What a Pity, He's a Eunuch
The Qingliang Mountain Imperial Villa covered a vast area; it could well be considered a miniature imperial palace.
Su Zhenzhen lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out. Her eyes were met with red walls and green tiles, with double-eaved roofs featuring upturned corners. She had heard that the vicinity also encompassed numerous garden landscapes, complete with rockeries, pools, pavilions, and terraces. It was an elegant and tranquil place, a favorite destination for noble ladies and young gentlemen.
Summer had already arrived, and the mountain was covered with lush green bamboo. Thanks to Mu Dan, Su Zhenzhen got to stay with him in an independent courtyard. Surrounded by thousands of emerald bamboo stalks, walking inside immediately felt refreshing, and the sticky feeling of summer lingering around her body vanished completely.
In the courtyard, a clear spring wound its way to the front of the house, watering the giant banana tree by the wall.
There were three rooms in total: one bright and two dark. The middle one was the living room, and the two on the sides were bedrooms.
"Where do you want to stay?" Su Zhenzhen asked Mu Dan.
The little eunuch stretched out a finger and lazily pointed to the darker room on the right.
Perfect. Su Zhenzhen preferred the one with more sunlight.
Carrying her bundle, she entered the room on the left. The furnishings inside were exquisite, fully equipped with a bed, small tables, chairs, and desks.
Ever since she transmigrated, this was the first time Su Zhenzhen had a private bedroom all to herself.
The bedding in the room looked freshly changed, and the material was of excellent quality. This was truly all thanks to Mu Dan.
It was already dark now; she would take them out to air in the sun tomorrow.
Su Zhenzhen walked around the room and then opened the window.
Incense, set up beforehand, was burning in the room. From the scent, she could tell it was meant to repel mosquitoes.
Then, she discovered that the room she was staying in actually had its own private toilet and bathing area. Heaven knew how long it had been since she had an en-suite bathroom!
Humming a little tune, Su Zhenzhen was about to head to the small kitchen to boil water for a bath when she saw two young eunuchs carrying wooden buckets into Mu Dan's room.
"What are you two doing, Eunuchs?"
Seeing her, the two young eunuchs bowed slightly. "We are drawing bathwater for Eunuch Mu Dan."
Mu Dan's status was actually high enough to have two young eunuchs serving him.
Shaking her head, Su Zhenzhen went to boil water for her own bath. Fortunately, by following Mu Dan, she hadn't been assigned any work. Otherwise, she wouldn't even have time to boil her own bathwater, let alone have to serve someone else.
Wait a minute, no work! What was the difference between this and a paid vacation? There was no difference!
Soaking in the large wooden tub, Su Zhenzhen scrubbed her body with a loofah while happily continuing to hum her song.
Far away from that man-eating monster called the imperial palace, arriving at Qingliang Mountain made Su Zhenzhen feel healed by the lush greenery.
Listening to the chirping of insects and cicadas in the courtyard, even her sleep at night was sweet.
Su Zhenzhen slept until she woke up naturally for the first time since coming to this world.
Looking at the sunlight outside, she felt completely radiant!
Getting up and getting dressed, Su Zhenzhen washed up, then took the bedding she slept on yesterday out to air. She also took out the clothes she brought to air in the sun, and then pulled up a chair to sit in the breezy spot under the eaves, waiting for Mu Dan to wake up.
She waited and waited, but Mu Dan did not appear.
She glanced at the sky; it was almost noon, wasn't it?
A young eunuch carrying a food box came in through the courtyard gate.
"Miss Su, this is your lunch."
"Thank you, Eunuch."
Su Zhenzhen reached out to take the lunch and glanced toward Mu Dan's room again.
The doors and windows were shut tight.
Su Zhenzhen did not have the habit of disturbing others while they rested. She packed her bamboo basket and went out.
There were far more varieties of herbs on Qingliang Mountain than in the imperial palace. Coming here, Su Zhenzhen felt like a mouse that had fallen into a rice bin.
