From street beggar to high-ranking official

After the onset of summer, the palace became increasingly hot and dry.

The Imperial Household Department changed its supply from charcoal tribute to ice tribute. Ice blocks mined from the frozen lake in winter were stored in ice cellars and finally opened for use in summer.

The ice blocks placed in the ice cabinet effectively lowered the indoor temperature, allowing even the palace maids and eunuchs who usually served the palace to enjoy the coolness.

Lu Li remained standing in the corner.

Even so, he gradually gained the attention of Consort Wu, and even the imperial physician he saw on a daily basis was changed to Imperial Physician Zhang.

Even though she hadn't reached the level of a maid like Qiu Rong, it was clear that she was highly valued.

As for Qiu Rong, she was originally a servant who served Consort Wu from the moment she entered the palace. She did not hold any official position and therefore had no rank or title. Even if she really wanted to compete with Lu Li, she could only try to whisper in Consort Wu's ear.

After all, Lu Li was not yet at the level of serving as the emperor's close attendant.

I am the only confidant of the Empress!

Lu Li was unaware that the maid Qiu Rong harbored such hostility towards him, and even if he had, he wouldn't have cared. After a year and a half in the palace, no one was a fool. They were all serving the same noble lady, so why should he receive the Empress's attention?

Our family also has a chance.

Lu Li understood this when he was in the martial arts academy: if you want to gain the favor of a noble person, you have to be useful!

If something is useful, it will eventually have its day.

At this moment, Qian'er took small steps and, seeing that no one was around, approached softly and said, "Godfather, everything has been arranged."

Xiao Buzi was Lu Li's fifth adopted son, and he was placed in Jingyang Palace by Lu Li. The other adopted sons also had other uses. Xiao Chuanzi was in charge of night roll call, Xiao Shizi kept an eye on the Imperial Household Department, Xiao Wuzi was on good terms with the Imperial Kitchen Department, and the last one, Xiao Qianzi, was in charge of the Incense Department.

"Godfather, we've heard rumors that Xiao Shizi has taken advantage of your influence to make a lot of money," Xiao Buzi continued.

Lu Li was idly admiring the palace scenery when the word "silver" immediately caught his attention: "Where did you hear that from?"

"Many of the eunuchs in the palace are talking about it!" Xiao Buzi said angrily. "Xiao Shizi is really outrageous! He took the money but didn't give it to his godfather. He's simply disloyal and unfilial!"

Lu Li was not offended by Xiao Buzi's words; he had heard them many times before.

In the past, when patrolling at night to pay their respects, if they encountered their godson, or if their godson accidentally bumped into them, they would talk about how other godsons were doing.

Whether it's dereliction of duty or laziness, whoever gets closer to Eunuch Lu gets to speak ill of others even more.

Lu Li was pleased with the outcome and gradually understood Zhao Gonggong's actions back then. It was precisely because of the mutual framing that the godsons dared not verify false evidence. Rumors were just rumors, but if Lu Gonggong were to witness them, then they would be the truth.

"By the way, how is Xiao Qizi?" Lu Li suddenly asked.

After becoming an eighth-rank eunuch, Lu Li had no time to take revenge on Xiao Luozi before Xiao Luozi "disappeared." Even the Inner Palace Attendants, the Palace Attendants, and even Eunuch Zhao never inquired about it, only keeping a record of it. But Lu Li kept Xiao Qizi in his records.

The godsons were unaware that Xiao Qizi was also an enemy that Eunuch Lu secretly hated. This was because when Lu Li first entered the Palace Guard, Xiao Qizi did not reveal all the unspoken rules of the palace for free, causing Lu Li to lose more than two hundred taels of silver by asking around!

Lu Li hadn't forgotten this matter. He had originally thought that if Xiao Qizi had given him two hundred taels of congratulatory money, he would have been so kind as to not hold it against him.

But who are you trying to fool with twenty taels of silver?

As a result, Lu Li resented Xiao Qizi's inaction even more.

If you give too little money, Eunuch Lu will hate you even more!

No one living in the deep palace is normal. Even Lu Li himself did not realize that he had been gradually twisted into an indescribable, inhuman piece of flesh and blood.

Physical disabilities also distort the mind.

