At the Mist Gate in the Well: Hidden Currents Before the Hall, Unrevealed Power Beneath It

Following the sound, one could see two middle-aged officials standing in the courtyard, seemingly arguing.

Such situations are not uncommon in various government offices in the Imperial City, even the Hanlin Academy. They usually occur when officials of equal rank or power are about to meet with their superiors to present their cases, but their opinions differ.

However, the disputes among officials in other government offices concerned matters within their immediate vicinity and did not involve significant Fortune. But the matter being argued between these two officials was far from simple.

Qiu Yan only glanced at them briefly, but he could vaguely see the fluctuations and flow of Fortune above the two people's heads. This not only affected the courtyard of the Privy Council, but also the Fortune and Dragon Qi of Prosperity Capital.

"As the Central Pivot government, one of the Two Offices, and the seat of the prime minister, the Privy Council deals with a complex mix of political and military orders, involving numerous matters and impacting the fate of the nation. Moreover, given the current state of war, the Privy Council, in charge of the military, is essentially holding the fate of the nation in its hands. The actions and words of its officials constitute the decision-making will of the entire Privy Council, indirectly influencing the Fortune of the entire dynasty..."

With a quick thought, Qiu Yan understood why the argument between the two officials had brought about such a significant change in Fortune, and he also became somewhat interested in what the two were saying.

"Enemy chieftain? Beheading? It sounds like it's related to the war in the north. As the war has progressed, the people and officials in the Central Plains only know that it's not going well and they can't break through, but they don't know the specific details. And what these two officials are talking about is clearly much more in-depth..."

Qiu Yan was not surprised by this. Military and political affairs were originally under the jurisdiction of the Privy Council. If even this place did not know the progress of the war, it would be too terrible, indicating that the court had lost control of the army.

"However, such military intelligence, and the fact that they're arguing about it so openly here, seems a bit contrived, as if it were done on purpose..." Qiu Yan narrowed his eyes as he looked at the two of them, already having a rough idea of what was going on.

At this moment, he also walked into the courtyard. The two who were arguing seemed to hear the footsteps, so they stopped talking and showed a bit of wariness. After seeing Qiu Yan's appearance, they stepped forward to greet him and addressed him as "Your humble servant".

It turned out that these two people were actually officials of the Secretariat Office. One was named Zhang Hai, and the other was named Qi Jinchang. Their positions were Deputy Chief of the Privy Council and Chief of the Privy Council, respectively. In terms of rank, the former was the same as Qiu Yan's Privy Council Chief Secretary, which was also Subordinate Fifth Rank. The other Chief of the Privy Council was Principal Sixth Rank.

However, in a place like the Privy Council, what matters is power and control; rank is not so important. As long as the difference is not too great, it is not uncommon to see situations where people argue their case based on reason. In fact, if one's methods are ineffective, it is not surprising if one is sidelined by subordinates.

"Having seen them all, I accept the imperial decree..."

Following proper etiquette, the two men greeted Qiu Yan and then led him towards the government office. According to them, they had been waiting there specifically to welcome Qiu Yan.

The Privy Council occupies a considerable area, and the three of them walked along, passing through a small garden. They talked, but the two of them did not mention the military matters they had discussed earlier, adopting a completely businesslike attitude.

This behavior is like leaving half the story unsaid; anyone who encounters it will feel a tickling sensation, as if someone has subtly taken control of the situation.

However, Qiu Yan never mentioned it, and when he did ask a few questions, they were all related to the yamen (official residence).

Zhang Hai and Qi Jinchang both sneered inwardly, but outwardly remained enthusiastic.

As Qiu Yan walked, he saw a well along the way. The wellhead seemed to be shrouded in mist, but upon closer inspection, it was not visible. He had a slight feeling about it. When he arrived at the gate of the Secretariat Office Edict Yamen, the Fortune above the gate was like a futon, floating and heavy, but it did not fall down, like a castle in the air with an unstable foundation.

"Interesting..."

Qiu Yan silently recited a phrase in his mind, and a clerk came out. He first bowed to Liu and Qi, and only after the two introduced him did he pretend to know Qiu Yan's identity before bowing to them.

However, how could their ulterior motives escape Qiu Yan's notice? Putting aside everything else, with his official robes on, how could any government official not recognize his superior's clothes?

"This is a deliberate act. It seems that Zhang Hai and Qi Jinchang intend to sideline me. As a result, the prayer mat in front of my door is without support. However, it is not unexpected. I was parachuted in. This position of Privy Council Chief Secretary should have been contested by the two of them, but they both failed. It is inevitable that they would share a common hatred. When it comes to specific power and treatment, it cannot be offset by reputation and People's Prestige alone. We must fight it out to experience the mystery of the Central Pivot Fortune."

At present, Qiu Yan's reputation, People's Prestige, power, and imperial favor are unparalleled. To outsiders, such a person should be invincible wherever he goes. With a glance, everyone backed away, their bodies trembled, and they all bowed down in submission.

But this can only remain a fantasy in one's heart; in reality, it's a completely different story.

If it weren't for matters of interest, and were merely academic exchanges, discussions of theories, or visits, Zhang Hai and Qi Jinchang would certainly have treated Qiu Yan with courtesy and made an effort to befriend him. But now, however, matters of interest are involved.

