Chapter 361 (1/2)

While calming down his anger for a while, he headed for the palace affairs office, sighing deeply. Stunned by his sudden arrival, people there hurriedly came to him to show due manners. Waving at them to go back to work, he headed to the office, escorted by the director of the palace affairs office.

“Your Majesty, we’re surprised about your sudden visit. Why didn’t you call us?”

“I don’t want to say anymore, director. Bring the documents about the late concubine’s policy on the compensation of the palace employees right now.”

“Well, you mean the late concubine… There is no document about her.”

“I understand. You are not supposed to keep it about the woman because she was executed for treason, but I know you could not discard her documents. I won’t punish you. So, bring me her documents right now.”

“…Sorry, Your Majesty. I will go and get them.”

As he thought, the palace affairs office did not discard all the documents about her. In principle, it was a felony to keep any document about a traitor. In addition, anybody in possession of such documents could invite suspicion that they might plot treason, too. But the director didn’t discard her documents, fully aware of such danger. Rather, he could not do so, thinking everything would be messed up if he let Jiun do whatever she wanted to do like now.

As if he hid the documents somewhere deep inside the palace warehouse, it took some time for him to bring them to Rublis with trembling hands. After reviewing the thick documents for some time, Rublis let out a deep sigh, feeling his guess was right.

The gist of Jiun’s plan was that when the senior attendants, upper, middle or lower servants, and maids as well as their families got sick, they would have the right to get treatment by the royal doctors. On the contrary, the late concubine’s policy was that when they got sick, they would get treatment by the royal doctors, but as those servants and maids with lower positions would be required to pay the necessary medical expenses. The expenses would be deducted from their salaries every month.

Rublis let out a sigh again. At first glance, Jiun’s policy looked more efficient than the concubine’s, but it was not. Their workplace was the Imperial Palace. Jiun’s policy could work for those employed by the lower-rank nobles, but in the case of the palace where the palace people were divided into four distinct classes, her policy was not supposed to work.

Employees with the Imperial Palace were largely classified into four classes. In particular, the distinction was more prominent between the senior attendants and others like servants and maids in lower positions. In the case of the former, they were mostly from the lower-rank noble families, while those with lower positions were almost from the commoners. In fact, the lower servants and maids were primarily serving the senior attendants in the palace. Jiun’s policy hit the snag right here.

The royal doctor’s pride was so high, and most of them were from noble families, so they would not treat commoners except under extraordinary circumstances. But Jiun made sure they treated even the lower servants and maids as well as their family members, inviting their strong complaints and offending even the senior attendants because they were treated equally as the servants and maids.

In addition, those who got their treatment for free were confined to the members of the imperial family. So, they didn’t offer free treatment to those employed by the imperial family or those working at the palace. Accordingly, those who get the royal doctors’ treatment were supposed to pay their share, which was pretty expensive.

So, the senior attendants who got higher salaries didn’t feel any financial burden even though they got the royal doctors’ treatment, and actually regarded their treatment as something like an honor, but it was more advantageous for the servants and maids to go to civilian doctors after being reimbursed for their medical expenses by the imperial palace.

Under the current policy, even they could get the royal doctors’ treatment when they were diagnosed with severe illness with the approval of the emperor or the empress. But they were supposed to pay their share of the medical expenses from their salaries later.

Accordingly, it was natural that the servants and maids complained about Jiun’s policy because it was obligatory for them to receive the royal doctors’ treatment even if they were not diagnosed with serious illness.

“Now you know why I told you to bring the late concubine’s documents, right? Besides, they submitted the petition to me, right? I’ll make sure the empress should take care of this matter in a proper manner tomorrow.”

“Thank you so much for your quick action, Your Majesty.”

Rublis stood up with a sigh. He thought it would be nice to have the empress correct her policy rather than dealing with it by himself. Of course, he could take the necessary measure right away, but he wanted to save her face this time.