"Is this Concubine Yang's palace?"
On his way back, Li Xiang happened to pass by Concubine Yang's palace, but it was completely different from before. Even the palace lanterns at the door were much dimmer.
"That's exactly what your Highness said."
Qian Ping winked at the side. It was indeed difficult to explain with so many people here. Although His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had visited many times, the people in the palace were still snobbish, and the Emperor's preferences affected their working speed.
When His Royal Highness the Prince of Wu got into trouble, the Emperor did not hide his resentment and threw His Royal Highness the Prince of Wu from the sky to the ground. Even Concubine Yang had a hard time. Fortunately, Li Xiang wrote a letter from the north, asking Li Chengqian to take good care of her, so that she could finally live. Li Xiang thought that it would not be too bad, but after comparing them just now, he found that it was indeed too desolate.
"Go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs."
After Li Xiang said this, Qian Ping understood what was going on. Li Xiang was definitely going to attack a group of eunuchs. Although this was the emperor's home and Li Xiang was overstepping his authority by doing this, the emperor himself was against Li Xiang in the court, let alone a few young eunuchs.
"Who's the leader?"
There are many eunuchs in the Imperial Household Department, and there are many high-ranking eunuchs, so even if Li Xiang wants to attack someone, he must have a target.
"Zhang Defu and Yan Dehai."
Qian Ping thought for a while and said that Li Xiang had no impression of these two people. Qian Ping then told Li Xiang that these two people were originally sent out of Concubine Yang's palace, but because Concubine Yang was too upright, when these two people made mistakes, she directly sent them to the cold palace.
It can be said that these two people are capable. In just ten years, they have managed to become the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department.
These two people always remembered the hatred they had for Concubine Yang, but Concubine Yang was deeply loved by the Emperor, and His Royal Highness the King was also someone the Emperor could use, so these two people did not dare to show it, but instead showed great care for Concubine Yang's palace.
Concubine Yang also let down her guard. After something happened to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wu, these two people began to stir up trouble in the palace, hinting to the people below that Concubine Yang had fallen out of favor, so that these people would pay less attention to Concubine Yang's affairs.
In a place like the palace, if the emperor doesn't like you, he doesn't even need to say anything. All he needs to do is for the servants to make a move, and then you will have trouble living. Now the food cooked by Concubine Yang is okay, but the servants in Concubine Yang's palace are not so good. Every day the meals go from hot dishes to cold dishes, and from cold dishes to pickles.
Everyone can hold on for a day or two, but over time, no matter how loyal these people are, when they look at how they are treated and face Concubine Yang again, they will have all kinds of complaints in their hearts, so they will not be so loyal when doing things, and finally the feedback will be directed at Concubine Yang.
After listening to Qian Ping's story, Li Xiang was extremely angry. The King of Wu was now on Li Xiang's side, and Li Chengqian had already come forward. You two dogs dared to do this. This was not Concubine Yang's business. It was obvious that you did not take the Eastern Palace seriously.
"Find a reason."
Li Xiang's current status and position allow him to deal with anyone he dislikes, but Li Xiang is a man of rules. If anything happens to anyone in his hands, there must be a reason.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived at the Imperial Household Department.
This has never happened before. Except for the ministers and eunuchs in charge, no one else would come here because the things handled here are too trivial, and most people are not presentable. If you come here and spread the news, it will be bad for your reputation. However, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince came in in a sedan chair.
It is getting late now and the ministers have all gone home. The only ones on duty here are the eunuchs.
"Greetings to His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince. May Your Highness live a thousand years and a thousand thousand years!"
No one knew what was going on. It was already quite a rare thing for him to have a few eunuchs in charge come here. No one expected that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would come today. He was the third most important person in the Tang Empire. Could it be that there was something important going on here?
Yan Dehai is resting at home today, and Zhang Defu is in charge here.
Li Xiang would not speak to these eunuchs in person. He patted his trouser legs while sitting in the sedan chair, and naturally Qian Ping stepped out. Although Qian Ping's rank was not as high as Zhang Defu, Qian Ping was representing His Royal Highness the Crown Prince at the moment, so no one dared to underestimate him.
"Who is in charge today? The red candles for His Highness's room should have been collected today, but why haven't they arrived yet? His Highness has been delayed in reviewing Xueyantuo's military and national affairs. Who is responsible for this?"
If Qian Ping wanted to cause trouble, there would naturally be plenty of trouble. It was no secret that these eunuchs usually coveted all kinds of things and then took them to the streets to exchange for money.
Every room has its own candles, and everyone has to go and collect them on the due date. However, the eunuchs created a time difference, and they could spare five or six days every month. Don't underestimate these five or six days. The money would be no small amount if it passed through their hands for five or six days.
This matter has been going on for many years, from the time of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, to the present, it has been more than twenty years. Everyone is making money from these things, but I didn't expect something to happen today.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is different from other His Royal Highnesses. Other His Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince would at most delay their studies or something, but His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is in charge of several battlefields outside, and the military and national affairs are of great importance.
The eunuchs who can work in the Imperial Household Department are definitely not ordinary eunuchs. No one has asked about this matter for twenty or thirty years. Now that His Highness suddenly asks about it, there must be something wrong.
All the palaces knew about these candles, and they would usually keep a few extra days' supply, so there would be no delays. Moreover, it wasn't completely dark yet, so how could there be any delays?
Zhang Defu got into trouble today...
This is what everyone is thinking. In this palace, as the chief eunuch, you are no small matter. You hold the lives of at least a hundred or eighty people in your hands. But if His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wants to deal with you, it's just a matter of saying a word.
Zhang Defu was breathing rapidly. Qian Ping had finished asking questions. It was indeed he who was responsible for this matter, but he did not dare to answer because he already felt the danger. If he admitted it, the punishment that followed would be something he could not bear. But he did not understand how he had offended His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?