Chang Ming, the chief steward of the Imperial Household Department, paced back and forth in the room, his brow furrowed.
His life has become increasingly difficult over the past two months.
In the past, when monthly allowances were distributed, the palace maids and eunuchs had to come to him one by one to sign and affix their fingerprints. He would then embezzle a small portion of it, and no one dared to say anything.
But now, with Consort Qi in charge of the finance department, the monthly allowances are distributed by her in a transparent manner, and his "profits" have been reduced by half.
"That Imperial Concubine is such a busybody!" Chang Ming cursed inwardly, but there was nothing he could do about it.
Consort Qi was straightforward and intolerant of any wrongdoing. Who would dare to do anything under her nose?
He had no choice but to follow the rules, but he felt a sense of suffocation.
After much deliberation, Chang Ming decided to sound out the Emperor's opinion.
If the emperor finds out about this, he will have no choice but to accept his fate.
If one didn't know... a sinister glint flashed in his eyes...
Hmph! This is enough to give even the Imperial Concubine a hard time.
---
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Emperor Yongzheng was bent over his desk reviewing memorials, his desk piled high with documents concerning the lifting of the sea ban.
The treasure ship has been completed, and the preparations in the coastal prefectures are nearing completion. They are just waiting to announce the opening of the sea next spring.
He rubbed his temples, pondering which people to send and how many people and items to bring.
He's been so busy these days that he hasn't even stepped into the inner palace. He wonders how Yun'er and the two children are doing.
The guards report daily that everything is fine, so there shouldn't be any major issues. Things will be better once this busy period is over.
At this moment, Su Peisheng entered quietly and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Chang Ming, the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Department, requests an audience, saying he has important matters to report."
Without even raising his head, Yongzheng said indifferently, "Summon them."
Chang Ming bowed and entered, then carefully said, "Your Majesty, this servant has recently discovered a change in the process of distributing the monthly allowances to the harem, and has come to report this."
Yongzheng then raised his eyes, his gaze sharp: "Oh? What changes have occurred?"
Chang Ming's heart tightened, and he carefully chose his words: "Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine has entrusted the Finance Department to Consort Qi."
The monthly allowance has been changed to be collected in a unified manner, and this servant is worried... Is this in accordance with the rules?
Yongzheng's expression remained unchanged; he merely tapped the table lightly with his fingers: "The Imperial Concubine has her reasons for managing the harem. I am already aware of this matter; you may proceed according to the new regulations."
Upon hearing this, Chang Ming's heart sank, and he quickly bowed his head and agreed.
When Chang Ming left the Hall of Mental Cultivation, his back was covered in a layer of cold sweat.
The Emperor's words, "Act according to the new rules," were spoken casually, but his eyes were as cold as knives, frightening him so much that he swallowed back his words of explanation.
He wiped his forehead with his sleeve, inwardly cursing himself for being foolish.
The Imperial Concubine is currently enjoying great power and influence. Have they forgotten the fates of Imperial Concubine Nian and the Empress?
"Chief Eunuch Chang, what's wrong?" a young eunuch asked obsequiously as he approached.
Chang Ming kicked him and hissed, "Get out! You idiot!" With that, he walked toward the Imperial Household Department with a gloomy face.
On the way, he became more and more unwilling to accept it.
In the past, the monthly wages of palace maids and eunuchs all had to go through his hands. He could arbitrarily deduct 20%, and the people below wouldn't dare to utter a word.
Now that Consort Qi is personally overseeing things, the accounts are crystal clear, and his source of income has been cut off by half!
And then there's the purchasing—the thought of purchasing makes my heart bleed!
Previously, when the palace reported 30 catties of charcoal, he would write 50 catties and submit it to the Ministry of Revenue for allocation, and no one would know. Now, however, an extra procedure has been added, which is tightly controlled by Granny Li, who is meticulous in her work, leaving him no room for any extra profit.
"The Imperial Concubine... truly has some impressive methods," he muttered through gritted teeth.
