From street beggar to high-ranking official

Chapter 69 Deep into the Bone

After explaining his requirements, Lu Li emphasized at the end, "We are doing our work for Consort Wu and His Highness the Prince. If I find out that you are not doing your job properly and cause the Consort even the slightest displeasure, hehehe, I will take action myself without waiting for the Consort's order!"

As Lu Li spoke, he stomped on a brick in the side hall, as if the brick was the head and limbs of a eunuch or palace maid.

As for the broken bricks? The Imperial Household Agency will fix them.

Seeing Lu Li's imposing presence, the eunuchs and palace maids nodded in agreement.

After everyone had dispersed, Xiao Chuanzi and Xiao Qianzi approached Lu Li to massage his shoulders and pour him tea: "Congratulations, Godfather, on now firmly securing your position as the Chief Eunuch of Jingyang Palace!"

"Heh heh heh, you two also need to work diligently for us. If you anger the Empress, we won't care about father-son relationships," Lu Li said with a sneer.

"That would never happen, Godfather, you know me." Little Qianzi patted his chest and assured him that he had followed his godfather's instructions to keep an eye on the Imperial Household Department and spent all his time with the chamber pots in Jingyang Palace, only leaving after Imperial Physician Zhang arrived.

Such a dedicated and selfless son, he is truly a useful adopted son!

Of course, this is also closely related to the fact that it is not possible to embezzle money in the Jingxiang Division.

The eunuchs there were all at the very bottom of society, so smelly and poor they could practically beg on the street. Getting any money out of them was harder than ascending to heaven.

Now that Consort Wu has given birth to a prince, Xiao Qianzi no longer needs to guard the Jingxiang Division, so he was brought into Jingyang Palace by Lu Li with just a word.

Before arriving, Xiao Qianzi spent two hours scrubbing himself thoroughly, washing his skin until it was white and red, almost turning his intestines inside out. He only felt at ease to take up his post after his breath was completely odor-free.

Now that the two godsons have witnessed Eunuch Lu's imposing manner, they can't help but think that good days are just around the corner.

Not to mention Xiao Chuanzi, Xiao Qianzi alone filled his little purse with silver and silver notes after arriving at Jingyang Palace.

As Lu Li sat on the large chair enjoying his godchild's service, he had other thoughts on his mind.

He did not explicitly name the eunuch Xiao Yanzi who surrendered that night. There are some things he could know, but his subordinates could not; there are some things he could know, but those around him could not.

What's this called?

This is called a hidden stakeout!

Officials have two mouths, one above the other, and each has their own way of speaking.

As for this act of embezzlement and bribery, it was simply Lu Li's attempt to make one last big profit.

According to Xiao Yanzi, there are a total of five people who can be the eyes and ears of other places. As for why the word "can" is used, of course they can also not be.

If the money you give as tribute is small, it proves that you have no powerful backing or support. Our family can use it with peace of mind, and even develop it into our own secret agent.

If the silver you offer is enough to tempt even Lu Li, then the sycophants who want to spy on Jingyang Palace will have already jumped out on their own!

There's one Imperial Seal Office, and also the Imperial Horse Office!

When Lu Li finished registering the silver he had received, he realized that there were quite a few wealthy eunuchs in Jingyang Palace.

The vast majority of the gifts were around a hundred taels of silver, but six people gave huge sums of silver notes, one of whom gave a full seven hundred taels. This person was a junior eunuch from the Imperial Horse Administration.

"Hey, I've never seen this kid before when I was at the Imperial Horse Stables. Is he a new recruit or a hidden spy?"

The spies have been found. Of course, the money won't be returned. We'll temporarily entrust them with important tasks to lull them into a false sense of security. Then, when the Imperial Household Department is doing repairs, we'll leave them there and have Xiao Chuanzi keep an eye on them.

Afterwards, he had Xiaochuanzi fabricate some genuine evidence, such as the floor tiles being crooked and the palace walls being painted unevenly. With this pretext, they were directly expelled from Jingyang Palace.

Seemingly being promoted, but actually being framed. How do history books describe this tactic: a promotion in name only, a demotion in reality!

Li Lu needed to devote himself to Consort Wu, His Highness the Prince, and the affairs of the Palace Guard, so he couldn't afford to be distracted by dealing with his subordinates.

He couldn't possibly split himself in two to use his scheming and intrigue.

That's called dismemberment.

He doesn't want to become the next Xiao Luozi.

So Lu Li chose Xiao Chuanzi to help him with these matters. You little eunuchs, if you have any grievances, take them out on Xiao Chuanzi. I made it clear that if you don't do your best, get out of here!

Although Eunuch Zhao of the Palace Attendant was dead, Lu Li had learned some of his methods. As for why he chose Xiao Chuanzi to be the one to eliminate people, it was for other reasons as well.

It's just that it works.

You few spies who infiltrated here aren't our Qian'er, but the money you've been given is enough. Compared to the other eunuchs, you still have more influence. Eunuch Lu had no choice but to assign you tasks because of the money.

Therefore, Xiao Chuanzi harbored resentment and worried that you would use money to gain favor, so he plotted to frame you.

Blame it on Ogawa!

Moreover, Xiao Chuanzi's actions were tantamount to doing Lu Li's bidding but creating an enemy for himself. In the future, even if he wanted to betray him, he would have to think twice.

The more dirty work Xiao Chuanzi does for his godfather, the more trouble he will have if he wants to betray or leave later. Therefore, Xiao Chuanzi will only become more loyal.

Creating an enemy is far more effective in fostering loyalty than simply offering praise and empty promises.

This is a principle that Lu Li gradually came to understand not long after he entered the Palace Guard. Now that he has risen to the seventh rank, he has enough room to make his mark.

This kind of power and manipulation of others fascinated Lu Li. It wasn't about direct assignments or arrangements, but about everything being planned in secret, in the dark.

The higher the official rank, the more respectable our family becomes!

In the evening, after serving Consort Wu, Lu Li waited until the prince had finished his milk and fallen asleep before having his own meal.

Now that my status is different, even my food has improved a lot. When I first entered the palace, I could only eat salted vegetable porridge and mixed grain steamed buns. Now I can enjoy three kinds of delicacies, and I can choose any kind of red meat from livestock. Even tea is only used to rinse my mouth!

Aside from embezzling silver, mealtime was the most enjoyable time of day for Lu.

Unlike when he was young, when he could eat well at home during festivals and New Year, Lu Li was naturally superior to the other eunuchs and palace maids in terms of diet.

We eat Three Delicacies Silver Noodles, while I eat steamed buns with porridge. We rinse our mouths with tea and chew tea leaves to remove the pungent smell of meat. I'm thirsty all day long, but I only drink cold water.

For example, in the past, when our godfather punished everyone by not letting them eat, Lu Li could sleep even more soundly because he ate one more steamed bun than Xiao Fengzi, Xiao Yuzi, and Xiao Shunzi.

This feeling of being superior to others is exactly what our family needs.

They eat better than others, hold higher official positions than others, and have more control over the lives of others.

The desire for food, the ambition for power, and the thirst for bloodshed had unknowingly become deeply ingrained in Lu Li's very being.

This may be innate or acquired, but in any case, Lu Li's underlying nature is already the same as that of the psychologically disturbed old eunuch in the deep palace.

Nothing in the world is as important as the desires in Lu Li's heart. No one who has not lost his family, been kidnapped by human traffickers, been on the verge of starvation and chased by wild dogs, or kowtowed to a group of beggars for half a piss bun has the right to condemn Eunuch Lu!