Subordinate Officials Seek to Hollow Him Out; Was Qiu Yan Here to Seize Power?

"Eh?"

Qiu Yan's reply caught the officials present by surprise. Those who worked in the Central Pivot, whether officials or clerks, had all seen their share of things.

They had witnessed more than once how a new official took office, only to be hollowed out by his subordinates, followed by open and covert struggles between both sides. They knew every trick that might appear in such situations, yet it was rare to see someone like Qiu Yan go straight for the heart of the position.

The reason was simple. The affairs of a Central Pivot office could not be handled by one person alone. It required everyone pooling their wisdom, each performing his own duties, for things to function normally.

And that was precisely one of the supports subordinates relied upon to hollow out their superiors.

Yet at a time like this, even the slightest surprise could disrupt the rhythm of the entire arrangement. Zhang Hai and the others did not dare take it lightly, much less allow Qiu Yan to seize the initiative.

As Zhang Hai pondered, his gaze shifted, and he gave the leader of the clerks a meaningful look.

The man was around fifty, with a goatee, a lean frame, and a pair of small eyes glittering with shrewdness.

He immediately understood Zhang Hai's signal and stepped forward. "Reporting to the Privy Council Chief Secretary, according to custom, you should first pay your respects to your superiors. Why not..." His words carried the air of offering Qiu Yan advice.

In truth, this lean old man held the post of Internal Affairs Officer, responsible for coordinating and directing matters within the Secretariat Office. He was effectively the Privy Council Chief Secretary's aide and adviser, a position traditionally held by the Privy Council Chief Secretary's confidant.

But naturally, this