Because Mu Dan strongly resisted acupuncture, Su Zhenzhen had no choice but to increase his medicinal dosage.
Sigh, raising a beautiful youth was truly hard work.
Just as Su Zhenzhen was digging, she suddenly heard a rustling sound.
She subconsciously looked toward the source of the noise.
Herbs grew in remote places, so it was inevitable that some blind fools might harbor ill intentions.
Holding up her small hoe, Su Zhenzhen saw something seemingly wriggling in the corner of the wall.
The next moment, a person crawled out from the dilapidated corner of the wall.
The small hoe in Su Zhenzhen's hand almost came swinging down, until she noticed that this middle-aged man was wearing an official's uniform.
She almost assaulted a court official and ended up rotting in jail. Fortunately, her eyesight was sharp.
The middle-aged man obviously didn't expect that after crawling in through the wall corner, he would actually see a beautiful palace maid holding a small hoe.
"Ahem, I-I'm not a bad person."
Su Zhenzhen didn't move.
Bad guys never admitted it.
"I am the Investigating Censor. Do you... do you know where Minister of Rites Zhou Mo, Lord Zhou, is?" The man thought for a moment, then reluctantly took off the jade pendant from his waist and handed it to her. "Please show me the way."
The jade pendant looked to be of good quality, with the character "Qing" carved on it.
Su Zhenzhen remembered.
If she remembered correctly, the cause of this imperial examination fraud case was that Investigating Censor Chen Qingchen discovered that all the selected talents this time came from noble families, without a single one from a humble background.
Suspicious, he secretly retrieved the failed exam papers and the selected ones to inspect them.
He found that the selected papers were utter nonsense, while among the failed ones, there were many brimming with brilliant literary talent.
At that time, Minister of Rites Zhou Mo was vacationing at Qingliang Mountain with the tyrant. Believing the matter to be of the utmost urgency, Chen Qingchen rode straight to Qingliang Mountain.
Unexpectedly, the guards inside and outside Qingliang Mountain were extremely strict. He couldn't get in at all, so he had no choice but to resort to this poor tactic of crawling through a hole in the wall.
After entering Qingliang Mountain, Chen Qingchen informed Minister of Rites Zhou Mo of the matter, never expecting that Zhou Mo was actually an accomplice in this imperial examination fraud case.
Above Zhou Mo, Grand Secretary Sun, the biggest corrupt official who accepted the bribes, directly slapped a random charge on Chen Qingchen and threw him into the imperial prison.
Thus, the matter was suppressed.
The humble scholars in the court, who had studied hard for a decade by the cold window to enter officialdom and were dedicated to serving the court, had been suppressed for years by the Sun faction led by Grand Secretary Sun. This time, Chen Qingchen's death became the fuse, causing a host of officials from humble backgrounds to lose heart in the new dynasty. It just so happened that Shen Yanci appeared, reigniting their hope of serving the court. This group of humble scholars would become Shen Yanci's most solid political force in the future.
Su Zhenzhen knew that political struggles were cruel; it was a matter of climbing up by stepping on the bones of others.
But what did Shen Yanci's political struggles have to do with her?
"Is this jade pendant of yours valuable?"
Chen Qingchen: ...
"Forget it, I'll show you the way."
Su Zhenzhen reached out, took the jade pendant, and led Chen Qingchen outside.
Holding his breath, Chen Qingchen followed behind Su Zhenzhen. "That is my family heirloom jade pendant. In the future, I will find you to redeem it..."
The two walked a short distance when they saw the Imperial Guards patrolling ahead.
Chen Qingchen immediately covered his face, but it was already too late.
The Imperial Guards were incredibly sharp; they came up and immediately pinned Chen Qingchen to the ground.
Look at the mess this turned into.
Su Zhenzhen watched as Chen Qingchen was safely hauled away by the Imperial Guards before successfully retreating with his family heirloom jade pendant in hand.
