The Apo Master dressed up as Concubine Ling and killed the Ruyi sisters

It was time to distribute monthly silver. The monthly silver for other palaces had already been distributed, but the monthly silver for Yikun Palace had not yet been delivered.

Ruyi never asked about these little things, but the people below lived on their monthly salary. It was almost the end of the year, and it was time to use money.

People from the Yikun Palace went to the Ministry of Internal Affairs several times, but were sent back each time on the grounds that the general manager was not there and could not issue the money.

Sanbao returned to the Yikun Palace and reported to Ruyi, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been slow to pay the monthly salary to the Yikun Palace. What do you think..."

Ruyi didn't take it seriously. "The New Year is approaching and the palace is extremely busy. I guess the Ministry of Internal Affairs can't take care of it right now. You guys should wait a little longer."

San Bao said, "But I have inquired about it. The monthly silver for other palaces has been distributed. I sent someone to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to collect it. Since Chief Steward Qin is not here, no one dares to make the decision to give the monthly silver to me."

Ruyi said, "In the past, Qin Li personally delivered the monthly salary to Yikun Palace. Did Qin Li neglect it because he saw that the emperor didn't come to Yikun Palace?"

Sanbao asked, "What is the Madam going to do then?"

Ruyi waved her hand and served in front of the Buddha. "Qin Li only dared to delay but not to deduct. It's just one month's salary. You just wait for now. At the palace banquet, I will ask Concubine Ling whether she deliberately ordered Qin Li to neglect Yikun Palace!"

Sanbao was embarrassed when he heard this: "But, Madam, the end of the year is the time when money is needed, and everyone is anxious..."

Ruyi asked in surprise, "Haven't you saved any money in all these years of service? You should make ends meet first. Don't lose face in front of Concubine Ling and Qin Li!"

After saying this, Ruyi no longer paid any attention to Sanbao.

When Sanbao heard this, he complained in his heart, "I have been the head eunuch of Yikun Palace for so many years and have worked hard without complaint, but when have you ever given me any reward? I have to give some to my family with the little monthly salary, so how can I save money?"

"Qin Li is clearly coming for you. You are so stubborn. How do you want the rest of us to survive?!"

When they saw Sanbao coming out, the palace people all gathered around him, hoping that Sanbao could bring them some good news.

Sanbao shook his head dejectedly. Someone said, "The Ministry of Internal Affairs is deducting our monthly salary. This is an insult to the Empress. Won't the Empress make the decision for us?"

Another person said, "Even if Her Majesty the Queen is unwilling to go, can't Her Majesty the Queen pay our monthly salary first?"

Sanbao looked anxious as he saw Ling Yunche and Rong Pei not getting the moon silver, and suddenly he had an idea.

"It's better to ask for help from yourself than from others. Rong Pei, Ling Yunche, go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and ask for it again!"

Rong Pei quickly declined, "No, no, you are the head eunuch of Yikun Palace. If the people in the Ministry of Internal Affairs are unwilling to give it to you, then there is no way they will give it to me!"

The monthly salary was withheld and the Queen Mother refused to make a decision for them. After hearing Rong Pei's words, some people could no longer suppress their anger.

"If you don't go, who else can go? If you hadn't often relied on your status as the head aunt to embarrass Chief Steward Qin time and time again, how could he have deducted our monthly salary? You are the one who caused the trouble and you are the one who offended the people. You have to settle this matter!"

"That's right, maybe Chief Steward Qin is waiting for you to go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. You have to go today, whether you want to or not!"

Rong Pei said angrily: "You are so rebellious, you dare to yell at me?!"

San Bao said, "You are no longer the head aunt of Yikun Palace, so stop showing off in front of us! Yikun Palace is the residence of the Queen, and it has been bullied by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to this extent. It's all because of you!"

"I'll let Ling Yunche go with you now. If you don't know what's good for you, we won't be polite to you even without Chief Steward Qin doing anything!"

Two fists cannot beat four hands, let alone Rong Pei, a woman?

Rong Pei also needed this monthly salary, so she had no choice but to go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs with Ling Yunche to find the chief steward Qin Li.

Qin Li heard from the young eunuch that Rong Pei and Xiao Lingzi from Yikun Palace had arrived, so he asked someone to bring them over.

Qin Li was leaning comfortably in the rocking chair holding the teapot. For the sake of her monthly salary, Rong Pei forced a flattering smile.

"Chief Steward Qin, the monthly payment from Yikun Palace has been delayed for several days. Since you are free today, isn't it time to give it to us?"

Qin Li questioned, "From what Aunt Rong Pei said, do you think that I have been pretending to be busy these days, but in fact I am deliberately withholding your monthly salary? If that's the case, why don't you report it to the Queen and ask her to punish me!"

Rong Pei lived for more than forty years, but because she didn't know how to say anything softly, she had been working as a maid in the Old Summer Palace for almost twenty years.

Afterwards, she was favored by Ruyi and entered the Yikun Palace. For more than ten years, she has been trusted by Ruyi. No one dared to disobey her wishes, let alone say anything soft to her.

After being criticized by Qin Li, Rong Pei couldn't stand the grievance and wanted to use Ruyi to support herself.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Ling Yunche hurriedly stopped Rong Pei and said in a flattering manner, "Chief Steward Qin misunderstood. Rong Pei didn't mean that! Everyone has seen how busy Chief Steward Qin has been these past few days. We came at the right time today, just in time for Chief Steward Qin to be free, so we wanted to let Chief Steward Qin take the money away from the Yikun Palace."

Qin Li sat up, looked at Ling Yunche, and suddenly cried out in surprise, "Hey, isn't this Guard Ling from the Yangxin Palace? Oh, I forgot, a month ago, the Emperor thought of your loyalty to the Empress and asked you to serve the Empress."

"Ling Da, oh no, when little Lingzi was a guard in front of the emperor, he received many rewards from the emperor. He probably doesn't take the eunuch's monthly salary seriously. Why did he come with Rong Pei today?"

Ling Yunche smiled bitterly and said, "Butler Qin is joking."

Qin Li laughed and said, "Look at you. You don't want to be a guard in front of the emperor, you don't want to live in the best Ling Mansion, you don't want to have such a virtuous and capable wife, but you insist on being a eunuch in Yikun Palace."

"A few days ago, when I went to Yongshou Palace to deliver the monthly salary, I saw that beside Concubine Ling, in addition to Miss Chunchan, the head aunt, there was also an old and well-behaved palace maid."

"Empress Ling said this was Mao Qian. I can see that Empress Ling values ​​Mao Qian. You were originally husband and wife, but now you both work in the palace. You are still by the Empress' side. Why is there such a big difference?"

Ling Yunche said with a bitter face: "The emperor has issued an order to cancel the marriage between me and Mao Qian. Please don't mention this matter again, Chief Steward Qin."

Qin Li nodded, "This does damage Maoqian's reputation."

Rong Pei urged, "Please ask Chief Steward Qin to distribute the monthly salary of Yikun Palace!"

Qin Li said: "Don't worry, Yikun Palace is the Queen's bedroom, how can you come to take it? You go back first, and tomorrow I will personally deliver it to the Queen!"