From street beggar to high-ranking official

He continued to study, practice, and stand in the rules as always. To outsiders, Lu Zi had simply gained a friend named Xiao Dou Zi, and the two would occasionally go to the meditation room together to study martial arts.

"This way of practicing is too slow." In the quiet room, Xiao Douzi complained, "We don't have any books on our table, so we learn slowly to begin with. You have to teach us to read."

With Lu Li leading him through the door, Xiao Douzi quickly learned how to guide his true energy. However, it took him a long time just to sense the energy, and by the time the candle went out, Xiao Douzi couldn't even complete one cycle.

The "Inner Landscape Manual of the Netherworld" only contains the section on martial arts techniques and does not describe any description of martial arts talent. Even Lu Li did not know how his talent of circulating the energy for about half an incense stick's time was compared to that of the other eunuchs.

Even Xiao Fengzi and Xiao Shunzi, who eavesdropped every day, only studied, taught, and comprehended the techniques, without mentioning a word about their own progress in cultivation.

This is something that cannot be asked, nor should it be asked.

All I can confirm is that Xiao Douzi's talent is indeed not as good as ours.

"We don't have that much time for literacy," Lu Li said, frowning. "How about this, in the evening, find a secluded spot, and I'll teach you."

"It's good that Xiao Lu has an idea," Xiao Douzi said with a forced smile.

At lunchtime, Lu Li stared at the vegetable soup in his hand and some ideas gradually formed in his mind.

"Our family now has two paths. One is to thoroughly understand the 'Inner Landscape of the Netherworld,' then Xiao Douzi's threat will no longer be effective. With knowledge and martial arts skills, we will have a certain ability to protect ourselves, and even if we fall out with Xiao Fengzi, we can still withstand it."

"But this is ultimately a clumsy method. Or perhaps, we could try to get Xiao Douzi to break the rules..."

However, this matter is extremely difficult. Xiao Douzi is not a newcomer, and Lu Li cannot use the rules he knows to harm Xiao Douzi.

Lu Li had also considered trying to mislead Xiao Douzi into practicing martial arts incorrectly, but if Xiao Douzi was willing to verify this, Lu Li could not guarantee that Xiao Douzi would get the truth.

With a heavy heart, Lu Li finished his soup and then went to the training ground with Xiao Fengzi and the others.

What Eunuch Chen taught was no longer just the skill of kowtowing and kneeling, but also began to teach palace etiquette, titles, and official ranks.

The rites and embroidery patterns of the twelve offices of the Inner Palace, as well as the six palaces of the East and West.

Kneeling and kowtowing is a skill of the highest order, but if one doesn't recognize the important person and breaks the rules, even if one's head is smashed, it's all for naught.

It is now the beginning of summer.

When learning the various rules, Eunuch Chen seemed much more lenient, allowing the young eunuchs in the room to ask questions they didn't understand. However, Eunuch Chen always answered only once, and would never answer a question a second time.

Unfortunately, Eunuch Chen's voice was not like that of Eunuch Ji from the martial arts academy, so the cautious eunuchs standing behind him, who had no background or powerful connections, could only make out the gist of what he was saying.

Lu Li, however, could hear everything clearly.

"Excuse me, sir, why are there no noble faces on the portraits on the screen that have been moved here?" Xiao Jizi, who was standing at the front, knelt down and kowtowed to ask.

Eunuch Chen was satisfied: "To privately paint the portrait of the emperor is a great disrespect. Even official paintings must follow the rules. Not only the face, but also the name must be avoided. This is to avoid the taboo of the venerable. If one violates this taboo, he deserves to be beaten to death on the spot."

The sides of the painted clothes only indicated the official rank or the status of the person being depicted.

Those in the front row understood, but Lu Li realized something else entirely.

The way Eunuch Chen taught it seemed that everyone recognized not the nobleman who wore the clothes, but the clothes themselves.

Even without those clothes, isn't the noble person still a noble person?

Lu Li's knowledge was still shallow, and he had not fully grasped the meaning at this moment, but he vaguely thought of a certain key point.

......

During dinner, Xiao Douzi passed by Lu Li in the kitchen and whispered, "See you at the outhouse at midnight."

Lu Li saw that Xiao Douzi was deliberately jostled as he passed a certain table. If he was not careful and tripped by a leg sticking out from under his feet, he would have to suffer in silence and be ridiculed by those around him, making him extremely embarrassed.

The first meal in the kitchen is always for Xiao Jizi. Whether he gets a lot or a little, or whether it's wasted or not, it's none of anyone else's business. Therefore, people like Xiao Douzi always arrive at the very last minute. At this moment, Lu Li is about to finish eating, and Xiao Douzi has only managed to get half a bowl of rice porridge.

Not only in the kitchen, but also in the martial arts school, Xiao Douzi had no books and could only read aloud. During his free time, he was often bullied.

"No wonder Xiao Douzi is so eager; in his current situation, it would be difficult for him to rise above others."

Lu Li couldn't help but marvel at his good fortune. He had the advantage of Xiao Dezi's help when he first ate a meal, and Xiao Fengzi protected him after he returned home because of his sweet talk. Otherwise, if he had gone it alone, he would probably have ended up like Xiao Douzi.

At the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), all was quiet in the palace.

After more than a month of cultivation, Lu Li was no longer the weak young man who had just entered the palace. He walked quietly out of the main courtyard, following the soft snores of Xiao Fengzi at night, and turned left.

