Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 207 The Imperial Examination in the Former Court, Catching a Thief in the Harem

The eleventh year of the Jiajing reign.

March fifteenth.

At the beginning of the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), the Forbidden City was still shrouded in a hazy morning mist, but on both sides of the steps in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, two hundred and ninety-eight newly appointed scholars were already lined up in neat rows.

Hai Yue, Lin Daqin, Su Zhigao, and Hai Rui, all dressed in the dark blue tribute robes specially bestowed by the imperial court and wearing black gauze caps, stood solemnly according to their rankings in the metropolitan examination, led by officials from the Ministry of Rites.

Everyone held their breath, and the only sounds were the rustling of clothes in the morning breeze and the clanging of armor from the Imperial Guards in the distance.

Time had never felt so long; finally, it was the exact hour of Mao (5-7 AM).

The bells and drums of the Meridian Gate rang out in unison. With three cracks of the whip, the emperor's imperial carriage slowly emerged from the Qianqing Palace. The eunuchs in charge announced, "The Emperor has arrived!" and the scholars paid their respects.

Hai Yue stood second, with Lin Chun, the top scholar in front of him, being much shorter and having a good view. He had hoped to take this opportunity to see what the young Zhu Houcong looked like, but unfortunately, the other person was too far away. He could only hear the Honglu Temple official loudly proclaiming the imperial edict: "I believe that the rule of an emperor must be based on agriculture and sericulture..."

A clear and pleasant voice echoed in the spacious square in front of the palace. After the recitation was completed, Zhang Cong, the Minister of Rites, respectfully presented the gilded inscription box to the Emperor.

Zhu Houcong personally opened the jade box, took out the questions and answers, and handed them to the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

As the questions written on yellow silk were slowly unfolded, the candidates shouted in unison, "Your Majesty, we respectfully listen to your questions!"

The ceremony is completed.

Next, the candidates were led to their seats at the specially set-up examination tables in front of the hall.

The palace examination has officially begun!
Just as Haiyue picked up her pen and began to answer with complete concentration, the Donghua Gate slowly opened.

Li Yuying led two women dressed as maids into the palace.

They followed the proper channels for noblewomen. Normally, officials from the Court of State Ceremonial would read out the names of the noblewomen, who would then line up according to their husbands' ranks and be led by female officials through the Inner East Gate to the outer hall of the Kunning Palace to await imperial decrees.

This time, however, Empress Dowager Jiang's personal nanny came to Donghua Gate in person to welcome Li Yuying and the other two inside.

Along the way, the personal maid surnamed Lü also conveyed the Empress Dowager's message: "'I know all of Yuying's intentions. Please do not trouble yourself. I have always trusted you, and I entrust everything to you!'"

After a pause, Granny Lü said solemnly, "This old servant is here on Her Majesty's orders to protect the princess's safety. Under no circumstances should the thieves be allowed to harm the princess!"

This wasn't just talk; Granny Lü also led more than a dozen armored palace guards to provide thorough protection, lest the thieves resort to desperate measures.

"Thank you, ma'am!"

Hearing this, Li Yuying felt a warmth in her heart and bowed in the direction of Ciren Palace.

She initially regarded Empress Dowager Jiang as the sun in the palace with the intention of currying favor, but during her time in the palace, she gradually began to truly feel the care of a loving mother from her. At this moment, her eyes were firm, and she said in a deep voice, "Let's go directly to the Imperial Kitchen!"

"Princess, please come this way!"

Granny Lü led the way.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, a complete inner court management system was established, known as the "Twenty-Four Offices," which included twelve directorates, four departments, and eight bureaus, forming the core institutions for the operation of the Ming Dynasty's inner court.

The Directorate of Ceremonial was not initially the head of the Twenty-Four Offices. In the system during the Hongwu era, it ranked only seventh or eighth. During the Xuande era, as the power of eunuchs gradually grew, its status began to rise. By the Zhengtong era of Emperor Yingzong, powerful eunuchs represented by Wang Zhen rose to prominence, and the Directorate of Ceremonial became the core of power in the inner court, establishing its leading position among the Twenty-Four Offices.

If there is a chief, there must be a last seat.

There are two departments that are basically the least desirable places in the palace. It is neither the Imperial Horse Administration, which was abolished after the reign of Emperor Wuzong, nor the Laundry Bureau, which is not located inside the Imperial City. The Laundry Bureau was where old and retired palace women were sent to live, and it could be considered a place to retire. The most terrifying places are the Department of Furnishings and the Department of Imperial Cuisine, which are purely manual labor.

The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was responsible for managing all the ceremonial guards, tents, and utensils in the palace. Whenever the emperor went on a trip, held court assemblies, or celebrated palace festivals, they had to move hundreds of heavy ceremonial items, from the imperial carriage and flags to tents, tables, and chairs.

Take the palace examination being held right now, for example. The entire staff of the Imperial Household Department has been busy for several days before they can finally rest. If any item is not properly inspected, maintained, or replaced, they will be punished immediately.

As for why the Imperial Kitchen Supervisor was not well-liked, Li Yuying and her party soon witnessed it firsthand.

Before even arriving, a wave of heat could be felt from afar. The head eunuch, who had been waiting for a long time, came to greet her with small, quick steps, bowing and smiling obsequiously at Granny Lü: "Oh, this humble servant greets Granny Lü!"

Those who could be called eunuchs were already in charge of a local government office, but to the Empress Dowager's personal maid, they were indeed lowly. Granny Lü said sternly, "Take us in."

"Those distinguished guests should be careful, it smells terrible inside!"

It was more than just pungent; upon entering the kitchen, several people nearly couldn't open their eyes.