A family heirloom jade pendant should be even more valuable, right?
-
Wei Heng sat upright in the waterside pavilion. Although he wore a smile on his face, he already sensed something odd in his heart.
Surrounding him stood several top candidates from this year's spring imperial examination, yet they couldn't even compose a single decent poem.
What was going on?
"Lord Wei."
Han Shuo, Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, appeared in the waterside pavilion with a cold expression, his hand pressing against the Xiuchun blade at his waist.
Wei Heng stood up, bid farewell to the newly appointed imperial scholars, and followed Han Shuo out of the pavilion.
The two had not gone far when they heard the impatient discussions of those new scholars behind them.
"A mere eunuch actually thinks of himself as a person of importance."
"He's not even fit to carry my shoes."
Han Shuo's expression instantly turned cold and dark. Wei Heng reached out and pressed down on his shoulder. "What is it?"
"We caught an official... trespassing on Qingliang Mountain."
"An official?"
Now that was strange.
Wei Heng followed Han Shuo back to his own courtyard, where the captured official was currently tied up.
"These are the things we searched from his person."
Han Shuo handed two exam papers to Wei Heng.
Wei Heng sat in the premier armchair and slowly flipped through the papers.
After reading them, his gaze fell upon Chen Qingchen. "Lord Chen?"
"Mmph, mmph..." Chen Qingchen was gagged.
"Untie Lord Chen."
Regaining his freedom, Chen Qingchen looked at Wei Heng with a vigilant expression.
Wei Heng smiled faintly, his posture gentle. "Why did Lord Chen bring these two exam papers here?"
"I need to find the Minister of Rites, Lord Zhou Mo."
"Can you not speak of it with me?"
"No!"
Wei Heng continued to smile. "Han Shuo, lock him up."
Since they could not reason with him, it was a good thing he possessed some martial authority.
Wei Heng felt that he was actually quite refined. If this Lord Chen had run into his ancestor-like master, a sword would already be resting against his neck by now.
This vacation at Qingliang Mountain would last for nearly three months, avoiding the hottest time of the year in Jinling City.
Wei Heng pushed open the doors of the Qingliang Palace. That very master of his was curled up on the floor, resting.
Although the sun had already set, Wei Heng still dared not be careless. He quickly turned and closed the palace doors, then placed the items in his hands onto the desk.
On the floor, Lu Hexu shifted his body. He opened his eyes, his gaze clear but faintly bloodshot, not looking at all like someone who had just woken up.
Wei Heng lightened his footsteps and stepped forward. "Your Majesty, your servant has discovered something suspicious. I fear there was cheating in this recent imperial examination."
The young man, annoyed at being woken up, looked extremely gloomy. "Kill them all."
Wei Heng was speechless.
After a brief pause, Lu Hexu kicked away Wei Heng, who was standing by his feet. He sluggishly rolled over, then sprawled on the ground and reached out to grab the glazed lamp on the side, using it to prop himself up. "Handle it yourself."
After saying this, he pushed open the palace doors and walked out.
Su Zhenzhen had been picking herbs all day, and it was not until evening that she saw Mu Dan return from outside.
Sigh, being someone else's son is truly not easy. He must have been exhausted from catering to others' moods all day.
Su Zhenzhen was currently wrapping medicinal pills.
Two pills per packet, twice a day.
These were the pills she prepared for Mu Dan, which were much more convenient than boiling herbal soup every day.
Because they were a bit large, about the size of Maltesers, they could not fit into small porcelain bottles, so they had to be chewed.
The young eunuch sat silently beside Su Zhenzhen, his face pale. "It's hot."
Su Zhenzhen actually felt it was fine.
Qingliang Mountain was already much more comfortable than the imperial palace.
Lu Hexu had slept all day in a bedchamber filled with ice blocks at the Qingliang Mountain temporary palace. Not only did he fail to rest well, but he also felt even more depressed.
Lu Hexu stood up, turned around, and entered the courtyard.
