From street beggar to high-ranking official

After returning to the palace, Lu Li went to find Eunuch Xie, but he was too late.

Only Xiao Xizi reported to Lu Li that Eunuch Xie had left the Palace Guard at this hour and his whereabouts were unknown.

"Godfather, we questioned several eunuchs, but they couldn't find out where Eunuch Xie left from," Xiao Chuanzi, the godson, reported as he entered.

Lu Li's face darkened; he knew he was too late after all.

Perhaps he could escape this predicament by relying on his connections in the Directorate of Ceremonial, but in any case, Lu Li had no intention of going to the Imperial Prison.

The vast majority of palace eunuchs and servants are not clean. How many of them have never embezzled or slacked off? Besides, among all the various charges, there is always one that applies to you. It's just a matter of adding one crime to another and adding punishment to punishment.

......

With the end of the national mourning period, an eerie atmosphere has settled over the Forbidden City.

Inside Jingyang Palace.

Emperor Yongxi lowered his eyes to look at the evidence presented by Eunuch Lü, but he didn't even glance at it. He simply asked, "Did the Crown Prince really have an affair with Consort Ning?"

Eunuch Lü's old face twitched. He wanted to say no, but the objective facts could not be contradicted. Besides, the emperor's mind was as deep as the abyss, so he could only choose his answer.

"The head of Jingyang Palace, Little Mustache, stood guard outside the door that night and confirmed that Consort Ning and His Highness the Crown Prince were in the same room. Later, the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital examined her and determined that without the life-sustaining Yang Qi, Consort Ning would have died that night without a doubt."

"Then there is indeed impolite behavior," Emperor Yongxi said.

Eunuch Lü dared not say more, but lowered his head and shrank back.

Emperor Yongxi looked at Consort Ning on the bed. Even with the imperial physician's treatment, it was impossible for her to recover completely.

"Investigate. Find out who murdered Consort Ning. Also, Your Highness, return to the Eastern Palace and think this over carefully."

The next day.

An imperial edict was delivered to the Eastern Palace. At that moment, Crown Prince Li Sheng was instructing his subordinates when he saw the eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs arrive. He had no choice but to stop and kneel to receive the edict.

"His Majesty's decree!" the eunuch announced in a shrill voice.

"The Crown Prince has recently acted disrespectfully in the inner court, behaving frivolously before Consort Ning. This shows a lack of respect for his nephew, disrupts the order of the palace, and disregards the proper conduct expected of a successor. Since this matter concerns the dignity of the palace, it will not be publicly announced. The seals of the Eastern Palace gates are confiscated, and the four gates will be guarded in rotation by the Directorate of Ceremonial. No one may enter or leave without a personally written edict from me. The Crown Prince is also forbidden from leaving the Eastern Palace without permission. This period is three months; a further decision will be made based on his remorse..."

Li Sheng was completely bewildered.

It wasn't until the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree finished reading it and hurriedly moved away from the direction where the crown prince was kneeling that Li Sheng gradually came to his senses.

"How could this be? How could this be?!" Li Sheng dared not blame his father, and vented all his shame and anger on the person behind the scenes who had not yet been found.

"Your Highness, perhaps this is His Majesty's way of protecting you," said Xiao Xinzi, stepping forward.

Li Sheng was not stupid; he had indeed considered this possibility, but what he feared even more was losing his position as crown prince.

Even though the eldest son of the legitimate wife is always chosen as the heir apparent, Li Sheng could not be sure of his father's thoughts. Moreover, he was confined to the Eastern Palace, and if outsiders wanted to cause trouble, they would have plenty of opportunities!

"It seems the Empress Dowager can help. No, the Emperor's decree has just been issued; we mustn't rush things. Is it the Prince of Qi or the Prince of Chen?"

The Prince Qi and Prince Chen mentioned by Li Sheng are the fifth and sixth princes who are still in the palace and have not yet taken up their fiefs. Neither of them are born of the principal wife, but their maternal lineages have considerable influence outside the palace, especially the sixth prince, who has been close to the Duke of Xi since childhood.

The only advantage she had over her two younger brothers was that she was born of the legitimate wife.

Even if they were truly conspiring from within and without to depose him from the position of Crown Prince, where would they get the audacity? Do they really think they can pull off some kind of conspiracy right under His Majesty's nose?

