Eunuch Li stepped out of the Imperial Kitchen and beckoned to Ding Wei. "We’re going to Yikun Palace."
They arrived at the palace, and a maid went inside to announce their arrival. Shortly after, the maid returned and led them into the inner chamber.
The woman, having finished her bath, had skin as white as snow and fox-like eyes under arched brows; she was utterly captivating. She wore a sheer, pale purple silk garment. At around twenty years of age, she was in the prime of her youth.
Ding Wei’s throat involuntarily bobbed as he swallowed hard. He imagined all the most beautiful women in the world must be gathered right here in the Imperial Palace.
Suddenly, he felt a warmth in his nose, as if a small current of blood were welling up. He quickly turned half to the side and raised his sleeve to wipe it...
Blood!
Oh, wait. No.
It was just a runny nose.
He hurriedly suppressed the fire rising within him. *Stay calm, keep your composure,* he told himself silently. *At a critical moment like this, you must not lose your head or mess things up.*
Eunuch Li said, "My congratulations to Noble Consort Zheng. Tonight, please, Noble Consort..."
"Is that so?" Noble Consort Zheng was overjoyed.
Eunuch Li wore a beaming smile. "Please prepare yourself, Noble Consort."
He turned to Ding Wei and instructed, "Little Ding, attend to the Noble Consort."
Ding Wei replied softly, "Yes!"
Seeing Ding Wei behind Eunuch Li, Noble Consort Zheng’s gaze grew slightly hazy.
"Noble Consort, please prepare yourself," Eunuch Li prompted.
"Oh... oh..." Noble Consort Zheng reined in her flustered gaze, tearing her eyes away from Ding Wei with evident reluctance.
Ding Wei followed her into the inner chamber, where she began to loosen the sash at her waist. Recognizing this as his time to shine, he hurried over to help.
"Your Ladyship, let me help you."
"Your name is Little Ding?" Noble Consort Zheng asked, looking at him with an intrigued expression, letting him fumble with the task.
These cursed palace robes were a hundred times harder to untie than modern clothing. As Ding Wei struggled, he replied, "Yes, Your Ladyship."
"Just joined the palace?" she asked curiously.
"Yes, Your Ladyship," he replied promptly.
"What did you do before?" she asked with concern.
"I just finished learning the palace rules," he answered honestly.
Noble Consort Zheng chuckled. "Oh, a little greenhorn. Why is your hand shaking?"
How could it not be shaking? Not just his hand, but his whole body was trembling. He scrambled to undo the outer robes. Her delicate skin and a faint, unique fragrance—different from the Empress’s—intoxicated him.
"Your Ladyship, I... this is my first time performing this duty."
She gave a charming smile, trying to reassure him. "You’ll get used to it. You have such a sturdy build—did you only recently undergo castration?"
He kept working as he replied, "Yes, Your Ladyship. I used to do heavy lifting, so I developed some raw strength."
She smiled. "Not bad." She pinched his arm, feeling the solid muscle. "You’ve still got a man’s physique, what a pity you’re castrated." She let out a light laugh.
Having been in this world for a few months, eating well and training every day, of course he was in good shape. Ding Wei grew nervous; pinching his arm was one thing, but he hoped she wouldn’t pinch anywhere else.
Once he had finally removed the layers of her inner garments, a perfect body was revealed before him. He dared not look, terrified of making a fool of himself. He shifted his gaze, refusing to peek.
After wrapping her in a large blanket, he crouched down. "Noble Consort, please!"
Noble Consort Zheng leaned onto his broad back, her towering peaks pressing against him, leaving him flustered and agitated.
When they stepped out, Eunuch Li led the way. Ding Wei followed with a steady, athletic gait, his upper body still and unmoving, his heart racing but his breathing calm, whereas Eunuch Li was clearly wheezing slightly.
Arriving at the Huanxin Hall, a maid lifted the curtain and guided Ding Wei inside. The Emperor was already waiting beneath the dragon-and-phoenix embroidered quilt on the dragon bed.
Ding Wei set Noble Consort Zheng down, removed the large blanket, and pulled back the edge of the quilt. Noble Consort Zheng crawled in.
The "irrelevant" personnel withdrew outside. A maid lit a stick of incense. At first, Ding Wei thought it was sandalwood. Eunuch Li took out a small notebook and began recording something by the light of a lantern.
...
The incense burned out.
Eunuch Li called out in a shrill, thin voice, "The time is up!"
It truly was a case of the eunuch being more anxious than the emperor. It was no wonder some emperors preferred staying in villas outside the palace or going on secret tours. In the Imperial Palace, even the Emperor had to follow the ancestral rules. Only by leaving the palace could he escape those constraints and enjoy himself fully.
Half a cup of tea’s time passed, and there was still no movement inside.
"Emperor, please take care of your health!"
A moment later, the door opened. A maid whispered, "It is done!"
Eunuch Li signaled for Ding Wei to go in. Inside, Noble Consort Zheng sat with a flushed face, wrapped in a blanket, her eyes filled with an unconcealable loneliness.
Ding Wei crouched down...
Everyone walked back in silence, their steps hurried. Upon returning to Yikun Palace, Eunuch Li gestured for him to go inside and finish up.
Ding Wei placed Noble Consort Zheng on the bed and gently tucked her in. Just as he was preparing to leave, Noble Consort Zheng, naked beneath the covers, said lazily, "Little Ding, I’m tired. Come and give me a massage."
Since his duty was finished, taking a private side job wasn't out of the question. Do a good job, and there might be a reward; fail, and he could lose his head. Either way, he had to do it—he couldn't refuse.
"Yes, Your Ladyship. Please forgive me if I don't do it well."
"Just massage, that’s all."
Since she said so, he began. Ding Wei reached under the quilt and drew out one of her hands, then carefully tucked the blanket back in to keep the chill out. Her fingers were like white, delicate scallions, as graceful as a pianist's. He started from her fingertips, resting her hand on the surface of the quilt...
Noble Consort Zheng’s body and mind were ablaze, and Ding Wei understood now—she probably hadn't been satisfied by the old emperor. As the flush faded, her inner fire cooled. He, however, was drenched in sweat.
Finally, she grew quiet, drifting into sleep with a faint snore. He pulled the door shut and slipped out of the room. The maids outside looked exhausted; the expressions in their eyes were ones of astonishment. He wondered what they were thinking—if they felt this had been the longest wait of their lives.
Ding Wei’s face burned with shame; he didn't dare look at them again and hurried away with his head down.
Back in his quarters, Ding Wei took a cold shower, eventually calming himself down. Lying in bed, it all felt like a dream. The fairy-like Empress. The moon-goddess-rivaling Noble Consort Zheng.
...