Chapter 2
Exclusive to Jinjiang / Authored by Mo Qianqian / Readers of pirated copies owe money and will bear the author’s misfortunes by default.
Feng Li rarely looked in the mirror, but she knew roughly what she looked like.
Her face was that of a delicate woman, but the cold, ruthless glint in her eyes…
was identical to the one she often saw in Eunuch Chen.
Except now, her right cheek was swollen high, a painful reminder of the violence she had just endured.
She sucked in a silent breath—that slap had landed on Chen Huan’s face…
The consequences of striking Chen Huan were unimaginable, and she didn’t dare dwell on it.
The moment the people in the room noticed the arrival of the Punishment Bureau’s chief eunuch, the chaotic scene instantly fell into silence.
"E-Eunuch Chen, it was Feng Li, that wretched girl, who started the trouble…"
A palace maid who had always been at odds with Feng Li mustered the courage to speak first.
This whole farce, if scrutinized, would bring no good to any of them. Better to take the initiative and convince Eunuch Chen of her innocence—then Feng Li would surely suffer the consequences!
"Feng Li would never provoke you first! Stop twisting the truth!"
Another maid, already trembling with fear, still spoke up in Feng Li’s defense.
This brought Feng Li some comfort.
The girl was named Xu Bai—introverted, younger than the others, and with little seniority in the palace. She was often bullied into doing extra work for others. The maid who had just accused Feng Li happened to be a relative of the Laundry Bureau’s head matron, so most turned a blind eye to avoid trouble.
Feng Li, with her warm temper and straightforward nature, couldn’t stand such bullying. Having spent six years in the Laundry Bureau without requesting a transfer—an unusual choice, as most palace servants saved up money to move elsewhere—she was now one of its longest-serving members, second only to the matrons.
Over the years, she had often helped the pitiable Xu Bai, which earned her the resentment of those who had been exploiting the younger girl. Petty conflicts had become routine.
Still, the Laundry Bureau was nothing like the cutthroat intrigues of the inner palace. At worst, it was just minor squabbles.
For over two years, they had traded barbs but coexisted without major incident.
"Is that so?"
Feng Li felt slightly more at ease in familiar surroundings, but her mind remained unsettled.
She had no intention of dredging up past grievances—she just wanted to get Eunuch Chen out of the Laundry Bureau as quickly as possible.
So she fixed a cold glare on the accusing maid, startling her into silence.
Without waiting for a response, Feng Li declared in a sharp, deliberate tone, "This girl, Feng Li, is coming with me."
The reactions in the courtyard were mixed—some overjoyed, others distraught.
Xu Bai burst into loud sobs, forgetting her fear entirely as she dropped to her knees and kowtowed before Feng Li.
She nearly clung to "Eunuch Chen’s" robes, wailing, "Eunuch Chen, Feng Li-jie is truly a good person! Please, spare her!"
Those who were close to Feng Li wore expressions of worry, while her adversaries barely concealed their glee, grinning as if they’d struck gold.
Feng Li longed to comfort Xu Bai, but under Chen Huan’s icy stare, she swallowed the impulse.
Pinching her thigh, she ordered her own body, "Come here."
Chen Huan, wearing Feng Li’s delicate form, obediently stepped forward, playing the part of a timid, frightened maid with unsettling ease. Despite his reputation as the ruthless chief of the Punishment Bureau, he had clawed his way up from the lowest ranks—feigning vulnerability was no challenge. The pitiable act was almost convincing enough to stir sympathy.
Feng Li’s gaze lingered on her own swollen cheek.
Even under Chen Huan’s withering glare, she couldn’t resist reaching up to touch the injury.
The sensation of her own hand against her face was… bizarre.
The next moment, the entire room collectively gasped.
The atmosphere turned… peculiar.
Wasn’t Eunuch Chen taking Feng Li away to punish her?
Everyone was stunned—especially Xiao Liangzi.
First, his master had let out an uncharacteristic shriek that morning, then rushed to the Laundry Bureau without explanation. And now…
He had just caressed a lowly maid’s face?
Xiao Liangzi’s mind blanked for several seconds before rebooting.
Then it hit him—could it be that the Eunuch… fancied this girl?
He studied Feng Li more closely. The uninjured half of her face was delicate and pretty, though not as striking as the palace maids who usually sought Eunuch Chen’s favor with ulterior motives. Still, if his master liked her, that was all that mattered.
But… how did Eunuch Chen even know a Laundry Bureau maid?
Xiao Liangzi couldn’t make sense of it.
Meanwhile, Feng Li withdrew her hand under Chen Huan’s glare, suddenly self-conscious.
Feigning composure, she let out a sharp, mocking hum. "This face…"
She paused deliberately, her tone curling with sly implication.
"Whoever struck it shall receive ten strokes of the cane."
Chen Huan couldn’t help but glance at her.
Watching this little maid borrow his authority to swagger about was… unexpectedly amusing.
His lips quirked in a derisive smirk.
---
Feng Li’s impulsive decision to punish the maid under Eunuch Chen’s name was unwise.
If the Punishment Bureau’s chief had simply taken a maid from the Laundry Bureau, it might have gone unnoticed. But "issuing corporal punishment over a lowly maid"? That would draw attention.
Chen Huan, sharp as ever, recognized the misstep immediately.
But Feng Li, having spent six years in the isolated Laundry Bureau, hadn’t considered the implications.
Once they returned to the Punishment Bureau and shut the door behind them, Feng Li found herself oddly at ease.
Perhaps it was because Chen Huan now wore her small, unassuming frame—stripped of his usual intimidating presence. Or perhaps, having unconsciously begun to rely on him, she no longer found Eunuch Chen as terrifying as before.
She almost plopped onto the chair by the desk—
But Chen Huan’s stare froze her mid-motion.
Her brief confidence evaporated.
Rumors painted Eunuch Chen as mercurial and merciless. Staying cautious was the safer choice.
Unaccustomed to dealing with such formidable figures, she carefully weighed every word in her mind.
Yet before she could speak, Chen Huan seated himself and lifted a teacup.
His voice gave nothing away, but the edge in it was unmistakable.
"You certainly flaunted your power today, handing out punishments. Are you pleased with yourself?"
