From street beggar to high-ranking official

Chapter 58 The Harem Structure

In ordinary families, the harmonious scene of children and grandchildren talking with their elders can be distorted in the palace.

Lu Li chattered on about the affairs of the harem, seemingly to amuse his godfather, but wasn't he also conveying information to Eunuch Chen?

When the godfather saw that his godson was working hard, he took the initiative to ask about it. The godson then showed even more concern for his godfather's time alone and tried to make him laugh!

"Did Consort Wu praise both you and that palace maid named Jinlian that night?" In the study, Eunuch Chen pondered, chin in hand.

Lu Li served by his side and brought over some fine tea from the Imperial Workshop. He washed the cups, poured the tea, rinsed it with water, skimmed off the foam, and poured the tea. Although he wasn't very familiar with all the procedures, he had clearly memorized the key steps.

When Lu Li was chatting with Eunuch Zhao, he saw Xiao Xizi use this trick and secretly guessed that it was an easy way to please him, especially since this tea ceremony was even more useful for the interaction between his godson and his father.

Even though Lu Li didn't actually like tea tasting and had drunk so many times that he still found it difficult to distinguish between good and bad tea, he still had to learn this skill in order to please the important person.

"It's not hard to understand why Consort Wu would employ both you and the palace maid Jinlian at the same time. Perhaps it was for consideration, or perhaps it was for the sake of balance. Although it was done rather crudely and abruptly, it is still very useful."

"The second is to confirm the abilities of your subordinates," Eunuch Chen added.

"Please, Godfather, see the truth!" Lu asked respectfully.

"Little Lu, let me ask you this: if you take in a godchild, how do you verify the godchild's abilities?" Eunuch Chen smiled slightly. A good godchild might know the method, but instinctively exploring actions and implementing them in a concrete and systematic way are two different things.

Lu Li pondered carefully: "In my opinion, I will first assign a task, and then I will secretly watch, follow, and listen to see how my son uses his methods, such as murder or embezzlement."

""

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Li's eyes lit up. Consort Wu's methods were actually no different from his own, except that one was open about it and the other was in the dark. Compared to his own straightforwardness, Consort Wu's methods were actually more sophisticated.

He applied the same probing techniques he used on servants and slaves to his own daily habits and the environment around him.

Who in Jingyang Palace doesn't know that Consort Wu received a calligraphy piece from His Majesty for her paintings? Who doesn't know that the Consort enjoys strolling in the garden at night?

With these two prerequisites in place, the tests and trials of the servants became gentle and natural.

Perhaps in your eyes you are just serving the Empress on a daily basis, but in the Empress's eyes, the test of you has already been conducted or ended. Whether you are usable or not, the Empress has already given you the appropriate score in your daily service.

Lu Li's methods were not that sophisticated. He was more direct and violent, unlike the Empress who was gentle and persuasive. If he wanted to kill someone, he would definitely kill them!

The difference in methods stems from different experiences. Consort Wu comes from a family of scholars and is a well-bred lady. Her temperament and methods are naturally more gentle and in accordance with the rules. Lu Li is different. He is a desperate man who has been pulled out of a pile of dead bodies. His ruthless methods are already beginning to show.

"I will always remember my godfather's teachings!" said Lu Li gratefully.

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Chen chuckled and said, "Little Lu is not bad; he's even learned to use classical allusions."

"I haven't fallen behind in my studies, even though I'm slow, I'm still keeping up," Lu Li joked. The atmosphere between the godfather and son was harmonious, as if they were really a family.

After finishing his sentence, Lu Li asked about another matter. He first took out the gold ingot that Xiao Bu had given him: "Godfather, tell me, can our family accept gold from the Imperial Household Department?"

Eunuch Chen's wrinkled face twitched slightly, his expression unreadable: "What do you think, Little Lu?"

'

"If we can accept it, this gold ingot should be given to our godfather as a token of our respect. If we cannot accept it, then we should give it to our godfather to deal with!"

