Dugong

Chapter 14 Dream of becoming an official
Li Pingan doesn't quite understand the way this world works.

My parents toiled the land for half their lives, painstakingly saving two hundred taels of silver. I did nothing, but I made five hundred taels of silver by becoming a godfather.

Even if my parents farmed for ten lifetimes, they would never be able to save this much money.

I vaguely understood that nothing could be grown in the fields except poverty.

If you want to make money, you have to be an official.

He received five hundred taels of silver before he officially became an official. What would happen if he was really promoted and gained real power?
For the first time in his life, Li Ping'an had a new dream or desire besides white flour steamed buns.

The next day.

Go to the imperial kitchen to be on duty early in the morning.

The several thresholds that were strictly searched yesterday were just casually fooled today. The eunuch leader who was affiliated with the Direct Palace Supervisor spoke to Li Ping'an in a friendly manner.

"Eunuch An, let's have a drink together when you have time."

liqueur?
Li Ping'an was immediately excited. He had only heard of wine, which was said to make people drunk and enjoy bliss, but he had never actually tasted it.

The wine in the palace was brewed by the Wine and Vinegar Room under the Imperial Household Department, and was not managed by the Imperial Kitchen. Every jar brewed would be recorded and counted, and anyone missing would be beaten to death.

Li Pingan asked, "Eunuch Hou, where did the wine come from? Be careful, it might cause trouble."

"Don't worry, Eunuch An, there will be no future trouble."

The young marquis whispered, "The Imperial Household Department has been selling alcohol for years, and nothing has ever happened. Even if they were to investigate, who among the eunuchs, big and small, in the palace hasn't drunk it?"

The implication is that if the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up.

Li Ping'an licked his lips and wanted to accept the young marquis' invitation, but then he remembered Xiao Fangzi's reminder last night.

The most important thing at the moment is to be cautious and careful, never make any mistakes, and wait patiently for the official vacancy.

Even a small stain may become an obstacle to promotion; even if one has a strong background and powerful backers, it will make the godfather and godgrandfather look bad.

"Eunuch Hou, we are still young and it is not convenient for us to drink."

Li Ping'an found an excuse to refuse, thinking that if the sky falls, the tall people will not hold it up, but the short people will be lifted up to bear the disaster.

I went to the main office to pay my respects to my godfather.

Xiao Liangzi, who was on duty at the door, told Li Ping'an that Eunuch Sun had not yet arrived to take up his post, so he could go to the kitchen to have breakfast first.

By the way, I tried the leftovers from His Majesty's breakfast, they tasted delicious.

Li Pingan swallowed hard and said solemnly, "My family is waiting at the door. How can I have the mind to eat without paying my respects to my godfather?"

A gloomy look flashed in Xiao Liangzi's eyes. He originally wanted to coax Li Ping'an into having dinner, and then tell some nonsense in front of Eunuch Sun, maybe to make this boy lose favor.

I never thought that although he is young, he has a strong mind.

Xiao Liangzi kept smiling as he took out a banknote from his sleeve and spoke in a shrill voice with a hint of flattery.

"Yesterday, I accepted Eunuch An's gift against my conscience. Today, I return it intact. I hope you won't mind."

Li Ping'an took the banknote with a smile. In one day, two taels of silver became twenty taels. Even the money from usury was not as fast as this.

"You're too polite, Eunuch Liang."

This guy is working at the door of the master's office. He must be my godfather's confidant, so it's not a good idea to hold him accountable.

Not long after.

Several eunuchs came to the door of the master's office, some old and some young, the oldest in their forties or fifties, and the youngest in their twenties.

Li Ping'an knew that these were his godfather's other godsons.

I asked Xiao Huizi yesterday and found out that besides him, Eunuch Sun has six other adopted sons who work in the vegetable inspection department, the dining room, the utensil room and other places.

Several people dispersed and waited, glancing at Li Ping'an from time to time with unfriendly eyes.

Li Pingan ignored him, and would not go over to chat. The relationship between eunuchs and godchildren was not that of brothers and sisters, but rather a competition for favor and rivalry. Even if there was no conflict of interest, they could not get too close, lest they disturb the godfather's sleep.

