Chapter 78 From Imperial Chef to Imperial Concubine
Zi Ye's wrist was stomped on, causing severe pain. However, in this desperate situation, she suddenly raised her head, a ruthless glint of determination flashed in her eyes, and she screamed, "I dare not! Yun Shangshi! Are you planning to commit violence in front of His Majesty?!"
"Murder?" Yun Zhao seemed to have heard a huge joke. She loosened her feet and slowly stood up. Her cold eyes were like a physical blade, sweeping across every frightened face in the hall.
Finally, Xiao Jin, whose gaze was fixed on the dragon throne, spoke in a voice as clear as ice beads hitting a jade plate: "Your Majesty is here, just in time! Then I will have a proper talk in front of Your Majesty!"
She turned abruptly and pointed at the limp Zi Ye again, each word tinged with the chill of winter. "These are turbulent times! My father led his army south to quell the rebellion, and he's willing to spend every penny of his pay! In the northeast, northwest, and northern borders, countless soldiers are guarding the bitter cold, gnawing on frozen rations, and even a sip of hot water is a luxury! And you—" Her voice suddenly rose with thunderous fury, "How dare you wantonly throw away the hot meals and dishes carefully prepared by the Imperial Food Bureau! Such a waste of food and fodder, disregarding the foundation of the country! Half a month! How much of the people's money have you wasted in this half month?! You are a child, yet you committed such a heinous act, worse than that of pigs and dogs!"
Yun Zhao swung his sleeves abruptly, bowed to Xiao Jin, and said firmly, "Your Majesty! Such pests are undermining the foundation of the nation. I believe they should be executed!"
The four words "shake the foundation of the country" were like a heavy hammer, hitting Xiao Jin's tense nerves!
The murderous intent in his eyes was instantly ignited!
Yun Zhao knew his pain all too well—the treasury was empty, and military pay was in short supply! Withholding the palace maids' food and clothing might not be a capital offense, but accusing him of "shaking the foundation of the nation" and "wasting military supplies" was a crime that touched his sore spot and touched his Achilles' heel!
Xiao Jin's voice was icy cold, devoid of any warmth. Every word sounded like a shard of ice fished out of the Nine Netherworld Pond. "Come here! Palace maid Zi Ye, you have treated the palace maids harshly, wantonly wasted food and fodder, shaken the foundation of the nation, and worsened the financial situation of the inner palace. You will be beaten to death immediately! Order all palace maids to come and witness the execution immediately! Anyone who dares to obstruct will be punished with the same crime! Execute!"
"Your Majesty, please spare me! Spare me! I will never dare to do it again..." Zi Ye's wails were heart-wrenching, like a pig waiting to be slaughtered.
"Shut up! Shut her mouth!" Xiao Jin waved his hand in annoyance.
"Mmmm! Mmmmm--!" The rag instantly filled Ziye's mouth, leaving only desperate sobs. She was dragged away roughly by the wolf-like eunuch.
The palace was dead silent! All the palace servants were pale, trembling like leaves in the autumn wind. They had witnessed with their own eyes how Consort Yun had sentenced Zi Ye to death with just one sentence! They had also witnessed the emperor's almost indulgent trust in Consort Yun!
Yun Zhao stepped forward. His voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard in every corner of the hall, carrying an unquestionable majesty: "Tonight! Anyone who dares to stand up and testify against the Sixth Bureau for mistreating palace maids and violating palace rules will be handsomely rewarded by His Majesty!"
Her eyes were like lightning, sweeping across those frightened yet expectant little faces. "As for those who sit on the sidelines and watch the fire, trying to protect themselves—I will never employ them in the Shangshi Bureau!"
She paused for a moment, then offered a very tempting offer: "The Imperial Food Bureau is in need of staff. Tonight, the first person who dares to expose corrupt government, regardless of their background, will immediately be employed by the Imperial Food Bureau!"
Xiao Jin raised his eyelids slightly and said in a deep voice, "Just follow what Yun Shangshi said!"
boom--!
It was like lighting a powder keg! The palace servants, who had been silent just now, suddenly felt like they had found an outlet and a lifeline!
"Your Majesty! I, your servant, have identified Wang Shangfu! She withheld our monthly wages and used them to honor the housekeeper in the Empress Dowager's palace!"
"Your Majesty! I bear witness! Concubine Wu allowed her cronies to replace the high-quality charcoal that should have been given to us with inferior smoking charcoal!"
"Last month, Wang Shangfu secretly sent a batch of newly made palace dresses to the Qin Palace!"
"Shang Gong Wu set up a secret fund in the Shang Gong Bureau!"
"Wang Shangfu..."
"Gong Wu..."
Voices of accusation, accusation and evidence came one after another, and everyone was scrambling for the first place, fearing that if they were a step late, the only spot in the "Shangshi Bureau" would be gone!
