Lin Zili paused for a moment, then smiled and said, “Very well.”
His voice as he told the story was low and carried a unique rhythm, as if it held some magical power. Within moments, Yan Jingzhi’s eyelids began to droop, yet he struggled to stay awake, wanting to hear just a little bit more.
“Sleep now, Your Majesty. We shall continue the story tomorrow,” Lin Zili coaxed gently.
Drowsy, Yan Jingzhi’s voice became slurred: “Then Banban must stay with me tomorrow too.”
“Naturally. As long as Your Majesty needs me, this servant will always be here,” Lin Zili replied. A faint smile graced his face, and in the candlelight, his expression appeared exceptionally gentle, making Yan Jingzhi feel that this person was the warmest existence in the cold, deep palace.
Finally, Yan Jingzhi could no longer resist the exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep, a shallow smile lingering on his lips, perhaps dreaming of wonderful things.
Lin Zili sat quietly by the bedside, watching the little Emperor’s peaceful sleeping face, his mind filled with complex thoughts. This world was not the longest he had spent in, but it was certainly the most emotionally draining. His character rarely appeared in the original text, and in the words of others, he was described only as gloomy, ruthless, and unscrupulous. To Yan Jingzhi, he had always acted with hypocrisy and honeyed deceit, but the boy had never known true kindness from anyone else and thus could not distinguish between sincerity and fabrication.
He had raised Yan Jingzhi for over three years. At this impressionable age, the boy only remembered the kindness of Lin Zili. Moreover, without any proper guidance, the child initially had no concept of status or social hierarchy. Back when the little Emperor was in the cold palace, any stray cat or dog could trample all over him; for a time, he even thought being a eunuch was a position of great power and influence, behaving timidly before the eunuchs and maids around him.
During that period, the selfish ambitions of the palace staff sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain. When Lin Zili discovered this, he purged the entire palace. Listening to the cries of the dying, the little Emperor suffered from nightmares for two days. Back then, the look in the little Emperor’s eyes when he gazed at Lin Zili was one of terror, as if he were looking at a demon. It had taken Lin Zili a long time to help him relax and earn his trust.
Children have short memories; as time passed, the boy forgot. He only remembered who had been good to him. When he looked back, he had only a vague impression that those eunuchs and maids had been bad people and that Banban had killed them for his own good.
Now, the little Emperor relied on him more and more. If he heard even a hint of criticism against Lin Zili, he would grow angry; he had already punished many people for such offenses. Thinking of this, and remembering that he would die in a few days, Lin Zili felt a genuine sense of reluctance.
The eunuch nearby, wanting to curry favor, leaned forward and whispered, “Gonggong, His Majesty is asleep. You should go and rest as well. We are here to serve.”
Lin Zili returned to reality from his thoughts. He cast a sideways glance at the eunuch. Although he showed no emotion, his gaze carried an invisible pressure that left the eunuch feeling suffocated. Cold sweat beads formed on the man’s temples, and his back grew damp. The eunuch shivered, bowing lower and regretting his meddlesome words.
Lin Zili watched him for a while but ultimately said nothing. He slowly stood up and handed the exquisite fan to him, speaking in a flat tone: “Fan His Majesty until midnight, then you may rest. Move a few extra buckets of ice here. Do not let His Majesty catch a chill, or your heads will pay the price.”
The eunuch hurriedly took the fan, relieved as if granted a pardon: “Yes, Gonggong. We will serve with the utmost care and never dare to make a single mistake.”
Lin Zili ignored him further and turned to leave. Although he was a eunuch, thanks to the little Emperor’s favor, he had his own small courtyard not far from the palace, so he did not have to guard the Emperor twenty-four hours a day. Of course, the little Emperor was clingy, so he spent most of his time by his side.
Before dawn, it was time for the morning court. Lin Zili was dressed by his attendants in scarlet, gold-trimmed python robes, highlighting his extraordinary status and the favor he received from the Emperor. He did not wear a cap; his hair was simply gathered with a jade crown, cascading behind him. He looked less like a eunuch and more like a member of the nobility. Such a breach of protocol was naturally despised by the court officials.
Once dressed, he headed to the Emperor’s bedchamber. When he arrived, the little Emperor was not yet awake. He entered without waiting to be announced, and the eunuchs on the side dared not stop him, bowing and stepping back out of habit.
Lin Zili stepped into the chamber softly. The room was so quiet that only the little Emperor’s rhythmic breathing could be heard. He approached the dragon bed, his gaze lingering on the little Emperor’s still-youthful face. In his dream, the boy’s brows were slightly furrowed, as if he were trapped in an unpleasant dream.
Lin Zili reached out instinctively, wanting to smooth those furrowed brows. However, halfway through, he seemed to recall something. He paused, then slowly withdrew his hand and said in a low voice: “Your Majesty, it is time for court.”
His voice was very soft, yet carried an unquestionable weight, echoing in the quiet chamber. The little Emperor seemed to hear the call. He hummed, his youthful face filled with reluctance, his brows furrowing even tighter as if resisting this intrusion upon his beautiful dream.
Seeing Yan Jingzhi’s childlike behavior, Lin Zili’s lips curled upward: “Your Majesty, the time has come. If you go late, those ministers will start nagging again.”
Only then did Yan Jingzhi slowly open his sleepy eyes. He blinked a few times. Once he saw that the person before him was Lin Zili, his expression of annoyance vanished. With a dependent tone, he muttered:
“I know. Looking at their ugly faces every day is so annoying. If only you could attend the morning court for me, Banban.”
“Your Majesty, that would not do. Those ministers would surely eat this servant alive.”
No matter how much he grumbled, the court had to be held. Yan Jingzhi knew it was unavoidable, so he reluctantly allowed the eunuchs to dress and wash him. By the time he was ready, it was already a bit late. As they entered the hall, the low buzzing of ministers conversing could already be heard inside. Upon seeing the Emperor’s arrival, they ceased their talk and stood in their positions, waiting for the audience to begin.
The little Emperor did not care much about the officials’ gazes. He walked into the hall with a steady gait, head held high, and walked straight toward the dragon chair. Lin Zili did not pay attention to the loathing in the ministers’ eyes either. Once the little Emperor was seated firmly on the dragon chair, Lin Zili shouted from the side that the audience had begun.
The voice echoed through the hall, breaking the brief silence. Upon hearing it, the ministers lifted their robes in unison and knelt down, shouting, “Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!”
Lin Zili stood to the side, his gaze sweeping calmly over the kneeling ministers below. He felt a mix of mockery and self-satisfaction. What did it matter if they looked down on him? As long as he stood in a high enough position, they still had to kneel and bow in his direction.