Against the red palace walls, the golden roof tiles shimmered brilliantly. Sunlight passed through the translucent, crystal-clear glazed tiles, casting dappled golden light across the ground, like a flowing scroll of gold.
The corners of the palace eaves curved upward in graceful arcs, resembling a phoenix about to spread its wings and take flight. The bronze bells hanging from them swayed gently in the breeze, chiming out pleasing notes and adding a rare touch of liveliness and energy to the solemn palace.
“What have you decided about what I said?” A young man in a dark blue robe stood in front of someone, blocking her path. On his head was a red-topped round hat, the kind only eunuchs[2]A man who has undergone castration, historically employed in imperial palaces to serve the emperor and royal household. In imperial China, eunuchs often served as attendants, messengers, and … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); holding a fifth-rank official title[3]Imperial Chinese officials were traditionally organized into nine main ranks, with the first rank being the highest and the ninth the lowest. The hat privilege described here belongs to the … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); were permitted to wear.
His gaze was unreadable as he looked at the girl standing before him with her head lowered, as though she were trying to avoid something. His voice was full of coaxing and anticipation. “You’re so beautiful. Why not fight for your own future? Take a chance.”
“No, no, no. This servant[4]A humble form of self-address used by palace servants when speaking to someone of higher status. It emphasizes the speaker’s subordinate position rather than functioning as an ordinary … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_4').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_4', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); absolutely has no such thoughts. Aunt Fang[5]In Chinese palace settings, gugu, meaning “aunt,” can be a respectful form of address for a senior female palace attendant. The title alone does not necessarily indicate a biological … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_5').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_5', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); is still waiting for me, Eunuch Jinzhong. I can’t keep her waiting.” The girl spoke in a trembling voice, laced with fear and unease. “This servant will take her leave first.”
With that, she tried to go around Jinzhong, who was blocking her way, and flee the suffocating scene as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, Jinzhong was far too shrewd not to notice what she intended. He took one stride to the side and blocked her again. Because she had already built up momentum, the girl could not stop herself in time and crashed straight into his arms.
The first thing Jinzhong noticed was a faint, indescribably pleasant fragrance that seemed to ensnare the senses. Then he felt her slender waist, so slim it seemed he could encircle it with one hand—so soft, so delicate.
But what astonished and captivated him most was the girl’s face as she raised it in panic.
Her crystalline, snow-white skin glowed with an ivory radiance. Her small face was like a lotus rising from water or a snow lotus of purest cream. Long, dark lashes trembled over a pair of limpid autumn eyes. Those pure, beautiful eyes seemed to hold an almost overwhelming affection for anyone they looked at, and now they gazed at him pitifully. The sight softened Jinzhong’s heart completely, making him wish he could agree to all her requests, go through fire and water for her, and charge into battle on her behalf.
Achu’s lashes fluttered anxiously. In the imperial palace, she was merely a lowly maid from the Flower House, while he was a eunuch serving before the emperor at the Hall of Mental Cultivation[6]Known in Chinese as Yangxin Dian, the Hall of Mental Cultivation is a building in Beijing’s Forbidden City. During much of the Qing dynasty, it served as an imperial residence and a place where … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_6').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_6', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. Their statuses were worlds apart.
If she offended him and he decided to make things difficult for her, not only would she have no good days left at the Flower House, but her aunt would be dragged into it as well.
The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. Achu, who had always been prone to tears, could not stop them from gathering in her eyes. She looked at him with tear-filled eyes and said, “Eunuch Jinzhong, this servant didn’t do it on purpose…”
She had never imagined she could be so unlucky. Although she had entered the palace as a child, her aunt had protected and doted on her, so Achu had not actually suffered much. Yet a few days ago, she had delivered a pot of flowers to the Hall of Mental Cultivation and somehow ended up attracting the attention of a man like this.
She had merely been curious about what the ancient Hall of Mental Cultivation looked like. As she was leaving, she had secretly raised her head and taken one glance.
Who could have known that Jinzhong would notice her from that single glance? At the time, she had hurriedly lowered her head and turned away, secretly hoping she’d be lucky. She had only looked once. Surely nothing would come of it?
Her hopes hadn’t come true, but her fears had. Over the past few days, Achu had been repeatedly intercepted by him. Everything he said, directly or indirectly, boiled down to wanting her to compete for the emperor’s favor[7]In the imperial harem, a woman who attracted the emperor’s attention could potentially gain a higher rank, privileges, and influence. Such advancement also depended on the palace’s strict … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_7').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_7', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. With her beauty and his wholehearted assistance, he claimed, she would surely rise to a high position and secure a place for herself in the palace.
