It was almost New Year's Eve. The Internal Affairs Department had painted the mottled palace walls a bright red, and the pungent smell still lingered in the air.
All the eunuchs and maids were tense, terrified of making a mistake at any step.
The head eunuch gripped a whip and cursed incessantly.
"Be gentle! These are glass bottles offered as tribute."
"Why hasn't the snow over there been swept clean? If a noble slips and falls, how many heads do you have to lose!"
"Why haven't those old lanterns been taken down yet? Hurry up and replace them with new ones!"
Ji Zhaoxi was passing by with a broken bucket in her hand when a young eunuch next to her tried to trip her.
He was caught red-handed by the head eunuch, who immediately lashed his whip against the young eunuch's foot.
"If you don't want this leg, I'll have someone chop it off and feed it to the dogs!"
The young eunuch was scared out of his wits. He fell heavily to his knees, trembling all over like a leaf.
Ji Zhaoxi was snickering on the sidelines. The head eunuch narrowed his eyes and poked her head with the whip, "Still laughing? Get back to work."
"Okay—" Ji Zhaoxi sighed, lifting her broken bucket and walking away.
The Penal Department stood in sharp contrast to the lively, festive atmosphere outside.
The air inside the Penal Department was filled with the smell of rust and burning.
Eunuch Liu sat in a large armchair. The wound on his forehead had healed, but it left a scar, and his expression was extremely gloomy.
"Hurry up, I don't have time to waste with them."
These offending servants had to be dealt with before the New Year.
"Ah—"
Miserable screams echoed through the narrow alleyway, followed by the sound of the executioner splashing water from a ladle onto a charcoal fire.
Eunuch Liu acted as if he heard nothing, slowly flipping through the booklet in his hands.
Before dawn, young eunuchs from various palaces had already formed a long line, shrinking their necks as they waited at the door with flattering smiles on their faces.
As soon as Ji Zhaoxi came out, those eunuchs surrounded her.
"Xiao Xizi, can you give this to Eunuch Liu?"
"Xiao Xizi, is Eunuch Liu in the courtyard?"
They looked at Ji Zhaoxi as if she were their ancestor, eagerly trying to stuff things into her hands.
Before Ji Zhaoxi could react, a small gold ingot was slipped into her sleeve, giving her a huge fright.
"I won't take it, I won't take it. Give it to my master."
Ji Zhaoxi quickly ran away. Eunuch Liu could accept gifts because he could actually get things done for them. If she took them, she wouldn't be able to help anyone.
She ran very fast, and the young eunuchs kept chasing after her. Ji Zhaoxi turned several corners and finally managed to shake them off.
Today, Ji Zhaoxi was wearing a new eunuch uniform. She admired herself in the mirror for a long time, even though the reflection wasn't very clear.
She grabbed a food box and ran over to the Ruhui Palace. Xiao Yanchen was standing quietly on the threshold waiting. When he saw Ji Zhaoxi, he smiled and ran toward her.
"Xiao Xizi, you've changed into new clothes."
Although it looked almost the same as her old uniform, he knew it was new—after all, he was the one who washed all her clothes.
Looking at Xiao Yanchen, who only had the same few pieces of clothing to wear day in and day out, Ji Zhaoxi suddenly felt a bit sorry for him.
"Seventh Prince, how about I give you my old clothes?"
Xiao Yanchen's eyes lit up. "Really?"
Seeing him so happy made Ji Zhaoxi pity him even more. She said generously, "Just pick whichever eunuch uniform you like, and it's yours."
Xiao Yanchen looked at her nervously. "Xiao Xizi, can I have the dark cyan one?"
Ji Zhaoxi had no idea which one he was talking about but nodded very readily.
Xiao Yanchen looked at Ji Zhaoxi beside him and gathered his courage to say, "Xiao Xizi, could you stop calling me Seventh Prince from now on?"
Ji Zhaoxi frowned. "Then what should I call you?"
Xiao Yanchen blushed and whispered, "You can call me Xiao Chenzi."
"You're Xiao Xizi, and I'll be Xiao Chenzi, okay?"
Ji Zhaoxi was silent for a moment. "But that makes you sound like a little eunuch, and you're not a eunuch."
Xiao Yanchen's eyes turned red. "But I want to have a name like Xiao Xizi's."
Ji Zhaoxi pretended to sigh maturely. "Actually, I have a real name. I wasn't called Xiao Xizi at first."
She had a proper first and last name.
Xiao Yanchen was stunned for a second. "Then what is your name?"
"I'm not telling you."
Xiao Yanchen's eyes immediately dimmed, and he remained depressed for the rest of the time.
"When the time comes, let's go to the arrow tower to watch the fireworks. No one guards that spot. Do you want to go?" Ji Zhaoxi asked, feeling a bit guilty.
She had wanted to go for years, but the other young eunuchs refused to go with her. When she mentioned it to Eunuch Liu, he had even scolded her.
Xiao Yanchen felt somewhat flattered and quickly nodded. "I want to go with Xiao Xizi."
Ji Zhaoxi's eyes instantly lit up. "Then it's a promise!"
Xiao Yanchen nodded vigorously. "I would go even if I had to climb a mountain of swords or plunge into a sea of fire."
The hidden guard up on the roof beam: ...
After Ji Zhaoxi left, Xiao Yanchen happily spun around the courtyard a few times.
As New Year's Eve drew closer, Ji Zhaoxi didn't visit Xiao Yanchen for a few days. She had been busy following the older eunuchs to hang palace lanterns, paste couplets, or sweep the snow.
"Xiao Xizi, why isn't it swept clean here?" A maid frowned, pointing at the ground.
Ji Zhaoxi hurried over with a large broom. As soon as she arrived, several maids pinched her cheeks.
"Why is Xiao Xizi always slacking off? Do you want me to help you sweep?"
"Xiao Xizi, call me sister and let me hear it."
Ji Zhaoxi was teased until her face turned red. She tried to run away with her broom, but was immediately caught.
"Running again, running again. You run every time you see us."
"Why don't you run when you see Xiao He? Is it because Xiao He gives you candy?"
Ji Zhaoxi looked at them seriously. "Sisters, we are very busy right now, I need to get back to work."
A maid rubbed Ji Zhaoxi's head and popped a piece of candy into her mouth.
"Go on, go on."
Ji Zhaoxi quickly grabbed her large broom and ran off.
A nearby eunuch silently rolled his eyes.
Pretending to blush, pretending to be well-behaved, using his young age to play around with the maids everywhere—bah!
The Noble Consort had been learning from several senior maids, but she hadn't learned a thing. The senior maids didn't dare to teach her properly; every time the Noble Consort got angry, they were too terrified to speak.
In the end, the palace banquet was only organized with the help of several other concubines.
The Noble Consort absolutely despised those senior maids. Everything they suggested was based on the late Empress's preferences—always talking about being dignified and elegant.
What was the point of being elegant during the New Year? She wanted the most magnificent and extravagant palace banquet. Did every single event have to cater to the late Empress's tastes?
The woman was dead, yet she was still in the way.
The various palaces had already started distributing fabric and charcoal. As usual, Xiao Yanchen received the lowest quality of both.
