The number one sycophant of the Ming Dynasty

"You're very brave," Shen Zhiyu said softly.

"It's not that I'm bold." Chen Han shook his head, a self-deprecating smile appearing on his lips. "It's that my superior is unreliable, so I have to pave the way for myself."

Shen Zhiyu looked at him and suddenly asked, "Aren't you afraid Zhang happy will find out?"

"What did you figure out?"

"I can tell you're acting."

Chen Han thought for a moment and said seriously, "Eunuch Zhang has been in the palace for thirty years. What kind of situation hasn't he seen? His eyes are sharper than knives. He probably saw through my little scheme a long time ago."

Shen Zhiyu paused for a moment, then looked at him with interest, waiting for his reply.

"But what's the point of seeing through it?"

"What he wanted was not the truth, but a reasonable explanation that could be brought back to the emperor without hurting the dignity of any party."

Shen Zhiyu couldn't help but glance at the lowly eighth-rank official.

That's very insightful.

Chen Han said casually, "He took it as I gave it to him."

"As for whether I'm acting or not, as long as I act well, he'll be happy to watch the show."

Shen Zhiyu paused for a moment, then her lips twitched slightly, revealing a very faint smile.

"You're right," she said softly. "What he wants is never the truth."

The duty room was quiet for a moment.

Shen Zhiyu suddenly spoke, her tone much gentler than before: "Chen Han, what are your plans for the future?"

Chen Han was taken aback. This was the first time Shen Zhiyu had called him by his name directly, instead of "Supervisor Chen".

"Let's take it one step at a time," he said truthfully. "I'm currently an eighth-rank official, with a superior like Liu Shuzheng above me, and the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices only sees me as someone who can get things done. Climbing up is easier said than done."

What could Shen Zhiyu say?

She also came from this path.

……

Half an hour later, in the warm pavilion of Yongshou Palace in Xiyuan.

In the dead of winter, the palace gates and windows were wide open, and several eunuchs on duty were red-faced from the cold, but dared not move.

Emperor Jiajing, Zhu Houcong, was reclining on a soft couch, wearing a thin cotton robe, with his legs crossed.

He had just taken the pill, and his face was pale with an unnatural flush.

This is caused by years of taking elixirs, resulting in internal heat and a lack of cold even in winter.

Zhang happy knelt down and recounted the events of the previous day word for word.

After listening, Jiajing did not speak, but slowly stroked the jade ruyi with his fingers.

The warm room was so quiet that you could hear the dripping of water.

After a long pause, he spoke, his voice slow and deliberate, carrying a hint of something ambiguous:

"Chen Han... this minor official from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is quite interesting."

Zhang happy didn't dare to reply and waited with his head down.

"What he said," Jiajing put the jade ruyi aside, picked up his teacup, "do you think it's true or false?"

Zhang happy's mind raced, and she answered cautiously, "Your Majesty, I understand everything you say."

"He said that His Highness Prince Yu's benevolence and filial piety are fundamental, and that's true; he said that Minister Shen helped to rectify things, and that's also true; he himself is just a gofer, and that's even more true."

"A mere errand boy?" Jiajing scoffed. "How could a mere errand boy understand my thoughts so perfectly?"

"My son usually doesn't dare to look me in the eye. Yet he has the ability to get a lowly eighth-rank official to take care of him so well."

Zhang happy was sweating profusely and dared not speak again.

Jiajing took a sip of tea, put down the cup, and his gaze fell on a certain spot in the void.

"Where is that female official?"

"Your Majesty, the head of the Imperial Household Department is Shen Zhiyu."

"Shen Zhiyu..." Jiajing repeated the name, his tone indifferent, "They fought back three times, which was the right thing to do."

The warm room fell silent again.

The wind outside was blowing through the eaves, making a whistling sound.

Jiajing suddenly spoke, his voice slow and leisurely, as if he had inadvertently recalled something unrelated:

"Go and tell Prince Yu that I said he should thank these two people."

Zhang happy's heart skipped a beat, and she kowtowed heavily: "This servant obeys the decree."

