Chapter 22 Part 1

Qixue entered Eunuch Dong’s home and immediately removed his veiled hat, looking around the place.

It was a modest little courtyard with a few plain rooms. Under the shed by the wall were piles of odds and ends and firewood. The red paint on the wooden pillars was chipped and peeling, giving the place a somewhat worn look. It was clear that Eunuch Dong’s family was not well-off, but everything was kept clean and tidy.

The young man followed closely behind Qixue, his gaze fixed on Qixue’s profile. But as soon as Qixue turned to look at him, he bashfully turned his head away, avoiding eye contact.

Qixue was long used to such reactions. He smugly touched his cheek. Although he had learned the Disguise Technique, he still needed to use this face to seduce His Majesty. There was no way he would enter the palace with an ordinary-looking face—he intended to use his true appearance.

The two entered the main hall. The charcoal basin in the room wasn’t burning brightly, making it feel a bit cold. The young man added a few pieces of coal, warming up the room, then brought over two cups of hot tea and handed one to Qixue.

“Thank you.”

Qixue held the teacup and took a slow sip. The rising steam blurred his beautiful features.

The young man watched him for a moment before hesitantly speaking. “My name is Dong Gao. The Eunuch Dong you’re looking for is my older brother. You said you want to enter the palace—do you know what it’s like in there? The palace is extremely dangerous. People die every day.”

Qixue replied, “I’m not too clear on it. Why don’t you tell me?”

Although he had read the original story and had some understanding of the imperial palace, it was still better to hear about it from someone in the know.

Dong Gao said, “Alright, I’ll tell you what I know, though it’s not much. If you have any questions, you can ask my brother tonight.”

It was well-known that one of the reasons Helan Ji was called a tyrant was because he had killed his father and brothers, usurping the throne through rebellion.

He was the Ninth Prince, born to the Late Empress. His eldest brother was the Crown Prince, and their status was extremely noble. But when he was six years old, his mother and brother both died of illness. The previous emperor angrily branded him a cursed star and abandoned him in the Imperial Mausoleum, ignoring him until he was twelve, when he was finally brought back to the palace.

Two years ago, Helan Ji had massacred the imperial palace. Not only did he personally kill the previous emperor, but he nearly slaughtered all the imperial heirs and concubines in the palace, sparing only a few consorts who had been close to the Late Empress. Even most of the eunuchs and palace maids had been killed.

From then on, the palace had become much emptier. At its peak, there had been over eight thousand palace servants, but in recent years, with deaths and escapes, only fewer than two thousand remained—over six hundred palace maids and more than twelve hundred eunuchs.

Dong Gao took a sip of tea and continued, “Even so, there are still too many servants for just a few masters. They don’t need that many people attending them personally.”

“To rise above the others, the competition in the palace is brutal and bloody. Some people will stop at nothing to climb higher. A beautiful person like you would become a thorn in their side the moment you enter. If you’re not vigilant enough, you might not survive the first night.”

“There are also those with ulterior motives whose purposes for entering the palace aren’t pure. If you accidentally discover their secrets, they’ll definitely kill you to silence you…”

“Even with all that, do you still want to enter the palace?”

Qixue nodded without hesitation. “I understand what you mean. Thank you for your kindness, but these difficulties won’t stop me. I must enter the palace.”

Strictly speaking, he was exactly that kind of person—harboring ulterior motives and determined to claw his way to the top. He wanted to climb onto the dragon bed, bewitch His Majesty until he lost his soul, become his beloved favored consort, bear his children, and stir up storms in the court.

Seeing Qixue’s resolve, Dong Gao sighed and didn’t press further. “Alright, stay here and wait a bit. My brother will be back soon. I’ll go make dinner. Will you eat with us?”

“Then thank you.” Qixue smiled at him.

“It’s nothing, not any trouble…” Dong Gao’s ears turned red.

That evening, Eunuch Dong returned home.

He came straight from the palace, still dressed in his eunuch robes, his face caked with thick white powder, pale as a corpse, making his age indeterminable.

Upon seeing Qixue, Eunuch Dong was momentarily stunned by his beauty, but he quickly recovered and put on a smooth smile. “May I ask who this young master is?”

Qixue introduced himself and his purpose. Eunuch Dong smiled knowingly. “So you’re Young Master Sang. Please have a seat. I’ll be right back.”

Eunuch Dong went inside to change clothes. When he emerged, he had washed off the heavy makeup from his face. He had refined features, in his twenties, tall and slender like a frail scholar.

Dong Gao finished preparing dinner and called them to eat. Afterward, Eunuch Dong led Qixue into the inner room and got down to business. “I remember Young Master Sang planned to enter the palace some time ago. What happened in between? Why did it take so long to come to me?”

By their agreement, Qixue should have come half a month earlier, but he had been captured by Wei Huai, delaying him.

Of course, Qixue couldn’t tell the truth. “Before entering the city, I accidentally lost my Identity Pass and couldn’t get in. That’s why I waited so long to get a new one.”

