Chapter 60 - 1#

“It’s delicious!”

Jingzhe’s eyes widened in surprise. The fish meat in his mouth was very tender, with a hint of spiciness, a very unique flavor.

“Mingyu, your cooking skills are much better than before.”

In Mingyu’s room, a small table was set up.

Jingzhe and Mingyu were hiding here. There were two dishes on the small table: one was the fish Jingzhe had just eaten, and the other looked delicious in color, aroma, and taste, which was the stir-fried pork.

This was specially made by Mingyu to calm Jingzhe’s nerves.

It wasn’t good to be blatant in the Imperial Kitchen, so they secretly hid the food in their own room.

Hearing Jingzhe’s praise, Mingyu giggled and said, “I’ve practiced hard for so long. If I didn’t improve at all, wouldn’t I be beaten to death by Manager Zhu?”

Jingzhe already knew Zhu Erxi’s habit.

He was someone who believed that a strict teacher produces outstanding students. If you didn’t do well, he would beat you hard, a character who would beat skills into you. Under his hands, don’t even think about being a carefree person who knows nothing.

However, almost no one could receive this treatment from him.

One still had to beg for it.

Zhu Erxi didn’t have that kind of patience to teach people when he had nothing to do. The apprentices he accepted now were only a few. Mingyu wasn’t considered his apprentice, but he treated Mingyu quite wholeheartedly.

Seeing Jingzhe’s worried look, Mingyu shook his head and said, “It’s really fine. Manager Zhu knows how to measure his strikes, and he only hits us when we really do something wrong. How could he hit us for no reason?”

It hurt when being hit, but it also helped to remember.

Otherwise, how could Mingyu have mastered several dishes in such a short time?

This was a good skill.

Who wouldn’t want to learn a few more skills to keep up their sleeve?

If he met those who kept their skills secret, Mingyu would never learn in his lifetime.

In this cold weather, Mingyu also secretly prepared a little yellow wine, not much, just for a taste. Compared to the snowflakes falling outside, they ate small dishes and drank wine, which was very cozy.

Jingzhe had already told Mingyu everything that had happened recently.

To others, Jingzhe might still hide things, but to Mingyu, he always told everything.

Mingyu listened with joy at one moment and worry at another.

In the end, the little bit of wine at the bottom of the cup hadn’t been finished, but the person had been completely attracted by Jingzhe’s story.

Mingyu: “Jingzhe, who exactly is behind Xinsheng?”

Jingzhe picked up another piece of fish and shook his head.

“How would I know? I don’t even know who is behind Kangman yet.”

That damn mission is still stuck.

Every time Jingzhe thought about it, he would curse the system. Originally, this mission looked difficult, but he didn’t expect that behind Kangman, it probably involved Consort Kang.

Mingyu bit his chopsticks: “That’s not right. Kangman targeting you was an accident. Who is behind him doesn’t matter originally. But what about Xinsheng? Who would be the person behind him?”

Jingzhe: “In this palace, there are only a few people who have enmity with me. Counting them one by one, there isn’t anyone who has this capability.”

Mingyu suddenly thought: “Could it be the Empress Dowager?”

The beginning of overthrowing Huang Qingtian relied on the evidence hidden by the Cen family. Although the ultimate downfall of the Huang family was more related to court politics, this was also the first step of the foundation.

Not to mention, Qianming Palace had rewarded Jingzhe later.

If the Empress Dowager intended to investigate, she would definitely investigate Jingzhe.

Jingzhe thought for a moment, but still shook his head.

He said: “Shoukang Palace has been very low-key recently, except for intervening in the fire at Yongning Palace. Obviously, the Empress Dowager doesn’t want to attract anyone’s attention. If she wanted to attack me at this critical moment, she could just do it secretly. Why make a big fanfare to go to the Office of Punishment?”

When the Empress Dowager was in charge of the harem, the Office of Punishment certainly wouldn’t dare to defy her. Not to mention attacking Jingzhe, even if they were asked to investigate Rong Jiu, they would have to do it.

Now that the Empress Dowager’s power is weak, she should know the habit of the harem to follow the powerful and trample the weak. If they obeyed openly but disobeyed secretly, it would instead ruin things.

She didn’t need to do this.

Hearing Jingzhe’s words, Mingyu couldn’t help but nod.

“Indeed, the Empress Dowager doesn’t need to do this. She has hundreds of ways to make you die. Sending you to the Office of Punishment would be useless instead.”

Although it would make Jingzhe suffer some hardships, it would be at most that.

Unless the Empress Dowager came forward personally, Jingzhe would come out sooner or later.

It would be better to let someone secretly wait for an opportunity to strike, or just poison him to death with a cup of poisoned wine.

“But if not the Empress Dowager, then who could it be?” Mingyu was distressed, “Why do I feel that after you left the North Wing, you are really surrounded by dangers, and something can happen anytime.”

Jingzhe paused slightly and smiled bitterly: “Is this something I can control?”

Mingyu sighed: “Fortunately, you are now a second-rank eunuch, not just any random young eunuch. Even if you really entered the Office of Punishment, you might not necessarily perish inside.”

