Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1156 Eunuch Liu of the Laundry Department

Inside Manxianglou, it was already noon. People gradually entered the main hall, and it instantly became much livelier. People from all over the country, as well as some who lived nearby, all came in groups of three or five with their friends to gather.
Inside the private room on the second floor
The festive atmosphere remained. Ping'er followed her grandmother, serving her tea and water. Lai Da and Lai Wang guarded the door, while two eunuchs sat there drinking tea and snacks. Inside the partitioned room, Eunuch Liu touched the jade thumb ring on his finger and explained.
"This matter isn't difficult in a way. There are many places in the palace that need repairs, so the Imperial Household Department has set up a donation fund. Of course, we need to be considerate of the relatives and friends of each household. So, the price is fixed: 15,000 taels of silver for a fifth-rank official position. If you want to fill a substantive post, just double the amount to make it 30,000 taels of silver. When donating, just leave the name of the person you wish to donate the official position to. For substantive posts, just submit a slip of paper or..."

Liu Gonggong twirled his fingers, seemingly searching for the most suitable word, then raised an eyebrow meaningfully and wagged his fingers.
"Or you can just keep it here with me. I'll give you half the money first, and after you send the official hat over, I'll send you the other half. Then I'll give you a document and you can go directly to the Military Affairs Office to report for duty."

Wang Xifeng was a little stunned. A fifth-rank official position would cost 15,000 taels of silver. With the addition of the substantive vacancy, the two of them would cost 60,000 taels. This was most of the family's annual income. She felt a little heartache at the thought. But then she thought that the Xue family was not short of money, and the old lady was even more so. She was just worrying too much. Fortunately, the Xue family had sent over their share first.

“Eunuch Liu is so thoughtful. As the saying goes, one thing should not be done by two people. Now that we have come to Eunuch Liu, how can we not trust him? Ping’er, bring the things over.”

"Yes, grandma."

Ping'er bowed slightly and carefully took out two name cards and three silver notes from a box behind her, attaching them to the box.

Eunuch Liu's lips curled down in a subtle, silent smile, like a cold line etched into his cheek. He casually picked up the items to examine them. The silver notes were all general notes from Yunhai Bank, and the name cards were naturally those of Jia Baoyu and Xue Pan. Among Xue Pan's name cards, there were even a few silver notes. Thinking of the Xue family's situation, Eunuch Liu suppressed his smile and accepted the items.

"Don't worry, Second Madam. This trip won't be in vain. Xiao Tianzi, go back and bring the package from the palace to Second Madam."

"Yes, Eunuch Liu."

The eunuch behind her bowed and retreated, disappearing in an instant. However, Wang Xifeng couldn't quite understand the meaning behind his words, so she asked;

"What does Eunuch Liu mean by this?"

“Of course, it’s to send the official robes over. I have the robes and waist tokens ready, but the transfer documents will have to be sent over later. However, I have quite a few of these donated official robes in my room. Since you have been so generous and given me the money, I can’t delay any longer.”

As the saying goes, "cash on delivery," and we can't break the rules. Eunuch Liu smiled slightly, picked up a few more dishes and put them in his mouth. To be honest, after getting used to the food in the palace, eating the dishes from outside really had a different flavor.

Seeing this, Wang Xifeng quickly joined in and served several dishes.
"Eunuch Liu has a long-term vision, but I wonder which department of the Military Command will he be assigned to later. Is there any talk about it? It would be even better if he could be closer to it."

After all, the Military and Civil Administration Office (兵马司衙门) offers a considerable amount of wealth. If I could transfer to the Military and Civil Administration Office in the East City, it would be closer to home.
"Second Madam is still kind-hearted, but regarding the East City Military Command, Lord Zuo's son has filled the vacancy of Registrar, and Lord Fu is in charge of the city gates in the south. I imagine Second Madam is aware of what's going on there. Even the West City Gate, which connects to the capital's docks, is constantly busy. So, what does Second Madam think about Lord Song's situation at the North City Military Command?"

The words were quite clear. The capital city is only so big; you can easily find out by asking around. Right now, with so many things on his plate, the Deputy Magistrate of the South City is practically sleeping on the city gate tower.

Thinking of Lord Song Bozhen, wondering what he had been doing all this time, Wang Xifeng covered her face with her sleeve. She considered the old lady's instructions and thought about leaving Baoyu in the east city. But if they went to the north city, this Lord Song seemed rather unfamiliar with the household.

