Chapter 69 Going to the Imperial Household Department to convey the Empress's oral decree

Jiang Nan, supporting Fang Ruo's hand, slowly strolled out from the back hall and sat down in the head seat.

Her gaze casually swept over the crowd below who were paying their respects, and she habitually counted their numbers.

Niohuru led the other concubines to rise and pay their respects.

"May Consort Jin be well."

"Get up, everyone. Let's talk while we're sitting."

She waved her hand lazily.

After expressing their gratitude, the concubines rose and took their seats.

Jiang Nan was about to ask a few questions as usual about whether there were any important matters in the palace before they parted ways when her gaze suddenly stopped on an empty seat.

"Um?"

She frowned slightly and pointed to the empty seat.

"Where is Ma Jia? Why didn't she come today?"

The hall fell silent instantly.

The concubines looked at each other, some with worry in their eyes.

Some people remained indifferent, as if it were none of their business, while others lowered their heads, concealing their hesitation—they might know the truth but dared not speak out.

Although Consort Jin had not lost her temper for a long time, no one dared to forget her ruthless methods in dealing with Wanyan Shi, which forced the Empress to vomit blood.

At this moment, Ma Jia's unexcused absence, without a proper reason, might incur the wrath of the Empress.

Seeing that no one responded and instead a chorus of suppressed whispers arose, Jiang Nan became increasingly annoyed.

What I hate most is people whispering among themselves. If you know the answer, just say so; if you don't, shut up.

It's like an underground party meeting.

"Alright!"

She raised her voice, interrupting the pointless chatter.

"Does anyone know what happened to Lady Majia? She's a living person, she can't just disappear into thin air, can she? If anyone knows, please tell me quickly."

At this moment, Consort Dong, who was sitting in the back row, hesitated for a moment, then stood up and curtsied.

"Your Majesty, I know a little about it. My sister Ma Jia caught a cold a couple of days ago and is currently running a high fever and bedridden. This morning, when her palace eunuch went to fetch medicine, he asked me to inform Your Majesty of the situation."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nan's expression softened slightly.

"Is she ill? Has the imperial physician seen her? What did he say?"

Ms. Dong shook her head.

"Well... I don't know much about that. I only heard the little eunuch say that she was quite ill."

Jiang Nan pondered for a moment.

Now that she is in charge of the imperial seal, it is only right and proper for her to inquire about the illness of the concubines.

Moreover, Lady Magiya was the birth mother of the eldest prince, even though Chengrui died young.

But given his status, it wouldn't look good if word got out that he was seriously ill and didn't care about it.

"Since you are ill and we are all living in the same palace, you should go and see her. If you sisters are free, you may also come with me to Zhongcui Palace."

Jiang Nan stood up, her tone gentle and calm.

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When Consort Jin spoke, everyone naturally obeyed and rose to their feet in response.

So the group, led by Jiang Nan, left the warm Yongshou Palace and headed towards Zhongcui Palace.

Upon arriving at the east side hall of Zhongcui Palace, Zhao Deyi loudly proclaimed his greeting.

"Consort Jin has arrived—all the masters have arrived—"

Jiang Nan walked straight in without waiting for a response from inside.

Upon entering the palace, a chill immediately hits you, a stark contrast to the warmth of Yongshou Palace.

She couldn't help but furrow her brows.

Inside the palace, two eunuchs, two palace maids, and a royal physician were kneeling on the ground, bowing in greeting.

Ma Jia lay on the bed with a flushed face, seemingly having just taken medicine and fallen asleep.

"Get up, everyone." Jiang Nan glanced around, waved her hand, but her gaze quickly swept across the entire warm pavilion.

This can be called a warm room?

In the dead of winter, there wasn't even a charcoal fire burning in the house?

Although the doors and windows were tightly closed, it was still as cold as an icebox.

She first asked the imperial physician.

"How is Consort Ma Jia's condition?"

The imperial physician bowed and answered immediately.

