Chapter 25: Fortune or Curse?

Jiang Ling hurried to the hall, where Huang Liang raised his hand in greeting and said, "His Majesty has decreed that Consort Jiang should accompany me on this journey."

At this hour, Emperor Yuanming should be taking his afternoon nap. Jiang Ling grew increasingly nervous and asked, "What business does Your Majesty have with me?"

Huang Liang chuckled and said, "This servant only follows orders, please forgive me, Lady Jiang."

As a trusted eunuch of Emperor Yuanming, Huang Liang was undoubtedly a shrewd and cunning individual. To be a trusted confidant, besides loyalty, one's mouth must be as tightly sealed as a clam shell.

Jiang Ling didn't dare to expect to get any information from Huang Liang, so he asked instead, "Has everything been investigated regarding Fang Sideng's matter?"

Huang Liang said, "Please calm down, Lady Jiang. The Palace Administration is investigating."

Since there was still no resolution regarding Fang Sideng's death, Emperor Yuanming's summons to the Chuigong Hall was not intended to punish her.

Jiang Ling secretly breathed a sigh of relief, nodded to Huang Liang in thanks, and said, "Let's go."

Upon arriving at the rear palace of the Chuigong Hall, Huang Liang asked Jiang Ling to wait in a side room and then gestured for his departure, saying, "His Majesty is resting, please wait a moment, Consort Jiang."

Huang Liang left the room, and Jiang Ling sat alone, waiting anxiously.

Wen Juan, who had come with him, looked around and whispered to comfort him, "My lady, please rest assured. The Emperor will only rest for half an hour at most in the morning, and he will get up again in a while."

Jiang Ling hummed in agreement, her expression gradually becoming uneasy.

If it were truly urgent, Emperor Yuanming wouldn't have kept her waiting. He would have summoned her early and made her sit on a cold bench. The eunuchs hadn't served her tea; there must be an imperial decree. Emperor Yuanming was punishing her.

Jiang Ling was on pins and needles, constantly peering towards the door. Just as she was about to give up, the eunuch finally appeared: "His Majesty summons Consort Jiang to an audience."

Having waited so anxiously, Jiang Ling surprisingly calmed down.

What's meant to be will be, so the sooner you die, the sooner you'll be free. With a tragic resolve to face his death, Jiang Ling followed the eunuch into the main hall.

The hall was empty. A eunuch stood in front of the door of the east room and lifted the curtain.

Before him was the secondary room where Emperor Yuanming slept. Jiang Ling paused for a moment, then stepped inside.

Emperor Yuanming stretched out his arms, and the palace maids in charge of his bedchamber were helping him dress. The maids held silver basins, and handkerchiefs stood to the side.

Jiang Ling quickly looked around and curtsied, saying, "Your Majesty, I greet you."

Emperor Yuanming glanced at him sideways and mumbled a vague "Hmm," then said, "Sit down."

After Jiang Ling expressed his gratitude, he sat down on the brocade bench. Once the dragon robe was properly donned, Emperor Yuanming sat on the couch, with palace maids kneeling on the ground, holding silver basins to help him wash his hands. Another palace maid wrung out a hot towel and offered it to him, which he took and used to wipe his face.

Looking at the scene before him, Jiang Ling couldn't help but chuckle: "My goodness, the emperor has actually grown hands, and he can eat and defecate on his own now!"

Emperor Yuanming's breath hitched, and he nearly dropped the handkerchief in his hand. A palace maid was using a silver spoon to scoop out perfume, but he angrily threw the handkerchief away, snatched it from her, and haphazardly wiped his face with it. He said in a deep voice, "All of you, step back."

The servants all withdrew. Only the two remained in the room, and it fell into an instant of silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Jiang Ling couldn't help but steal a glance. Emperor Yuanming, with his hands on his knees, was glaring at her with a stern face. Startled, she stammered, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty summoned me...what is it?"

Emperor Yuanming said displeasedly, "I ask you to do things, but you always make excuses and shirk your responsibilities!"

Jiang Ling looked puzzled and stammered, "Your Majesty, I am foolish and do not understand what you mean."

Emperor Yuanming angrily said, "Do you think I would wrong you? You used the excuse of avoiding suspicion to casually abandon your post in the candle-making department. Such careless behavior, and you don't even know how to reflect on your actions!"

It turned out he was after the position in the Candle and Lamp Office. Jiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief and weakly defended herself, saying, "The head of the Candle and Lamp Office, Fang, committed suicide. I should indeed avoid suspicion. Moreover, I have only just taken over the Candle and Lamp Office and one accident after another has occurred. I am useless. I beg Your Majesty to rescind your order."