Perhaps sensing the second mistress's hesitation, Eunuch Liu smiled and made a suggestion.
"Second Madam, there's no need to worry. Although the North Gate is a bit far, it's quieter. This Lord Song is a former subordinate of the Duke in Jiangnan. Although he left early and stayed in Jiangnan before being transferred to the capital, even if the relationship is broken, it won't be difficult for you, Madam."

If it weren't for the people from the North Gate who were transferred to Lord He's side, there wouldn't be any vacant positions. Also, the Xue family happened to have a position for a lieutenant general.

"Alright, I'll do as Eunuch Liu says."

Wang Xifeng nodded. Since this relationship existed, the rest would simply involve money as a prelude, and the Xue family would certainly provide a substantial amount. Perhaps after several rounds of drinks and dishes, Eunuch Liu ordered the table to be cleared. When Xiao Tianzi brought two packages and placed them on the table, she opened them. Inside were two brand-new official robes. She pushed them forward...
"Second Madam, the things have arrived. I've also had a good meal. Please put the things away for now and go back to make some preparations. In two or three days, Xiao Tianzi will come to your door with the transfer documents. Then you can hand over the silver notes, shall we?"

"I'll do whatever Eunuch Liu says."

Wang Xifeng, her face beaming with joy, rose and offered her blessings before slowly retreating with her entourage. Inside the room, only Eunuch Liu and his group remained, enjoying tea and snacks. Xiao Tianzi, somewhat puzzled, asked in a low voice after everyone had left.
“Godfather, I don’t understand. This huge Rongguo Mansion still wants to donate blessings from us. I’ve heard that the Second Master Bao of Rongguo Mansion is quite powerful at the Imperial Academy. He led a fight with the students of Qinglian Academy and was imprisoned in the East City Military Command for many days. And that young master Xue is now running a restaurant in the South City, but he’s not staying there. He’s gone to the brothel to see those foreign women.”

Many things are clear. Which family's young master likes to go to which places, and what kind of food he likes. The people from the Imperial Household Department will find out more or less. Especially the sons of noble families. The business of buying official positions is mainly based on these people. Finding out the details will help them make the necessary preparations.

“You silly boy, you’re quite clever. You’re a good son, and what you said is all right. But don’t forget one thing: no one can give up an official position. As for the price, it depends on the person. If it weren’t for the Second Madam of Rongguo Mansion coming in person today, I wouldn’t have agreed to give up the position for less than forty or fifty thousand taels of silver.”

He squeezed the teacup, took another sip—considering it a way to aid digestion—and Xiao Tianzi smiled broadly, a hint of envy in his eyes.
“What Godfather says is true, but I think this deal was done poorly. The Rongguo Mansion is currently booming in the capital, and they are not short of money. Not to mention the Xue family. I heard that Yunhai Money Shop is doing quite well now.”

Especially those doing business in the north, almost all of them circulate through Yunhai Money Exchange, which has taken away half of Sihai Money Exchange's business. The Xue family has quite a few people in their main store in the capital.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing these words, Eunuch Liu's face immediately darkened, and he shouted a curse.
"You little beast, how dare you bring up these things? We're in the business of officialdom, it has nothing to do with anything else. Yunhai Money House is backed by Marquis Luoyun. Since it can spread all over the northern border, do you think it would lack those nobles and people? These words are only for you and me to hear, you must not say them out loud. When you get back, go to the Imperial Household Department and get a note. I'll bring those things over. These official sales and official hats, you go and send them to the Rongguo Mansion. Just bring the money back."

"Yes, yes, your son will certainly remember."

Xiao Tianzi was also filled with panic, and sweat beaded on his forehead. His godfather was right; Marquis Luo Yun was not a good person to serve.

that's it,
Even after the carriages downstairs left, Manxianglou remained bustling with people and full of guests.

At the Marquis of Luoyun's residence
Having risen early, Marquis Luo Yun, dressed in shorts, began practicing his swordsmanship in the courtyard, wielding his longsword. The flashing blades and the menacing aura emanating from him were unseen by ordinary people, regardless of his skill level. Surrounding him were his trusted personal guards; Ning Bian held a brocade cloth, and Zhao Wu carried a basin of water. They watched for a while, until Zhang Jinyu was covered in sweat, before finally approaching.
"My lord, wipe your sweat. Someone from the Ministry of War just came to say that there is an imperial decree today, ordering you and Commander Wang Jie to withdraw your troops and return to camp."

