The emperor just doesn't treat everyone equally, and it's none of my business!

imperial study room

Lu Junze put down the memorial in his hand, looked at Su Deyuan and said, "What happened to the matter I asked you to investigate before?"

"Your Majesty, I have already found out everything."

"Lady Jin is the daughter of Gu Yulin, the deputy minister of the Ministry of Rites."

There were so many concubines in the harem, some favored and some not, that it was impossible for an emperor like Lu Junze to remember all their family backgrounds. He only knew that Gu Shijin must not be the daughter of an aristocratic family, otherwise she would not have remained unknown in the harem for three years.

When seeing Gu Shijin missing his mother during the dinner that day, Lu Junze asked Su Deyuan to check it out the next day.

The Yuanwailang of the Ministry of Rites was a sixth-rank official, which was not a high position. The Ministry of Rites was mainly responsible for matters such as diplomacy, culture, banquets, education, and religion. Therefore, the Yuanwailang of the Ministry of Rites had the least actual power among the six ministries.

Lu Junze raised his hand: "Continue."

"Yes." Su Deyuan continued.

"Lord Gu was a Jinshi in the fifteenth year of Zhengxing, and he only married one wife, Yang. They had two sons and two daughters, and Concubine Jin was the third child in the family."

"Father is kind, son is filial, and the family is harmonious." Finally, Su Deyuan summed it up in four words.

Lu Junze nodded. He thought that since they could raise a girl like Gu Shijin, their family must be good.

"Understood, let's go down."

While Lu Junze was checking Gu Shijin's family background, Gu Shijin of Ningyu Pavilion was also thinking about the situation of the Gu family.

In ancient times, the interests of concubines in the harem and the family were almost tied together, but the Gu family's situation was simple and there was no need for children to contribute to the family.

Gu's father, Gu Yulin, was a farmer's son. He passed the imperial examination on his own and married the daughter of a merchant in the town.

After passing the imperial examination, Gu Yulin did not abandon his wife and children, but brought his wife from his hometown to the capital.

The third year of Yuan Jing was the first general election held by the current emperor after he ascended the throne. All girls of marriageable age from officials' families had to enter the palace to participate in the election. Gu Shijin, who was sixteen years old at that time, entered the palace.

Her eldest brother left home to join the army because he was dissatisfied with his third sister entering the palace.

The eldest brother Gu is called Gu Chengfeng. He grew up in his hometown and was not brought to the capital until he was five years old. He is a carefree person. He has never liked studying since he was a child and only likes fighting and killing.

The second sister, Gu Shiyan, married the son of an official in the capital and now has a daughter.

My fourth brother, Gu Chengyun, is sixteen years old this year. He has been a nonchalant person since he was young and is not interested in anything.

Thinking of this, Gu Shijin was very satisfied. The Gu family had a simple family tradition, good family relationships, and his father had no ambition to become a high-ranking official. He just hoped that his children could live in peace.

That’s good. At least when she is fighting in the harem, there is no family holding her back.

"My lady, the people in the Ministry of Internal Affairs are too much. They don't even take me seriously!" Xingyue rushed into the room and shouted angrily.

Gu Shijin frowned: "Xingyue, I've told you so many times, don't be so rash in doing things."

Seeing that Xingyue had been with him for three years, Gu Shijin was willing to teach her, but if she refused to change after repeated teachings, Gu Shijin would have no choice but to give up. Such a temper would sooner or later cause trouble for him.

Xingyue knelt down hurriedly: "My lady, I was wrong."

Gu Shijin didn't ask her to get up, but looked at Xiao Linzi and said, "Xiao Linzi, what happened?"

Today she asked Xingyue and Xiaolinzi to go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to get some pens, ink and paper. She had been writing a lot recently and the consumption of pens, ink and paper was high.

"My lady, Sister Xingyue and I went to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The eunuch in the Ministry of Internal Affairs said that Ningyu Pavilion's quota of pens, ink, paper and inkstone for this month has been used up."