A faint smell of urine wafted over.

Eunuchs disliked lingering in the outhouse, and even when the urge to urinate came at night, they mostly used a chamber pot.

As for who will clean it up in the end? It certainly won't be me.

Arriving at the outhouse courtyard, Lu Li looked around but saw no one. However, he heard light footsteps approaching from the darkness.

"Little Douzi?" Lu Li asked in a low voice.

"Little Lu is indeed sharp-eared; no wonder he could eavesdrop on cultivation techniques even in the quiet room." Little Douzi's small face emerged from the darkness of the outhouse: "We brought toilet paper and charcoal pencils; Little Lu, it's up to you now."

"Let me make this clear first, we can't teach for very long at this hour," said Lu Li.

"This is our own business." Xiao Douzi lit the candle.

There are rules in the palace prohibiting open flames, but they are not a strict requirement. They are only strictly enforced in the kitchen, the Imperial Kitchen, and even the library and the Military Archives.

Therefore, not all eunuchs went to bed early at night. As long as the candlelight was properly covered, no one would blame them.

Moreover, there are water vats every ten feet or so between each palace wall, and in some densely packed areas there are even vats every five feet, so even if there is flooding, the water can be extinguished quickly.

"Even if it's just one hour each night, we can catch up with others in the future," Xiao Douzi said firmly.

Lu Li's cold, sharp gaze was hidden in the moonlight. "I'm not staying up all night with you," he thought, his desire to eliminate Xiao Douzi burning ever brighter, yet his face remained as stern as Xiao Fengzi's: "Let's get started!"

Lu Li taught Xiao Douzi to practice and write at the same time. In fact, he had already been slowly copying "You Ting Nei Jing Jue" and "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" on straw paper from memory, but Lu Li would not do anything that would benefit Xiao Douzi.

"First, in the beginning..."

"Wait a minute," Xiao Douzi interrupted, "Master Ji will teach the dictionary at the school; you only need to teach us our family's martial arts."

"what ever."

The "Inner Landscape Technique of the Netherworld" does not explain the techniques in detail. There are some passages that you cannot understand even if you can read. Without someone to teach you, you may waste more than a few months of effort.

Using the candle that Xiao Douzi brought, one taught and the other practiced, their soft rustling sounds like mice scavenging for food, until the candle burned out.

At dawn.

Lu Li suppressed a slight weariness as he ate in the kitchen. He already had a general idea of ​​his goal and was just waiting for the time to put it into practice.

Inside the martial arts hall, after Eunuch Ji finished reciting as usual, he instructed the young eunuch who came forward to ask questions. Lu Li also joined in, but only followed behind Xiao Fengzi.

Xiao Fengzi saw it, of course, but ignored it.

Ji Gonggong was already surrounded by a dense crowd, but no one dared to come within half a zhang.

Initially, Lu Li had considered using his hearing to listen to Eunuch Ji's teachings, but he would feel slightly dizzy whenever Eunuch Ji spoke, and even if he got close to Eunuch Ji, he might not be able to understand anything.

Perhaps it was due to the miraculous skills that Eunuch Ji cultivated, but Lu Li did not understand why Eunuch Ji always seemed to be practicing his skills when he taught, while Eunuch Chen always just sat in the grand chair and drank tea, and most of the time he would make the little eunuchs kowtow until they were dizzy, or he would slap them in the face.

It's hard to say which of the two eunuchs is better. Eunuch Chen is strict and disciplined, and blood often flows on the training ground, but he only teaches survival skills. Eunuch Ji is carefree and unrestrained. He won't blame students if they don't learn well, and he doesn't care if some students have no books to read.

"Little Ji, come with me." Eunuch Ji stood up, and the eunuchs followed behind him, taking three steps at a time. After passing through several corridors, they arrived at a study.

"Young Master Ji is highly learned; he was summoned for questioning by Eunuch Ji!"

"He might just become his godfather!"

The eunuchs stood guard outside the study. Lu Li tiptoed to peek and caught a glimpse of the study when the door opened. Inside, there were many calligraphy and paintings.

Lu Li's heart stirred slightly, and he saw that Xiao Jizi came out of the study in the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.

Xiao Jizi's expression was normal, and the eunuchs did not dare to ask any more questions, but simply followed him back.

For the next few days, it was the same. Every time, Eunuch Chen would lead Xiao Jizi into the study, and all the eunuchs would wait at the door.

Everyone could see it; Xiao Jizi is about to be given an important position! If you didn't congratulate him immediately, Xiao Jizi might hold a grudge.

Eunuchs have always been like this.

A few days later, Lu Li, taking advantage of Xiao Fengzi's prestige, got even closer and could even vaguely hear the conversation in the study. It was nothing more than Xiao Jizi talking about the way of learning, the strict teacher making things difficult, and so on. Finally, he heard two crisp sounds of kneeling and kowtowing.

"Godfather!"

The study door opened, and Xiao Jizi, who usually only had a smug look on his face, was covered in dust on his forehead and knees this time. Even after leaving the study, he didn't bother to clean up the mess.

His beaming expression was impossible to hide: "Let's go, let's go! What are you all doing gathered outside Godfather's study?"

This time, being closer and with the study door closed late, Lu Li clearly saw an authentic calligraphy work of dragon and snake dance hanging on the wall.