Chapter 1065
Who Dares to Touch the Imperial Household Department?
Chapter 1065 Who Dares to Touch the Imperial Household Department?
Inside the ship's cabin,
The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive. The candlelight flickered from side to side as the ship moved, casting a faint glow on Eunuch Yang's face, making his already pale complexion appear even more sinister and ashen.
Ning Kai's calls brought Xiao Guizi, who was serving him, back to her senses, and she quickly followed suit, calling out a few times in return.
"Godfather, godfather,"
unfortunately,
Those kneeling below the hall were still wailing and crying, which made Xiao Guizi angry and curse.
"Stop shouting, or you'll get a beating outside."
A shout silenced everyone in the cabin. Xiao Guizi quickly walked up to Eunuch Yang and whispered.
"Godfather, your sons are all here to pay their respects."
A moment later, he gave a signal to the dozen or so eunuchs kneeling below the hall. Upon seeing this, they crawled over like loyal dogs and kowtowed.
"Sons, pay your respects to your godfather, pay your respects!"
After another silence, suddenly, Eunuch Yang tilted his head and chuckled.
"You haven't even finished your breakfast yet, what are you doing here so early to offer your greetings?"
"this,"
It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it; the moment he did, the atmosphere in the cabin became even more eerily quiet. Ning Kai glanced at the candlelight on the table. It was already evening; there was no such thing as morning. Looking at Eunuch Yang's expression, so serious, already eating with chopsticks, he didn't seem to be faking it.
“Father-in-law, it’s almost night now, so how can you talk about early morning?”
"Hmph, are you still half asleep? I just woke up and am having breakfast. It's not dark yet. You guys, on the other hand, have been waiting for a long time."
As Eunuch Yang spoke, he picked up his chopsticks, leaving the dozen or so people in the hall completely bewildered. Ning Kai suddenly asked in a low voice;
"Eunuch Gui, before Eunuch Yang boarded the ship, he was unwell. I heard that he suffered from internal heat affecting his heart. Did he see a doctor?"
"This, this, I don't know either, Godfather, are you feeling unwell?"
Xiao Guizi was anxious and quickly asked from the side, her eyes already red.
"Oh dear, I'm not feeling unwell at all. What could possibly make me uncomfortable? Who could possibly make me feel unwell?"
"Father-in-law, as the saying goes, external pathogens can cause illness, while internal factors can cause illness. Everyone gets sick sometimes. Why don't you have the doctor take your pulse?"
Ning Kai carefully attended to the patient. Fortunately, a doctor had been brought on board. He quickly signaled to the guards standing at the door, who hurriedly left the cabin to find the doctor.
"None of you should expect me to be sick. If I die, without me, there would be no you."
He opened his eyes wide and roared at Ning Kai. Ning Kai swallowed hard. A eunuch, who didn't even have a heir, how could he say such a thing?
"My lord, I, Ning Kai, have mistaken you for someone else,"
As silence fell over the room, several guards entered through the doorway, followed by a doctor carrying a medicine chest. They had already reached the door and, seeing the room full of adults and eunuchs, dared not be negligent. Just as they were about to ask something, Eunuch Yang suddenly threw down his chopsticks.
He sneered.
"Enough, Shen Wanhe. Still trying to put on an act in front of me? When I first arrived, you weren't even a manager. If it weren't for my loyalty, I would have pleaded with the Emperor to grant you an official position. And what have you done? You've been threatened by a few corrupt dogs in the government office."
He picked up the wine cup, took a big gulp, and spilled it all over himself.
"Things that you can't take with you when you're born or when you die, everyone wants them, but if everyone wants them, can we give them enough?"
After a series of questions, Ning Kai was so frightened that he immediately knelt on the ground.
“Sir, I am Ning Kai, not Master Shen. Here, the doctor is here to take a look at you, understand?”
“Such a big man can’t take me with him. I have ancestors behind me, the emperor, and a bunch of adopted sons. I advise you, Magistrate Ma, Hutongzhi, stay away from me, hehe.”
Suddenly, Eunuch Yang's expression changed drastically, and he burst into laughter.
"What are you standing there for? Quickly go and take your father-in-law's pulse!"
Ning Kai grabbed the accompanying doctor and angrily cursed.
"Yes, sir, I will take Eunuch Yang's pulse right away."
