Dugong

Chapter 40: Ruthless and Unrighteous
"The surname is Zhang..."

Li Ping'an was almost certain that the Zhang family supplied food and medicinal materials to Zhaoyang Palace through the Tribute Department and Xiang Zhenren.

"Thank you for your advice, Eunuch Xu. If you have any questions, please let me know. We will do our best to help you."

"I'm just an old man who's dying. He doesn't even have an official position. How can he do anything?"

Eunuch Xu took out a piece of Polygonum multiflorum from the food box and threw it directly into his mouth to chew.

"If you have any offerings that can prolong life and increase vitality, please leave some for us. Don't worry, we take rules very seriously and will never let you waste them."

Li Pingan nodded and said, "Don't worry, sir. I'll take note of it."

Things that can prolong life are both precious and not precious in the Tribute Department. Their preciousness lies in their effectiveness. Emperors of all dynasties have longed for longevity and even immortality.

The reason why it is not precious is that the longevity pills that are refined must be tasted by eunuchs, and a lot of them will be wasted in the process.

Since Eunuch Xu is willing to eat, Li Ping'an just needs to send more.

"Eunuch, I'm new to the Tribute Department and don't have any capable personnel under my command. You've dealt with so many eunuchs, could you introduce a few to me?"

Eunuch Xu pondered for a moment, "Among the entire Tribute Department, the only people whose faces we can remember are Xiao Yuzi, Xiao Chezi, Xiao Cangzi, and Xiao Yuzi. Among them, Xiao Yuzi is more intelligent, Xiao Chezi is more steady, and Xiao Yuzi lacks martial arts talent."

Li Pingan asked, "Where is Xiao Cangzi?"

Eunuch Xu asked in return, "He has already pledged his loyalty to his godfather. Do you dare to use him?"

Li Pingan asked curiously, "Isn't intelligence a good thing? Why is there such a thing as too much?"

"Your clever schemes have cost you your life!"

Eunuch Xu said, "People who are too smart will calculate many things too clearly and will not be willing to risk their lives. However, in this palace, if you don't dare to risk your life, you will die."

Li Ping'an had a vague understanding that the desperate person who escaped from the pile of dead bodies would definitely be better than the smart person who was almost a demon but valued his life.

"I'll take my leave. I'll make use of them when I get back. In a few days, Suiye Prefecture will pay tribute to the capital. Among the tributes is a hundred-year-old snow lotus. I'll send you two."

"Not bad."

Eunuch Xu nodded slightly, seeing that Li Ping'an was very satisfied, he opened his mouth to say something, and finally waved goodbye.

After Li Ping'an left, Xiao Quzi asked in confusion, "Godfather, why didn't you remind Eunuch An?"

"What does the inevitable death situation remind me of..."

Eunuch Xu said quietly, "Some things in the palace can be told, for example, Xiao Xiangzi, we can still find out even if we don't tell him.

There are some things that cannot be said. If you offend an important person, your family will not only die without a burial place, but also live longer!"

Xiao Quzi felt a chill on his neck and quickly knelt down and kowtowed: "Godfather, I've been too talkative."

Eunuch Xu asked, "What good thing did Eunuch An give you?"

Xiao Quzi didn't dare to hide it: "Two gold bars."

"This guy is quite clever. He sensed some danger and was willing to risk his life."

Eunuch Xu glanced towards the Qinzheng Hall and said, "What a pity! If the gods want you to die at three o'clock in the morning, you won't live to see five. How can a mere mortal disobey the gods?"

Xiao Quzi asked, "Does the child want to return the silver?"

"No need. We answered his two questions and evened out your share of the gift."

……

Imperial Room.

Eunuch Sun has changed his adopted son again. Since Li Ping'an took over the tribute department, Xiao Huizi, who had a good relationship with him, was successfully promoted to his godson.

The little Zouzi on duty had heard of the legend of Eunuch An, who got an official position within half a year of entering the palace and was a legendary figure in the imperial kitchen.