Each concubine did have a set quota of these things every month, but pens, ink, and paper were not big things, and as long as the concubine sent someone to get them, the Imperial Household Department would not make things difficult for her.

Gu Shijin really didn't expect that someone would do such a shameful thing. She is in favor now, how dare the Ministry of Internal Affairs do such a thing if no one instructs her.

"Heh..." Gu Shijin stood up and said, "Xingzhu, Xiaolinzi, accompany me to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to take a look."

"Yes, my lord."

After walking two steps, Gu Shijin stopped and turned to look at Xingyue who was still kneeling: "Go back and rest for two days and think about it carefully."

With Xingyue's temper, if the emperor or other concubines were in the room today, Xingyue would definitely suffer.

"Yes, my lord."

If Gu Shijin does not care or tolerates the Ministry of Internal Affairs's embarrassment about her writing materials and paper today, those people will only go further and further to test Gu Shijin's bottom line.

Some things can be tolerated, but some things must be fought back resolutely.

As soon as Gu Shijin left Ningyu Pavilion, the young eunuch hiding in the dark rushed back to report the news.

"My lady, Concubine Jin has taken her people to the Imperial Household Department." The young eunuch reported.

"I understand." Li Xiuyuan waved her hand and said, "Go down."

Li Xiuyuan's personal maid Xue'er saw that Li Xiuyuan did not move and asked in confusion: "My lady, don't you want to go and take a look?"

"What is this young lady going to watch?" Li Xiuyuan said calmly, "It's to make Gu Shijin unhappy. What's so good about it?"

"If the Ministry of Internal Affairs does not give Ningyu Pavilion anything, then it is naturally the Ministry of Internal Affairs's problem. What does it have to do with me?"

After understanding what Li Xiuyuan meant, Xueer stopped talking.

Recently, Concubine Jin has been favored one after another, and the young lady is unhappy.

At the gate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a young eunuch saw Gu Shijin coming from afar and felt a little confused. He didn't understand why Concubine Jin came in person.

"Your servant greets Concubine Jin. May you be blessed with good health." The young eunuch knelt down and kowtowed.

Gu Shijin: "Get up."

She would not embarrass a little eunuch who knew nothing.

"Take me to where you manage paper, ink, pens and inkstones." Gu Shijin said.

"Yes, my lord."

The young eunuch just looked up and saw Xiao Linzi, and his heart suddenly skipped a beat. He remembered Xiao Linzi. Just now, he and a palace maid came to the Imperial Household Department to get something, but returned empty-handed.

The young eunuch winked at another eunuch next to him, asked him to report to the steward quickly, and then he walked in with Concubine Jin.

Gu Shijin noticed the two people's little actions, but did not stop them.

After Gu Shijin walked away, another young eunuch hurried towards the room where Chief Steward Deng Yuan was.

"What's your name?" Gu Shijin asked the eunuch who led the way.

"I am Xiao Liuzi." Xiao Liuzi replied with his head down.

Gu Shijin smiled and said, "He is quite smart."

"Thank you for your compliment."

When they arrived at the place where pens, ink, paper and inkstones were kept, before they even entered, they heard the sound of someone humming a little tune outside the door.

Gu Shijin glanced at Xiao Liuzi and said, "The Ministry of Internal Affairs is quite leisurely."

"My young master, your servant..."

Gu Shijin raised his hand and interrupted what Xiao Liuzi was about to say.

"Go knock on the door." Gu Shijin looked at Xiao Liuzi and said.

"Yes, my lord."

"Dong dong dong... dong dong dong..."

"Who is it?" A shrill, piercing voice came from inside the room.

"Xiao Liuzi."

There were footsteps and impatient words in the room.

"Xiao Liuzi, what are you doing here? Did your master ask you to get something again?"

The door opened and the sound stopped abruptly.