The number one sycophant of the Ming Dynasty

Back at his post in the Guanglu Temple, Chen Han neatly packed his belongings, then sat down and began writing down his ideas for the upcoming religious ceremony.

This plan wasn't meant for Prince Yu to see; it was for him to see himself, a strategy etched into his mind.

He wrote three lines on the paper:

First line: Consort Zhao - Likes, Dislikes, Temperament (to be investigated).

It is known that: He has been a Buddhist for many years, and being sent to a Taoist temple to perform rituals is inherently contradictory and awkward.

We need to prepare Buddhist items in advance so that she can feel at ease for a moment in the Taoist temple and have the confidence to deal with any difficulties.

At the same time, it would be best to find out Lu Jingfei's preferences so that you can respond accordingly.

Second line: Consort Li - Prince Yu said she was "knowledgeable, reasonable, and strong-willed".

The core of being strong is being unable to bear being wronged and being unable to hide one's emotions.

She needs to be taught how to respond in advance: how to respond to Consort Lu Jing's moves with composure and dignity, without giving others a reason to criticize or seize upon them.

The third line: Three days at Sanqing Temple – lodging, dining hall, altar, and scripture hall.

Chen Han couldn't enter the inner courtyard, so he had to rely on prior arrangements and Consort Li herself.

It is necessary to thoroughly understand the layout of the Sanqing Temple, the background of the Qingyun Taoist priest, and the specific procedures for the three-day fasting ceremony in advance, so as to plug all possible loopholes.

There are three things. The first and most important one requires Shen Zhiyu's attention, and he can also consult on the rest.

Firstly, regarding the background of Consort Zhao and Consort Lu, only Shen Zhiyu, who had been in the inner court for many years, was able to find out the most authentic and detailed information.

Secondly, he needed Shen Zhiyu's help to figure out how Consort Li would respond.

Having spent eight years in the inner court, she was accustomed to the undercurrents, the flattery and sabotage among the concubines, and knew better than anyone how to deal with them in the safest and most advantageous way.

The third matter concerns the inner workings of the Sanqing Temple. Shen Zhiyu works in the Siyan Department, and all official documents, both internal and external, must pass through her hands.

She must know things that others don't, such as the regulations governing the correspondence between Sanqing Temple and the palace, the background of Daoist Qingyun, and the details of the rituals for fasting and offering sacrifices.

Chen Han put down his pen and looked at the sky outside the window.

The sun was already setting in the west. He stood up, picked up the package, left the Guanglu Temple, and headed towards the Xihua Gate.

By the time we arrived at Xihua Gate, it was already getting dark.

He handed over his waist token, saying that he was Chen Han, the supervisor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and requested an audience with Shen, the head of the Department of Remarks.

The eunuch guarding the gate glanced at him, pursed his lips, and told him to wait at the door.

This wait lasted for almost half an hour.

Chen Han stood outside the palace gate, the cold wind blowing up from the moat, piercing his collar like knives.

He straightened his sleeves, neither urging nor leaving, but stood there quietly waiting.

Finally, footsteps could be heard from inside.

It wasn't Shen Zhiyu who arrived; it was Vice Minister Zhou.

She saw Chen Han, paused for a moment, then smiled: "Supervisor Chen? What brings you here so late?"

"Greetings, Vice Minister Zhou." Chen Han cupped his hands in greeting, his tone calm. "This humble official has an official matter to discuss with Minister Shen."

"Official business?" Deputy Commander Zhou glanced at the bundle in his hand, his smile deepening. "What official business, that you brought something with you?"

"It's just a small token of my appreciation, some tea and snacks for the esteemed members of Siyan Division," Chen Han said generously, pulling a packet of osmanthus cake from his sleeve and handing it over. "It's cold, so Vice-Chief Zhou and the ladies can take these and share them. Have a bite to eat and a cup of hot tea."

Deputy Director Zhou accepted the osmanthus cake, his smile widening even more genuine: "Supervisor Chen is truly a thoughtful person. You wait here, I'll go in and inform you right away."

She turned and went inside.

After another short while, the cold, emotionless voice finally came from inside: "Let him in."

Chen Han straightened his clothes and stepped into Si Yansi's duty room.

Shen Zhiyu sat behind the desk, just as she had when they last met.

He wore a faded blue official robe, and his black hair was simply tied up with a plain jade hairpin.

An oil lamp was lit in the duty room, casting a dim yellow light that obscured half of her face, making it impossible to discern her expression.

The chipped, coarse porcelain teacup was still on the corner of the table, and the broken spout still held tea stains that couldn't be washed away.

The futon was still the same dusty gray one, but it had obviously been replaced with a new one, though the color was still just as monotonous.

The windowsill was empty, completely bare, without even a trace of smoke.

It was a bit cold inside. Only a few dark red embers remained in the charcoal brazier, indicating that it had been burning for a long time and had not been refilled.

She sat in this cold, impersonal room, guarding a pile of documents that could never be finished, for eight years.

"Supervisor Chen." She looked up at him, her tone indifferent, revealing no trace of joy or anger. "What is it so late?"

Chen Han did not rush to talk about the ritual.

He gently placed the bundle in his hand on the corner of the table and untied the blue cloth bundle.

First, there was that wolf-hair brush made of Xiangfei bamboo.

"Last time I saw the pen that Manager Shen used, the lacquer on the handle had been worn off. His wrist must have gotten sore after writing for a long time."

"This pen is from an old shop in Dengshikou. It has a handle made of Xiangfei bamboo, and it feels warm and smooth to the touch."

"The brush tip was handcrafted by an old craftsman. It has a tight tip and moderate strength, making it perfect for writing small regular script."

"I chose the thinnest one."

Shen Zhiyu's gaze fell on the pen, paused for a moment, her long eyelashes trembled, and she remained silent.

Then there was that ingot of pine soot ink.

"This ink stick was made by that shop according to their family recipe. It contains borneol and musk, and the resulting ink is jet black and shiny. It doesn't have the musty smell of stale ink, and it even has a faint cool fragrance."

"Shen Zhangyin would sit in the duty room all day long. In the sweltering summer, the smell could relieve the greasiness and coolness. In the dry and cold winter, the smell could calm the mind and soothe the nerves. It was just right to refresh the mind and was not ostentatious."

Shen Zhiyu's fingers clenched slightly under the table.

Then there was the cut Xuan paper.

"This paper is produced in Xuanzhou. It is finer than the bamboo paper provided by the government office. It doesn't bleed ink, making it perfect for writing small characters."

"I had the shopkeeper cut it into small sheets, each two feet square, which is exactly the size that Manager Shen usually uses on his desk. You won't have to go through the trouble of cutting it yourself, which will save you some trouble."

Shen Zhiyu's gaze moved from the paper to the pen, then from the pen to the ink, and finally landed on Chen Han's face.

Her expression remained indifferent, revealing no trace of joy or anger, but the tips of her fingers holding the pen had already turned slightly white.

Then there was the celadon cup from the Longquan kiln, and the matching saucer.

"This cup is from the Longquan kiln. It has a warm and lustrous glaze, a thin body, and is lightweight. It doesn't feel heavy in your hand. This size is just right for Manager Shen when he drinks tea alone in his duty room."

"I noticed that when Master Shen was at Prince Yu's residence last time, his fingers lingered on the rim of the Ding kiln cup for a moment longer than usual."

"I guessed that Master Shen likes things that are gentle and delicate, but he doesn't usually have the opportunity or it's inconvenient to show them off openly."

Shen Zhiyu's eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly once again.

She was startled at that moment.

He actually saw that fleeting little gesture that she herself hadn't even noticed, and remembered it...