"Your Highness, Consort Ma has caught a cold, and the pathogenic factors have entered her body, causing a high fever. She has just taken a fever-reducing medicine, and her pulse has now stabilized. As long as she takes good care of herself, she should be fine."

Jiang Nan nodded and gestured to Chunlan behind her.

Chunlan understood, stepped forward, gently placed her hand on Ma Jia's wrist, carefully examined her pulse for a moment, and then reported back.

"Your Majesty, the imperial physician's diagnosis is correct; it is indeed a cold, and there is no immediate danger to his life."

Hearing both of them say this, Jiang Nan felt somewhat relieved, at least it wasn't some underhanded tactic.

She already had the answer in her heart, but she still turned to the eunuchs and maids kneeling on the ground, trembling as they served Lady Majia.

He asked in a cold, sharp voice.

"I ask you, why is this room so cold? Where is the charcoal fire? Why isn't it lit?"

The eunuch mustered his courage and replied with a sob in his voice.

"Your Majesty... it's not that we servants are unwilling to give birth... it's just that our monthly ration of charcoal has already run out. We wanted to go to the Imperial Household Department to get more, but... but they kept making excuses and wouldn't give it to us. The charcoal we used to brew medicine today was only a small amount that we managed to get with great difficulty, thanks to a prescription from the Imperial Physician..."

"Have we run out of charcoal?"

Jiang Nan thought to herself, "Just as I expected," and a glint of light flashed in her eyes.

It's only the middle of the month, and the allowance is already used up? These parasites in the Imperial Household Department, their greed is too disgusting!

Her sharp gaze swept over the concubines who had followed behind her.

Consort Niohuru remained aloof, and naturally no one dared to bully or humiliate her.

But she noticed several concubines whose eyes flickered, their faces showing a mixture of fear and anger.

I am certain that Ma Jia is not the only one who has been cheated.

These people are so blatantly slapping Jiang Nan in the face in the harem. Why didn't they deduct the fines when the Empress was in power? And why are they doing it so harshly?

A surge of anger rose within Jiang Nan.

Then I thought about it again and felt a headache coming on.

The Imperial Household Department was a murky mess, with deeply entrenched interests involved, including the tributes and bonuses of countless officials from the previous dynasty.

It can be described as the largest corruption den in the Forbidden City.

Even the current Emperor Kangxi would face this group of rats with a vast network of connections.

A thorough overhaul is by no means easy; it requires both the right timing and the necessary resolve.

The current Kangxi Emperor was not yet the one who quelled the Three Feudatories Rebellion, annexed Taiwan, and launched three campaigns against Galdan.

His position was not high enough for him to confront the entire bureaucratic system of the previous dynasty over trivial matters.

It would be unwise to directly expose the Imperial Household Department.

However, it's still acceptable to use this incident as a pretext to make an example of them and teach them a lesson, so they'll behave themselves.

"Okay, very good."

Jiang Nan sneered. His voice wasn't loud, but it sent a chill down the spines of everyone in the hall.

"The Imperial Household Department is getting more and more incompetent. They even dare to embezzle the charcoal rations of the ladies of the inner palace. Do they think that I, the one who is in charge of the Phoenix Seal, have no say in this matter?"

Her gaze was sharp as a knife, sweeping over everyone present.

"Zhao Deyi!"

"Your servant is here."

Zhao Deyi immediately bowed and stepped forward.

"Go to the Imperial Household Department immediately and convey my oral decree."

Jiang Nan spoke slowly and deliberately, her voice not loud, but loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear clearly.

"Tell Feng Yuheng, the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, that I want to ask him how the Imperial Household Department has been doing its job."

She paused, then her tone suddenly turned stern.

"Why is it that Consort Ma Jia, a lady of high status, can't even last half a month with her monthly charcoal allowance? Does he want to freeze the Emperor's concubine to death, or does he think that I, as the one who is in charge of the Phoenix Seal, have no jurisdiction over his Imperial Household Department?"

"Tell him to bring all the relevant heads of the Imperial Household Department to Zhongcui Palace immediately. I will wait for him here and hear his reply in person. I want to see what kind of explanation he can give me."