Liu Wenchang sat drinking tea beside his daughter, his mind already pondering how to extend the investigation questionnaire for the harem to the officials of the Ministry of Personnel.
There were also complaint channels, psychological counseling...
Cheng Qian was also restless.
Three days later, even Qiu Li, the palace maid attending to Concubine Liu, received the 'staff questionnaire' for the harem.
Maids and eunuchs, regardless of their duties, had to fill it out.
Even the consorts in charge, Concubine Liu and Consort Min, could not be exempted.
Crucially, after everyone in the Donghua Palace completed the forms, Concubine Liu collected them and was astonished upon reviewing them.
[Hahaha, those who style hair don't want to, those who sweep floors don't want to either, how hilarious.]
Xiao Chuchu laughed raucously in her swaddling clothes.
[Indeed, such dull tasks are prone to breed discontent.]
[Time for job rotations then!]
Concubine Liu raised her eyebrows.
Job rotations?
[Oh, I'd love to see how the Tea-serving Junior Eunuch with martial skill 99 filled it out. Was he already tired of serving tea and yearning to gallop across the borderlands like a general?]
Xiao Chuchu was curious, her inner voice active.
But Xiao Yunzhou hadn't come to the Donghua Palace for several days, nor had he sent Wei Zheng to bring her over.
She could only wonder.
But before she could ponder further, Liu Wenchang arrived again with an imperial summons.
Liu Wenchang was accompanied by eunuchs carrying a stack of 'questionnaires'.
Concubine Liu was curious, "Father, is it proper for you to bring these for us to see?"
But before she finished, the eunuch beside Liu Wenchang raised his head.
This eunuch was none other than Xiao Yunzhou in disguise!
Xiao Yunzhou gave Concubine Liu a pained smile, "Don't make a fuss. I have matters to discuss with Old Liu and you, Madame."
Concubine Liu had been conferred the title of Palace Lady, ranking at the ninth grade, with a meager stipend equal to a minor ninth-rank official.
Now Xiao Yunzhou called her by her maiden name, not addressing her as Concubine Liu, clearly not out of intimacy, but seeing her as a Palace Lady to consult on official matters!
Concubine Liu immediately wore a serious expression and had Qiu Li guard the door.
Xiao Yunzhou felt gratified; communicating with intelligent people truly was effortless.
"You all know about the assassin incident. You are the only ones in the palace who know."
Today, Xiao Yunzhou disguised himself and accompanied Old Liu, keeping it a secret from the Tea-serving Junior Eunuch.
He had even instructed Wei Zheng to warn all the eunuchs serving in his presence.
Xiao Yunzhou hadn't informed the Grand Secretaries about the assassin incident either.
"Now, I can only discuss this with you."
Perhaps it was the secret inner voice of the little princess that made Xiao Yunzhou feel that this assassin matter, without evidence, could only be discussed with the Liu family, who shared blood ties with the little princess and were utterly loyal.
From his daughter's inner voice, Xiao Yunzhou knew that the Liu family didn't have absolute loyalty to him.
But that was normal.
With the presence of the fairy-like little princess, the Liu family should revere her first.
Xiao Yunzhou didn't feel the slightest jealousy. Instead, he was delighted to see the Liu family doting on Chuchu and treasuring her.
After all, he, as the earthly emperor, could never compare to a celestial fairy.
How dare a firefly compete with the sun and moon for brilliance!
"Look at these questionnaires from the eunuchs serving me."
Xiao Yunzhou gestured to Concubine Liu and Old Liu.
As they picked up the sheets with identical handwriting, all transcribed neatly, and examined the anonymous responses, they couldn't help but laugh and cry.
[Damn, the eunuchs around the Emperor are all flatterers. None dared to speak the truth on the anonymous questionnaires!]
Xiao Chuchu, held by Xiao Yunzhou, also took a good look.
[Oh my, even with the handwriting uniformly transcribed, I can tell that the sycophantic tone of 'the role I most desire is to be the Emperor's ox and horse for eternity' is from that flatterer Wei Zheng, the chief eunuch!]
"Ahem."
Xiao Yunzhou blushed.
Even his daughter knew Wei Zheng loved flattery?
But soon, Xiao Yunzhou turned solemn. Indeed, upon reviewing the anonymous questionnaires, he realized that not a single attendant dared to speak the truth.
—Except for that assassin!
[Hahaha, this person is awesome. What are your grievances against the Emperor? — "All of them," I'm dying!]
