Chapter 140: The Majesty of Adults

I am teaching Jianjian to dance in the yard.

"The cross step, put the weight on the front foot. Keep your legs tight, and pivot. Pay attention to your breath, try to inhale with your lower abdomen, and exhale little by little. Good, hold it."

Xiǎnxiǎn is learning with great skill and style. I walked around it and said, "Not bad, it's becoming more and more impressive."

It's now starting to look a bit like a little peacock, with feathers growing on its tail and wings. When it shakes its body, it creates fluffy white snow.

Mei Yi muttered, "I see you skipping classes too much, having more fun with chickens than with people."

Then she dragged me into the house and changed my clothes, saying, "Got a notice, there's a big meeting at the local government office. Everyone who's registered has to go, even those not on duty."

It has been a long time since I wore this red and white palace maid uniform. I don't know what method Mei used to wash it, but the color has become much brighter and whiter.

Mei changed into a dark blue robe just like the one worn by the maid Liao in Qingluan Palace. Wearing blue and green indicates a low rank, but the robe still signifies identity.

Although the matriarchs have no official title, they are respected.

At this meeting of the inner court officials, even the rough servant maids from the Moon Pool Pavilion attended. Such a grand lineup is a first.

人山人海拥挤在内官局大院中，人声鼎沸。

内官局大殿门前，台阶之上，于中，左、右，摆放着三座贵重的圈椅。尤以中间最端肃凌人。

The phoenix official maintained order, leading everyone to stand in line. The scale of the grand morning court in the Tai Chi Hall was no different, with everyone standing in solemn order on the left and right.

I stood in the fourth row from the right, in the leftmost position, with a decent view.

每一排少说四十人，一水儿的制服齐齐当当。回头往后察看一眼，乌压压的人头，十数排有余，密密层层，直排到了内官局大院南墙。

Inside and outside the gate, there are guards everywhere. The lines are orderly, and the eunuchs are neatly arranged. Each one stands straight, with a serious expression.

A sense of oppression arises, and it seems that today's meeting is not simple.

There was silence throughout the entire hall, and after a short while, the female official Fengyi loudly announced, "The Lord of the Interior has arrived, the Lord of the Interior has arrived."

Next, my aunt, dressed in her official attire with purple gems and pearls, walked out of the grand hall, carrying herself with a lofty and dignified demeanor.

Following her, the officials Zhong and Lin appeared much dimmer at this moment.

Auntie walked steadily and took her seat slowly. After she was settled, the two officials took their seats to the left and right. The female scribe responsible for meeting records silently sat down at a small table on the side, with pen, ink, paper and inkstone already prepared.

Everyone bowed and greeted each other, wishing each other well. Then, the scene was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

I peeked up and saw my aunt, with her grace and elegance, showing a hint of sharpness. She paused for a moment, appraising everyone's respect, and then gently raised her hand, "No need for formalities."

With one voice, they cried out: "Thank you, Lord Neisi."

This kind of full official power made me doubt for a moment, is this my aunt??

My aunt spoke: "Half of this quarter has passed, and this major meeting is called for you to come, firstly to summarize and summarize, as a preparation for strict implementation and solid progress. Secondly, it is for the purpose of rectifying discipline. In recent times, there have been numerous errors and omissions in various departments. There are those who are overstaffed, ***** those who seek personal gain, and those who deceive their superiors and subordinates, and so on, all are present. Today, we must put a stop to these unbecoming behaviors."

My aunt glanced slightly and said, "Zhong Zuo Si."

Zhong Zuo Si received the instruction, picked up several documents, and stood up to make a report on the measures and new strategies implemented by the management.

Later, the female officials in charge of the various palaces in the harem and the chief female officials in charge of the provinces and departments, as well as the six supervisors of the Shanggong Bureau, each made a report on their work.

It was time-consuming and boring to listen to.

I was already feeling bored and was thinking of asking someone to make a deck of poker cards to play with when I heard Tan Fengyi say, "Bring the person up!"

The crowd, originally facing forward, all turned to their left and right. I also turned around and saw two dirty women being brought to the bottom of the steps.

Upon closer examination, I could barely recognize that one of them was actually Manager He!

She had been detained in the palace prison for three months, covered in dirt and grime, with her hair half-stuck and half-puffed on her head like a tattered cloth.