He didn't dare ask what he was thanking for, nor how he should thank him.

The Emperor didn't mention reward or punishment, he only told Prince Yu to go and express his gratitude.

When this message was delivered to Prince Yu's residence, Prince Yu had to ponder it for three days and three nights.

When the letter arrived at the Yan residence, Yan Song couldn't sleep all night.

Zhang happy got up, hunched over, and retreated.

Behind me came the sound of a jade ruyi tapping on the armrest, one tap after another, slowly and deliberately.

……

Cabinet Office.

Yan Song sat upright, holding a transcript of a conversation he had just copied from the Directorate of Ceremonial. He read it word by word, then closed his eyes and remained silent for a long time.

His son, Yan Shifan, grew anxious beside him: "Father, this kid is just a low-ranking official of the eighth grade; he can't cause any trouble..."

Yan Song opened his eyes, his gaze cloudy yet sharp: "There are very few people in the entire court who can speak so fluently and flawlessly before the Emperor. He is only an eighth-rank official, yet the Emperor remembers him."

"Remember this: the rank of the person the Emperor remembers is not important."

Yan Shifan paused for a moment, then bowed and said, "Father's teachings are correct."

Meanwhile, in the duty room next door, Vice Grand Secretary Xu Jie wrote the two characters "Chen Han" three times, then folded them up and put them into his sleeve.

His mind was in turmoil, but he maintained a gentle smile, while secretly plotting:

This suddenly emerging minor official was able to help Prince Yu out of a predicament and was noticed by the emperor, Yan Song, and himself at the same time; he was a talented person.

But what he cares more about is whether this variable can be used to his advantage.

He wrote it three times to determine the value of this variable;

Putting it in his sleeve meant he was still keeping the matter firmly under his control.

He would remain silent and make no move; even if Chen Han helped Prince Yu out of his predicament, he would not give Chen Han any benefit.

Because to him, Chen Han was still just a pawn that could be used or discarded at will.

If it's useful, keep it;

It was no use. In fact, Yan Song had his eye on Chen Han, and he could push Chen Han out to take the blame at any time.

This seemingly decisive move orchestrated by Chen Han was, in fact, just a small, unexpected interlude in Xu Jie's grand strategic game.

Xu Jie, however, never allowed any uncontrollable variables to appear in the game.

……

into the night.

The snow fell in Beijing all night, only stopping at dawn.

The charcoal in the warm pavilion of Prince Yu's mansion was burning brightly, but this warmth did nothing to soothe Prince Yu's heart.

He sat upright in the rosewood armchair at the head of the table, wrapped in a mink cloak. His gaze was fixed on the two open lists of transcribed manuscripts on the table, his eyes filled with lingering unease and a hint of lingering fear.

Three people sat on either side of the lower seat.

The first person on the left is Xu Jie, Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall, Minister of Personnel, and Second Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.

He wore a dark blue casual suit, his white beard was neatly combed, and his face always wore that gentle and calm smile, as if even if the sky were to fall, it would not disturb him in the slightest.

At that moment, he was looking down, fiddling with a string of amber beads in his hand.

Opposite him was Gao Gong, a Hanlin Academician and Lecturer at the Prince Yu's Palace.

Gao Gong was the most impatient and was the first to finish reading the list. At this moment, he leaned forward slightly, his tiger-like eyes shining brightly.

Sitting next to Xu Jie was his prized disciple, Zhang Juzheng, the Right Vice Minister of the Imperial Academy and the Director of Studies at the Imperial Academy.

He was the youngest, just over thirty, and his sky-blue official robes accentuated his handsome face and clear features.

He held the list in his hand, having already looked at it over and over three times, but remained completely silent.

The warm room was so quiet that only the dripping of the copper kettle could be heard, each drop striking the heart of everyone present.

The first to break the silence was Gao Gong.

He slammed his hand on the armrest, his rough voice breaking the silence of the room: "Good! Good for Chen Han! Good for Shen Zhiyu!"

Prince Yu was startled by the shout, his shoulders trembled slightly, and he almost dropped his teacup. He quickly looked up at Gao Gong...