From street beggar to high-ranking official

When Eunuch Qian mentioned becoming an official, he was not referring to a formal official position. He could arrange personnel promotions within the Imperial Horse Administration, but these required approval from the Directorate of Ceremonial. Even though Eunuch Qian held a high position and was among the most powerful in the palace, he still had to follow the rules. It should be noted that the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Imperial Horse Administration were irreconcilable enemies.

Granting official positions once or twice is one thing, but doing it too often will inevitably invite attacks from enemies.

Besides, Lu Li is not a godson, but just a borrowed man. He can be used, but Eunuch Qian won't give him any benefits for nothing.

Lu Li took up his post at the Imperial Horse Administration, serving as a personal attendant to Eunuch Qian.

This position, like the gatekeeper, has no rank or grade. In theory, it is no different from that of a lowly eunuch who sweeps the floor and washes dishes, but the level of power can sometimes be determined regardless of official rank.

Just like the layout of the palace, all the concubines seemed equal, but whoever was closer to power was favored.

The eunuchs of the Imperial Horse Administration were naturally envious of Lu Li's arrival. They had all kowtowed countless times and given countless amounts of silver to get to their current positions.

Although they couldn't stand each other, they were still worthy rivals. Now that a lowly eunuch had been parachuted in and given important responsibilities, who wouldn't be envious?

How dare you compete with us for favor?

The eunuchs secretly wanted to give Lu Li a hard time.

According to the Imperial Horse Administration, mounting a horse is easy, but dismounting is difficult!

"Do you have any objections to having Xiao Luzi serve us at all times?" After arranging the tasks, Eunuch Qian asked the eunuchs.

The officials and eunuchs who had been plotting against each other immediately flattered Eunuch Qian for his discerning eye and congratulated Xiao Luzi on his rising status, saying that he had become Eunuch Qian's right-hand man as soon as he arrived.

They may appear respectful on the surface, but what they are really thinking is anyone's guess.

Eunuch Qian saw it all and kept it in mind. People are all different, and he didn't know what his godsons were really thinking. Even if he did know, he wouldn't care.

Eunuch Chen had considerable influence in the palace, and perhaps he wanted to use his adopted son's life to gain control of the Imperial Horse Administration. However, Eunuch Qian had already made the Imperial Horse Administration his exclusive domain. If it weren't for Eunuch Chen's connections, Lu Li would probably be dead today.

Whether it startled the imperial horse and kicked it to death, or died suddenly from equine plague, or even injured the imperial horse and died in the process, no one cared how strange the deaths were.

The noble ladies in the palace didn't care about the deaths of palace maids and eunuchs, but the eunuchs were mostly aware of it. They would only pay attention to deaths that were unexpected or that couldn't be confirmed.

The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs may seem like a warehouse full of unsolved mysteries, but if you really want to investigate, there are plenty of ways to do so. Even if the evidence is exhausted and there is nothing left to investigate, witness testimonies will come out on their own.

No one wants to let the situation slip out of their control.

Lu Li smiled modestly and said that they were all doing their best for the Admiral, and that they only cared about the order of arrival and not about status or rank. But in his heart, he felt a chill, and the feeling of being tested in front of everyone when he tested his martial arts and internal strength suddenly came back to him.

By seeking knowledge and asking questions from his godfather, Lu Li gradually came to understand Qian Gonggong's thoughts.

Having no rank or position means being able to only follow the orders of Eunuch Qian, and being suspected of overstepping one's authority in handling any important task; although not holding an important position, one is already under the public eye, and dealing with these dead eunuchs in the future will not be easy!

September 14th, Frost's Descent.

Qian Gonggong, the supervisor of the Imperial Horse Administration, received an imperial edict from Emperor Yongxi and went to Chengdu Prefecture to collect tea taxes and investigate accounts. He completed the task before the end of the year and left the palace that same day.

Chengdu Prefecture.

Located in the southwest of Daqian, nestled among mountains and ridges, it has been known as the "Land of Abundance" since ancient times. Thanks to the Dujiangyan Irrigation System built in ancient times, it is free from drought and flood, and there is no fear of famine. Sichuan tea is also one of the tribute teas of Daqian, and Sichuan brocade is famous throughout the north and south and is exported to the West, enjoying a worldwide reputation.

Admiral Qian personally selected the generals, and Li Lu, carrying Eunuch Chen's token, was also among them. They traveled by water and land at breakneck speed, finally arriving on the ninth day of the eleventh lunar month.

On the night of their arrival, Wen Suzhi, the prefect of Chengdu, personally hosted a banquet to entertain them.

A banquet hosted by a high-ranking official could not be held at just one table; the largest restaurant in Chengdu was booked out entirely, with clerks and high-ranking officials coming and going in an endless stream.

Lu Li sat in the main hall with a group of eunuchs. It was his first time there, and he was a little timid. But no one paid attention to a mere eunuch. Everyone knew that the main characters tonight were Prefect Wen and Eunuch Qian.