The doctor rushed forward, grasped Eunuch Yang's wrist, frowned, then opened his medicine box, took out a cloth of silver needles, pulled out three, and inserted them into Eunuch Yang's wrist three times. Unfortunately, Eunuch Yang showed no improvement.
"how's it going?"
Ning Kai was anxious, and Xiao Guizi's eyes were red with worry. But then, the doctor swallowed hard and replied tremblingly.
"My lord, my father-in-law, I'm afraid he has gone mad. His phlegm and qi are stagnant, which has clouded his mind. I am powerless to help him."
He's clearly gone mad; how can he be cured?
"What? You're saying my father-in-law has gone mad?"
"Nonsense, Godfather was perfectly fine just now,"
Xiao Guizi roared and rushed over to call out, but no one responded. Ning Kai's back was already soaked with sweat, and all his thoughts were in vain. Since Eunuch Yang had gone mad, he had to ensure his life. If anything went wrong, he would lose his life. He stared intently at the doctor in front of him and threatened him fiercely.
"Look closely, is he really crazy, or is it some other illness?"
I wanted to say it was an act, but I couldn't say it outright.
"My lord, I have been practicing medicine for over twenty years and have seen all kinds of illnesses. Your father-in-law is suffering from a sudden surge of anger, which has caused phlegm to rise and clouded his mind. A person has three souls and seven spirits, and with two of them gone, how can he still be a normal person? I have no cure for him and can only prescribe a formula to calm his mind and regulate his qi so that he will not cause any more trouble."
Looking at the doctor before him, who showed no fear and was clearly not lying, Ning Kai felt a pang of regret.
"Alright, go and write the prescription."
"Yes, sir,"
As the guards escorted them away, the now mentally unstable Eunuch Yang began running around the cabin, calling out to Eunuch Gui.
"Eunuch Gui, Eunuch Gui, the matter is urgent. Please take good care of Eunuch Yang. I'll trouble you to handle things here. I'll make sure the boat moves as fast as possible."
Without waiting for Eunuch Gui's reply, he hurriedly left with his men.
Then, a carrier pigeon took flight and flew away from the top of the ship.
As the multi-storied ships on the canal approached the capital one by one...
Inside the palace,
Inside the Imperial Household Department, Eunuch Wang Xiu, along with the steward from the Directorate of Ceremonial and Zhao Si, the head of the Imperial Horse Administration, and his adopted son Xiao Dongzi, gathered in the office. News of what had happened in the Qianqing Palace had already spread throughout the capital.
In particular, the fact that several vassal kings were leading the charge in making accusations had already terrified many officials, who were trembling with fear.
In the main hall,
A sumptuous banquet had already been prepared. The three eunuchs, upon taking their seats, remained silent, especially Chen Hui from the Directorate of Ceremonial, who focused solely on eating, completely oblivious to the expressions of the other two.
At this time,
Another eunuch, Ma Fei, the steward of the Directorate of Ceremonial, has arrived in the inner hall and said;
"You all still have the mind to eat? We're in a real crisis. The ships from Jiangnan have been on their way for four days and will arrive in the capital in two days at most. Also, Eunuch Yang's ship might already be floating on the river. I heard from people in Jinling that the three officials in the prefecture have seized more than five million taels of silver from their homes, and it's all been sealed on the ship."
In a great hurry, he threw the secret letter on the table. The others exchanged glances, put down their chopsticks, and began to read their own documents.
The last person was Eunuch Chen Hui. Holding the memorial, he sneered, then slammed it onto the desk. He took a deep breath. "Well, so the investigation has reached the Imperial Textile Bureau and the Imperial Household Department, even into the palace. Have they gotten too bold, or are some people trying to make a move?"
Suddenly, a theatrical singing voice rang out.
"Come"
With a furious shout, even the candlelight in front of him flickered violently.
Several officials from Jiangnan were being escorted away, but they paid no heed. Once the transfer order was issued, they naturally returned obediently. However, Eunuch Yang of the Textile Bureau, the head of the Imperial Household Department, was a figurehead within the palace. How could the private actions of those scholar-official families escape the eyes of the Imperial City Guard? Someone had even attempted to ambush them en route—this truly touched a nerve with the eunuchs present.
Someone dared to defy the powerful, but then again, the three former eunuchs of the Imperial Household Department had all found new places, and many people were eyeing that position.
Or, to put it another way, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs might have an opportunity.
"What is this, Eunuch Chen?"
