Chapter 21: A Storm is Brewing

In recent days, the atmosphere in the harem seemed different, with an air of apprehension as though a storm were about to break.

"My lady, my lady, the sun has risen in the west!" Xiao Qing rushed into Canglan Court, shouting as she ran.

Lian Hua was using bamboo tongs to flip through the tender buds of withered wood tea when she heard this and looked up in the direction of the voice, saying, "Eh, Xiao Qing, have you gone mad? The sun is already high in the sky; how can it only just be rising?"

"No, no," Xiao Qing ran up to Lian Hua, panting heavily, before continuing, "Young Master, have you forgotten? You once said that if the Bureau of Palace Attendants ever gave out full monthly salaries, it must be because the sun rose in the west."

Lian Hua stood up excitedly, "Ah, is it today that we received the full monthly silver? Let me see, let me see."

"Yes, a full ten taels, not a coin less, here it is!"

Lian Hua took the purse, felt its substantial weight, and sighed with satisfaction, "It really is as if the sun has risen in the west. In my lifetime, the Bureau of Palace Attendants has finally found its conscience."

By the time Xiao Qing began speaking, Xiao Jizi had already come over, holding his chin in his right hand and looking thoughtful.

Lian Hua took out two pieces of broken silver from the purse and generously shared them between the two, saying, "Xiao Qing, Xiao Jizi, from today onwards you'll have your own monthly silver. Your master is prospering and can't forget you. Here, take it, take all of it."

Xiao Qing joyfully accepted the silver, overwhelmed with excitement. After more than two years in the palace, she finally had her own monthly silver.

It's funny how sad Xiao Qing's experiences had been. She had followed Lian Hua into the palace just days after arriving, while other servants and attendants in different parts of the palace received monthly silver and rewards from their masters. Sadly, Lian Hua could never afford it; they had always been on the brink of subsistence.

"Xiao Jizi, why that expression? Aren't you happy?" asked Xiao Qing, puzzled by Xiao Jizi's silent demeanor.

Xiao Jizi grabbed Xiao Qing's hand without answering her question, "Xiao Qing, did you notice anything different when you went to collect the monthly salary today? For example, was the expression of the Salary Distributing Eunuch unusual?"

Xiao Qing recalled, "No, nothing seemed out of order. The Salary Distributing Eunuch was unusually pleasant today, telling me to count carefully and not to leave until I had."

"That's it!" Xiao Jizi slapped his thigh and said decisively.

"Huh? Is there something wrong with that?" Lian Hua asked, puzzled, trying to understand what he was getting at.

Xiao Jizi took a step back and bowed to Lian Hua, "Your honor, I have noticed something amiss in the palace recently. When I went to the Imperial Kitchen to get supplies, I saw fewer palace servants than usual. Everyone was hurrying and looked tense. I suspect..."

He moved closer to them, lowering his voice significantly, "I suspect something big is going to happen in the palace. We are secluded here and receive news late. Since the situation is unclear, we should lock our doors and stay inside."

Upon hearing this, Lian Hua thought it over carefully. Indeed, the vibe in the palace had been off recently. The eunuch who managed the Imperial Garden, who usually greeted her as if mourning his own mother and begged her to be gentle with the plants to avoid picking them bare, had lately been avoiding eye contact and ran away as soon as she approached.

Moreover, she rarely saw any of the other concubines out and about anymore, when it used to be common to run into one or two of them.

Yes... something was definitely amiss.

Realizing this, Lian Hua made a decision, "Alright, we'll do as Xiao Jizi suggests. Xiao Jizi, go to the Imperial Kitchen today and get more meat to store in the well to keep it cool. We won't go out for the next few days." It was wise to play it safe when situations were unclear.

"Right away, my lady." Having said this, Xiao Jizi quickly ran out of Canglan Court.

The situation in the palace was becoming increasingly grave. Rumors were spreading that His Majesty had ordered a thorough investigation into the embezzlement of the concubines' and palace attendants' monthly silver. Some were petrified, others applauded the move.

No one knew why His Majesty had suddenly decided to investigate this matter. After all, embezzling palace allowances had become an unspoken rule, whether in former courts or the current one, and the situation now was much better than during the Late Emperor's reign. As long as it wasn't too excessive, everyone generally turned a blind eye.

It was unclear who had reported the issue, leading everyone in the palace to secretly speculate.

Lian Hua and Xiao Qing shrank back in Canglan Court, maintaining a low profile. This kept them relatively undisturbed, although they occasionally sent Xiao Jizi out to handle necessary tasks and gather information.

Lian Hua had her suspicions about the ordeal. That evening, she had inadvertently mentioned the embezzlement issue to His Majesty. Could it be related to her?

But then she thought, how could His Majesty stir up such commotion over her? Upon reflecting on this, she concluded it certainly wasn't because of her.

However, mentioning embezzlement in front of His Majesty might also not be something to share with others. Revealing this could turn her into a target for many; she understood the implications all too well.

A few more days passed, and the situation gradually clarified. Many eunuchs from the Bureau of Palace Attendants, including the Chief Steward, were dismissed and thrown into the Imperial Prison. This also involved Jieyu Wei, who, it was said, was even tortured—a first in recent years for a case involving the harem.

The harem was in an uproar. Originally thought to be mere mischief by the servants, it turned out that concubines were involved too.

The lower-ranked concubines and servants applauded, overjoyed that the perpetrators skimming from their salaries had been caught. Now, they could receive the full amount of their silver.

Others couldn't believe that just one Jieyu could dare commit such a grave offense. There surely must be more to it. Perhaps this Jieyu was just a scapegoat.

Overall, there were those who rejoiced and those who despaired.