Xiao Chuchu saw the last sheet and her inner voice erupted into raucous laughter.
[Who is this hero?]
[The role I most desire — "To be far away from the Emperor," hahaha!]
Xiao Chuchu didn't know her inner voice could be heard and practically laughed with special effects.
Concubine Liu and Liu Wenchang's lips tightened momentarily as they gripped their hands tightly.
Only then could they suppress their laughter.
[Heavens, is this person trying to make me laugh to death so they can inherit my overdraft?]
Xiao Chuchu's inner voice simply wouldn't stop.
[Wait, could this be the assassin with martial skill 99? How bold and daring!]
Xiao Yunzhou's mouth twitched, his face alternating between pale, flushed, and ashen.
Indeed, it was that assassin.
Who would have thought that the most honest and straightforward person around him was the assassin.
Apart from the assassin, everyone else was a flatterer who wouldn't speak the truth.
Xiao Yunzhou took a deep breath and looked gravely at Concubine Liu and Old Liu, "What are your thoughts?"
Thoughts?
After barely suppressing their laughter, Concubine Liu and Old Liu cleared their throats and put their minds to work.
"This person is willing to communicate with us, Your Majesty. This is excellent news!" said Liu Wenchang.
Concubine Liu nodded in agreement. Among the group of flatterers telling lies, this assassin stood out like an upright and loyal official.
Moreover, she could hear the little princess's inner voice.
Just yesterday, the little princess said the persuasion progress was already at ninety percent.
After careful consideration, Concubine Liu felt the situation had a significant turning point.
"Your Majesty, please also review the questionnaires from my palace maids," said Concubine Liu, handing over the responses from Qiu Li and others.
The eunuchs around Xiao Yunzhou feared him and didn't believe the anonymity was genuine, so they didn't dare speak the truth.
But Qiu Li and the others serving Concubine Liu weren't so fearful.
Especially after the barbeque incident, the work atmosphere in the Donghua Palace had improved, and Qiu Li and the others dared to speak frankly.
"Your Majesty, Qiu Li and the others have served me for years, but their questionnaires show they want to try new duties."
Xiao Yunzhou raised his eyebrows.
Concubine Liu had already thought of the 'job rotations' mentioned by her daughter earlier. "So, is it possible that the assassin doesn't actually wish to be an assassin from the start? Perhaps he aspires to do something else."
"Why don't we... have everyone rotate through different duties?"
"Reassign the assassin away from Your Majesty?"
Xiao Yunzhou widened his eyes.
[Woo-hoo, Mother is right! The persuasion progress is already 92%, but the Emperor feels a killing intent, which is unscientific!]
[I guess the assassin is struggling! The pacification progress fluctuated back and forth recently, I estimate the assassin is battling with the one who issued the mission, sometimes murderous intent shows, sometimes none.]
[If the assassin is removed from being near the Emperor, perhaps due to the difficulty of assassination, he'll go with the flow and abandon the assassination mission.]
Xiao Chuchu made this deduction.
Xiao Yunzhou believed it, looking to Concubine Liu for help, "Have the palace eunuchs rotate through different posts?"
[Woof woof, that's job rotation! Let everyone choose the department and position they want most!]
[They can't repeat their previous ones.]
Xiao Yunzhou always believed his daughter, immediately slapping his thigh, "Your father will listen to you, my dear!"
But he issued another survey to the eunuchs and palace maids currently on duty.
Xiao Yunzhou was dumbfounded.
"What, you actually want to serve tea in the Study Room where the princes study?"
Xiao Yunzhou looked at the survey results and immediately couldn't help but ask the slim, seemingly harmless Tea-serving Junior Eunuch with a combat power of 99.
He couldn't believe it.
At the same time, Xiao Chuchu who was about to take an afternoon nap in Donghua Palace couldn't believe it either.
[Assassin pacification progress 90% → 0%.]
[Assassin pacification progress 0% → 100%.]
...
[Assassin pacification progress 100% → 0%.]
[Assassin pacification progress 0% → 100%.]
[Assassin pacification progress 100% → 0%.]
...
Xiao Chuchu was dumbstruck.
Is the system malfunctioning, or did the mission crash?
The pacification progress is jumping between zero and completion.
One step forward to pacify the assassin, one step back to injury and death.
One second in heaven, one second in hell.
[What the heck is the Emperor Dad doing?]