I could only feel the scorching heat hitting my face. The stove fire burned day and night, the boiling water in the iron pot was bubbling, the steamers were stacked high, and white steam filled the air everywhere.

After a moment's pause, Granny Lü looked at the head eunuch and asked, "Are all those people working?" The head eunuch understood immediately, knowing that she was referring to the servants of Empress Zhang's Renshou Palace, and whispered, "Granny Lü, the five most pampered ones have fallen, but the rest are all working diligently!"

Before long, the convicts banished from the Empress Dowager's palace came into view. They were now hunched over, running back and forth amidst the smoke and flames.

They were originally the most respectable palace maids, some even being favored personal maids of Empress Dowager Zhang, arrogant and domineering. But once they were convicted, they were stripped of their brocade clothes and put on coarse cloth short coats, their hair disheveled, with sweaty stray hairs sticking to their foreheads, without even time to wipe them off.

At this moment, someone was still watching and constantly shouting sternly: "What are you dawdling for? If the dishes from the imperial kitchen aren't delivered soon, you'll be in for a beating!"

The slaves dared not raise their heads, mechanically repeating the tasks of pounding rice, washing vegetables, and tending the fire. Their hands were white from being soaked in cold water and cracked from being roasted by the stove fire, but none of them dared to utter a sound of pain.

The head eunuch took the opportunity to complain: "Our work here is the most exhausting. Everyone works from before dawn until late at night. It's a luxury to even straighten up and catch our breath. Occasionally, someone will faint from exhaustion and only then can they go to the backyard to rest. When they wake up, they have to continue working..."

There are things he can't say, but the nature of this job means that it's hard for these people to get close to influential people. They can only work silently behind the scenes, and no matter how well they do, they won't get rewards or promotions.

Therefore, palace women preferred to be idle in the laundry department rather than be sent to the Imperial Household Department or the Imperial Kitchen, where they would be ordered around and eventually die from exhaustion.

Witnessing this scene, an ordinary person would inevitably show a look of pity, but whether it was Li Yuying, who was of noble birth and had seen the consequences of defeat in battle, or Shen Jinghong and Xia Qingwu, who had escaped from hell, they all looked at them with scrutinizing eyes, hoping to see through the layers of fog and discover their true faces.

After a moment, Li Yuying spoke up: "In your opinion, father-in-law, who is the one who can endure the hardship the most?"

The head eunuch thought for a moment and immediately said, "That Rong fellow is very patient!"

Further in, in a corner, one could see an elderly palace woman washing a mountain of plates, blood seeping from her fingertips, which mixed with the dirty water and quickly disappeared.

"It's you?"

Li Yuying has a very good memory; although the other person's hair has turned quite gray, she still recognized him at a glance.

This person was Rong Mama, who served Empress Zhang. I remember that she was outside the Princess's residence and tried to interfere with her reporting to Empress Dowager Jiang, but Empress Dowager Jiang easily thwarted her. When the assassins from the Yunyin Society climbed out from under the bed and came to kill her, it was this old woman who disregarded her own safety to protect Empress Zhang and rushed outside.

It can be said that this person was Empress Zhang's absolute confidant and held a very high position. However, after losing power, he was reduced to washing dishes here with a hunched back.

Granny Rong had clearly noticed the newcomer and quickly stopped what she was doing, bending over and not daring to move.

The head eunuch shouted, "Rong Shi! Rong Shi! The matrons from Ciren Palace are here to see you. You must answer them properly, do you understand?"

Only then did Granny Rong raise her head in a daze and look at everyone.

The head eunuch pointed to her ear: "Her hearing is failing. If any of you noble ladies wish to ask anything, I can answer for you!"

"No need, let's take her outside to talk!"

Li Yuying walked outside.

Once they were outside the kitchen, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Then, they saw Granny Rong come out awkwardly, unsure of what to do with her hands.

Li Yuying sized her up, and her first words were like a thunderclap: "Do you still want to go back to Consort Zhang's side?"

Not only the head eunuch, but even Granny Lü was startled. Granny Rong stared at her blankly and said in a hoarse voice, "What?"

Li Yuying raised her voice: "Do you want to go back to Renshou Palace and continue serving Consort Zhang?"

Rong Mama's confusion turned to fear, and she shook her head repeatedly: "This old servant dares not... absolutely dares not..."

Li Yuying said, "Why wouldn't I dare? Consort Zhang also needs someone to serve her. You are an old servant by her side. If you return to Renshou Palace, it will be a comfort to Consort Zhang. Weren't you very loyal to her before?"

Granny Rong slowed her head-shaking motion, and anticipation appeared in her eyes: "Really...really?"

"It's true, but there's one condition!"

Upon hearing this, Granny Rong's anticipation only intensified: "Please speak, Your Excellency!"

Li Yuying said, "There is someone by Lady Jiang's side who has been secretly colluding with someone by Lady Zhang's side, plotting something sinister. We need to find this traitor now. Tell us who is most suspicious. As long as we successfully catch him, our previous promise will stand!"

Granny Rong frowned and slowly said, "There have indeed been such people, but they were all exposed and replaced by Consort Jiang. If Consort Zhang could really plant confidants by Consort Jiang's side, she wouldn't be so passive in everything. Now, this old servant really doesn't know who is suspected..."

Li Yuying whispered, "So you'd rather go back to washing dishes than betray your former comrades?"

Granny Rong smiled bitterly: "This old servant naturally doesn't want to go back, but I really don't know who it is..."

Li Yuying narrowed her eyes slightly and turned to the two maids following behind her: "Just as you two said, there are thieves from the Li Yuan Society lurking around Consort Zhang. I really didn't expect it to be this loyal Rong Mama!"

(End of this chapter)