Anyone else in her position would probably have been overjoyed. After all, with the help of a eunuch serving before the emperor, she could quickly rise from the lower ranks, escape her lowly status, and become someone who stood above others.
But Achu did not want that. Not only could she not accept sharing a husband with other women, but in other worlds[8]This refers to the multi-world premise of the novel, in which the heroine experiences different fictional settings. The chapter has not yet explained the exact mechanism behind these experiences. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_8').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_8', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, other people had always been the ones fawning over her. She had never had to fawn over anyone herself. The ancient system was terrifyingly strict, and one careless breach of etiquette could be a capital offense. She valued her life far too much.
Unfortunately, Jinzhong was exceptionally persistent. Even after she had clearly rejected him, he continued coming to see her whenever he had free time, bringing her food, drinks, and little items from outside the palace. She could not avoid him no matter how hard she tried. Worse still, he always brought things she liked best, and on several occasions she had been unable to resist accepting them.
Jinzhong supported the person in his arms without making a fuss, then withdrew his hand somewhat reluctantly. He clasped it behind his back and gently rubbed his fingers together, as though savoring the sensation of having touched her. In a soft voice, he said, “It’s all right. Miss Achu, you must be more careful. Don’t fall and hurt yourself. Otherwise, I’ll be heartbroken.”
As though she had sensed something, Achu raised her head and looked at Jinzhong with a slightly bewildered expression. Yet in her heart, she had already begun to understand.
Could this man… like her?
Once she realized that, Achu secretly relaxed. She began examining the eunuch before her in detail. He was tall and slender, dressed in blue robes and wearing a red-topped round hat. He was delicate-featured yet handsome, and his bearing did not resemble that of a eunuch at all.
And what moved Achu most of all was the fact that he was a eunuch. None of her lovers in the past had ever been eunuchs.
Hmm. She kind of wanted to have him.
Jinzhong’s body stiffened under Achu’s completely undisguised scrutiny. His ears began to burn red, and his entire body shrank back slightly. For once, he retreated in embarrassment and turned his head aside, saying rather awkwardly, “Why are you looking at me like that, Miss Achu?”
That was simply how he was. When it came to matters he felt confident about, he was always brimming with self-assurance. But when faced with a girl who had slipped beyond his control and even grown bold, Jinzhong could not help but find himself at a disadvantage.
“I thought you were very handsome, Eunuch Jinzhong.” Achu had always been straightforward with people who interested her. With a slight smile, she said, “So I thought I’d look at you a little longer.”
People in the palace had always been exceedingly cautious with their words. They spoke in roundabout ways, as though each of them had eight hundred hidden motives. Jinzhong, who had grown up in such an environment, had never heard anyone speak with such ardent directness.
Then something even more shocking happened.
That slender, delicate hand slowly settled against his robe and moved upward from his waist.
Jinzhong swallowed involuntarily, bending at the waist as Achu guided him down.
The two of them were so close that he could clearly see the flawless face before him, so beautiful and captivating. Jinzhong could not help falling into a daze as he recalled the first time he had seen the girl.
…………
It was a blazing summer day outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Jinzhong stood outside, attending to his duties. Although he was a eunuch serving before the emperor at the Hall of Mental Cultivation and had a certain amount of standing in the palace, he was still human—and all humans had ambitions.
Ultimately, a eunuch serving before the emperor was still only a servant.
Jinzhong wanted to rise above others. For a eunuch, the position at the very top was that of chief eunuch[9]The chief eunuch was a senior palace servant responsible for supervising other eunuchs and managing assigned palace duties. The authority associated with this position varied by period and palace … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_9').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_9', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, a person whom even officials of the outer court[10]The outer court refers to the sphere of government officials and state administration, distinguished from the inner palace and imperial household. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_10').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_10', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); had to treat with respect. Unfortunately, the man currently occupying that position was his master, Li Yu—a favored attendant of the emperor who also had the backing of Consort Xian[11]A formal rank among imperial consorts in the Qing harem. Xian is an honorific title rather than a personal name. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_11').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_11', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, the emperor’s childhood sweetheart. He could not be moved easily.
The best solution Jinzhong could think of was to find himself a powerful patron—and that patron had to be someone capable of contending with Consort Xian and winning the emperor’s exceptional favor.
But among the consorts of the imperial harem, there was no one Jinzhong considered suitable.
