Summer gave way to winter.
Achu’s seventeenth birthday was fast approaching. These past few days, Jinzhong had stopped lingering around the Emperor to make his presence felt. Instead, he often accepted assignments outside the palace, running errands and taking care of various tasks. While he was at it, he smuggled in some private purchases and bought quite a few good things, spending money without the slightest hesitation.
Everyone knew that, for an eunuch serving before the Emperor, the most important thing was to leave an impression at His Majesty’s side. Yet Jinzhong, who had always been assiduous, had suddenly changed his ways and become much more docile. This left Li Yu both relieved and utterly puzzled.
“What’s gotten into Jinzhong these past few days?” Li Yu asked Jinbao, who was standing beside him.
“Xiaozhubao’s birthday is coming up,” Jinbao replied.
Li Yu raised an eyebrow. His gaze turned cold, and his expression held a touch of exasperation. “One is willing to strike and the other is willing to take it. Who would have thought that Jinzhong, usually such a clever fellow, could be so unable to tell right from wrong?”
Xiaozhubao was the name they had given Jinzhong’s eunuch marriage partner. They had never seen her, nor did they know her surname or given name. Jinzhong kept her hidden very carefully and refused to reveal the slightest bit of information.
But as long as someone was human, they would inevitably let a few clues slip. The embroidered purse at Jinzhong’s waist—ugly beyond description—the faint fragrance that had begun to cling to him, and the gloom that had gradually faded from his eyes and brows all revealed that his entire spirit had changed. Anyone serving before the Emperor who lacked even this much discernment would probably have died a thousand times over by now.
Jinzhong had hidden all these changes very carefully, but he could not hide them from Li Yu and Jinbao, who spent every day with him.
Ordinarily, considering what had happened with Wang Qin, they understood why Jinzhong kept his relationship secret. They had been willing to turn a blind eye and let the matter go. Unfortunately, Jinzhong was simply too devoted. Not only did he hand over his entire daily salary, but because his eunuch marriage partner was especially fond of gold, silver, and jewels, he had exhausted every means of making money. Fortunately, he had done nothing outrageous. He had merely acquired several shops outside the palace, yet somehow he had managed to run them flourishingly.
Aside from supporting his partner’s food and drink, his daily expenses went toward purchasing gold, silver, and precious treasures. Of these, the largest share consisted of all kinds of jewelry. That was why his eunuch marriage partner had come to be called “Xiaozhubao[1]A Chinese nickname meaning approximately “Little Jewel” or “Little Treasure.” Xiao means “little,” while zhubao refers to jewelry or precious gems. Here, the eunuchs use this nickname for … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3729180_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3729180_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.”
Li Yu and Jinbao had no objection to how well Jinzhong treated Xiaozhubao. She was a perfectly good young woman who had ended up with a eunuch, meaning that all hope for the rest of her life had been cut off. It was only right that he treat her well.
The problem was that, throughout Jinzhong’s relationship with Xiaozhubao, they had only ever seen Jinzhong giving one-sidedly. Xiaozhubao had never appeared. Whether Jinzhong was off duty or on duty, all they ever saw was his back as he eagerly went over to fuss over her before leaving again.
If they had not known Jinzhong as well as they did, they might even have suspected that Xiaozhubao was someone he had invented.
Li Yu had two disciples under him. One was Jinzhong, quick-witted and clever; the other was Jinbao, steady and down-to-earth.
At this point, Jinzhong had not yet revealed his ambitions. Aside from being exceptionally attentive to the Emperor, there was nothing particularly wrong with him. After all, if a servant was not attentive to his master, whom else could he be attentive to? Everyone understood that accompanying the sovereign was like accompanying a tiger.
Thus, Li Yu still regarded Jinzhong as a good disciple who listened to him. Naturally, he had no favorable impression of Xiaozhubao, a little palace maid who seemed to be stringing his disciple along.
Thinking of this, Li Yu’s eyes dimmed. He could not help recalling Suoxin, that gentle and radiant woman. He touched the velvet flower Suoxin had returned before entering the Cold Palace[2]A term used in Chinese imperial palace stories for the secluded or neglected quarters where disgraced consorts might be confined. It does not necessarily refer to one permanently designated palace … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3729180_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3729180_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. Nearly a year had passed already. He wondered whether Consort Xian and Suoxin were doing well.
At that moment, Jinzhong had no idea that Li Yu was lamenting his failure to live up to expectations. He was currently sunk in a land of tenderness and could not pull himself free.
“Have you been tired these past few days?” Achu asked tenderly, cupping her eunuch’s handsome face in her hands. “Make sure you get plenty of rest. You look as though you’ve lost quite a bit of weight.”