Ningbian got up early in the morning, and a gatekeeper came to deliver a message, saying that someone from the Ministry of War had come to deliver this message and that the Marquis should make preparations as soon as possible.

At this moment, Zhang Jinyu took a wrung-out cloth and hastily wiped her face and neck, feeling instantly refreshed. She wished she could take a shower, but unfortunately, the sun was already high in the sky, and she didn't have the time.

"People from the Ministry of War,"

The Ministry of War is now getting involved in these matters. Although mobilizing troops in the capital requires a warrant from the Ministry of War, the Imperial Guards and the Beijing Garrison can only be mobilized with the approval of the Grand Secretariat and the Emperor's tiger tally. In short, the Ministry of War can only use the local militia. However, the people in the Military Affairs Bureau always listen to the Grand Secretariat. That old fox, Lord He, would never do anything extra. It's ridiculous that the Ministry of War sent him a document this time.

"No matter who comes from the Ministry of War, don't move. If they want me to move, they'll need the Emperor's decree. Anyone else's words are worthless." Ning Bian was still somewhat worried, unsure whether Wang Ziteng would leave or stay.
"My lord, if the Ministry of War issues a document and we don't move, I'm afraid some people in the court might use this to their advantage."

Now, the censors and officials are all craning their necks to see if they can get a chance, but Zhang Jinyu doesn't care about any of that. They are all bullies who prey on the weak and fear the strong.

"What kind of articles can they write? Most of them are just spouting nonsense. If they were really capable, why didn't anyone submit a memorial regarding Xu Changwen's case? That's all for now. Clean this place up. If you have any official documents, just bring them over."

"Yes, Lord Marquis."

Zhang Jinyu tossed aside the brocade cloth, strode into his jacket, and went to the main hall. Qin Keqing hadn't gone to Dongyun Tower today; she was in the room with Xiangling, directing Ruizhu to set the table. When Zhang Jinyu entered the room, Ruizhu and the others bowed and wished him peace.

"I've met the Marquis."

"No need, Madam. Why didn't you go to your mother's today?"

After sitting down, Xiangling placed a bowl of porridge in front of Zhang Jinyu. Zhang Jinyu didn't stand on ceremony, tested the temperature with her tongue, and finding it just right, swallowed it almost whole, mumbling something indistinctly.
"Slow down, no one's going to take it from you."

Qin Keqing wore a thin gauze gown, her delicate face appearing somewhat plump. Only a wooden hairpin was inserted in her hair, and it was this appearance that gave her a unique charm. She glanced at him with a flirtatious look, pouted her lips, and said.

"This morning, the old lady said she was going to offer incense at Master Miaoyu's Qingyu Nunnery. I heard that the nuns there have already resumed their Buddhist services."

The name of Qingyu Nunnery has been changed many times, and no one knows why.

Zhang Jinyu sat there, picked up a steamed bun and put it in her mouth. After Xiangling served her a bowl of porridge, she was still a little confused. When did Qingyu Nunnery appear outside the city? There was a Shuiyue Nunnery, though, which was quite famous. Suddenly, upon hearing the name Miaoyu, she remembered the nuns from Jiangnan.

"So it was them, huh? That Qingyu Nunnery used to be the Taoist temple where Jia Jing of Ningguo Mansion practiced, called Xuanzhen Temple. After I bought it, I spent some money to renovate it. Since the nuns had nowhere to go, I gave it to them to use."

Thinking about the secret passages in the backyard, Zhang Jinyu still had some vague ideas in her mind. She wondered if her people had been sent to the manor in front of them. Little did she know that in that moment of distraction, Qin Keqing's eyes held a strange look.
“What you did was right, my lord. How can a nun stay in the manor for too long? Having a place to stay will make things much easier if there are any religious ceremonies in the future. We can’t go to Jing’an Temple to ask for help for every single thing. But I still have my thoughts on Sister Miaoyu. Although I don’t know why Sister Miaoyu looks somewhat like Xiangling, if she really becomes a nun, she will be missing out on this body. It would be better if she stayed in the manor.”

Regardless of whether these words were sincere or not, just based on their similar appearances, how could Qin Keqing not have some thoughts? Xiangling was one, and now there's Miaoyu. But she had never actually met either of them before. After all, she had only met them in Jiangnan, while she had never left the capital since childhood.

