Great, it's just a lackey, we're saved!

Chapter 158 Damaged Palace Treasures!

Because he had hope, Jiang worked even harder.

I'm really looking forward to having a good lunch!

To her surprise, when she finished stacking the firewood and went to the kitchen to eat, she found Eunuch Liu standing at the door with a smile on his face, watching her.

"Xiao Zhao, have you finished your work?"

Jiang Zao lowered her head and replied, "It's done."

"It's done, but you didn't do it well!"

“We heard from the kitchen staff that the firewood you chopped was of different sizes, which not only made it difficult to burn but also made it hard to control the heat.”

"The cooks at the Imperial Food Bureau wasted a lot of ingredients because they used the firewood you chopped to cook."

Jiang Zao lowered her head, her whole body trembling.

What does the fact that the cook at the food bureau wasted ingredients have to do with the firewood she chopped?

It was clearly these cooks who wanted to embezzle money by taking advantage of the losses, but they blamed her for it.

Eunuch Liu continued rambling, "You know what the situation is like now. The entire capital is short of food and clothing, and even the imperial palace has no surplus grain."

"The Imperial Food Supervisor wasted a lot of food because of your mistake, Jiang Zao. Tell me, how should we punish you for this?"

Jiang Zao was furious, but she knew she couldn't offend Eunuch Liu.

Otherwise, she would have no chance of surviving in the palace.

"Master Eunuch, it's all my fault. I will definitely change in the future."

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Liu continued with a smile, "It must be changed, but as for punishment, I must also be punished."

"Otherwise, the people in the Imperial Food Administration will say that our family is not strict in managing its subordinates and is giving you, Jiang Zao, special treatment."

"You're nobody in our family, why should we treat you differently?"

Jiang felt disgusted by Eunuch Liu's hint, but could only pretend not to understand.

"It is my fault. If the Grand Eunuch wants to punish me, I will accept the punishment."

The smile on Eunuch Liu's face gradually faded; he was already losing patience with Jiang.

He wouldn't have gone to such lengths if it weren't for the girl's beauty.

Since he doesn't appreciate our kindness, then don't blame him for being impolite!

"Alright then, in that case, you shall kneel here in the corridor and let everyone see what happens when you fail to do your job well."

Jiang Zao felt a pang of sadness, and tears were about to spill over, but she pinched her palm hard with her nails to hold back.

"I understand, I'll go kneel down right now."

Seeing that Jiang was about to leave, Eunuch Liu called her back.

"and many more."

Jiang Zao turned around and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Eunuch Liu said with a half-smile, "I've heard that you often ruin the rare and exotic plants in the palace, is that right?"

Jiang Zao's expression changed, and she immediately retorted, "Your Excellency, those are not rare herbs, but just wild grass growing by the palace roadside or in the corner of the wall."

"Even if you gave me the greatest courage, I would not dare to damage the palace's treasures."

This matter must be clearly distinguished. If chopping wood poorly is just a matter of being inefficient at work, then a little punishment will suffice.

But damaging palace property is punishable by death!

This clearly shows that Eunuch Liu discovered that Jiang Zao was too stubborn; no matter how much he tried to break her, she would not give in.

They then came up with this despicable method: to threaten each other with matters of life and death!

"Really? But I heard that you used those rare and exotic herbs to brew medicine for the palace maids and eunuchs?"

"If it weren't a rare treasure, how could it have medicinal effects? You've clearly stolen the herbs grown in the palace."

Jiang Zao cried out that she was wronged; how could she dare to do something that could lead to execution?

"Your Excellency, please do not wrong me. I only picked weeds. Even if they have some medicinal properties, they are not herbs specially grown in the palace."

"This servant just felt that the lives of palace maids and eunuchs were difficult. If these weeds were really effective, they could save lives."

"If a servant picks up something that others don't want, and then finds it useful, does that mean it has to be called a rare treasure?"

Jiang Zao trembled with rage.

Things that were originally looked down upon by everyone just because they grew on the ground are now being snatched up once they have some value, right?

Over the years, she had a difficult time surviving in the palace, and every time she fell ill, she was on the verge of death.

Minor illnesses are fine; you can just buy some medicine and get through it.

But if it's a serious illness, they might be thrown out to fend for themselves.

Some minor, inexplicable ailments are even more tormenting.

Jiang used to work in the laundry department, where her hands were constantly soaked in water. She would get chilblains that would heal and then reappear, and she would experience unbearable itching every spring.

At that time, she couldn't find a way to relieve the pain, so she scratched her hands until they were raw and sores formed, but she still had to continue washing clothes.

One day, unable to bear it any longer, I had a sudden inspiration to find a kind of weed, chew it up, and apply it to the wound. Miraculously, it relieved the pain.

From then on, Jiang Zao began to cherish these weeds, silently classifying them and noting their medicinal effects.

Jiang knew early on that this method was unorthodox and that it was best not to let others use it except for herself.

Even if you do use someone, it must be someone you know very well and are very close to.

Despite her caution, Liu the eunuch still managed to find fault with her.

"Things that others don't want?" Eunuch Liu sneered. "There's nothing in this palace that no one else wants!"

“If you don’t do your job well, it’s fine to be punished, but if you steal rare treasures from the palace, even our family can’t protect you.”

Jiang Zao froze, then knelt down and kowtowed before Eunuch Liu.

"Please have pity on me, Your Excellency. I have saved up fifty taels of silver and I am willing to offer it to you. Please, Your Excellency, show mercy."

Eunuch Liu looked at the pitiful Jiang Zao without a trace of sympathy on his face.

"Fifty taels? Do we look like a family that's short of money?"

Jiang Zao continued to kowtow: "This servant knows that the Grand Eunuch is not short of money. This is my heartfelt offering, which I am willing to give. Please accept it, Grand Eunuch."

Eunuch Liu snorted coldly and waved his hand.

"No need. Our family is honest and upright; how could we be the kind of people who would embezzle money?"

His behavior disgusted Jiang Zao, but she knew that her life was now in his hands, so she could only keep backing down.

"Yes, yes, the Grand Eunuch is honest and upright; it is this servant who has filthy thoughts."

Eunuch Liu bent down, his wrinkled old face close to Jiang Zao's.

Looking at Jiang Zao's beautiful appearance, he couldn't help but swallow hard, his eyes scanning her up and down.

"You really want us to go easy on you?"

"Please, Your Excellency, have mercy!" Jiang Zao prostrated himself on the ground.

“Very well,” Eunuch Liu straightened up, adopting a serious expression. “Since you are begging me so much, I cannot be so ruthless as to kill you all.”

"Here's what we'll do. The goddess has appeared in the world and provided the Ministry of Revenue with charcoal and food. The Ministry of Revenue will have the Imperial Kitchen set up a porridge distribution shed in the east of the city, starting tomorrow, to benefit the people of the capital."

"The shed hasn't been cleaned up yet, and the food and charcoal haven't been organized. Time is of the essence. Go there tonight and finish all the work, and we will not pursue the matter of you stealing the palace treasures."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zao became suspicious and realized that something was amiss.

But now that Liu the eunuch had something on her, she had no choice but to agree.

"Yes, ma'am. I will get everything ready tonight."

"Fine, go kneel down in the corridor!"

Jiang Zao turned and left. Eunuch Liu stared at her graceful back, a determined smile on his face.