Today I finally got to see Eunuch An, and I hurried forward to pay my respects.

"Greetings, Eunuch An. Are you here to see the head of the household?" Li Ping'an shook the food box in his hand. "We brought some local specialties to visit our godfather. Please go in and let him know."

When little Zouzi heard the word "father-in-law", he immediately smiled. Just as he was about to speak, he heard the voice of Eunuch Sun coming from inside the house.

"Come in, there's no need to inform Xiao Anzi when he comes next time."

Li Pingan walked through the door and took three or two quick steps before kneeling down and kowtowed naturally: "I haven't greeted you for many days. I hope godfather will forgive me."

On the first day of wearing the official uniform, Li Ping'an did feel a little elated.

If you claim to be an official, you don't need to kowtow to other officials. After all, everyone is wearing official robes and no one is worse than anyone else.

After a few days of calming down and witnessing the methods of his godfather and Eunuch Xu, he began to have a greater respect for the old eunuchs who had been in the palace for many years.

I am still young and my foundation is shallow, so I have to kowtow.

It's not shameful to be alive!
Eunuch Sun said, "No need to be polite," and waved Li Ping'an to take a seat. He couldn't wait to ask, "You are free to come today, but have you found out what happened?"

A strange look flashed in Li Ping'an's eyes. As the Princess Yuan's due date approached, her godfather became more and more anxious, but he refused to say what specific plans he had.

According to what my godfather said, I became a sword, a shield, or a number.

Li Pingan suppressed his doubts and forced a smile on his face: "I came to visit my godfather today to bring some tribute products."

Eunuch Sun showed disappointment on his face. He took the food box, took a look at it, and put it aside.

"You and I have a deep bond as father and son. There's no need for all this trouble. Just investigate the Zhang family's channels. If you do well, your godfather will reward you."

Li Pingan said, "The second thing today is the news about the Zhang family. Xiang Zhenren from the Fire God Temple..."

Then he repeated what Xiao Yuzi and Eunuch Xu had said in detail. Of course, the process was also filled with stories about how hard they had to investigate and how they had to stay up late to sort out the accounts.

Doing the work when there is work to do does not count as stealing credit.

Eunuch Sun's expression changed, and he gritted his teeth and said, "The Zhang family actually used their connections in the Fire God Temple to cover up the losses from alchemy and sent the food to Zhaoyang Palace."

Li Pingan asked, "Now that we have investigated the situation, have we cut off the Zhang family's connections?"

The Fire God Temple has a special status in the palace. It refines various elixirs for His Majesty, half of which His Majesty consumes and half of which are rewarded to the Eunuchs.

The small elixir given by godfather was refined by the Fire God Temple.

Because of this, provoking the Fire God Temple is equivalent to provoking His Majesty and countless old eunuchs.

Of course, Li Ping'an also has a way, such as deliberately delaying the delivery of the medicinal materials needed by the real person, using the excuse of shortage, sorting, and recording, etc.

Ten days or half a month will not affect the alchemy, but Zhaoyang Palace cannot wait.

Li Ping'an knew what would happen after he ate the food sent by the imperial kitchen.

Eunuch Sun shook his head and said, "No need to interrupt. I will go and ask our godfather and ancestors for instructions right away."

Li Pingan pressed on, "You really don't need the child to do it?"

"You have already made a great contribution by finding out the Zhang family's connections. The Empress and the ancestors will reward you handsomely in the future. The rest of the work will be handled by our family."

Eunuch Sun was quite anxious. He said a few words to Li Ping'an and left in a hurry.

Li Ping'an looked at his godfather's back, his expression becoming as gloomy as water.

"If my godfather is heartless, then don't blame me for being disloyal!"

Although I have no idea what my godfather is going to do, it must be related to the Zhang family's connections. I just need to keep a close eye on him and look for opportunities to sabotage his plan.

With this merit and the evidence of his godfather's crime as a token of his allegiance, he will definitely be transferred to the ship of Zhaoyang Palace.

"It's so hard to live in this palace!"

(End of this chapter)