It looks like today is the day of public sentencing.

Following that, Qin Fengyi listed the crimes of the two. General He was known for his corruption and disturbance in the palace, as well as indirectly causing harm to the emperor's health by raising a vicious cat, which was widely known. As for the other woman who was guilty, she was the maid who accompanied Lady Wu to the palace to give birth at the Purple Cloud Pavilion.

So-called conclusive evidence has established the case of her intent to poison the heir apparent with red apples as an ironclad case.

She looked calm, as if she understood everything, and pleading innocence seemed futile.

公宣了罪行，秦凤仪恭谨的姑姑回禀：“二人罪状皆已画押，还请内司大人裁决。”

姑姑一派端正，铿锵有力的说了两个字：“杖毙！”

When she said these words, her hat ribbons shook a bit, but her expression remained unchanged, which sent a chill down my spine and tears rolling down my cheeks.

The eunuchs came rushing over from behind, two of them carrying large sticks. Those two wooden sticks were as long as from the ground to a man's shoulders, and as thick as a man's forearm!

I even feel that a blow from the stick would end a person's life.

Then the chief steward was pressed to the ground with her arms restrained. Even facing death, she still refused to accept it and hysterically shouted, "There are plenty of disgraceful things happening in the palace! Su Xiao, you despicable person, don't think I don't know..."

Aunt Emei slapped the armrest of the chair and said, "Shut up!"

Then, a wooden staff, accompanied by a gust of wind, struck General He's mouth, abruptly stopping her unfinished words! In an instant, blood splattered everywhere, and her nosebleed mixed with the teeth that had been knocked out!

I quickly covered my mouth, and there were whispers of shock throughout the audience.

Manager He was heavily hit, and he was dazed for a moment. After coming to his senses, he still refused to give up. He was crawling on the ground, still looking for her teeth. He kept muttering and mumbling in his mouth, but not a single word could be heard clearly.

The eunuchs once again lifted her arms, and the chief executioner raised the big stick over his head and swung it with all his might. The lacquered red stick now transformed into a sturdy python!

A deep sound, a mournful cry.

The sound of the big stick hitting the body is terrifyingly tight, even mixed with the sound of bones being crushed!

It seems that in order to achieve the ultimate deterrent effect, it is not a simultaneous attack with both sticks, but a slow and steady beating, starting from the legs and gradually moving up to the waist.

Under the stick, there is no vitality, and it is dying without being able to live.

Thirty sticks went down, and there were two pools of blood, one in front and one behind, irregularly flowing together to the surroundings...

Probing and finding no breath, indeed as Aqiu had said, I picked up the leg and dragged it to the tattered mat on the side, and it was taken away in a roll.

The other woman waiting for her punishment on the side watched the whole process and was already a bit stunned.

When being dragged to the ground, she looked dazed and remained silent.

I turned my head away, unable to watch any longer.

As the executioner probably knew that she was innocent, he was merciful and quickly put an end to her. By the time he struck the third blow, she had already fallen silent.

Tears blurred my vision as I turned back to look at her. She had already been wrapped in the shroud, and her peaceful appearance was far more comforting than that of Commissioner He’s.

Is it over? Can we leave now?

I looked at Auntie, who had a look of release as she gazed at the scene in the courtyard, but it didn't carry the meaning of an end.

"The imperial concubine has arrived."

With a high cry at the gate of the inner court, the half-empress's entourage entered the gate.

Several officials immediately stood up, and everyone knelt down to pay their respects. The blood-stained ground was quickly sprinkled with ashes of grass and wood.

Today the honorable Lady Shufei arrived in splendid attire, her presence is truly remarkable. She walked with grace and radiance, and was respectfully assisted to her seat by her aunt.

The palace maids then brought out a chair and placed it to the right of Lady Shufei, where her aunt sat down.

Princess Shufei spoke up: "I have heard that there is a major meeting at the Ministry of Interior today. I have come to personally observe and see if everything is in order and if all departments are following the rules and regulations under my administration."

"Minister Su, what has been done about the recent shortcomings in various departments? Have there been any inquiries?"