Hearing Mingyu’s words, Jingzhe was somewhat distracted. After a moment, he hesitantly told Mingyu about the disagreement between him and Rong Jiu.

Of course, he omitted the part where Rong Jiu was willing to hurt himself to teach him.

After knowing this, Mingyu would probably crack open Jingzhe’s head and ask him why he didn’t run away.

…Rong Jiu was truly too dangerous.

Mingyu finished the last sip of yellow wine and shook his head at Jingzhe: “On this point, I actually support Rong Jiu. You don’t have to learn his cruel methods, but moving up is not a bad thing.”

He didn’t think Jingzhe would become a figure like Rong Jiu. If he could really be like that, Jingzhe wouldn’t be Jingzhe.

Moreover, if Jingzhe really became the second Rong Jiu, would Rong Jiu still like him?

Isn’t what attracts Rong Jiu exactly this contradictory and conflicting side of Jingzhe?

But holding a high position and gaining power was indeed a means to protect oneself.

Whether inside or outside the palace, it has always been so.

“Don’t completely resist such things because of what happened to your family back then.” Mingyu glanced at the silent Jingzhe and sighed, “Yes, Huang Qingtian was a high official, yet he still committed unrighteous acts. Your father’s official friends were also no good things. Instead, those from the lower classes ran around for you… But precisely because of this, you should also know that power is a good thing.”

If the Huang family didn’t have power, how could Huang Qingtian do such things?

Not to think about those terrible things, this just proved the importance of power; it is just a weapon.

Held in different hands, there will be different reactions.

Jingzhe was purely once bitten by a snake, ten years shy of a rope.

Jingzhe sighed: “It’s not that I don’t understand this principle. But you also know that if I want to go up further, there’s no way to stand out in this Department of Palatial Affairs now.”

Then he could only go outside.

But the transfer in the palace is once a year, exactly at the end of the year. Where to go, and where there are vacancies, even those who don’t intend to move will vaguely hear a word or two.

Nowadays, there is no shortage of people in the consorts’ places.

After all, after the last wave of newcomers came, the positions in the palace had been fixed and there wouldn’t be too many changes. After the Empress Dowager fell silent, there wouldn’t be any newcomers entering the palace in a short time.

Otherwise, it would be places like the Imperial Kitchen, the Miscellaneous Affairs Department, the Office of Punishment… But these places mostly have the same problems as the Department of Palatial Affairs.

In the end, third-rank eunuchs are worthless, second-rank eunuchs are common, but to achieve the position of a head eunuch or a manager of various departments, besides waiting for seniority, it relies on luck.

If the position above isn’t vacant, how can the people below move up?

It’s not like you can conjure it up just by touching your lips.

Jingzhe couldn’t help but complain to Mingyu in a low voice: “I really don’t understand. Rong Jiu dislikes that I don’t admire vanity, don’t covet money. I really never thought that I would be despised for this in my life!”

Not admiring vanity has always been a good evaluation, but in Rong Jiu’s mouth, it seemed disgusting.

“…That’s fine, but he acts as if as long as I’m willing, I can climb up anytime and anywhere. Yes, I indeed don’t like fighting for power, but is this something I can do just because I want to?”

Jingzhe complained frantically.

Really didn’t know how casual promotion was in Rong Jiu’s heart.

This was thinking too highly of him!

Mingyu laughed loudly, slapping his knee and said: “Who said there are no vacancies anywhere? As long as you want, there are plenty in Qianming Palace.”

Speaking of this, even though there was no one else in the room, Mingyu couldn’t help but lower his voice.

“I heard that when Manager Ning wasn’t around, even more people died in Qianming Palace.”

Human lives were like weeds, gone one crop after another.

Jingzhe: “Why exactly was Manager Ning punished before?”

Although no rumors came out, when Ning Hongru appeared after disappearing for a while, he was much thinner, so it definitely wasn’t without reason.

Many people guessed that perhaps Ning Hongru had run into Emperor Jingyuan when he was bad-tempered, and even a figure like him was punished.

Mingyu shook his head: “Who knows?”

“That place, Qianming Palace, is hell. Whoever loves to go can go, I’m not going.” Jingzhe said, “I don’t have that blessing, nor that luck.”

It wasn’t that no one thought about taking a gamble to gain a wealthy life. But most of the time, if people just died like that, it was also silent, becoming other people’s conversation fodder, not even worthy of being named.

Mingyu: “Didn’t you say that Rong Jiu is Wei Haidong’s deputy? He must have seen His Majesty often. Have you asked him?” He was somewhat curious; they had never seen the Emperor.

Jingzhe frowned. For some reason, he felt a bit strangely uncomfortable about this topic. He subconsciously touched his arm, as if he was a bit cold.

“I asked a few times, but you know Rong Jiu’s temper. Simple answers, might as well not ask.”

Things that couldn’t be explained in a few words, he sometimes dismissed with three words. This wasn’t even as good as when the two of them argued.

At least at that time, Rong Jiu wasn’t a reticent iceberg.

This was the only thing Jingzhe was glad about.

If Rong Jiu was a repressed stone statue even when arguing, unable to say a word even if beaten with three sticks, then Jingzhe would definitely kick him.