Emperor Yuanming laughed in exasperation: "It's a wonder you have some self-awareness, knowing you're useless and utterly foolish! I gave you a chance to manage things, but after only a few days, you were so busy that you abandoned the task!"

When he heard Huang Liang's report, he was extremely disappointed in him.

He never suspected her about the deaths of Lan Yue Dian and Fang Si Deng. Knowing her temperament, he figured she was sleeping soundly in Fan Ying Ge again, so he sent Huang Liang to summon her to his bedchamber, deliberately preventing her from getting any rest.

Emperor Yuanming frowned deeply, completely baffled.

Whether in the imperial court or the harem, everyone dreams of managing affairs and wielding power. When he asked her to light the candles, she made all sorts of excuses!

"Your Majesty's reprimand is well-deserved, and I am deeply ashamed." Jiang Ling bowed her head and accepted the reprimand respectfully, but in her heart she thought, "There's no extra money to be made, and I have to bear a lot of risks. There are no benefits, only a lot of disadvantages, who would want to care!"

Emperor Yuanming was speechless with frustration. It turned out she only did things if there were benefits involved. He had given her numerous favors according to her plan, yet received nothing in return. He had truly suffered a huge loss!

He suffered a loss, how could he allow her to take advantage of him!

Emperor Yuanming lifted his eyelids to look her over and saw her sitting there stiffly, her face pale with a bluish tinge and her lips also pale. He was taken aback and asked, "Are you cold?"

It wasn't yet the Incense Burning Festival, and no incense burners were lit in the palace. Jiang Ling, wearing a padded jacket, still had cold hands and feet. She frankly replied, "Your Majesty, I am weak and cannot..."

He wanted to use this opportunity to decline the big trouble from the lamp and candle department, but before he could say it, he subconsciously peeked at Emperor Yuanming. Seeing that he was smiling but not smiling, he hurriedly swallowed his words.

Emperor Yuanming snorted coldly. Since she knew what was good for her, he would not pursue the matter further. He said, "Since you are weak and the dead are considered unlucky, why did you go to see them? Remember to avoid them in the future."

Jiang Ling agreed, but in his heart he was thinking, "The living are far more terrifying than the dead. Enough with the nonsense, give me charcoal, lots of charcoal!"

Emperor Yuanming's face darkened. There were still important matters to attend to in the court, and he couldn't be bothered with this down-on-her-luck woman. He waved his hand dismissively and said, "Go back and take good care of the candle and lamp department. Don't be lazy or slack off. If there are any more mistakes, I will hold you responsible!"

Instead of getting rid of the hot potato, she was summoned and reprimanded. Jiang Ling was on the verge of tears, struggling to say, "Your Majesty, there is no one in the Lantern Keeper's Office now, and I cannot manage it."

Emperor Yuanming remained silent for a long time before patiently saying, "If you think someone is capable, then appoint them to manage the affairs of the household for now."

The selection of palace maids was determined by the Imperial Secretariat and supervised by the Palace Administration Office. The Lantern Keeper was a sixth-rank female official, and promotions for female officials were even more strictly regulated; the Imperial Secretariat had to submit the application to Emperor Yuanming for a final decision.

Since Emperor Yuanming was the one who made the final decision, Jiang Ling understood his unspoken meaning: letting her choose for herself meant promoting one of his own people.

Jiang Ling left the Chuigong Hall and headed to the storeroom, lost in thought as he walked.

Emperor Yuanming actually openly asked her to support his own faction. Wasn't he worried that she would seize power in the harem?

Or perhaps he was testing her, choosing her to disrupt the current order of the harem.

Jiang Ling was extremely frustrated, blaming herself for having read books hastily and without understanding the hidden power dynamics within the imperial harem.

If she chooses someone's hidden pawn, she's digging a hole for herself.

Worrying was useless, Jiang Ling shook her head and quickly put those thoughts aside. She rubbed her hands together, ready to select a reliable and capable person.

From now on, I can hand over the responsibilities to her and then be a hands-off manager!

The warehouse was just outside the alley. At that moment, Gao Cairen and her entourage turned and came out from the alley. When she saw Jiang Ling, she stopped, curtsied, and said with a cold smile, "I was just about to go find Jiang Meiren. Since we've run into each other here, it saves me the trouble."

Jiang Ling's heart skipped a beat. Judging from Gao Cairen's demeanor, he was here to interrogate her!