Even ordinary people might feel goodwill and admiration for some Knowing the Name figures who are capable, have a strong background, and have made significant contributions. However, if such a figure suddenly appears in your life, takes over your house, robs your relatives, and seizes your property, even a commoner's attitude towards this person will inevitably change, and extreme thoughts will arise, regardless of anything else.

Zhang Hai and Qi Jinchang are in this situation. In officialdom, power, connections, rank, and achievements are the foundation of one's position. A person's life is limited. They have worked hard for many years just to advance further. Just when they are about to achieve their goal, an unexpected obstacle appears. They are bound to be furious. How could a little bit of fame make them back down?

To put it another way, what the two of them are doing now is not to cut off Qiu Yan's career. On the contrary, if they successfully strip Qiu Yan his power, they will certainly treat him with great respect, which is not wrong in terms of etiquette.

An official's power is actually reflected in his ability to command others. Regardless of whether Qiu Yan was sidelined, the Secretariat Office Edict Office were not the ones who actually carried out the work; they were merely the ones who made the decisions and issued orders. The clerks were the ones who actually did the work.

However, the question of who issued this order is shrouded in mystery. To outsiders, if Qiu Yan is sidelined, it only means that he is a man of remarkable knowledge and military ability, but lacks the skills to manage people. In this case, his future promotions will likely focus on academic pursuits. Otherwise, it would not be a good thing for the country to have someone who is inept at managing people in a high position.

This is actually a result of self-purification and competition within officialdom. Even if you control the promotion of your subordinates, if your evaluation and image are low, you may not be able to leverage your advantages.

There's a saying among the people that "a new official's three acts of bravery upon taking office" mean that most people think it's about establishing authority. But actually, it's mainly about demonstrating power and methods to intimidate subordinate officials and clerks. Only by showing certain abilities can one make people aware of one's power, obtain the authority that comes with the position, and gain recognition.

Becoming a leader and gaining the trust of subordinates takes time.

Once you've achieved your goal and enjoyed the official career you deserve, you can enter certain circles.

Don't underestimate the power of social circles. The officialdom is made up of circles, with various sub-circles: a large circle for civil officials, a large circle for military officials, and a large circle for clerks.

This circle is further subdivided. For example, within the civil service circle, there are circles for those who passed the imperial examinations, circles for those granted hereditary privilege, circles for those specially recruited, circles for the imperial family, circles for the princelings, academic circles, literary circles, and so on.

Officials in different circles have different backgrounds, abilities, and character, and therefore different statuses. There are even class conflicts between them. If one accidentally enters the wrong circle, it can affect one's entire career.

On the other hand, such a circle of officials with similar qualities is itself a manifestation of power and authority. If an individual official tries to do something, he may encounter obstacles and be hindered by others. However, if a group of officials exert their efforts, they can achieve anything.

From this perspective, the Old Party and the New Party are two huge circles. As the leaders of their respective sides, Ma Yang and Wang Fu often made decisions that were not their own choices, but rather reflected the will of the entire circle.

Qiu Yan bears the marks of many circles, and as he develops, he can be accepted by many circles. However, he used to live a secluded life in the Hanlin Academy, which gave people a sense of aloofness. Later, he roamed the Grasslands and was invincible in his conquests, which made people think of him as Military School and a scholar- Confucian General. This image created a distance between him and the civil official circle.

Although the Privy Council is in charge of military and political affairs, almost all those in power are civil officials. Coupled with the power struggles brought in by parachuted officials, it is naturally difficult for them to move forward.

"The Emperor sent me here, presumably with the intention of testing me. I come from outside, and integrating into the circle won't be easy. The normal approach would be to win over and divide the factions, gain some of the clerks in charge, then create a rivalry, compromise with Zhang Hai and Qi Jinchang to buy time, and then slowly develop my power. Once I've firmly established myself, I'll launch a thunderous attack to intimidate everyone in the department. However..."

At this moment, Qiu Yan, led by Liu and Qi, arrived at the main hall of the yamen and sat behind the desk, looking down at the officials. Zhang Hai led the planners, editors and others to pay their respects.

With Qiu Yan's current level of understanding, he could discern the true intentions of the officials present simply by observing their auras. He could tell that Fortunes of each official were skewed, with most entangled with Zhang Hai and Qi Jinchang, indicating they were their confidants. Some were circulating outside, clearly connected to the Privy Council officials. Others were wavering, opportunists and fence-sitters, preparing to watch from the sidelines, currying favor with both sides to gain benefits.

Only one or two people are loyal to him.

Following the normal procedure, Qiu Yan should first win over those two people, then win over the fence-sitters, and then proceed step by step, but...

"I'm not here to engage in intrigue and backstabbing. I'm a human being, not here Fleshly Body fight for power and profit. Why should I be so worried? If it's not easy to integrate into any circles or power structures, I might as well smash them to pieces and rebuild them. Then there will be no hidden dangers and my orders will flow smoothly!"

Having reached this thought, Qiu Yan didn't waste any more words. Looking at the officials and clerks below, he said, "Bring me all the official business!"

ps:

Thanks to "g" for the monthly vote!

Finished at midnight, going to sleep now. Goodnight everyone.