"I've changed my mind!" Quan Dean said.
"What?" Hu Xiaotian asked in astonishment. Had his words just now thoroughly enraged the Old Eunuch? Was Quan Dean so furious and humiliated that he wanted to kill his entire family? If that were true, he would bitterly regret ever opening his mouth.
"If I leave your manhood intact, will you serve me loyally?" Quan Dean asked.
Hearing that he could keep his precious organ, Hu Xiaotian was overwhelmed with delight. He nodded repeatedly. "Eunuch Quan, as long as you let me off, I'll climb a mountain of blades or plunge into a sea of fire for you. If that still isn't enough, I can acknowledge you as my godfather. I can even take your surname."
Hu Xiaotian seemed to have touched another sore spot. Quan Dean sighed softly. "I'm not blessed with such good fortune. I can never have descendants in this lifetime." His right hand lightly patted the armrest. "I can spare you castration, and I can spare your two companions. I can even persuade His Majesty to spare every member of your Hu Family. But..."
At that "but," Hu Xiaotian's heart sank again. The Old Eunuch was certainly no lamp that burned oil sparingly. Who knew what harsh conditions he would demand next? On second thought, however, nothing could be worse than being castrated and sent into the palace. As long as the Old Eunuch could do everything he had just promised, Hu Xiaotian could even consider killing someone for him. "Go ahead," he said.
"You must enter the palace and work for me," Quan Dean said.
"I can enter the palace without being castrated?" Hu Xiaotian asked.
"As long as I give my approval, nothing is impossible," Quan Dean said.
Hu Xiaotian let out a long breath of relief.