Volume 1 Chapter 46
Lu Chang brought seven individuals—three eunuchs and four palace maids. All of them were young and had delicate features, appearing composed and stable. The three eunuchs were skilled in martial arts, while the four palace maids were adept in needlework and observant in their mannerisms.
Leng Jiu held a notebook and flipped through it. It contained records from the Ministry of Internal Affairs regarding these seven individuals, retrieved by Long Yue’s people. Since he left them here, there was no reason not to use them!
After a brief glance, she pointed to one eunuch and two palace maids, “You three, step forward!”
The three approached.
Leng Jiu scrutinized them for a while, lazily leaning her head on her hand, “State your names!”
“I am Du Heng, at your service, Empress Dowager!”
“I am Ziyu (Qiu Xin), at your service, Empress Dowager!”
Leng Jiu nodded silently after a pause, “The three of you stay. The rest can leave for now. After some time, I’ll send for you.”
“Yes!”
After the other four left, Leng Jiu continued, “Du Heng, you will walk before the court, focusing on gathering palace gossip. You must be the first to know of any matters, understood?”
Du Heng was taken aback by Leng Jiu’s unexpected order but quickly responded, “I understand, Empress Dowager!”
“Ziyu Qiu Xin, you are promoted to Senior Palace Maid and will henceforth attend closely to me.”
Both were initially third-tier palace maids. Typically, it would take several years, if not more than a decade, to be promoted to first-tier palace maid. Leng Jiu’s sudden promotion to Senior Palace Maid in the Wuyang Palace filled them with joy and gratitude, “Thank you, Empress Dowager!”
“Don’t thank me too soon. This is a probationary period. Your future depends on your performance. If I’m not satisfied, you’ll revert to being third-tier palace maids immediately.”
Both nodded vigorously, “We understand, Empress Dowager!”
She waved them off, and once they were gone, Leng Jiu called Lu Chang over. Holding a cup, she casually asked, “Do you know who Qingling is?”
Lu Chang was somewhat surprised but replied promptly, “Qingling is Your Majesty’s personal maid, brought from the General’s Residence. However, she offended someone three months ago and was confined to the dungeon. She’s still there now.”
Leng Jiu’s hand paused briefly. So, she was her personal maid. It seemed like it was time to pay her a visit, “Let’s go. Let’s see her!”
As the name implied, the dungeon was a small dark room for confinement—remote, dim, and dilapidated. Leng Jiu glanced at the small house, gestured for Lu Chang to wait there, and proceeded inside. The door, worn and not locked, swung open easily, releasing a foul smell of mold and decay. Leng Jiu wrinkled her brow slightly but entered nonetheless.
The room was small and bare, with only a bed and a decrepit cabinet. A mound under the tattered blanket indicated someone lay there.
“What? Do I need to personally invite you out?”
The blanket moved slightly, then was lifted open. A slender woman sat up, her hair disheveled and her face pale, clearly showing signs of prolonged lack of proper nourishment. Despite her ragged appearance, her eyes were bright and spirited. As she gazed at Leng Jiu, her expression was neither respectful nor hostile, but rather indifferent — incredibly so!
Leng Jiu quietly observed her, saying nothing, waiting for her to speak.
Qingling stared at her for a long while, finally got off the bed stiffly, and then knelt down stiffly: “This servant Qingling pays respects to the Empress Dowager!”
Leng Jiu chuckled lightly: “This Dowager thought you had lost your tongue!”
Qingling remained silent with bowed head. Although her face couldn’t be seen, the aura of detachment was clear.
Leng Jiu raised an eyebrow: “After being imprisoned for so long, have you thought it through? Oh, it’s been quite a while, this Dowager has forgotten why you were imprisoned. Tell me, what crime did you commit?”
Qingling lifted her head, a hint of anger finally visible in her indifferent eyes: “Empress Dowager! Qingling will not resist if you wish to punish her, but this servant cannot allow you to insult her master!”
Leng Jiu smirked coldly: “If this Dowager recalls correctly, you are my personal maidservant. Yet you address someone else as your master?”
Qingling looked at the current Leng Jiu, feeling somewhat puzzled in her heart, but unable to express it for a moment: “This servant is willing to serve the Empress Dowager, but this servant’s only master is the Grand General!”
Still a loyal servant, Leng Jiu waved her hand: “Since you are so loyal to your master, this Dowager won’t force you. You may leave!”
Qingling sneered: “If you wish to kill this servant, just do it directly, no need to beat around the bush!”
Leng Jiu felt a surge of anger rise within, yet smiled instead: “Why would I want to kill you?”
“My master is devoted to you, but you send this servant back, leaving me no choice but a dead end. If you wish to kill this servant, just say the word, and this servant will die in front of you immediately!” Qingling said proudly.
Leng Jiu looked at her in such a manner that Qingling found it unbelievable that those words came from her mouth!
However, Leng Jiu was not joking with her. She raised her voice slightly: “Lù Cháng! Summon two guards!”
“Yes!” Lù Cháng answered from outside the door, and soon brought in two guards.
“Pay respects to the Empress Dowager!”
“You may rise.”
“Thank you, Empress Dowager!”
Leng Jiu pointed at Qingling: “The two of you, take her to the General’s residence for me. Say that I ordered it, deliver her to General Lěng Yuè, and on the way, pass along a message: tell him I find her quite charming and gift her to the General to warm his bed!”
Qingling’s composure vanished instantly, replaced by a face of shock and anger: “Empress Dowager! You can’t do this to me!”
Leng Jiu chuckled coldly: “I am the Empress Dowager, and you are just a servant. What right do you have to speak to me like this?”
She clapped her hands: “Oh yes! Remember not to let her die on the way, or else I won’t spare you!”
The two guards quickly restrained Qingling: “Yes, we obey!”
“Empress Dowager! No, you can’t send me away!” Qingling shouted desperately behind her, but Leng Jiu didn’t even blink. Her magnificent palace attire shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight, dazzlingly bright!
In truth, Leng Jiu was quite reasonable. As long as you were reasonable with her, she would listen. As long as you understood the situation, she wouldn’t make things difficult. However, the type of person she detested most in her life was someone who was as arrogant as a peacock despite having no real merits. She was initially just curious about Qingling. If she had pleased her, perhaps she would have kept her around to groom her. Unfortunately, she turned out to be a clueless subordinate, not worth her effort!
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Off-topic remarks:
This chapter serves as a transition, so don’t delve too deeply into it, dear readers. Qingling is just a supporting character who won’t stir up any trouble! Ahem, to comfort those hungry for more, there will be an update later, stay tuned for more hugs and kisses!