Jinzhong had accompanied the emperor from his princely residence before his ascension and understood particularly well how highly the emperor valued Consort Xian. The youthful line, “On horseback by the wall, they gazed at one another from afar,”[12]This alludes to a line from “Drawing a Silver Bottle from the Bottom of a Well” by the Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi. It evokes a romantic encounter in which two young people catch sight of … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_12').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_12', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); was enough to show how special she was to him.
But Jinzhong was not worried. Men were fickle by nature, and the current emperor was even more so. He was especially fond of beautiful women. Fortunately, the emperor was still young, and Jinzhong had plenty of time to plan carefully.
Standing in the shade and gazing at the brilliant sunlight outside, Jinzhong silently swore, “One day, I’ll climb to the top—to a position where no one will dare bully me.”
It was then that Achu appeared before him.
Her steps were light and graceful, and a faint fragrance drifted through the air with her movements. She kept her head lowered and carried flowers in her arms, wearing the same green palace uniform as the other maids, yet she stood out from the crowd like a crane among chickens[13]A Chinese idiom, describing someone whose exceptional qualities make them stand out prominently among ordinary people. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_13').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_13', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
When she passed by Jinzhong, her delicate fragrance nearly carried away his soul. Her jade-white fingers were like slender lotus stems rising above rippling water, delicate and beautiful.
A true beauty had hands as soft as tender shoots and skin as smooth as cream[14]This description echoes “Shuo Ren” from the Classic of Poetry, also known as the Book of Songs, an ancient Chinese poetry collection. Comparisons to tender shoots and smooth, creamy skin … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_14').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_14', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. Beauty lay in the bones, not the skin[15]A Chinese expression suggesting that true beauty comes from a person’s natural bearing, elegance, and underlying features rather than surface appearance alone. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3722536_1_15').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3722536_1_15', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. Although he had not yet seen her face, the immortal air and graceful bearing about her were enough to seize everyone’s heart.
While arranging the flowers that had been delivered, the girl remained quiet the entire time. She did not speak or raise her head. Once she had put everything in place, she left with the other palace maids.
Jinzhong could not call out to her. The rules of the Hall of Mental Cultivation were extremely strict, and besides, it was the emperor’s afternoon rest. No one dared make a sound and disturb him.
Yet even Jinzhong himself did not realize that his gaze was foolishly following the girl, as though he were waiting for something.
Perhaps she had sensed it. As if destined to do so, the girl suddenly turned her head.
In that instant, Jinzhong felt as though everything around him had come to a standstill. It was as if the entire world contained nothing but the girl before him. Her hair was black and lustrous, her face free of makeup, her skin white as snow, and her beauty so stunning that it was almost impossible to look directly at her. Alone, she seemed to possess all the beauty in the world. No one in the imperial harem could compare.
Jinzhong stared at her in a daze. He forgot everything around him. He forgot his ambitions and his aspirations. His mind could hold nothing but the timid girl who shyly avoided his gaze.
A base thought began to rise in his heart, but in the end, Jinzhong abandoned it. She was so beautiful that even if she did not become an imperial consort, a eunuch like him was still unworthy of her.
Gradually, he learned that her name was Achu and that she was sixteen years old. When she was eight, disaster had struck her family, and Aunt Fang had brought her into the palace. Because she was especially clever and adorable, she had earned the affection of many longtime palace servants and had grown up safely to this day.
He learned that she loved fine food and all kinds of gold and silver jewelry, disliked rouge and face powder, and loved reading storybooks most of all. Her favorite food was the chestnut cake Aunt Fang made. She was especially good at acting spoiled and slacking off, was timid and fond of crying, and did not dare walk alone at night.
He learned so, so much.
He gathered every bit of information about the girl. Under the pretext of forming an alliance to compete for the emperor’s favor, he brought her things she liked and tried to win her over, never daring to let anyone discover his feelings.
After all, the pursuit of a eunuch could only disgust someone. He was terrified of the revulsion and fear that might appear in Achu’s eyes if she learned the truth. He was also afraid that his feelings would be trampled beneath her feet.
Like a moth flying into a flame, he knew it could not be done, yet he did it anyway. He was very much a fool.
“Does Eunuch Jinzhong like me?” Achu continued gazing timidly into his eyes. Perhaps she had confirmed something from the way he kept hurriedly avoiding her gaze. Only then did she make up her mind to raise her head and lightly brush her lips against the side of Jinzhong’s face.
Jinzhong’s pupils widened. With trembling hands, he involuntarily touched his cheek. The soft sensation of that kiss felt almost like a dream.
Then, realizing what had happened, Jinzhong fled in disarray.
References[+]