When these two were mentioned, Zhang Jinyu didn't think much of it. After all, they had already investigated, but mostly without any leads. Even if there were people who knew, they were probably already dead.
"Madam, you can decide what matters in the household. If you want to stay, then stay. By the way, why didn't I see Baozhu this morning?"

After talking for so long, there was still no sound of Baozhu making a fuss, which was quite strange. But then Qin Keqing pursed her lips, looking somewhat amused.
"My lord, you really are something else. When Baozhu was around, you said she was annoying, but now that she's out on business, you're worried about her. Really."

"Ahem, Madam, please don't be offended. Who said she was bothering me? She was just on business somewhere."

A mouthful of meat and vegetables went in, but the taste was indistinct.

"It's nothing serious. I sent her to deliver some Eight Treasures Cakes made by the Marquis's Mansion to the Second Mistress of Rongguo Mansion, as well as some honey-dipped snacks from Yaoji Trading Company. She went there once in the morning, but unfortunately the Second Mistress wasn't there. I heard from the servants that she went to Xuanhe Gate to find Eunuch Liu from the Laundry Department, saying that she wanted to fill vacancies for Jia Baoyu and Xue Pan in the mansion."

Qin Keqing looked on with curiosity. This "filling the vacancy" meant buying an official position. Logically speaking, Jia Baoyu was studying at the Imperial Academy. If he bought an official position, he wouldn't be able to continue his studies at the Imperial Academy.

Zhang Jinyu, who was eating, glanced at Wang Xifeng with a strange look in her eyes. Wang Xifeng had actually gone to Xuanhe Gate to find Eunuch Liu. She remembered that Eunuch Liu used to be from the Imperial Household Department and was in the business of buying and selling official positions. He had mentioned the Xue family last time but hadn't paid much attention. She didn't expect him to actually go. The key point was that if that Phoenix Egg were to become an official, wouldn't his behavior offend everyone?

"I had heard a little about what Madam was talking about last time. I thought it was a joke, but I didn't expect that she would actually do these things. Could it be that she went to Eunuch Liu's place and bought a real post in the Military Affairs Department? With Jia Baoyu's personality, he's really good at this kind of official position."

I wonder if it was somewhat mocking.

“What you say is true, my lord. It’s a joyous occasion for others to become officials. Why would someone choose not to be an official and just stay at home?”

Qin Keqing was somewhat puzzled. During her time at the Marquis's residence, countless people had sent their visiting cards and tried to pull strings. If it weren't for the old steward keeping things in check, the gates would have been blocked by people coming to ask for official positions.

"With such a reputation, the Soul Jade is somewhat diminished. Besides, I heard the other day that when the Xia family's garrison commander was appointed, he spent a lot of money, including bribing officials from all sides. How much more so for the Xue family?"

Qin Keqing spoke quickly. She was not uninvolved in the affairs of various families in the capital. Many ladies and young misses in these households corresponded with each other in private, so it was not surprising that she knew these things.

"Look at what you're saying. If you want to become an official, you have to buy a real post. It's all about using money to pave the way. No matter how good your connections are, without money, do you think people will still greet you with smiles? The Xue family isn't afraid, after all, they have a business and make quite a bit of money every year. But the Rongguo Mansion probably doesn't need that much either."

Everyone says that even a starved camel's head is bigger than a horse's. Originally, we thought the Jia family was on the decline, but who knew that in just one year, they would spend money to repay the Ministry of Revenue, repair Wubao Fort, and build the garden. Every single thing they did cost them a fortune.

It seems that the wealth of these noble families should not be underestimated.

“What you say, my lord, is quite convenient. I think that buying an official position would save us a lot of trouble. If we were to study at the Imperial Academy and take the imperial examinations, it would be fine if we passed on the first try. But if we didn’t pass, we would have to wait for three years and waste our time. But now, we can become officials early and start a family and career, which is a good thing.”

Qin Keqing touched her lower abdomen. If she gave birth to a son, he would be the heir apparent. But if she had another son, although she would have several titles, his official position would still need to be "arranged." Therefore, she couldn't help but think about these things. Zhang Jinyu thought it made sense and nodded in agreement.
"What you say is true, Madam. That young master Bao was born into a wealthy family, and perhaps things will change after he becomes an official. But there's one thing I'm afraid of."

He squinted and stared at Qin Keqing's face.

They say it's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature!

(End of this chapter)