Su Zhenzhen peeked over to look. The young eunuch, still fully clothed, stepped directly into the spring water in the courtyard, submerging half of his body.
The spring was a living spring, looking very clean, and the water reached the young man's waist.
He tilted his head back slightly, resting it against the edge built of stones, and spread his arms out to the sides. His distinct, bony fingers pressed against the rocks, and his Adam's apple was prominent on his raised neck.
Do eunuchs still have Adam's apples?
This question flashed through her mind briefly before Su Zhenzhen was immediately captivated by his beauty.
She had always thought that although Mu Dan was good-looking, his body was too thin and weak. She never expected that after being soaked by the spring water, with his clothes clinging tightly to him, his body would reveal such beautifully lean muscle lines.
The young man was like a lazy kitten seeking coolness, his entire body relaxed and stretched out.
The moonlight also seemed to favor him, falling lightly and thinly upon his figure.
What a pity he is a eunuch.
Seeing the young man suffering from the heat like this, Su Zhenzhen had a flash of inspiration. "Oh right, didn't you say there's an ice cellar here?"
Su Zhenzhen followed Mu Dan out of the courtyard. The two walked along a small path until they reached a low, semi-arched door.
It was built with bricks and stones, and the cellar entrance was covered with straw and reed mats.
"Is this the ice cellar?"
"Yes."
Lu Hexu nodded. He handed the lantern in his hand to Su Zhenzhen, then used one hand to brush aside the straw and reed mats, took out a key, and opened the wooden door.
Holding the lantern, Su Zhenzhen carefully followed the young eunuch inside. Walking behind him, she reached out one hand to tug at the hem of his clothes.
The cellar was very dark, and the small lantern only illuminated a corner. Su Zhenzhen felt a rush of cold air hit her face. Wearing only thin clothes, she could not help but shiver, yet she did not feel too cold. It felt exactly like suddenly entering an air-conditioned room from a sweltering environment.
"Which one do you want?" Lu Hexu leaned against the ice blocks, the coolness they brought making him narrow his eyes comfortably.
There were many ice blocks here. Su Zhenzhen walked around with the lantern and finally chose a relatively small one.
"How do we carry it?"
Lu Hexu took off his outer robe, directly picked up the ice block, and walked out.
Su Zhenzhen followed behind, carrying the lantern.
The misty lamplight illuminated the young man's slender and beautiful figure. The waist cinched by his belt was incredibly narrow. She did not know if it was truly that narrow or just a visual effect.
Lu Hexu stepped out of the ice cellar, and Su Zhenzhen followed right behind him.
The entrance to the cellar was slippery. She stumbled and fell forward, crashing into Lu Hexu.
Holding the ice block, Lu Hexu barely managed to stand firm. Behind him, Su Zhenzhen held the lantern in one hand and hugged his waist with the other, also barely managing to steady herself.
His waist is so narrow.
Lu Hexu turned sideways and lowered his head, looking down at her.
Su Zhenzhen coughed lightly, patted the hem of her skirt, and stood up. "The moonlight is really beautiful tonight."
The two returned to the courtyard. There was also a small kitchen here, right near the courtyard gate, looking like it had been converted from a side room. This was where Su Zhenzhen had boiled water yesterday.
The small kitchen was stocked with many seasonal fruits, as well as fresh vegetables and meats, with pots, bowls, pans, and utensils all readily available.
When watching TV dramas, Su Zhenzhen had always seen certain eunuchs holding immense power in the court, with the little eunuchs under them also enjoying a life of luxury.
Now, this phenomenon was finally materialized before her eyes.
She suddenly felt that she was aiming a bit too high by associating with Mu Dan, this second-generation eunuch.
Su Zhenzhen shifted her gaze downward, landing on Mu Dan's waist.
He was still wearing that ugly fragrant sachet she had given him.
She wondered if Wei Heng would beat her, a penniless suitor, out the door if she went and knelt to beg him to marry his godson to her.