At seventeen, Achu had gradually shed her childishness. Her fragrant, delicate beauty was as radiant as a flower, her cheeks so tender they seemed to release water at a touch. Her vermilion lips curved into a smile, and every frown and smile of hers could stir the soul. When she looked at him with such deep affection, Jinzhong was left utterly flustered, his head spinning.
“Hmph, why aren’t you saying anything?” Achu habitually pinched Jinzhong’s waist. Finding the feel of it quite pleasant, she left her hand resting there and could not help laughing. “You look so silly. How can Eunuch Jinzhong possibly serve before the Emperor looking like this?”
“Who can blame me when our Achu is as beautiful as a heavenly immortal?” Jinzhong pulled Achu into his arms and drew her against his chest. “If you don’t believe me, listen to my heartbeat. It’s still pounding terribly.”
Achu listened carefully. “It really is beating very fast. Eunuch Jinzhong, that’s a serious ailment. If you make a mistake while serving before the Emperor, you could lose your life.” She smiled sweetly. “Why don’t I treat you?”
“How… how will you treat me?” Jinzhong grew nervous. Looking at the little face drawing ever closer to his, he asked the question.
“By fighting poison with poison, of course.”
With that, Achu kissed him on the lips. The two of them slowly savored each other’s breath and warmth, gradually becoming unwilling to part.
“Eunuch, are you feeling any better?”
“Not enough.” Jinzhong placed Achu’s little hand against his chest. “My heart is still all over the place.”
“Oh?” Achu put on a serious expression and puffed out her cheeks. “Then the poison must not have been strong enough. Let me try again.”
After saying this, the two of them began kissing and fooling around once more.
Achu was in an excellent mood as she sweetly enjoyed her time with her eunuch. She had no idea that someone was criticizing her behind her back. If she had known, she would have been furious.
She felt terribly wronged, too. She had only wanted to take a look at Jinzhong near the Hall of Mental Cultivation, but he absolutely refused. Even when he was off duty, he would not let Achu go find him. Whenever she asked why, Jinzhong merely stammered and could not force out a single coherent word.
Achu had been furious. She thought Jinzhong was guarding himself against her, suspecting that she wanted to seduce the Emperor—or that he was secretly carrying on with another palace maid behind her back.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and the more vivid the images grew in her mind. In the end, Achu began to cry, tears streaming down her face like pear blossoms in the rain. It took Jinzhong begging her at every turn, sending her a great many good things, and coaxing her for a long while—even until Aunt Fang could no longer bear to watch—before Achu finally broke into a smile and forgave him.
Afterward, she forgot all about the matter. It was fine if she went out less often anyway; the Flower House was a long way from the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Of course, Jinzhong still did not tell her the reason.
Jinzhong naturally trusted Achu. Although she was innocent, she had a mind of her own.
During the days they had been together, Achu had given Jinzhong a complete sense of security. Whenever he imagined the two of them becoming an eunuch-married couple, he only pictured himself giving to her in silence. He had never imagined that Achu would respond to him. Yet she did not mind his status as a eunuch in the slightest. She did not despise his incompleteness. She kissed and embraced him, depended on him like a child, cared about him, and cherished him. Though she had never done needlework before, she had still picked up a needle and thread and made him an incredibly adorable purse.
In Jinzhong’s eyes, Achu was simply the finest woman in the world.
Yet such a wonderful woman had ended up with a eunuch. Jinzhong could not deny the inferiority he felt. He wanted to hide her away completely. That way, even if something happened in the future, her reputation would not be damaged and she would not be subjected to people’s gossip and pointing fingers. Jinzhong was doing his best to protect her with what little power he had.
Of course, Jinzhong had his own selfish reasons as well. Achu had always loved beautiful things, whether pastries, gemstones, jewelry, or people. Whatever the object, she always chose the most attractive one.
Jinzhong was handsome enough, but there were others who were no less handsome than he was. Li Yu and Jinbao in the Hall of Mental Cultivation had therefore become Jinzhong’s greatest enemies: one had a face as fine as jade, while the other was upright and refined.
Once he had fallen in love, Jinzhong became anxious and suspicious. The inferiority buried deep in his bones made him instinctively guard against the two men who could pose a threat to him. He was terrified that, after meeting Achu, they would try to seduce her.
He was not worrying needlessly. Faced with Achu, even a eunuch could feel his heart stir and willingly become her devoted captive. So confident was Jinzhong in Achu’s charm that, to eliminate any future trouble, he had made sure she had never even seen the hem of their robes.
Holding the fragrant, soft girl in his arms, Jinzhong smiled, keeping his accomplishments quietly to himself.
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