He handed the Identity Pass to Eunuch Dong. It was brand new. Eunuch Dong examined it, nodded slightly, and returned it. “If I may ask one more thing, Young Master Sang—why do you want to enter the palace?”

“To repay a debt of gratitude,” Qixue said.

“Repay a debt?”

Eunuch Dong looked thoughtful. After a moment, as if realizing something, he suddenly smiled, and the way he looked at Qixue changed.

“Since the young master has a goal in mind, you need an opportunity—and I happen to have one… a chance for you to soar straight to the top.”

He stared at Qixue with a strange, somewhat fanatical smile. “Once you’re in a high position, you’ll have whatever you want. Repaying that debt will be effortless, won’t it?”

Qixue’s heart stirred. “Please tell me more.”

“This ‘lord’ title is too much for me—I’m just a palace eunuch. But you’re different.”

Seeing no refusal, Eunuch Dong’s smile deepened. “Has the young master heard of Xu Taifei in the palace?”

Xu Taifei?

Qixue recalled the original story, which did mention her.

Xu Taifei had been like sisters with the Late Empress. After the Late Empress’s death, she had cared for the young Helan Ji. Even after he was sent to the Imperial Mausoleum, Xu Taifei had secretly sent money and arranged for people to look after him, preventing him from starving to death.

She was a woman worthy of respect, but fortune had not favored her. She had only one princess, who died young at sixteen. Overcome with grief, Xu Taifei lost her mind and was ruthlessly thrown into the Cold Palace by the previous emperor. It wasn’t until Helan Ji returned to the palace that he rescued her.

Qixue replied, “I’ve heard of Xu Taifei. She’s a pitiable woman.”

“That’s the past,” Eunuch Dong said. “After His Majesty ascended the throne, he treated her like his own mother, honoring her greatly. In the palace, after His Majesty, she is the most revered. And your opportunity lies with her.”

Qixue thought for a moment. “Do you mean for me to serve Xu Taifei closely?”

“Yes and no.”

Eunuch Dong smiled. “You need to win Xu Taifei’s favor, but not serve her directly. I can arrange everything for you, but in exchange, you must promise me one condition.”

“What condition?”

“If you truly rise to the top, don’t forget me.”

Eunuch Dong pointed to himself. “I want you to have me transferred to your side as your personal eunuch. We’ll rise and fall together. I’ll continue working for you, and you give me some conveniences. What do you say?”

Qixue considered it. The condition was harmless and even beneficial to him. Since Eunuch Dong needed him, he wouldn’t harm him—at least not until he rose to power. “I promise.”

“Good.”

Eunuch Dong narrowed his eyes in a sly, fox-like smile. “Please give me a few days to prepare. Come back here at dawn three days from now, and I’ll personally escort you into the palace.”

With the palace entry settled, Qixue left Eunuch Dong’s home and returned to the courtyard.

As he pushed open the door, Xuan Yang sat by the lamplight reading scriptures, his refined brows lowered. Hearing Qixue enter, he looked up with a faint smile and asked warmly, “Gone so long?”

“Holy Monarch.”

Qixue called sweetly and knelt on the cushion beside him. “This disciple will enter the palace in three days.”

Xuan Yang closed the book. “So soon?”

Qixue shook his head. “It’s not soon. This disciple has already delayed the Holy Monarch too much. I should have entered long ago.”

“Very well,” Xuan Yang said. “Once in the palace, be cautious in all things. Prioritize your safety above all. Don’t be reckless in difficulties—seek my help.”

“This disciple will remember the Holy Monarch’s teachings.”

Qixue gazed at Xuan Yang with eyes full of reluctance and attachment. After so many days together, beyond reverence for the divine, he had grown fond of Xuan Yang like a friend. “This disciple will miss you.”

Xuan Yang paused slightly, then gently stroked Qixue’s hair. “Don’t worry. We will meet again.”

Two days passed in a flash. On the eve of entering the palace, Qixue grew so excited at the thought of soon seeing Helan Ji that he couldn’t sleep. When he finally drifted off, his dreams were all about Helan Ji.

He dreamed of events from over a decade ago, before he had taken human form. He was just a little rabbit then, playing on another mountain when he unluckily encountered a royal hunt. An arrow struck his hind leg, nearly killing him, but Helan Ji saved him.

Qixue still remembered Helan Ji clearly: the young Ninth Prince was only three years old, with a face as lovely as jade snow, phoenix eyes black and bright, wearing a silver crown and a snow-white cloak over his shoulders—like an immortal child from a god’s throne.

Qixue had lost a lot of blood, but the little prince didn’t mind soiling his clothes. He gently held Qixue in his arms and ran all the way to the imperial physicians, who bandaged him and saved his life.

“Little Rabbit, don’t worry. As long as I’m here, no one can bully you.”

The little prince personally built a soft rabbit nest for Qixue, carefully placed him inside, lay beside him, lightly tapped his pink nose, and promised him earnestly in his childish voice.

Qixue’s injury was severe, and he lay listlessly curled up. Worried the energetic child would wear him out, he coldly turned his rabbit rear toward Helan Ji every day, ignoring him completely.