From street beggar to high-ranking official

This is similar to Lu Li's initial speculation. The person who could directly play tricks in the palace must be someone inside the palace. Now that the rat's tail has finally been exposed, we'll see whether what we pull out by the tail is a rat or a tiger.

"Hmm? The Imperial Kitchen of the Imperial Kitchen is discussing sending people from the Palace Guard to keep watch?" Lu Li looked at the official document from the Imperial Kitchen and thought about a few names.

This matter is not easy to fool. If it were just about washing dishes, mopping floors, or doing menial labor like cleaning up slop, this official document would never have reached Lu Li's desk.

"Little Wu, who do you think should we choose?" Lu Li said calmly.

Since the birth of the prince, Lu Li had called back all the godchildren who had been sent out to work elsewhere. Now that he had enough territory to establish himself in the palace, he should manage it well to avoid any mistakes.

Xiao Chuanzi and Xiao Qianzi went to Jingyang Palace with Lu Li, while Xiao Wuzi stayed in the territory of the Zhidianjian. Even Xiao Shizi, who had been making money in the Imperial Household Department, was brought back by Lu Li.

After listening, Xiao Wuzi thought about it carefully and said, "Godfather, if you want us to take a look, we need to send someone with a solid reputation over there."

"Oh? Why?" Lu Li had a plan in mind, but he couldn't say it first. He wanted his godson to share his insights first. If his godson's insights were better than his own...

Haha, actually, that's what we think too.

Xiao Wuzi immediately said, "The most important place in the Imperial Kitchen is the Imperial Dining Room. If it's just a matter of insufficient manpower, the eunuchs in the Imperial Kitchen will naturally make adjustments on their own and would never entrust this matter to the Palace Attendants..."

Xiao Wu had had a lot of contact with the Imperial Kitchen, so he spoke eloquently: "Since the Imperial Kitchen is doing this, it means that something has happened that requires outsiders to take over, and this matter cannot be handled by internal personnel because they no longer trust each other."

Does an internal trust crisis need an outsider to break it?

Lu, the official, nodded seriously: "That's pretty much what I was thinking. Otherwise, this dispatch document wouldn't have appeared in front of us. Little Wu, tell me, what kind of trouble will they encounter?"

"In my opinion, it seems some minor eunuch ate too much of the tribute food..."

The imperial kitchen always had a large surplus of ingredients, and cooking at the same time on all thirty-six stoves would only result in more food being cooked than less.

Because food loss is inevitable during the cooking process, and besides, eunuchs were required to test for poison.

During this process, if any eunuchs wanted to sneak a taste of the imperial food, such as soup or wine, they would be let off the hook.

For example, the imperial kitchen often had wine that had leaked due to improper storage. Even Lu Li had tasted the wine out of curiosity during his night patrols several times. But it was so serious that it required outside intervention, which shows how big a hole had been made.

Lu Li stroked his smooth, hairless chin and suddenly asked, "Little Wu, are you willing to go?"

......

After arranging the personnel deployment, Lu Li sat in his duty room enjoying tea, while the eunuch Xiao Xizi was showing off his tea skills and respectfully serving Lu Gonggong.

Once a eunuch had a rank, he was like a small mountain in the Inner Palace Office, raising countless adopted sons. When Eunuch Zhao died, one mountain collapsed, and the surviving adopted sons naturally went to find other mountains.

You have no backing, no capital, and no power; you'll only be bullied in the palace.

Jingxiangsi is a living example!

Xiao Xizi, who was originally a servant of Eunuch Zhao and later became his adopted son, is a typical example of someone who found a powerful backer early on.

Xiao Xizi was well-informed and, thanks to the good karma he had built up in the past, quickly learned that Eunuch Lu had lost one of his godson's sons. So, after thinking it over, he took the initiative to bring a fruit basket to the door.

The fruit basket is fake, but the fruit inside is made of silver!

