Dugong

Chapter 140: Times have changed
Cining Palace.

There was a lot of laughter.

Empress Dowager Zhou leaned against the rosewood phoenix-carved couch, Li Ping'an sat on the edge of the couch, and Eunuch Rong stood at the head of the right row, bowing and holding an enamel-painted spittoon.

A circle of palace maids and eunuchs stood around, all staring wide-eyed and craning their necks.

Listen carefully to the conversation between the Empress Dowager and the chief eunuch, and feel moved to tears when you hear something touching, and laugh when you hear something amusing.

Tears can be wiped away in an instant, and laughter can be let out in a moment.

You misheard me, this could be fatal.

Empress Dowager Zhou, now in her seventies, loved lively scenes and being surrounded, accompanied, and fawned over by others.

This is filial piety, and also a matter of dignity and honor.

Li Ping'an pressed down on the Empress Dowager's wrist, his true energy flowing through her meridians and into her internal organs, as he chuckled and recounted the amusing events that had occurred outside the palace.

"The young master of the Fuwei Escort Agency was usually quite arrogant, daring to defy the government and boasting of his courage. However, once he entered the dungeon of the Investigation Department, he was the first to confess and plead guilty, even worse than an ordinary escort..."

Empress Dowager Zhou, with her silver hair and kind face, spoke with a smile.

"As the saying goes, a dog that bites doesn't bark; those that bark the most are the most cowardly and timid, and are not fit for important tasks."

"Your Majesty is right."

Li Ping'an readily agreed, saying, "Our family never makes a fuss when they want to harm people, but they shout loudly when they're trying to win people over or threaten them."

"Your Highness, guess what the young master's surname is?"

Empress Dowager Zhou shook her head and said, "I am not a fortune teller, how could I possibly know that fellow's surname?"

Li Ping'an looked at the eunuchs and palace maids around him and said, "You all come and guess. If you guess correctly, the Empress Dowager will reward you!"

Empress Dowager Zhou said, "You rascal, you've set a difficult problem for me, and now I'm going to reward you."

Upon hearing this, the eunuchs and palace maids hurriedly pondered, some of them afraid that others would beat them to it, so they first chose a common surname from the Hundred Family Surnames.

Having a one in a hundred chance to be rewarded in the palace is a great thing.

"This servant guesses her surname is Qian."

Is your surname Sun?

"His surname is Wu."

"His surname is Wang..."

Some clever eunuchs would deliberately speak slowly, waiting for others to rule out the errors, which would greatly increase their chances of guessing correctly.

Unfortunately, everyone was unlucky and none of them guessed correctly.

It wasn't until the little eunuch standing at the end said, "This servant guesses his surname is Zhang, the Zhang of arrogance and presumption."

Li Ping'an asked, "I remember your name is Xiao Chezi, how did you guess your surname is Zhang?"

"I'm thinking that for a mere criminal to receive such a reward from Your Majesty, it must be related to his clan."

Xiao Chezi spoke in an orderly manner: "Secondly, Steward An just mentioned the character Zhang, and thirdly, we have already ruled out quite a few surnames."

"Not bad."

Li Ping'an nodded and said, "I've heard Eunuch Xu mention you before; he said you're too cautious. Seeing you today, I can confirm that."

Xiao Chezi clearly deduced that the surname was Zhang, yet he still wanted to share the credit with Eunuch An and the other eunuchs and palace maids; he was being far too cautious.

Empress Dowager Zhou asked, "Is it Xu Xuanzhen, the one who instructed the new eunuch?"

"Your Highness has heard of Eunuch Xu's name?"

Li Ping'an looked surprised. Old monsters in the palace like Eunuch Xu and Eunuch Zhou were not keen on vying for power. Instead, they relied on the palace's resources and cultivation techniques to pursue the Innate Realm.

"I have heard the late Emperor mention it."

Empress Dowager Zhou recounted: "This Xu Xuanzhen came from a prominent local family and was wealthy from a young age. Because of his obsession with martial arts, he voluntarily entered the palace to cultivate the sacred texts."

Li Ping'an was amazed; it turned out that Eunuch Xu was not from a poor background.

Thinking of this, she glanced at Eunuch Rong.

This fellow was clearly different from many of the other eunuchs when he was in the Inner Martial Arts Hall. He was not only literate, but also proficient in acupoints and meridians.

Even the children of ordinary landlords don't have such insight.

Eunuch Rong has lived a peaceful and stable life all these years, and he didn't even climb the ranks when my godfather was in power. Could it be that he is also obsessed with martial arts?
Li Ping'an pondered that he would take the opportunity to ask him properly. If he was really a martial arts fanatic, he would tell Xiao Rongzi the secret of innate talent.

