First Encounter

A moment later, Ning Chen looked at his "masterpiece" and grinned foolishly. He truly was a genius.

In the dim light, the radiant woman before him was gone, replaced by an authentic eunuch with disheveled hair and a grimy face.

The woman had no appreciation for art at all. Her face remained expressionless. Ning Chen stood there watching for a while, yet she did not offer him a single word of praise. He felt rather indignant. Forget it—he was a grown man. He would not stoop to arguing with a little woman.

Ning Chen dragged the old eunuch beneath the bed, then lay down on it himself. Staring at the woman, he gave her an uneasy reminder: "When the Imperial Guards come in later, bring the blade down in one stroke. Make sure, absolutely make sure, you hit the mark!"

The woman understood at once. She nodded lightly, took the knife used for castration, then quietly walked to Ning Chen's side and calmly pulled off his trousers.

"What is going on? Why haven't you lit the lamps?"

Not long afterward, amid the clanging rhythm of footsteps, several Imperial Guards entered. Their leader wore bright azure armor. He swept his gaze across the room and demanded sharply.

Swish.

Before his words had even faded, the woman's knife came down in a single chop. Blood sprayed out in a crimson blossom, splashing across her face. Fresh red blood trickled down her cheeks, making her already filthy face appear even more indistinct.

"The wind blew out the candle. It's nothing. I've done this sort of thing plenty of times; I can manage even without light."

The woman spoke in a hoarse voice. The gleaming knife in her hand had become a dark-red blade of blood. The dim lighting and eerie atmosphere made the Imperial Guards at the door feel a chill between their legs.

Looking at the youth on the table with blood all over his trousers, the Imperial Guards felt cold all over. The Eunuch's Quarters had always been a filthy, ill-omened place. If not for orders, no one wanted to come here.

"Go. Check the other places."

Seeing nothing amiss, the leading commander waved his hand and hurriedly led the Imperial Guards away from this place of trouble.

Ning Chen, who had long since reached his limit, shot upright. Gasping from the pain, he gritted his teeth and said:

"Woman, you did that on purpose!"

That slash had come within half an inch of making him bid farewell to manhood. And she had cut so deeply—if he did not become a eunuch, he would bleed to death instead.

"Mm."

The woman nodded honestly, nearly making Ning Chen faint from anger. There was no bullying people like this.

"What do we do now?" the woman asked.

She knew this was only the beginning. The palace would surely remain under lockdown for a long time. If she could not escape, it was only a matter of time before she was discovered.

"Right, I haven't asked you yet. What did you do that so many people are after you?" Ning Chen was very curious. The moment he woke up, he had encountered the magnificent sight of the palace's Imperial Guards going into a frenzy. Heaven really was looking after him.

"I tried to assassinate the Xia Emperor. I failed."

The woman remained calm. Ning Chen also remained calm. A moment later, he cried out in alarm, "What?"

Seeing the sharp look in the woman's eyes, Ning Chen gave an awkward smile. "Lost my composure, lost my composure."

His body unconsciously leaned back a little. This woman was a ruthless one. She must not suddenly fly into a frenzy and silence him while she was at it.

"You still haven't answered me. What do we do next?"

The woman asked again.

"Wait."

This time, Ning Chen was very obedient and hurriedly laid out the plan. "Soon, little eunuchs will come to carry people away. This place was just searched, so the Imperial Guards probably won't come back tonight. Stay here for now. Remember—do not, under any circumstances, try to escape."

The woman stared at Ning Chen for a long while, then nodded lightly, indicating that she would follow his advice.

Sure enough, not long afterward, two little eunuchs arrived. Without saying a word, they carried Ning Chen away.

The woman quietly watched Ning Chen leave. Under the lamplight, her bright eyes looked so beautiful that even the blood and grime covering her face could not conceal them.

After walking for a while, the two little eunuchs carried Ning Chen into a spacious hall and laid him on a bed. The rows of connected beds beside him were occupied by newcomers who had just been castrated. Some had fainted and had yet to awaken; some were weeping in secret, whether from pain or something else, no one knew.

Medicine to stop bleeding and treat wounds sat at every bedside, with each person allotted some. This was merely a temporary lodging. Tomorrow, someone would arrange where they were to go. Those with good luck could serve beside nobles such as consorts or Imperial Princes and earn themselves a promising future. Those with poor luck could only be assigned to places like the Laundry Workshop to perform odd jobs.

With temporary safety secured, Ning Chen calmed down and began considering how to arrange his future. He could not stay in this palace forever. There were too many people and too many eyes here. One careless mistake, and someone would discover that he was a Fake Eunuch. By then, that old emperor would surely chop him into pieces.

That woman's methods were as troublesome as her face was beautiful. She was a ruthless person who had dared to assassinate even the emperor; he truly could not afford to provoke her. His first concern now was how to send this troublesome aunt away. Otherwise, if she was in a bad mood one day and casually silenced him, he would not even have a place to cry.

Whether it was from losing too much blood to that woman's slash or because he was truly exhausted, Ning Chen drifted off to sleep without a care in the world. Only the low sobbing echoed against the patter of rain outside, unceasing through the night.

Happy times always passed quickly. Just as Ning Chen was sleeping most soundly, the sky inconsiderately brightened. The early morning sunlight was anything but beautiful, because it meant his life as a eunuch had officially begun.

After the rainy night, the sky was clear. Ning Chen limped out of the room while supporting himself against the wall. He wandered around twice, breathing in the crisp air outside, and his mood greatly improved. Poetic inspiration surged within him, and just as he was about to give voice to his heartfelt admiration, a drake-like voice made his chest tighten, leaving him as sickened as if he had swallowed a fly.

