The number one sycophant of the Ming Dynasty

It wasn't that I was angry that he went to Prince Yu's residence, but that I was angry that Vice Minister Sun made him report directly, skipping over Director Liu.

In officialdom, reporting to superiors without authorization is a major taboo.

Although this wasn't Chen Han's initiative, but rather Sun Sicheng's own arrangement, in Liu Shuzheng's eyes, it meant that Chen Han had climbed the social ladder and no longer respected him, his superior.

"Lord Director," Chen Han's tone remained respectful and neither humble nor arrogant, "Lord Sun instructed me to report directly because the Winter Sacrifice was specifically assigned by His Highness Prince Yu, and the procedures are complicated. Lord Sun was afraid that too many intermediaries would cause mistakes."

"Every time I return from Lord Sun's place, I make a copy of the progress of the task and show it to the Director. I never miss a single one."

As he spoke, he took out a copy from his sleeve and handed it over with both hands: "This is the list of regulations for sacrificial vessels at the Temple of Heaven that I checked yesterday. Please take a look, Your Excellency."

Liu Shuzheng took the copy and glanced at it.

He knew in his heart that Chen Han was giving him a way out.

The items had been prepared beforehand, specifically to shut him up.

If he doesn't accept it, it will be seen as deliberately making things difficult for his subordinates, and he will be seen as jealous and envious of talent.

Accepting the report was tantamount to agreeing to Chen Han reporting the matter directly to Sun Sicheng.

He was silent for a moment, then placed the copy on the table and said indifferently, "Alright, I understand. You can go now."

"Thank you, sir." Chen Han bowed and left the duty room.

He had just reached the door when Liu Shuzheng's voice came from behind him, neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for him to hear:

"Knowing how to please women is a skill in itself."

Chen Han paused for a moment.

He didn't turn around or offer any explanation; he simply walked out with a calm expression.

In the courtyard, Zheng Dianli was carrying a stack of account books out of the west duty room. Seeing Chen Han coming out of Liu Shuzheng's duty room with a grim expression, he quickly approached and asked in a low voice, "Supervisor Chen, did Liu Shuzheng make things difficult for you again?"

Chen Han shook his head: "It's nothing. I'm going to Prince Yu's residence. You keep an eye on things at the yamen and write anything down. I'll tell you when I get back."

"Don't worry!" Clerk Zheng nodded repeatedly, then muttered under his breath, "Director Liu is just jealous! You got some face from Lord Sun, and he's unhappy about it, so he's using these words to put you down. What 'good at pleasing women'? That's just him being incompetent at doing his job well, so he accuses others of taking shortcuts!"

Chen Han patted him on the shoulder, said nothing, and turned to walk out.

He knew it all too well.

In officialdom, even if you get things done, people will always say that you used connections.

When you gain the leader's favor, people will always say you're good at flattery;

If you gain benefits through your own abilities, there will always be people who say you didn't follow the rules.

He had heard these words countless times in his past life, and was already immune to them.

Liu Shuzheng said that he "knew how to please women," which was ostensibly referring to Sun Yue's job at Fayuan Temple, but implicitly criticizing him for gaining Sun Yue's favor by currying favor with Sun Yue's daughter.

The more you try to explain, the more guilty you seem, and the more you try to explain, the more it confirms that you're trying to cover something up.

The best response is to pretend you didn't hear it.

Chen Han walked out of the Guanglu Temple gate and headed towards the Yu Prince's Mansion along the main street.

Before I had walked for the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, I suddenly heard a series of hurried footsteps behind me.

"Supervisor Chen! Supervisor Chen! Wait a minute!"

He turned around and saw Cui'er chasing after him, her cheeks flushed and panting, lifting her skirt.

"Miss Cui'er?" Chen Han was slightly taken aback. "What are you doing here?"

Cui'er ran up to him, bent over, and took several deep breaths before looking up and saying, "Supervisor Chen, our young lady is waiting in the carriage over there!"

"The young lady said that the incense and candles she bought last time were very good, and she would like to go to Dexingcheng to buy some more. She would like to ask you to accompany her."

Chen Han's heart skipped a beat.

The incense and candles bought last time are more than enough for the Sun family to use up until next winter solstice, so Sun Yue couldn't possibly have used them up so quickly.

It's obvious she's looking for an excuse to see him.

He remained calm and spoke gently: "Miss Cui'er, please go back and inform Miss that I have to report an important matter to Prince Yu's mansion today and I really can't spare the time."

"If you need anything another day, Miss, I will be at your service."

Cui'er responded with an "oh," a clear hint of disappointment flashing across her face, but she quickly smiled and said, "Then I'll go and inform Miss. Supervisor Chen, you're busy, I won't keep you any longer."

She turned around and walked back a few steps, then looked back at Chen Han as if she wanted to say something, but swallowed it back and quickened her pace towards the green-curtained carriage at the street corner.

Chen Han watched her figure disappear beside the carriage, then turned around and continued walking towards the Prince Yu's residence.

He knew exactly what Sun Yue was thinking.

Last time at Fayuan Temple, he rescued her from the humiliation of being publicly shamed, allowing her to steal the spotlight among all the noble ladies in the capital.

This feeling isn't romantic love; it's the dependence of a drowning person clinging to a piece of driftwood, or the instinctive trust of a young girl who has never been fully protected before, experiencing security for the first time.

He couldn't take advantage of this trust, but he also couldn't simply push it away.

Sun Yue is the daughter of Sun Sicheng, who is his superior at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Maintaining a proper relationship with him would only benefit him.

Chen Han quickened his pace and headed towards the Prince Yu's residence.

Inside the green-curtained carriage at the street corner, Sun Yue was peeking out from under the curtain, gazing longingly at the street entrance.

Seeing Cui'er run back, she quickly lowered the carriage curtain, sat up straight, and pretended not to care, but her ears were perked up.

"Miss," Cui'er said, lifting the carriage curtain and getting in, panting, "I caught up with Supervisor Chen, but he said he has to go to Prince Yu's residence to report on an important matter today and is really unable to get away. He said he will be at your beck and call another day."

Sun Yue's expectant expression vanished instantly, replaced by an undisguised disappointment: "They went to Prince Yu's residence?"

"Yes," Cui'er leaned closer and whispered, "He seemed to be in a hurry to leave, so it must have been something important."

Sun Yue gave an "oh," her fingers unconsciously twisting the handkerchief in her hand, feeling empty inside.

She got up very early today, spent half an hour getting ready, and waited at the entrance of Guanglu Temple, hoping to find an excuse to talk to him a few more words, but she was disappointed to find him empty-handed.

But she also knew that the job at the Prince Yu's residence was a serious matter, and she had no reason to stop it.

She bit her lip, her mind racing.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up, as if she had remembered something, and she shouted to the driver, "Stop the carriage! Don't go back to the mansion yet! Go to the Guanglu Temple!"

Cui'er was taken aback: "Miss? What are we going to the yamen for?"

Sun Yue's cheeks flushed slightly, but she still straightened her back and said with a determined tone, "I'm going to find my father!"

The carriage turned around and headed towards the Guanglu Temple government office.

Soon they arrived at the gate. Sun Yue lifted her skirt and got out of the carriage. The yamen runners at the gate recognized her as the daughter of the Vice Minister Sun and quickly bowed, not daring to stop her.

Sun Yue walked through the front yard with practiced ease and headed straight for the main hall.

……