"Your Majesty, Xiao Chezi guessed the surname correctly; he should be rewarded." "Indeed, he should be rewarded."

When Empress Dowager Zhou heard about the misfortune of the man surnamed Zhang, she felt a surge of resentment and, out of hatred for him, took off a thumb ring.

"Here's a thumb ring for you. Do your job well from now on."

Xiao Chezi took the ring and immediately knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly.

"This servant thanks Your Highness for your generous gift."

Li Ping'an said, "Young Master has been promoted, and our household happens to be short of a gatekeeper. Don't look down on him because he has no rank or grade."

Xiao Chezi turned around and continued kowtowing: "Thank you for your guidance, Steward."

Li Ping'an nodded in satisfaction. This kind of personality was not good at climbing the social ladder, but it also wouldn't easily make mistakes, making it perfect for welcoming and seeing off guests.

"Get up."

Empress Dowager Zhou waved her hand, impatiently asking, "Is that Zhang fellow related to the Cining Palace?"

Li Ping'an said, "They are indeed relatives, but they are beyond the fifth degree of kinship."

"That would be a shame."

Empress Dowager Zhou sighed: "Otherwise, the crime of treason would implicate nine generations of relatives, and they would certainly be able to implicate someone."

Li Ping'an said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I have already requested His Majesty's permission to expand the scope of the investigation."

If an investigation is conducted, a charge will inevitably be found.

For example, if a bodyguard comes from the northern frontier army, his comrades might be accomplices or henchmen, and his superiors might be dissatisfied with the court. All of these things are investigated and screened.

"So good."

Empress Dowager Zhou clapped her hands in delight. At her age and status, she had no other desires but to seek revenge against Cining Palace.

"Your Majesty, the Cining Palace has been able to stand until now because of its military power in the northern frontier. Our investigation of the Fuwei Escort Agency is to first clip its wings."

Li Ping'an said, "When the time is right, we might be able to overthrow the mountain!"

Upon hearing the words "military power," Empress Dowager Zhou's burning desire immediately cooled. She glanced around, and the eunuchs and maids, knowing better, bowed and withdrew.

"Little Anzi, the northern frontier is crucial to the stability of the nation..."

Empress Dowager Zhou paused for a moment, then said softly, "Although I wish I could exterminate the entire Cining Palace clan, Xiao Anzi, you must not take any risks."

"I am old now. Some grudges can be avenged, and some I cannot; so be it."

These words were truly heartfelt, reflecting both Empress Dowager Zhou's comfort and enjoyment, and her genuine concern for Eunuch An's future.

Li Ping'an's eyes reddened slightly as he said with emotion, "Your Majesty, rest assured. Times have changed, and His Majesty and the officials' attitudes toward the Northern Frontier have shifted."

Empress Dowager Zhou asked curiously, "Why is that?"

In the past, the imperial court turned a blind eye to the northern frontier. In order to maintain the stability of the country, it had no choice but to acquiesce to the Prince of Zhenbei's separatist rule.

As long as the Prince of Zhenbei doesn't openly rebel, the imperial court will still provide him with 300,000 taels of military pay.

It was like a tribute, offered year after year.

Li Ping'an explained, "The Ministry of Revenue currently has 30 million taels of silver, and the treasury is full. Even the most conservative Grand Secretary Yuan no longer mentions stability."

Emperor Yongning spent four years recuperating and resting, adhering to the principles of light taxes and levies, and the results have been remarkable.

The northern frontier was also recuperating, building cities, stockpiling grain, and raising troops; however, slow accumulation could not compare to the speed of plunder.

Li Ping'an's plundering of the accumulated wealth of aristocratic families over a thousand years directly resulted in several years of additional tax revenue for the imperial court.

When the imperial court no longer lacks money, its mindset naturally changes.

Empress Dowager Zhou's eyes were filled with tears. Xiao Anzi had defied the world and slaughtered the powerful families of Jiangnan, all to avenge her. He was truly her beloved grandson, a good grandson indeed.

"I am at ease with Xiao Anzi's work."

"Everything we do is for Your Majesty!"

While Li Ping'an spoke, he continued to sense the Empress Dowager's pulse. Sure enough, upon hearing that revenge was on the horizon, her originally weak pulse became strong and powerful.

A mental illness requires a mental cure; simply taking tonics only treats the symptoms, not the root cause.

Li Ping'an was very pleased that the dozens of people from Fuwei Escort Agency had died without cause, which not only increased his family's power but also cured the Empress's heartache.

"To die a worthy death is to be like this."

(End of this chapter)