Every accusation was supported by his companions, and the evidence was irrefutable!
In just a cup of tea, the crowd in the hall was already outraged and the evidence was piling up like a mountain!
"That's enough." Xiao Jin's cold voice suppressed the clamor. He looked at Wang Yurong, who was limp on the ground, her face ashen. "Wang Yurong, do you have anything else to say?"
Wang Yurong suddenly raised her head, a look of desperate madness on her face, and shrieked, "Your Majesty... no! I am innocent! I am a fifth-rank official, and I have worked diligently for many years with a clear conscience! It was them! They conspired to frame me!"
"You're such a stubborn fool! The evidence is all over your face, yet you're still trying to argue!" Yun Zhao sneered inwardly.
Wu Lingyi, standing by, saw the center of the storm shift, her eyes darting. She immediately turned her spearhead, sternly rebuking, "Wang Shangfu! You still dare to quibble after all this? The evidence is irrefutable, and your Majesty is wise and enlightened! Why don't you quickly confess your crimes and submit to the punishment, and beg for mercy from your Majesty? Perhaps you can even keep your body intact!"
Wang Yurong glared at Wu Lingyi, her eyes gleaming with bitter hatred and sarcasm. "Wu Lingyi! How are you any better than me?! Aren't you also the Empress Dowager's lackey?! Didn't you always teach us that the harem only recognizes the Empress Dowager, and the Emperor is just a decoration?! Now you're pretending to be noble and upright! Bah!"
Wu Lingyi's face turned pale as paper, and she was filled with shock and anger. "You! You are slandering me! I was promoted by the Empress Dowager, and everyone knows it! Don't try to frame me!"
"False accusation?" Wang Yurong knew that she was doomed to die, but her face showed a strange calmness and satisfaction.
She struggled to pull a thin, frayed account book from her sleeve, holding it aloft. Her voice was filled with the determination of a shared fate: "Your Majesty! I have solid evidence! Concubine Wu, taking advantage of her position as head of the Six Bureaus, has, over the years, fabricated various schemes to embezzle a whopping 100,000 taels of silver from various palace expenses! Last month, everyone in the palace, even the lowest-ranking servants, donated money to raise funds for the soldiers on the front lines. Only she—Concubine Wu—didn't contribute a cent! This account book is irrefutable proof of her embezzlement! It bears her personal seal!"
"Show it up!" Xiao Jin's voice was cold.
Zhang Fuan stepped forward quickly, almost snatched the account book, and presented it respectfully to Xiao Jin.
Xiao Jin only flipped through a few pages when the veins on his forehead suddenly jumped!
He suddenly raised his head, his eyes like a ferocious beast choosing its prey, staring fiercely at Wu Lingyi, who was pale and trembling like a sieve.
The next moment, Xiao Jin used all his strength to slam the account book onto the imperial desk!
"Bang--!!!"
The loud noise caused everyone in the hall to suffer a cardiac arrest!
"Wu Lingyi! You embezzled a huge amount of money, a heinous crime!" Xiao Jin's voice boomed like thunder. "Three days later, you will be torn to pieces outside the Meridian Gate! As a warning to others!"
"Wang Yurong! You've treated palace maids harshly and aided the tyrant in his cruelty. Your crimes are unforgivable! Take her to the Ministry of Punishment for a rigorous trial and punish her severely according to the law!"
"Wu Min, the clothing manager, has been promoted to the fifth rank of Shangfu in the Shangfu Bureau!"
Xiao Jin's gaze finally fell on Yun Zhao, who stood solemnly in the hall, a chill still between his brows. His voice carried a subtle hint of fatigue and determination: "Shangshi Yun Zhao, loyal, upright, courageous, and perceptive, is promoted to—Shang Gong! In charge of the six bureaus! The affairs of the Shangshi Bureau will be temporarily under his concurrent charge. When a talented person is found, another appointment will be made! I decree this!"
"Your servant obeys the order! Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!" Yun Zhao and Wu Min knelt down and kowtowed at the same time.
Overnight, the harem structure was turned upside down!
"Congratulations to Concubine Yun! Congratulations to Concubine Wu!" Zhang Fuan was the first to react and bowed to congratulate. His voice was particularly clear in the silent hall.
"The palace maids in Zhaixing Tower will be properly resettled at the discretion of the new palace lady! Cotton clothes will be distributed in full immediately!" Xiao Jin waved his hand tiredly.
"Long live His Majesty! His Majesty is wise!" The palace maids who survived the disaster kowtowed and shouted with tears and indescribable excitement.
This cry penetrated the tightly closed palace door of Zhaixing Tower and spread far away in the cold night, announcing that a cruel power reshuffle in the inner palace had temporarily come to an end.
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