After each silver ornament was painted and colored, it looked almost exactly like real fruit. Lu Li was amazed and thought to himself that this little Xizi was quite clever. He was also very respectful and had excellent tea skills and knew how to serve people. It would be good to take him as a godson.

Of course, after becoming an adopted son, Xiao Xizi continued to work as Eunuch Lu's doorman.

Not only that, Lu Li is no longer satisfied with just five adopted sons. He is now casting a wide net to see how many capable subordinates are willing to join his cause.

One of them was even a ninth-rank eunuch, who came from the Zhidianjianlangwusi (直殿监廊庻司), whose main job was to look after the east and west wing rooms, the palace walls and corridors, and the passageways of each gate.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the same place where Lu Li had initially entered.

It's a pity that the ninth-rank eunuch couldn't move around freely because he needed to guard important positions in the palace. Otherwise, he could have been assigned to guard the Jingyang Palace gate, and Lu Li could have easily ordered Xiao Chuanzi to do other things.

"It's a pity that our calligraphy only captures the form but not the meaning. It's sufficient for normal writing and drawing, but it's somewhat inadequate for handling official documents."

Lu Li was secretly annoyed. He had done well in all four areas: reading, writing, martial arts, and official duties. However, everything has its priorities and order. He did quite well in martial arts and official duties, but he neglected reading and writing.

"When we have some free time later, we'll ask our godfather for advice!"

After finishing the official documents, Lu Li rushed to Jingyang Palace. A ghostly figure moved in the shadows of the palace wall walkway and soon entered through the main gate. Even Xiao Chuanzi, who was on duty at the gate, did not notice his presence.

This is why Lu Li wanted to bring that ninth-rank eunuch to Jingyang Palace. Qian'er is useful, but there are some things he really can't do.

For example, that night, Lu Li was alone, struggling with the ghostly figure. Even if his godchildren wanted to help, they couldn't. If they came up there, they would either cause trouble or die on the spot.

Not long after entering the palace, Lu Li dispelled his true energy and his first priority was to go to the side hall to find the palace maid Xue Kui.

"Reporting to Eunuch Lu, Her Majesty seems to be in a bad mood today, and she even drank less of the tonic soup." Xue Kui informed Eunuch Lu about Her Majesty's condition during the meal.

Lu Li frowned: "Who angered Her Majesty?"

Since giving birth to the prince, Consort Wu has become much less arrogant and domineering. She rarely scolds or beats the servants and shows considerable maternal warmth when she is with the infant prince.

"It's not that anyone angered Your Highness, but this servant doesn't know what's wrong with Her Highness," Xue Kui reported truthfully.

"I understand. Do your job well. I also support your relationship with Xiaoyanzi." Lu Li's words made Xue Kui blush.

As Lu Li left the side hall and entered the main hall, he saw Consort Wu sitting on a flower chair that had just been moved from the Imperial Household Department, holding a prince and looking at flower arrangements. Lu Li, who was already bowing, immediately lowered his back even further and bent his knees as he crossed the threshold of the hall.

Just as he knelt down at the threshold and kowtowed, Lu Li slid down to kneel before Consort Wu to pay his respects.

"This servant greets Consort Wu and His Highness the Prince, wishing His Highness boundless blessings and peace, and Consort Wu good health!"

"Oh, it's Lu Zi. Rise." Consort Wu smiled as she looked at Lu Zi kneeling on the ground. As expected, Lu Zi knows how to please her.

"Your Majesty, if you are in a bad mood, I will prepare the carriage to go to the Imperial Garden to admire the flowers and to Taiye Pond to feed the fish," said Lu Li, bowing.

It is forbidden to discuss matters of punishment or injury in front of a young prince, otherwise, if he utters a slip of the tongue, Lu Li will be the one to suffer.

"It's not that I'm in a bad mood," Consort Wu said, shaking her head as she held the prince. "I'm just wondering if Fang'er will be comfortable living in Wentiao Palace."