestor worship from religious ceremonies. This is not my idea, but it is written in the rules."

"As for whether His Majesty will think that I am being opportunistic..." He paused, "I think His Majesty will not."

"Why?" Zhang Juzheng pressed.

"Because Your Majesty understands the 'Collected Statutes of the Great Ming' better than I do." Chen Han's tone was sincere. "Although Your Majesty cultivates Taoism and lives a life of seclusion, Your Majesty is still the Son of Heaven of the Great Ming Dynasty and a descendant of the founding emperor."

"Your Majesty knows better than anyone that ancestor worship is ancestor worship and religious ceremonies are religious ceremonies; the two are not to be mixed up."

"I am separating the two matters not to make a fuss about Your Majesty's faith, but to help Your Majesty distinguish what needs to be distinguished."

"Your Majesty is wise and discerning; you cannot fail to see this."

joke!

Although you, Zhang Juzheng, are formidable, I haven't been wasting my years working within the system.

His words both flattered Emperor Jiajing (His Majesty understands the "Collected Statutes of the Ming Dynasty" better than I do) and absolved myself (I was just following the rules). He also explained the issue of "auspicious numbers" (ancestor worship and religious ceremonies are two separate things and should not be mixed up).

After listening, Gao Gong couldn't help but slam his hand on the table and shout, "Well said! What are rules? This is the rule! What is getting things done? This is getting things done!"

He was truly convinced.

This young man is not only capable of getting things done, but he can also speak so eloquently; he's truly a talent!

Xu Jie nodded, and the smile on his face finally became more sincere.

This young man is not only capable but also intelligent. What's even more remarkable is that he knows what to say, what not to say, what can be said, and what cannot be said.

This sense of propriety is even more valuable than his talent.

Zhang Juzheng looked at Chen Han and remained silent for a long while.

He didn't slap the table in admiration like Gao Gong, nor did he nod and smile like Xu Jie. He simply picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and said calmly, "Supervisor Chen is indeed insightful."

These words sounded ordinary, but everyone present could tell that Zhang Juzheng had genuinely acknowledged Chen Han.

Getting a truly insightful evaluation from Zhang Juzheng is harder than getting Gao Gong to slap his thigh ten times.

At this moment, Shen Zhiyu put down his teacup, looked at Zhang Juzheng, and said in a calm tone, "Lord Zhang just asked Supervisor Chen if he had considered how the Emperor would view this. I dare to ask Lord Zhang a question as well."

Everyone in the warm room was taken aback.

From the moment she entered until now, apart from her opening line, "It's my duty," Shen Zhiyu has barely spoken a word, her presence so low that she seems like a mere decoration in the warm room.

No one expected her to speak up at this moment.

Zhang Juzheng was not surprised. He put down his teacup, looked at Shen Zhiyu, and said in a calm tone, "Please speak, Manager Shen."

"When Lord Zhang asked Supervisor Chen just now, did he already have an answer in mind?" Shen Zhiyu's gaze was calm, but his tone was neither humble nor arrogant. "Does Your Excellency want to hear what Supervisor Chen has to say, or do you want to see if he dares to say it?"

That's a sharp question.

The warm room fell silent for a moment.

Gao Gong was stunned for a moment, and his eyes showed a hint of surprise when he looked at Shen Zhiyu.

This female official, without making a sound, hit the nail on the head as soon as she opened her mouth.

Zhang Juzheng was not angry. Instead, he smiled slightly and said frankly, "Minister Shen asked a good question. I did want to see if Supervisor Chen dared to accept this question. Now it seems that he not only dared to accept it, but also accepted it very well."

He looked at Shen Zhiyu, his gaze filled with scrutiny and admiration: "For Master Shen to see this, he is indeed a perceptive person."

Shen Zhiyu nodded slightly, said nothing more, picked up her teacup and took a sip, her expression still indifferent, as if her question had just been asked casually.

But Chen Han knew that she was trying to help him out of a difficult situation.

Zhang Juzheng's questions were too tricky. If he were the only one to answer, regardless of how well or poorly he answered, he would appear to be "showing off too much."

Shen Zhiyu's question not only briefly diverted the topic from Chen Han, but also made Zhang Juzheng admit that it was "a test," making Chen Han's answer seem even more remarkable.

Most importantly, it also subtly praised Zhang Juzheng.

Regardless of whether Zhang Juzheng thought like Chen Han, Shen Zhiyu's question and Zhang Juzheng's response made Chen Han's clever idea clear.

He glanced at Shen Zhiyu, but Shen Zhiyu didn't look at him. She just held her teacup, her eyes lowered, as if nothing had happened.

Gao Gong laughed heartily, raised his wine cup, and said to Chen Han and Shen Zhiyu, "Come, come, let me toast you both! This feast today has been truly delightful! It's been a long time since I've seen such cheerful young people!"

Chen Han and Shen Zhiyu quickly raised their glasses, saying they dared not accept such a toast.

Xu Jie smiled and raised his wine cup, looking at Chen Han and Shen Zhiyu, and said slowly, "Your Highness, this old minister thinks that today's feast was well worth it."

"Oh?" Prince Yu paused for a moment and looked at Xu Jie.

"The person His Majesty asked Your Highness to thank is indeed no ordinary person." Xu Jie's gaze swept over Chen Han and Shen Zhiyu, his tone meaningful. "One of these two can clear the way for Your Highness, and the other can guard the gate for Your Highness. From now on, Your Highness will finally have two more capable people by your side."

Prince Yu seemed to understand only partially, but seeing the three gentlemen's high praise, he was pleased. He raised his wine cup and said with a smile, "Very well! Then I'll also toast you both! In the future, I'll have to rely on you two a lot!"

Chen Han and Shen Zhiyu rose again, holding their cups with both hands, and bowed, saying, "Your Highness is too kind. We will certainly do our utmost to live up to Your Highness's expectations."

After finishing a glass of wine, the atmosphere at the table completely relaxed.

Gao Gong pulled Chen Han aside and asked him all sorts of questions, from his job at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to the process of the imperial examinations, from the "Collected Statutes of the Ming Dynasty" to the local customs and traditions. Chen Han answered them one by one, neither humble nor arrogant, showing both sincerity and propriety.

Xu Jie then chatted with Shen Zhiyu about matters of the inner court, his tone gentle, as if they were having a casual conversation, but every word carried a hint of probing. Shen Zhiyu responded flawlessly, neither revealing the secrets of the inner court nor appearing aloof, striking the perfect balance.

Zhang Juzheng sat to the side, holding a teacup, watching this scene with a calm gaze, but a slight smile appeared on his lips.

This Chen Han is indeed a remarkable person.

That Shen Zhiyu is no simple character either.