Chu Tianran was a grassroots civil servant from a poor family. After an accident drew him into a high-level political struggle, he was demoted to a remote county on the border. It seemed his political career was over, but it was actually a turning point in his fate. With exceptional insight and patient planning, he gradually established himself locally, and unexpectedly came into possession of a secret archive from a previous dynasty, The Nine Strategies, which contained the art of power struggles practiced by influential ministers across the ages. Facing entrenched local strongmen, watchful political enemies, and an ever-tightening oversight system, he used intelligence to break through deadlocks and leverage to dominate. Starting as a minor official, he advanced one careful step at a time toward the pinnacle of power. Thus begins a journey through officialdom, with no flashing blades but danger lurking at every turn!