姑姑恭谨答：“回禀娘娘，该查问账房与福德宫例银之事了。”

淑妃点头：“好。”

覃凤仪即刻宣：“唐司账，刘司账，颜司账，三者何在？”

Then the three of them left the stage and knelt in the courtyard.

Aqiu is formidable, and she's at it again this time.

Auntie spoke sternly: "Tang Sizhang, as the head of the accounting office, you bear the greatest responsibility. Two hundred and sixty taels of the monthly silver allocated to Fude Palace were fake. You want to gloss over it without knowing the details, but I'm afraid the rules of the palace won't allow it."

"After this official's return to the palace from his vacation, he has already ordered the palace accountant to thoroughly investigate and has confirmed that the discrepancy is not in the Shao Fu. Therefore, it must be your accountants who have been lining their pockets!"

At the age of more than twenty, Tang Si, is short and strong. At this time, he is trying to suppress his anxiety and speaks a little nervously, "Reporting to the honorable lady, the senior official of the inner court. I have been wronged!"

"The subordinates have always received the silver money allocated by the Ministry of Revenue according to the old rules, only for counting, and only disbursed again when distributing to the various palaces. During this time, the silver in the treasury has not been moved at all. Perhaps... it is the soldiers responsible for transportation, who are stealing under the guise of guarding!"

She took a deep breath and her eyes darted left and right: "There's still one more doubt. On the seventh day of the eighth month, Yansizhang took away three hundred taels. The official document stated - as directed by the scriptures, with the winter approaching, to buy a batch of frostbite ointment for the maids, so as not to delay their work. Perhaps, perhaps Yansizhang took this opportunity to do something unethical, but we cannot be certain!"

Aunt's eyebrows furrowed with anger.

But Lin Zuo Si spoke first, "How dare you! Without evidence, do you know this is a false accusation?"

My heart skipped a beat, three hundred taels? Could it be the three hundred taels that Ah Qiu mentioned before that didn't add up?

Ah Qiu was shocked, flustered and at a loss, and knocked his head on the ground, saying, "Princess Shufei, my lords..."

But before he could finish his words, he was stopped by his aunt: "Stop talking! I haven't asked you anything yet."

Aqiu held back his voice, knelt silently with tears in his eyes.

Auntie asked Tang Sizhang, "Is there anything else? Don't hesitate to speak."

Tang Sizhang looked around at the people sitting high up, gathered his courage and said, "The accounts are clear, and Yansizhang has spent three hundred taels. The purchased ointment is missing, and the silver is also nowhere to be found."

She sighed, "Something like frostbite ointment, if you drag it out long enough, everyone might forget about it."

"Moreover, after she opened the silver vault this time, there was the incident of fake silver ingots. Originally, only I had the right to enter this silver vault, until the accountant Yan came and then one more person had this privilege."

Lin Zuosi said, "Oh? What Tang Sizhang means is that Yan Sizhang not only set up a sham, embezzled three hundred taels, but also replaced it with fakes and stole two hundred and sixty taels. What does this mean?"

Tang Si nodded like pounding garlic: "Yes, yes, this official really has this intention!"

Then Lin Zuo Si said to Shufei: "Reporting to the empress, this low-ranking fifth-rank official accountant, actually has the audacity to embezzle over five hundred taels of silver by himself. Could it be..."

I understand now, someone set up a plot, and the ultimate target of the attack is Aunt. I looked at Aunt's expression, she has been silently listening, observing, and remaining calm.

Shufei raised her head, her fair neck twisting, glaringly white.

"Is it possible not to be so?"

"Lin Zuosi blinked twice and smiled lightly, "Could it be that someone is behind the scenes, causing this child to dare not disobey?"

"Shufei raised her eyebrows, and her skin began to lift: "Yan Sizhang, have you been coerced by someone? If you confess truthfully, this palace can consider your merits and demerits, and also consider your past service to this palace, and pardon you from guilt!"

唰————

All eyes looked at Aqiu.

There was a thorn in my heart, looking at my aunt, looking at Aqiu.

Aunt's cold eyes stared at Aqiu, I couldn't describe that look. Hope, heartache, trust, worry, understanding, devour... each has a little bit. Not much, not less, definitely gnawing at Aunt's heart.

That kind of pain, bit by bit.

And I feel like I'm on a fragile bamboo raft, just a slight movement, and I might sink...