While her mind wandered, Su Zhenzhen's hands did not stop moving.
After crushing the ice block, she spread it on a red-lacquered tray, filtered out the ice slush, and then melted the honey-mixed creamy butter over hot water before pouring it over the little ice mountain. Finally, she garnished it with fresh fruits, such as seasonal watermelon and peaches.
"Are you done peeling them?" Su Zhenzhen poked her head out to look at Mu Dan.
Sitting on a small wooden stool, Lu Hexu held a peach in one hand and a dagger in the other, currently peeling the skin.
Su Zhenzhen watched him peel off a thin layer of peach skin. It was as thin as cicada wings, translucent, and came off in one continuous strip.
"Wow, how many peaches have you peeled?"
"Never peeled one."
He had peeled quite a few people, though.
Lu Hexu slowly sliced the peach and handed the pieces to Su Zhenzhen.
Su Zhenzhen picked them up with chopsticks, placing them slice by slice onto the shaved ice dessert.
Then she asked Mu Dan to go cut open the watermelon.
Lu Hexu got up, walked to the clear spring in the courtyard, took out the watermelon that had been soaking inside, and placed it on the cutting board.
He sliced the watermelon in half, revealing the beautiful red flesh inside.
"The core in the middle is the sweetest."
Su Zhenzhen pointed at the center of the watermelon.
Lu Hexu dug it out with his dagger, skewered it on the tip, and took a bite.
"It is alright." After speaking, Lu Hexu shifted his gaze, landing on the jar of honey next to Su Zhenzhen's hand.
He picked up the honey jar, poured a little over the watermelon, and took another bite. His expression immediately relaxed.
Your insulin must be smoking from overwork, right?
Su Zhenzhen felt she should increase Lu Hexu's medication dosage.
Sharing one portion of shaved ice, Su Zhenzhen and Lu Hexu sat facing each other, each holding a small wooden spoon to dig in.
Su Zhenzhen did not have much of a sweet tooth, so she scooped from the middle where the honey had not soaked through.
Lu Hexu had a massive sweet tooth and started digging from the top where the honey was the thickest.
As the cold shaved ice slid down his throat, the young eunuch's expression improved even more.
He tilted his head slightly to look at the woman sitting opposite him. She wore a low-profile dark maid outfit. Her hair was a bit messy, with fine bangs slipping down to stick to her cheeks, adding a touch of lazy casualness.
"This has lost its scent."
Lu Hexu unhooked the sachet from his waist and handed it to Su Zhenzhen.
Su Zhenzhen reached out to take the sachet, skillfully taking fresh herbs from the medicine bag she carried to replace the old ones for him.
Lu Hexu sniffed the newly refilled sachet but felt the scent was not quite right.
Su Zhenzhen was still digging into the shaved ice. To catch a runaway piece of peach, she leaned half her body over right in front of Lu Hexu.
The young man held his spoon, bringing the ice to his mouth. He leaned slightly, catching the scent of the woman in his breath.
It smelled better than the sachet.
Su Zhenzhen finally skewered the runaway peach.
She looked up, meeting the young man's face right in front of her.
Too close.
When did she get so close? Was this the legendary physical attraction?
His skin was so white, without a single flaw.
His eyelashes were long, his pupils dark.
The young man had his eyes half-closed, seemingly unaware that they had crossed the safe distance.
Su Zhenzhen swallowed hard, her gaze sweeping over the young man's moist lips.
To stop herself from doing anything crazy, Su Zhenzhen suddenly raised the peach to the young man's lips to create some distance. "Want some peach?"
[Ahhhhh, I actually want to eat you.]
[You look even more tender than the peach.]
Lu Hexu narrowed his eyes, looking down at the woman's hair resting on the back of his hand.
He gave a shake, flicking the strand of hair away.
Tyrant Kitten: Shaking off dirty things.
Puppy Zhenzhen: Drooling uncontrollably.