Ma Fei's eyes flickered. Nobody was a fool; if something happened to Yang Chi, the Textile Bureau would be a huge prize.
"What else can we do? Naturally, we should sort out the affairs of the Imperial Household Department and then send them to the Emperor. The Imperial Household Department should have the account books of the Jiangnan Jade Mine and the Textile Bureau on file."
These words, spoken with a gaze fixed on Eunuch Wang, the head steward of the Imperial Household Department, clearly indicated that the target of criticism was the Imperial Household Department itself.
Wang Xiu's godson, Xiao Mingzi, changed his expression but still stepped forward.
"Isn't Eunuch Chen meddling too much? Without His Majesty's imperial decree, who would dare to investigate the Imperial Household Department's accounts? Could it be that Eunuch Chen has already obtained an imperial decree from the Emperor on behalf of the Ancestor?"
This sneer made the already tense atmosphere in the inner hall somewhat oppressive. Knowing nothing of the palace's affairs, Ma Fei remained aloof, his hand resting on the table. He grabbed a roast chicken and began to devour the meat, nodding repeatedly.
"Oh my, this is truly a rare delicacy. I suppose this roast chicken is the beggar's chicken made at Youlai Restaurant. When it came to the capital, it was made in a different way, and the taste is now ever-changing. Even if you do the accounting all night, you can't fool them in just two days."
Although they appear to be neutral, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs wields considerable power.
When asked this question, Xiao Mingzi did not speak. However, Wang Gonggong, who had been sitting there sipping his tea, took a sip and nodded in reply.
"Yes, let alone two days, even two months wouldn't be enough to get it done. The Imperial Household Department has many businesses, many account books, and many bad debts. Some are even impossible to investigate. I wonder what Eunuch Chen's idea is to do the accounting?"
With a half-smile, he squinted at Eunuch Chen standing there. Before the ancestor could even speak, someone couldn't help but say, "People shouldn't be too optimistic or ambitious, otherwise, one more step will lead to an abyss."
"It seems that Eunuch Wang is not in a hurry. How to keep accounts is your business in the Imperial Household Department. If someone really comes to audit the accounts and something goes wrong, I wonder if Eunuch Wang can take responsibility?"
Chen Hui squinted, staring at him as he asked in return;
"Haha, then there's no need for Eunuch Chen to worry about it. I'm in charge of the Imperial Household Department, so the affairs of the Imperial Household Department are my affairs. If anyone comes to audit the accounts, just come and find me. Others, stop barking."
Wang Xiu finally gave a cold laugh. Now they're all thinking of testing the Imperial Household Department, but they don't know how important they are. The Imperial Household Department's people are all crawling out of piles of dead bodies. If it were so easy to get involved, how could they say they've crawled out of piles of dead bodies?
"you,"
Chen Hui's face paled. He had underestimated these people after all. But he sneered. Some things are better left unsaid. Yang Chi will be in the capital soon. When that happens, there will be a joint trial by the three judicial departments. With more people interrogating him, let's see how he can still hide it.
"Eunuch Wang is indeed worthy of being called Eunuch Wang. His imposing manner is truly inspiring. It is a blessing for the Imperial Household Department that Eunuch Wang has stepped forward. In that case, I will not concern myself with this matter any further. Of course, if Eunuch Wang wishes to understand in the future, he may come to me. Farewell."
He glanced at the banquet on the table, then turned and left. His departure immediately eased the atmosphere in the room. Eunuch Ma from the Directorate of Ceremonial and Yang Chi, the head of the Imperial Horse Administration, suddenly smiled. Zhao Si, in particular, remained calmly seated, sipping wine and enjoying side dishes. One of his favorites, three-delicacy meatballs, paired with sake, was incredibly delicious; the aroma and flavor permeated his very being.
"Oh dear, people these days are all so impatient. Nothing's even happened yet, and they're already rushing around. Eunuch Wang, it seems you really need to put some serious thought into managing the Imperial Household Department."
The "managers" Yang Chi mentioned were those who betray their own people. Although these things spread quickly, those who knew the details were definitely insiders. So, it would be really bad if these spies weren't eliminated.
"Well, with such a large family business, it's inevitable that a few unfilial sons will emerge. The current affairs in the inner court are rather strange, so we were caught off guard. We only just learned that Yang Chi is returning to the capital. However, we still have seven days to prepare by water, and even by fast ship, it will take three days. It's easy to handle."