Eunuchs, especially those who act on imperial orders, are an extension of the emperor's will. They are imperial envoys, and their rank is higher than that of other officials.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

At the banquet, Eunuch Qian and Prefect Wen had a very pleasant conversation. Although Clerk Lu was far away, he could hear them clearly. Prefect Wen readily agreed to help Eunuch Qian collect tea taxes.

"Prefect Wen, how much of the tea tax is still outstanding?"

The tea tax in Daqian was divided into two categories.

Both were government-owned land, rented to farmers, and taxes were collected in kind the following year, with the tea leaves then converted into cash and taken away. Both were privately owned land, mostly cultivated by farmers and landlords, who paid eleven percent of the harvest as tax according to government-mandated yields, with additional tea tax deducted.

That is, if there are 20 catties of fresh tea leaves per mu, 2 catties will be harvested, and then 18 catties of tea tax will be paid.

The advantage of government-owned land is that no additional taxes need to be paid. However, farmers cannot directly engage in tea trading. The silver is directly distributed by the government at the market price, which is a stable advantage.

Of course, this is calculated based on a normal year's harvest. If you encounter mountain floods, wildfires, severe floods, or droughts, even if your harvest is only eight or nine catties per mu, you still have to pay the full amount of tea tax.

"Don't worry, Eunuch Qian," Prefect Wen assured him, "Now that you're here, I won't let you leave empty-handed. The drought in Guanzhong won't affect Chengdu Prefecture."

They'll make up for whatever's missing, since it's not their own money. People's money is like water in a sponge; you can always squeeze some out.

"Prefect Wen, you must have forgotten," said Eunuch Qian, waving his hand. "The tea harvest in Sichuan was poor, and the summer and autumn tea taxes are several months overdue. His Majesty has specially ordered me to come and collect the tea taxes."

This wasn't just a polite formality; Eunuch Qian had come with a mission.

However, in Prefect Wen's eyes, the tea tax was just an excuse.

"Of course, of course. The matter of tax collection is mainly handled by Prince Consort Ouyang. We can discuss this in detail tomorrow." Prefect Wen agreed repeatedly, secretly cursing the eunuch for being shameless. He wanted to embezzle more money, yet he talked about collecting tea tax.

In previous years, there were those who went to various places to collect taxes, provide disaster relief, and distribute wages on His Majesty's orders. Most of them were people close to and trusted by His Majesty, such as upright officials in the court, His Majesty's son-in-law, and even deceased eunuchs.

The severity of the situation always depends on the angel's status. If the angel is a loyal subject, it is best to confess honestly and act in accordance with the rules. If he is found to have embezzled, overstepped his bounds, or evaded taxes, regardless of whether his reputation is ruined, it will be difficult for him to be demoted in the future.

If the emperor's son-in-law is the current emperor's son-in-law, and he actively cooperates to identify and address any shortcomings, then there will be no problem.

If it were a eunuch or palace attendant, all that mattered was paying them.

The Great Qian Dynasty is powerful, but the Ministry of Revenue keeps records of every penny of the national treasury. Even if the treasury is full, His Majesty still needs a suitable reason to spend it.

The imperial court has no private accounts. If someone were to build a grand palace and squander money recklessly, they would inevitably be impeached by upright, honest, and virtuous officials.

However, most of the extra income embezzled by eunuchs went into the royal treasury, which was His Majesty's private money. Even if he used the money to pay for his own funeral, the officials of the Six Ministries could not criticize him.

Having served as an official for twenty-six years, Prefect Wen was well aware of this and planned to make preparations as soon as possible.

During the banquet, Lu Li overheard all the conversations. He knew that Eunuch Qian had come with His Majesty's will, and he himself had come with his godfather's will as well.

He touched the letters on his chest; they were all addressed to different high-ranking officials and wealthy families.

However, it's best to eat a few more bites before that.

Take, for example, the sashimi of goldfish. The fish is tender and refreshing, and when eaten chilled, it is the perfect appetizer when paired with the other dishes.

And then there's Mapo Tofu, with its tender and bouncy tofu and fragrant and spicy minced meat. After eating too much vegetarian rice and noodles in the imperial palace, trying Sichuan cuisine is a unique experience.

After the banquet, Lu Li and a group of eunuchs returned to the post station first. Instead of resting immediately, they each began to carry out their duties and quickly learn about the current situation in Chengdu Prefecture.

Lu Li, who originally wanted to rest, also forced himself to work together when he saw this.

After entering the Imperial Horse Stables and until leaving the palace, although the adopted sons under Eunuch Qian did not do anything outrageous or excessive to Lu, they did work a lot of overtime.

Martial artists refine their internal organs with true qi, allowing them to work harder and sleep less. Lu Li has not yet reached that level, but he endures his exhaustion and works and sleeps with his colleagues.