"Whose little brat is this? Don't block this lord's path!"

Clad in a sapphire-blue robe embroidered with cranes, holding a whisk, and wearing a gemstone-studded cap topped with peacock feathers, he had skin pale to an excessive degree and an androgynous face. He looked exactly like an Oriental Invincible who had grown up wrong. Ning Chen suppressed the churning in his stomach and stepped back to avoid him, only to tug at his wound by accident and bare his teeth in pain.

"This lowly one greets you, Eunuch Zhao. May you enjoy ten thousand blessings and golden peace."

"Hmm?"

Zhao Jin halted and curiously looked at the youth before him, asking:

"Ten thousand blessings and golden peace? What an unusual greeting. Who taught you that?"

I'm finished.

Ning Chen knew the moment he heard it that he had said the wrong thing. But he had only just arrived here—how was he supposed to know how one greeted people? At this point, he could only make something up.

"May Eunuch Zhao enjoy ten thousand blessings. This lowly one was overwhelmed by your imposing presence and misspoke in the moment, forgetting the rules and blurting out the greeting used in my hometown to show respect toward elders. This lowly one lost his composure. I beg Eunuch Zhao to forgive my ignorance."

By the end, even Ning Chen felt nauseated. Especially since he had no idea what the old eunuch had smeared on himself; the smell was bizarre, making his Ren and Du Meridians roil endlessly. He wanted nothing more than to slap this old fellow to death.

"What a clever little fellow. From now on, follow this one."

Only then did Zhao Jin look Ning Chen up and down. He nodded with satisfaction. Not bad material. With proper training, Ning Chen should be able to help him quite a bit.

Follow your big-headed ghost.

Ning Chen cursed inwardly, though his face remained all smiles. "Thank you for your favor, Eunuch Zhao. This lowly one is new to the palace and does not understand many things. Since Eunuch Zhao does not disdain me, this lowly one is naturally overjoyed."

"Mm, not bad. From now on, just call this one Eunuch Zhao. What is your name?"

"Ning Chen."

"Mm. From now on, this one shall call you Little Ning." Zhao Jin nodded with satisfaction.

"Your uncle!"

The instant he heard that form of address, Ning Chen could not hold back. The four words burst straight from his mouth. This time, he truly could not endure it.

"Hmm? What did you say?"

Zhao Jin frowned slightly. He did not understand what "your uncle" meant, but there seemed to be a trace of dissatisfaction in the boy's tone, which displeased him.

"N-No, nothing. Eunuch Zhao has bestowed a name upon this lowly one; I am simply too delighted." Ning Chen's smile was dazzling, blooming like a flower. Little Ning? Your entire family is Little Ning.

"This one has matters to attend to and will leave first. Little Ning, there are many rules in the palace. You must study them carefully." With that, Zhao Jin flicked his whisk and turned to leave.

"Whew."

Watching Grand Eunuch Zhao depart, Ning Chen let out a long breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead. In this world, the hardest people to deal with indeed were not women, but those who were neither man nor woman.

"Whose servant is this, daring to block the way here?" Yet just then, another sharp rebuke rang out beside him, startling Ning Chen into a shudder.

Damn it, again?

Ning Chen's anger flared. I'm standing in this cursed place—how am I blocking your way? He was about to explode on the spot, but the moment he saw the canopy embroidered with phoenix patterns, his anger was doused so thoroughly by a basin of cold water that it turned ice-cold.

Good heavens, who is this now?

Escorted by four graceful palace maids, two in front and two behind, a woman approached. Her court attire was magnificent, and her beauty was peerless. Her phoenix coiffure exposed her temples, her delicately swept brows framed eyes full of spring, and her skin was as fine as warm jade, soft and lustrous as cream. Seven parts beauty, three parts enchantment—one glance was enough to make it impossible to look away.

Ning Chen did not recognize this woman, but even if he had never eaten pork, had he not seen pigs run? Such an entourage could be counted on one's fingers in the palace. Besides, this woman was not someone to provoke. He was bound to flee sooner or later, so keeping a low profile was best.

One step back, then another. Ning Chen bent at the waist, lowered his head, and silently chanted, I'm just a passerby. You can't see me.

Seeing Ning Chen move aside, the leading little eunuch gave a soft snort and said nothing more. As a servant himself, he did not dare act overly arrogant before his mistress.

"Wait."

After Wan Yunshang had walked two steps past him, she suddenly stopped. Glancing at Ning Chen, she said:

"Why are you not kneeling?"

Only then did the four palace maids and little eunuch realize that this unfamiliar fellow had not knelt from beginning to end. Had Consort Wan not spoken, they would not even have noticed.

"This lowly one is new to the palace and does not know the palace rules. I beg Your Highness to forgive my offense." Knowing he could not muddle through this, Ning Chen sighed softly inwardly and answered respectfully.

"Do you know now?"

"I do."

"Then why are you not kneeling?"

"This lowly one has only recently been cleansed, and my body cannot obey me. I beg Your Highness to see clearly."

Wan Yunshang would not let the matter go, and Ning Chen would not kneel. After a brief stalemate, the corners of Wan Yunshang's lips lifted. Her soul-stealing eyes carefully examined the youth before her.

"Oh? So that is how it is. Then let it be."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Ning Chen let out a breath of relief. His lowered head concealed the defiance in his eyes, while his tone remained as respectful as ever.