I waited for about half an hour.

Xiao Liangzi said, "The father-in-law has returned from breakfast. You can go in and pay your respects."

Li Ping'an frowned slightly, but temporarily suppressed his doubts and rushed in first. Several people followed him in one after another, knelt down in front of Eunuch Sun, and their foreheads touched the ground with a sound.

"I pray for your good health, my godfather. May you live long and prosperously!"

"Jie Jie Jie..."

Eunuch Sun laughed strangely a few times, and became more and more satisfied when he saw Li Ping'an kneeling in the front.

Yesterday, not arguing with the junior eunuchs showed magnanimity and vision, a superior way to control subordinates. Today, arguing with the eunuchs who are also godsons showed courage and a wolf-like nature, a necessary step to climb the ladder.

Those who only focus on the slightest benefits below and are timid when meeting people of the same level will never achieve anything great.

Eunuch Sun's thoughts raced, and he waved his hand, saying, "Children, get up. We don't need to follow these complicated rules here."

Li Ping'an kowtowed three more times before he stood up, bowed his head and stood in front of his godfather, not daring to overstep his authority in the slightest.

The more the godfather says he doesn't care about the rules, the more he must not show any disrespect.

Eunuch Sun asked, "Did anything happen to the Imperial Kitchen Supervisor yesterday?"

Li Pingan and others shook their heads slightly. Only the clerk eunuch from the Vegetable Inspection Department, who was responsible for recording the tribute and purchased vegetables, Xiao Junzi stepped forward and said.

"Reporting to Godfather, Ding, the head of the vegetable inspection department, has cut off the supply to the Liu family and has switched to buying fruits and vegetables from the Cui family."

"The Cui family, Eunuch Ding, and Concubine Shu..."

Eunuch Sun muttered to himself, and after a moment's thought, he ordered, "This matter concerns the noble family and the imperial harem. It's not easy to ask godfather for such a trivial matter. Xiao Junzi, please tell the Liu family that we will buy charcoal and firewood from him."

Xiao Junzi bowed and said, "I understand, kid."

Then Xiaoluzi, who worked in the kitchen, reported: "Godfather, the Princess has been eating more sour food and less spicy food lately, and the change is far more than 50% of the past."

The dining room was responsible for recording all palace meals, including what dishes were served, what was eaten, and which dishes had the most leftovers.

The original purpose was to regulate the diet, save money, and avoid illness. It also allowed the source of all meals to be traced back, and any dish with problems could be thoroughly investigated.

Nowadays, the country is prosperous and extravagance is prevalent in the palace, and the use of the kitchen has long changed.

Eunuch Sun's expression changed as he said in a cold voice, "Watch him carefully while he eats. Don't let him slack off in the slightest. I will report this to Godfather right away."

Concubine Yuan is not Concubine Shu. Although the latter is of noble birth, she is not favored by His Majesty and was taken in purely to win over the aristocratic families.

The former is His Majesty's favorite concubine, and her brother controls a large number of troops.

If any disease is caused by eating, Your Majesty will severely punish the Shangshenjian and his subordinates in order to stabilize the morale of the troops in the northern border.

What is even more terrifying is that she is not sick, but is suffering from oral sex due to pregnancy, and the position of the Eastern Palace is vacant at that time, which has an even more terrifying impact on the country.

Eunuch Sun left in a hurry. His adopted sons looked at each other, snorted a few times, and left in a huff.

Li Ping'an came to the kitchen, sat on the armchair, closed his eyes and thought, recalling and pondering everything that happened this morning.

"First of all, Xiao Liangzi is the most problematic. First, he said that his godfather would be on duty in the future, and then he said that he would send breakfast back..."

"This guy is trying to sow discord between me and my godfather and ruin my family's favor. He can't stay here any longer!"

"The young marquis at the door tempted us to drink. Was it intentional or unintentional? Was he being instructed by someone or was he trying to curry favor with us..."

Li Ping'an lowered his eyes, grabbed the armrest of the armchair, and imitated Eunuch Sun's sitting posture and expression, his face as gloomy as water.

"I can't see through the little marquis's belly, so I'll just deal with him together with Xiao Liangzi!"

(End of this chapter)