Looks like we'll have to think of another way!
Just then, Consort Yu arrived with her maids.
As the two passed each other, Consort Yu suddenly said softly, "Chief Eunuch Chang, the Personnel Department has a new rule that from now on, any transfer of eunuchs and palace maids in the harem will require my seal. If you have a list, please remember to send it over as soon as possible."
Chang Ming stumbled and nearly fell.
——————
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Emperor Yongzheng was deep in thought, gazing at a map of the coastal regions.
Su Peisheng tiptoed in: "Your Majesty, the memorial from the Governor-General of Fujian and Zhejiang has arrived, saying that all preparations for the trial voyage of the treasure ship are going smoothly."
"Hmm." Yongzheng picked up his brush and wrote "Act immediately" on the memorial, then suddenly asked, "How is the Imperial Concubine doing these days?"
Su Peisheng understood and smiled, "Your Majesty manages the harem very well. I heard that even the fallen leaves in the Imperial Garden are regularly swept up."
A hint of a smile flickered in Yongzheng's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it: "Tell the Imperial Household Department to keep an eye on things. Some people are overstepping their bounds."
---
That day, Lin Yun was listening to reports from various departments in Yanxi Palace.
Consort Qi said with a smug look, "Your Majesty, the monthly allowances have been distributed smoothly these past two months, and no one has dared to interfere. The palace maids and eunuchs have all received their full pay and are extremely grateful!"
Lin Yun smiled slightly: "Thank you for your hard work, sister. However, I heard that the Imperial Household Department is somewhat dissatisfied?"
Consort Yu continued, "That old fox Changming is naturally unwilling to accept the loss of his livelihood. I heard that he went to see the Emperor a few days ago, probably to complain."
Consort Mao snorted lightly: "His Majesty is wise; why would he listen to his provocations?"
Lin Yun nodded: "It's alright. We're upright and honest, so we're not afraid of him causing trouble. On the contrary, with the opening of the sea season imminent and the Emperor busy with affairs, we should take good care of the inner palace so as not to distract him."
Everyone agreed.
---
That night, Consort Mao tried on a newly made gilded hairpin in front of a bronze mirror in her palace.
The personal maid whispered, "Your Highness, Chief Steward Chang secretly passed on a message, saying he would like to ask you to say a few good words for her to the Imperial Concubine..."
Consort Mao scoffed and threw the hairpin back into her makeup box: "Tell him that I only handle the duties of the Department of Ceremonies."
As for his messy accounts, she lowered her voice and said, "The Imperial Concubine has already had a copy made and sent to the Emperor's desk."
——————
A few days later, Yongzheng summoned Lin Yun to the Hall of Mental Cultivation and got straight to the point: "Changming came to see me a few days ago and mentioned the matter of the monthly allowance for the harem."
Lin Yun smiled calmly and said, "Your Majesty, I am reforming the harem system precisely to eliminate corruption and improve efficiency. If there is anything inappropriate, please enlighten me."
A hint of approval flashed in Yongzheng's eyes: "You did a very good job. It's just that I've been too busy and neglected to supervise the Imperial Household Department."
But from now on, you should be more careful; some old people are quite cunning.
Lin Yun felt a warmth in her heart and said softly, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I will handle this carefully."
Emperor Yongzheng held her hand and said gently, "With the seas about to open, there may be turmoil in the court. Only when the inner palace is stable can I concentrate on dealing with the affairs of the court."
Lin Yun nodded solemnly: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will certainly live up to your expectations."
---
As night fell, Chang Ming drank alone in his residence, feeling utterly dejected. A trusted confidant leaned closer and whispered, "Chief Steward, I've heard that the Emperor trusts the Imperial Concubine greatly. Shouldn't we look for another way out?"
Chang Ming sneered, "What's the rush? There are many opponents in the court regarding opening the seas. If the court is in turmoil, how can the harem remain unscathed? Let's wait and see..."
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