Mother said, such a man is unwanted.

…Although at that time, Lady Liu was coaxing Cen Liang with a joke, not saying it to Jingzhe.

Jingzhe actually knew that being with Rong Jiu was wrong in the first place, but being alone, with a bit of warmth in his heart, even if he felt guilty, he still wanted to be with Rong Jiu.

…Anyway, a person like him had no possibility of having children.

Jingzhe lowered his head slightly, somewhat dazed and distracted.

“What are you thinking about? Still thinking about His Majesty?” Mingyu patted him.

Jingzhe shook his head: “I just suddenly remembered something. Do you know an imperial physician named Zong Yuanxin?”

Mingyu frowned, touching his chin and thinking: “Don’t know him. People from the Imperial Hospital are far from us anyway. Why, is he a doctor found for you by Rong Jiu?”

Jingzhe nodded: “I just feel that Commander Wei seems to respect him very much.”

Mingyu smiled: “If you really want to know, you can ask around. However, you should also be clear that no one around us has such connections. For people like these in the Imperial Hospital, knowing a surname is good enough; it’s hard to know anything else.”

Jingzhe held him down and said with a smile: “Why investigate? Our little movement might instead cause trouble.”

If he really wanted to investigate this, Jingzhe might as well ask Rong Jiu.

He just felt it was a bit strange, but Lord Zong was considered a lifesaver to him.

Jingzhe didn’t want to repay kindness with enmity.

…

“Jingzhe, someone outside is looking for you.”

This day, Jingzhe was shoveling snow outside the house.

Originally, it had been done in the morning, but the fine snow fell continuously, covering the ground strictly again. Jiang Jinming’s knees would hurt a bit every winter, so Jingzhe had to clear the accumulated snow in front of the house.

Jingzhe put the broom aside, rubbed his red hands, and asked the young eunuch who came to pass the message: “Did he say who he is?”

If it were someone from the Miscellaneous Affairs Department or the Imperial Kitchen, they would know the way well and be familiar with people from the Department of Palatial Affairs, so they would come in directly without needing to pass a message.

“He said he is from the North Wing.”

Jingzhe was slightly surprised. Could it be Wuyou?

Before, Jingzhe had told him that if there was any trouble, he could come directly to the Department of Palatial Affairs to find him.

Did something happen?

Jingzhe hurriedly walked out, ignoring the dirty snow splashing on the way.

However, he didn’t expect that when he arrived outside the door, the person he saw was not Wuyou, but Lidong.

Lidong shrank his neck, standing in a sheltered place outside the door. Two red marks were blown onto his face. If not for the exposed figure being somewhat similar, Jingzhe would almost have failed to recognize him.

Jingzhe frowned slightly. Seeing it wasn’t Wuyou, he didn’t relax but asked instead: “Lidong, you were looking for me?”

Lidong took a few steps forward, looking a bit anxious.

But he looked around and shrank his neck again, whispering: “Can we find a secluded place?”

Jingzhe: “It’s too obvious to talk inside. Come with me.”

The two arrived at a secluded palace path outside the Department of Palatial Affairs. Although the draft was chilly, both ends were empty, and anyone coming could be seen at a glance.

Although Lidong was colder, it could be seen that he was satisfied with this place. He tucked his hands in his sleeves and whispered, “Jingzhe, how did you leave that quagmire of the North Wing back then?”

Jingzhe never expected that Lidong came to ask him this.

“I asked someone from the Miscellaneous Affairs Department, and he helped me find a way. However, the time for this winter has passed. Even if you want to leave, you have to wait until next winter.”

Lidong’s tone was a bit anxious: “I know it’s too late for this year, but didn’t you come to the Department of Palatial Affairs in advance before?”

Jingzhe blinked and said lightly: “Firstly, the Department of Palatial Affairs was short of hands and urgently hoped for people to go over early; secondly, it was because Grandpa De raised his hand high and allowed me to leave early.”

At that time, Jingzhe was nominally a person of the North Wing but actually worked in the Department of Palatial Affairs.

The monthly salary and accommodation were all handled through the North Wing.

Without Chen Mingde’s permission, Jingzhe couldn’t have done this.

After all, this was detrimental to the interests of the North Wing.

After hearing Jingzhe’s words, Lidong’s face turned pale again and again. After a long silence, he pressed his temples with two thumbs and slowly squatted down.

“Jingzhe, do you know how much I envy you?”

Lidong said softly, “You have so many friends who will rush to help once something happens, and you, after climbing out of the mud pit of the North Wing, actually turned back to give Mingyu a hand, ha… Why don’t I have such luck?”

He talked to himself, his voice light and fast, almost making it impossible to hear clearly what he was saying, vague as hell.

Jingzhe faintly heard a bit of what he said, but this matter wasn’t something he should interfere with.

The draft whistled through the palace path, chilling their skin, and the little warmth gained under the sun just now was all lost.

Jingzhe stood with Lidong for a while, and then saw him stand up supporting his knees.

That appearance looked somewhat decadent.

Lidong tightened his collar, his exposed hands full of chilblains, looking somewhat vicissitudinous.