Wang Xiu squinted. Yang Chi's return was ill-timed, or rather, he shouldn't have returned. His hasty return could only mean that the Emperor had tacitly approved it. But with Chang Le Palace involved, the Grand Eunuch was also wondering what he was thinking.
"I don't know what to do then. If Yang Chi returns to the capital and is imprisoned, the crimes he's committed over the years won't be as simple as just being beheaded."
Most of the things the inner court can do are shady dealings; if even one of them were to be exposed, it would surely shock the court and the public.
“Eunuch Zhao, what you can think of, how could others not think of? It all depends on how Eunuch Yang handles it.”
Perhaps thinking of something, he called out again;
"Someone, summon all the eunuchs in charge of the inner court's accounting department and have them re-examine the most recent account books from Jiangnan."
"He's my godfather."
Xiao Mingzi immediately obeyed the order and withdrew in the blink of an eye, leaving only the three people in the room to continue enjoying their drinks.
Meanwhile, on the south bank of Qinghu Lake in the capital,
Zhang Jinyu, along with Prince Jin and Lord Feng, arrived at this place. This was the first time they had encountered Youlai Restaurant. After getting off the carriage, Feng Yongwen was a little uneasy. Looking at the unremarkable restaurant, he couldn't see anything magnificent about it. However, the two-story restaurant occupied a large area, probably because it had taken over the neighbor's courtyard and expanded it.
"My lord, this place may seem unremarkable, like an ordinary family home, but it is located on the south bank of Qinghu Lake and has a unique charm. However, this place has changed from its magnificent appearance. I wonder if the taste inside has changed."
Looking around, there was only a spacious garden in front of the door; there wasn't much else. Once everyone entered the house, it was indeed like an ordinary tavern, with obviously old tables and chairs.
"Your Highness, it is said that seeing an object reminds one of a person. When it comes to employing people, the older generation is still the best. Just like this restaurant, you can say that the atmosphere is what makes it so appealing."
Upon entering the house, one would find the front hall completely empty, with almost no one in sight. Especially near the door, the tables and chairs were nowhere to be seen. This seemed rather strange; could it be because of the fight among the students yesterday?
"Shopkeeper, someone's here!"
"Hey, sirs, please come in."
At his call, a waiter rushed out from the inner room. Seeing that it was their master, the Marquis, he dared not be negligent. Even the manager hurriedly came out and bowed deeply.
"Greetings, Your Excellency, and all the esteemed gentlemen."
"Hmm, let's put together a big feast and eat in this hall. By the way, it's almost evening, there should be smoke rising from the chimneys, why is it so quiet and deserted?"
Zhang Jinyu pointed to the tables in front of her. Ning Bian and the others had already gone over and put two tables together, then moved the chairs aside. After everything was set up, Zhang Jinyu pulled up a chair and sat down. Seeing that there was no movement upstairs, she figured there were no guests upstairs either.
"Reporting to Your Excellency, the inn was originally thriving, but yesterday, students from the Imperial Academy and Qinglian Academy got into a quarrel and then a fight. The Military Command arrested them all and haven't released them yet. This place has become a hotbed of trouble; who would dare come here again?"
Thinking of this, the shopkeeper's face also turned sour. Everything had happened by chance; no one had expected that students from the Imperial Academy would come here to dine.
Zhang Jinyu knew about these things, but Prince Jin had never heard of them. Curiosity flashed in his eyes as he asked.
"Do you know what the argument is about?"
Seeing that the Prince of Jin was puzzled, He Baihu, the officer beside him, carefully offered a reminder to the students of the Imperial Academy who were allowed to leave.
"Your Highness, the Imperial Academy has admitted eighty supplementary students. The ones who were fighting yesterday were these supplementary students. There are exactly eighty, no more, no less."
The commotion at the Military Command was well-known to Commander He, but he simply hadn't reported it. Prince Jin then realized who it was; he seemed to have heard of the matter before, but hadn't inquired further.
"My lord, I am merely the manager of this inn. How would I know what these literary stars are saying? But it seems that people from the Qinglian Academy went there to cause trouble first. As for who struck first, I didn't see clearly."
The shopkeeper's forehead was beaded with sweat; the soldiers from the Military Command had come several times today.
"Alright, enough talk. Let's serve the food first. Bring a jar of sake and some mutton as well."
Zhang Jinyu was also somewhat annoyed and waved her hand.
"Yes, my lord, please wait a moment!"
(End of this chapter)