"That's what Lu Li said. Anyway, he was going to give it to his godfather, and the reason was perfectly legitimate."

"Hehehe, I'm growing to like Little Lu's silver tongue more and more." Eunuch Chen's eyebrows twitched. "The Directorate of Palace Attendants isn't like the Directorate of Palace Guards, which is a poor government office. Whenever there are festivals, grand ceremonies, or palace repairs, the Directorate of Palace Attendants is always looking for ways to embezzle. What do you think, Little Lu?"

On his way here, Lu Li had already prepared his answer: "I believe the Directorate of Palace Attendants can accept this silver."

"Why can you accept it?"

"Because His Majesty favors Consort Wu, and because Consort Wu is pregnant, she has gained honor." Lu Li slowly revealed his understanding: "Jingyang Palace was not luxurious before. Even if Liu, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, explained the auspicious and inauspicious omens, in terms of rules and etiquette, Jingyang Palace was the lowest-ranking palace among the Eastern Six Palaces."

7

The emperor sat facing south, and those to his left were considered noble. The six palaces of the east and west were located north of the Qianqing Palace, and according to etiquette, they were located behind the emperor. Hence, the term "harem" came to refer to the inner palace.

The East and West Six Palaces comprise a total of twelve halls and pavilions. Those located to the east are considered more prestigious, while those near the Qianqing Palace are more favored. The Jingyang Palace, situated in the northeastern part of the East Six Palaces, is naturally of the lowest rank.

In contrast, Jingren Palace is located inside the Eastern Six Palaces and is closest to Qianqing Palace to the south. It was the residence of Consort Xian.

If Consort Wu really gives birth to the emperor's heir, Jingyang Palace will definitely need to be renovated and repaired, and the opportunity for the Directorate of Palace Attendants will come.

Palaces and buildings are constructed with great wealth and money!

"Good, it's good that Xiao Luzi can understand this point. Now do you know how to distinguish which money can be accepted and which cannot?" Eunuch Chen asked again.

Talented people understand things quickly. Although Lu Li wasn't a genius at studying, he was born to be a eunuch. He immediately said, "It all depends on what the other party wants!"

'

The eunuchs wanted to embezzle money, so they set their sights on Jingyang Palace. However, the palace needed a suitable reason for repairing it, and the birth of the emperor's heir was an irrefutable reason.

Working backwards in this way, Lu Li began to ponder the situation at the Imperial Household Department.

The Director of the Imperial Household Department was Eunuch Wang, one of the most powerful eunuchs among the twelve directorates of the Inner Palace.

What if the eunuch in the Imperial Household Department really was backed by Eunuch Wang?

Eunuch Wang was not the chief eunuch of any palace, so it was difficult for him to be involved in the situation in the inner palace. If the situation of the Directorate of Palace Attendants were applied to the Directorate of Imperial Supplies, Lu Li thought that it seemed that he was also after money, only he was even more greedy.

Therefore, based on this reasoning, the fact that the eunuchs in the Imperial Workshop amassed so much silver might not really have much to do with the eunuchs of the Imperial Workshop. On the contrary, Lu Li became even more certain that the Imperial Horse Administration was the real trouble for him.

Qian Gonggong, the supervisor of the Imperial Horse Administration, is the chief eunuch of Yanxi Palace. Lu Li had wondered before why the Imperial Horse Administration chose to contact Xiao Shizi instead of him. Now it seems that they had a different purpose.

After all, Lu Li was rooted in Jingyang Palace. Anyone with eyes could see that Lu Li wanted to wait until Consort Wu gave birth to the imperial heir so that he could rise to power and bring prosperity to his entire family. Who would be so foolish as to give up their own future?

However, the duties of the Imperial Horse Administration rarely involved the inner palace, which is why they chose to work with the young women in the palace, rather than with the Inner Palace Administration, the Imperial Household Administration, etc.

They went to see Lu Li openly and honestly, just like the Imperial Kitchen Supervisor.