"Godfather is indeed exceptionally wise; we were just about to discuss this matter." Xiao Buzi flattered him in a measured way: "As Godfather instructed, we sent someone to add a little something to Xiao Qi's soup and rice."

It was the death-avoiding medicine given to Lu Li by the Zhou family of Bashu. Lu Li took one of the pills to have the imperial physician Zhang examine it. Lu Li did not waste the wasted pill. Instead, he separated the inner and outer layers, crushed them into powder, and gave it to his godchild.

How to kill them is up to our godson; it has nothing to do with our family.

Avoiding death and prolonging life can also be a deadly weapon!

"That little Qi Zi just slept like a log in the main room!"

Lu Li nodded. Han Ning died instantly. What Imperial Physician Zhang said was indeed true: "We should also visit Eunuch Zhao another day. Here's a box of good tea, perfect for us to enjoy together."

Lu Li didn't care at all what Eunuch Zhao thought after he made his stance clear. His roots weren't in the Palace Attendant's Office after all. Even if Eunuch Zhao wanted to kill someone in revenge, he wasn't afraid.

It was only my godson who died; we can just find another one.

There is no shortage of capable and ambitious adopted sons in the palace. Presumably, Eunuch Zhao's thoughts are similar to ours. Our godfather taught us to treat our adopted sons as tools, and Lu Li has done an excellent job.

Having served as an official for just over two months, Lu Li had already developed his own judgment, knowing who could die and who could not. He had a clear idea of ​​who should die and who should not.

He took out a booklet and carefully crossed out Xiao Qizi's name with a wolf-hair brush.

This is a list, and the number of names on it will only increase, not decrease. At the very top of the list is the maid Qiu Rong.

When Xiao Buzi saw the booklet, he was so frightened that he knelt down and kowtowed. He dared not look at it, nor did he want to know if his name was on it.

One death, one execution – truly Judge Lu wielding his pen of judgment!

"Little Buzi, what are you doing? Get up quickly." Lu Li helped Little Buzi up with a kind smile: "You are our adopted son. We, father and son, should help each other out a lot in Jingyang Palace."

Lu Li was only seventeen, but Xiao Buzi was already twenty-four. He was truly the opposite of his father. However, Xiao Buzi was still shaky and unsteady until Lu Li personally helped him up before he could stand up steadily.

Watching the small figure gradually disappear into the distance, Lu Li listened to Qian'er's heartbeat and murmured, "I hope you put in some effort."

Another ten days have passed.

The second day of the fifth lunar month is Grain in Ear.

Farmers are rushing to harvest, plant, and manage the fields. Winter wheat in the north is nearing maturity, and rice in the south is ready for transplanting.

If you miss this time of year, it will be too late. When Lu Li was ten years old and had not yet wandered around, he had heard that: planting during the Grain in Ear season is a treasure, while planting during the Summer Solstice is just a piece of grass.

Back then, I had to drag my frail body to work in the fields. Now, I am so comfortable in the palace. I have ice to cool down, refreshing drinks, godchildren to serve me, and money to earn. In the evening, I can also go to the kitchen and the imperial kitchen to have some meat.

In the past, Lu Li would never have imagined that he could live such a wonderful life.

This year, however, the heat came earlier than usual. It's only early May, and the sun is already so hot it stings your face. A scholar in the fields sighed and wrote a poem:

The summer sun blazes like fire, the rice in the fields is half withered and scorched. The farmer's heart is boiling like soup, while the prince upstairs waves his fan.

Poetry and lyrics spread widely.

Last winter's snow killed people, and this year's scorching heat has caused rumors to spread throughout Daqian.

.......

Inside Jingyang Palace, Qiu Rong, a maid who had just drunk a refreshing soup, planned to take a nap while Consort Wu was resting at noon. She had just lay down when she fell into a sweet and restful sleep.

In her dream, Qiu Rong saw the blazing sun in the sky, which seemed to be boiling. A drop of fire essence, like a drop of water, fell and hit her heart, burning her skin and flesh with a sizzling sound.

A nightmare woke Qiu Rong up with a start. She touched her chest and found no burn marks, but her heart felt like it was on fire. Even her breath burned her mouth. She was so thirsty and couldn't stand it. In desperation, she ran to the ice bath and gulped down ice water and ice cubes.

At noon that day, the maid Qiu Rong was awakened from a dream, drank a lot of ice water and died suddenly from the heat.