The number one sycophant of the Ming Dynasty

The next day: I reported to Father Emperor that today I read through the "Collected Statutes of the Great Ming" and reviewed the regulations for worshipping Heaven. I felt more and more that the rules set by our ancestors were full of profound meaning in respecting Heaven and honoring our ancestors.

Your Majesty has entrusted me with the grand ceremony of offering sacrifices to Heaven. I am filled with trepidation and dare not slacken my efforts day and night, for fear of making the slightest mistake and failing Your Majesty's trust.

On the third day: I reported to my father that I had a dream last night in which I saw my mother.

My mother told me in my dream that I should be filial to my father and listen to his words.

When I awoke, my pillow was soaked with tears.

Your unfilial son is unable to be by your side to fulfill your filial duties at all times. I can only pray day and night that Your Majesty is in good health.

The fourth day, the fifth day, the sixth day...

The content varies each day, but every single point revolves around the same core theme:

Your son isn't trying to compete for power or seize your throne; he simply sees you as his father, cares about you, and is filial to you.

As Prince Yu looked at the memorial, his eyes gradually reddened.

Chen Yiqin also came over to take a look, remained silent for a moment, sighed softly, and looked at Chen Han with admiration in his eyes: "Supervisor Chen, I truly admire your thoughtfulness."

He wasn't praising Chen Han's writing style; these summaries were written in a simple and unadorned style, without any flowery language. What he was praising was Chen Han's understanding of human nature and his precise grasp of the relationship between Emperor Jiajing and his son.

Every single message tells Jiajing: this is not a report from the crown prince to the emperor, but a son's heartfelt words to his father. This sentiment is more valuable than a hundred ornate and beautiful poems.

Prince Yu closed the folded book, clutching it tightly in his hand. He looked up at Chen Han, his voice hoarse, "Supervisor Chen, I... I understand. I will personally write each of these letters, stroke by stroke."

"Your Highness's kindness puts my mind at ease." Chen Han stood up, bowed, and said, "If Your Highness has no further instructions, I will take my leave."

"I will keep a close eye on all matters concerning the winter festival, and will report to Your Highness immediately if there are any developments."

"Alright. You've worked hard." Prince Yu nodded and called out to the outside of the curtain, "Feng Bao, see Supervisor Chen out."

Feng Bao bowed as he entered from behind the curtain and led Chen Han outside.

Chen Han walked to the door, then turned back and bowed to Chen Yiqin: "Lord Chen, this humble servant takes his leave."

Chen Yiqin nodded slightly, her gaze lingering on him for a moment, and said in a calm tone, "Take care, Supervisor Chen."

Chen Han left the warm pavilion, and the door slowly closed behind him.

In the warm pavilion, only Prince Yu and Chen Yiqin remained.

Prince Yu sat in his chair, clutching the folded document tightly in his hand, and remained silent for a long time.

Chen Yiqin held his teacup without saying a word, and the room was quiet.

After a long while, Prince Yu finally spoke, his voice soft and somewhat bewildered: "Mr. Chen, tell me... what exactly is Chen Han after?"

Chen Yiqin put down his teacup and pondered for a moment.

"Your Highness, I have lived for over forty years and have seen three kinds of people." His voice was unhurried, each word spoken with a steady and resonant tone. "The first kind of person is one who seeks fame."

"That's the kind of person Xu Ge Lao is. What he wants is to be remembered in history and to have a good reputation among the people."

"The second type of person is one who seeks revenge. Gao Suqing is such a person."

"What he wants is Your Highness's recognition and favor, and for His Highness to be able to realize his ambitions and live up to his life's learning after His Highness ascends the throne."

"The third type of person is one who seeks power."

"Zhang Shuda is that kind of person. What he wants is to take control of the court in the future and restore order to the Ming Dynasty, which is riddled with problems."

Prince Yu listened quietly without interrupting.

"This Chen Han..." Chen Yiqin paused, then shook his head, "I still can't see through him."

"But every suggestion he gave me was truly for my own good." Prince Yu raised his head, his eyes full of incomprehension. "He didn't fight for anything for himself, and he didn't even ask for a reward."

"That's precisely what I can't see through," Chen Yiqin said calmly. "If someone does everything in their power to serve His Highness without seeking fame, reward, or power, then what they're after must be something much bigger."

"But what this thing is, I can't say for sure right now."

He paused, then added, "However, Your Highness need not worry. This man is currently completely loyal to Your Highness. As for the future... we'll talk about the future then."

Prince Yu nodded, asked no further questions, and carefully tucked the folded document into his sleeve.

The warm room fell silent again.

A short while later, footsteps could be heard outside the door.

The cotton curtain was lifted, and Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and Zhang Juzheng filed in.

The three had just finished court and were still wearing their crimson court robes.

Xu Jie walked at the front, with his ever-present gentle smile on his face, looking like he was in a good mood.

Gao Gong followed behind, his brows furrowed, clearly having had another argument in court.

Zhang Juzheng walked at the back, his expression unchanged, his eyes deep and revealing no trace of joy or anger.

The three men bowed to Prince Yu and took their seats according to their respective ranks.

Before Gao Gong could even settle into his seat, he spoke up in a loud voice: "Your Highness, I heard that Chen Han came today? What advice did he give you this time?"

Prince Yu glanced at Chen Yiqin.

Chen Yiqin understood and briefly but completely explained Chen Han's plan, along with his handwritten core suggestions.

He spoke at a measured pace, clearly explaining each of Chen Han's suggestions and the considerations behind them, without embellishment or any biased evaluation.

Upon hearing this, Gao Gong was the first to slap the armrest and exclaim, "Excellent! What a wonderful handwritten note! This is a brilliant idea!"

"I told Your Highness long ago that you don't need to rely on others for everything; what you write yourself is the truest expression of your feelings!"

"This Chen Han, despite his young age, seems to have a very clear understanding of His Majesty's thoughts!"

His admiration was undisguised.

He had taken a liking to Chen Han at the banquet at Prince Yu's residence last time, and today's handwritten suggestion hit the nail on the head.

Throughout his life, Gao Gong most admired the word "truth"—sincerity, truthfulness, and genuine ability.

Chen Han had Prince Yu write his true feelings in clumsy handwriting, which suited his taste perfectly.

Xu Jie twirled the Buddhist prayer beads in his hand, his smile remaining gentle and unreadable.

He didn't rush to comment, but first looked at Zhang Juzheng and asked with a smile, "Uncle, Supervisor Chen said that Zhu Wen wants you to write the text. What do you think?"

Zhang Juzheng put down his teacup, his tone calm and unwavering: "Supervisor Chen's plan is sound and foolproof."

"Fasting, personal verification, prayer, and handwritten notes—all four are the proper methods, without the slightest element of opportunism. They are so reliable that it's hard to believe a young man in his early twenties could come up with them."

He paused, then suddenly changed the subject, "However, I have a feeling that he's hiding something."

Gao Gong was taken aback, then frowned: "Hidden something? Hidden what?"

Zhang Juzheng shook his head: "This humble official cannot say exactly what it is."

"I just feel that this person always leaves room for maneuver in his words and actions."

"What he said today are all ways to ensure Your Highness doesn't lose, but not ways to ensure Your Highness wins decisively."

"With his intelligence, it's impossible that he couldn't come up with a more ingenious and winning strategy."

"He didn't say it, not because he hadn't thought of it, but because he didn't want to say it, didn't dare to say it, or rather, couldn't let us know."

Xu Jie paused slightly as he twirled the prayer beads in his fingers.

Zhang Juzheng's words struck a chord with him...