Or, thinking even further ahead... Li Sheng thought of the unresolved case of the imperial son-in-law.

Last year, the case of the imperial son-in-law was temporarily suspended due to natural disasters. Moreover, such a major case cannot be settled so easily. Before his downfall, Ouyang Luntai had contact with many powerful factions. Could it be that he wanted to support the prince to ascend the throne to protect himself?

Li Sheng's mind was in turmoil, but one thing was certain: this matter was clearly aimed at him.

......

As news of the Crown Prince's house arrest gradually spread, the rarely seen ninth-rank eunuchs appeared at the East Palace gate, directly replacing the original gatekeepers. Without an order from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, anyone who tried to approach would be driven away. Only the staff of the Imperial Kitchen and the Imperial Household Department could enter and exit with orders.

Lu Li didn't want to miss any news related to himself. The Palace Attendant was excluded, perhaps because Eunuch Xie was a member of the Crown Prince's faction. It was understandable that the Imperial Household Department could come and go as it pleased, since the Imperial Household Department rarely had any involvement with the palace's power and was relatively independent. The reason for the Imperial Kitchen Department was even simpler and clearer.

People always need to eat.

With the Crown Prince placed under house arrest in the Eastern Palace and Consort Ning recovering from her illness, a storm that would truly impact the lower classes began.

On that day, Little Mustache was dismissed from his position as head eunuch of Jingyang Palace, and subsequently, the palace maid Jinlian was demoted to the laundry department. The eunuchs and palace maids in Jingyang Palace, whether out of self-preservation, to drag others down with them, or to show their loyalty to Consort Ning, made a series of accusations.

Fortunately, Lu Li's men had already been largely purged by Little Mustache, and he had somehow managed to escape this purge.

But the good times didn't last long.

Xiaoyanzi and Xuekui's affair has been exposed.

If it were just that, it would be fine, but the palace maid Xue Kui told the truth in order to win over Consort Ning and revealed everything she knew, including how Lu Li had found a secluded courtyard for Xue Kui and Xiao Yanzi to meet in secret when Lu Li was still working at Jingyang Palace, in order to win them over.

Xuekui and Xiaoyanzi never returned to their usual living quarters; they slept together every night, enjoying the bliss of their newlywed life.

Even though Lu Li did not continue to protect Xiao Yanzi and Xue Kui after he left, once the matter was exposed, it was no longer up to Lu Li's own will.

He protected his subordinates and concealed his actions from his superiors for personal gain. The next day, an imperial edict from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs arrived at the Directorate of Palace Attendants.

His seventh-rank official position was revoked, and two years of hard work were completely in vain.

When Lu knelt to receive the imperial decree, he was filled with resentment but had no choice.

"Fortunately, we spent 6,666 taels of silver with Eunuch Qiao, so at least we won't be going to the imperial prison." This was the only way Lu could console himself.

The so-called purge was not just about dismissal. For example, Xue Kui, who reported the wrongdoing, told the truth to Consort Ning, but this only angered Consort Ning more. Xue Kui was beaten to death on the spot, and Xiao Yanzi was imprisoned. It is unknown whether she will ever be able to get out of prison.

The collapse of one hilltop signifies the rise of another; the original official position was quickly taken over by another eunuch.

Ten days later.

Lu, the official sweeping the courtyard, knelt before the eunuch delivering the imperial edict.

"Little Lu has quite a bit of free time," the eunuch delivering the imperial decree said coldly.

Lu Li looked up and realized he had almost no recollection of this person, so he asked politely, "May I ask your name, sir?"

"You don't deserve a formal title. Little Lu, you'd better go and sleep in the inner chambers. The Palace Attendant might not be able to tolerate you." The eunuch delivering the decree said with a grin.

Lu Li's eyes widened: "This is impossible!"

The Twelve Prisons had internal solitary confinement cells, usually used for punishment. Although they were still better than ordinary prisons and imperial prisons, once you entered, even if you ever got out, you would be a slacker for life.

"How could that be? We reported you ourselves."

"Who exactly are you?" Lu Li asked angrily.

"Little Lu, do you still remember Little Feng?" The eunuch delivering the imperial decree seemed to be taking revenge, and even his face was filled with pleasure.

Lu Li was taken aback. He stared intently at the face of the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree. The round face had finally blended in with the thin boy.

"It was you!"