"An audience is requested by Sister Yuer from the chambers of Imperial Consort Xiao." A fawning and respectful voice came from outside the door.
Zhao Wujiang began to dress:
"Let her in."
"Congratulations, Manager Zhao, felicitations, Manager Zhao." Before the visitor had even stepped into the room, a sweet voice reached him first.
Following closely, Yuer, dressed in a red palace maid's skirt, walked into Zhao Wujiang's room. She covered her mouth with a light laugh and bowed to Zhao Wujiang:
"Manager Zhao, Yuer offers her congratulations."
Zhao Wujiang frowned. "What is there to congratulate?"
"Matters of the inner court are handled by the inner court. Grand Eunuch Chen suffered a sudden and fatal illness yesterday, so the position of Grand Eunuch naturally fell vacant." Yuer's pretty face was round and plump:
"As for my mistress, she pulled a few strings, and look—Eunuch Zhao is now the new Grand Eunuch of the eunuchs.
This is a welcoming gift bestowed upon Eunuch Zhao by my mistress..."
Imperial Consort Xiao directly had me appointed as Grand Eunuch?
She certainly has some ability; of course, her sincerity is also substantial.
Zhao Wujiang chuckled inwardly.
"Alas, what a pity. I had thought the gift was Sister Yuer herself."
With a soft sigh, Zhao Wujiang walked up to Yuer and reached out to put his arm around her waist, only for her to nimbly dodge away.
Zhao Wujiang spread his hands:
"Go back and tell Imperial Consort Xiao that I understand what she desires. Tell her to await good news quietly."
"Many thanks, Eunuch Zhao," Yuer chimed sweetly, offering another bow to Zhao Wujiang:
"Then Yuer will take her leave."
"Hey, stay for a meal."
"Hehe... Eunuch Zhao really is as those sisters said, an interesting fellow whose spirit remains unbroken despite his physical mutilation... Yuer must return to report..."
Imperial Consort Xiao's personal maid Yuer left with a pout.
Spirit unbroken despite physical mutilation... Zhao Wujiang's face twitched.
Never mind, wearing this fake eunuch's identity, he had no grounds for rebuttal.
Zhao Wujiang rubbed his fingers. Even if Imperial Consort Xiao had not pulled strings to secure this position of Grand Eunuch for him, he would have found a way to obtain it himself through Dugu Mingyue or Xuanyuan Jing.
The former Grand Eunuch Chen Zhenghua surely had someone behind the scenes. Now that Chen Zhenghua was dead, the person behind the scenes could not simply ignore it and let the influence tied to the position of Grand Eunuch be severed.
If Zhao Wujiang became the Grand Eunuch, Chen Zhenghua's backer was very likely to come looking for him.
Humming a little tune, he stepped out the door into the morning light.
......
"Greetings, Manager Zhao."
"Paying respects to Manager Zhao."
Chapter 19: Grand Eunuch Zhao Wujiang
"Manager Zhao is extraordinarily handsome."
"......"
With his hands tucked into his sleeves and wearing an ink-black robe, Zhao Wujiang walked along the palace pathway on his way to Chen Zhenghua's former residence.
Along the way, eunuchs and palace maids continually bowed and greeted him.
Behind him followed two young eunuchs who, basking in Zhao Wujiang's reflected power, held their heads high with an arrogant air.
The residence of former Grand Eunuch Chen Zhenghua was located in the western sector of the inner court, which was also the living quarters for the eunuchs.
When Zhao Wujiang arrived, a dense crowd was kneeling outside the rows of eunuch quarters.
"Paying respects to Manager Zhao."
Seeing Zhao Wujiang approach, they cried out in unison, their voices filled with reverence.
"Get up, all of you. Why are you kneeling?" Zhao Wujiang asked, hands tucked in his sleeves, a warm smile on his face.
Yet this group dared not simply rise, for the reason they were kneeling here was that they were the very group who had joined Chen Zhenghua in mocking Zhao Wujiang yesterday.
Before anyone knew who started it, a heavy "slap" rang out.
"Slap!"
A eunuch who had scoffed and mocked him yesterday struck his own face.
"Slap, slap, slap!"
The force was so great that the corners of his mouth instantly reddened and oozed blood:
"This lowly one had eyes but failed to see yesterday and unwittingly offended Manager Zhao. Please appease your wrath, Manager Zhao!"
"Please appease your wrath, Manager Zhao."
"Slap, slap, slap."
Terrified that Zhao Wujiang would settle scores later, the kneeling eunuchs scrambled to slap themselves.
"Slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, ah, slap..."
"Please appease your wrath, Manager Zhao, and forgive us humble ones for failing to recognize Mount Tai!"
"Please appease your wrath, Manager Zhao..."
"...."
Zhao Wujiang quietly watched them beat themselves. Only when their mouths were stained with blood did he slowly say:
"Get up, all of you."
"Thank you for your magnanimity, Manager Zhao." The vast crowd stood up.
Zhao Wujiang instructed: "Take me to Chen Zhenghua's quarters."
"Yes, yes, yes... This way please, Eunuch Zhao." A scrawny eunuch led the way ahead with a fawning smile.
Winding through several turns, they quickly reached the house where Chen Zhenghua had lived.
As the former Grand Eunuch, Chen Zhenghua's dwelling was more than twice the size of an ordinary eunuch's quarters.
Zhao Wujiang pushed the door open and walked inside. The furnishings were sparse. He walked inward at a leisurely pace and soon found a small hidden door. Pushing it open once more, what met his eyes were four wooden chests filled to the brim with gold, silver, jewels, jade artifacts, silks, and calligraphy scrolls. The chests were large enough to hold a full-grown man.
These were clearly ill-gotten gains that Chen Zhenghua had embezzled from within the palace over his years as Grand Eunuch.
"An honest prefect yields three years of clean governance, bringing ten thousand flakes of silver... let alone the Grand Eunuch of this vast imperial court..."
Zhao Wujiang closed the hidden door and turned to walk out of the room.
As soon as he stepped out of Chen Zhenghua's residence, a young eunuch hurried up to him, bowing and scraping, offering a slip of paper with both hands:
"Manager Zhao, just as you went inside, someone slipped this note to me and told me to hand it to you."
"What did he look like?" Zhao Wujiang frowned.
"This lowly one... this lowly one didn't see clearly... It seemed to be another eunuch..." The young eunuch lowered his head in trepidation, afraid Zhao Wujiang would realize he had accepted silver from the other party.
Hiding his head and showing his tail—this must be the person behind Chen Zhenghua... Zhao Wujiang let out a sneering chuckle and unfolded the note.
[Eastern City Wutong Courtyard, wolfberry]
Zhao Wujiang lifted his gaze, his eyes sharp as they swept over the gathered eunuchs, all of whom averted their eyes.
Finding nothing amiss, Zhao Wujiang rubbed his fingers and unfolded the note with a smile:
"This manager cannot read. Who will help me read what is written?"
Just as he was about to display the contents of the note to the eunuchs with a genial smile, a gaunt, short-statured eunuch suddenly sprang forward and cried out in panic:
"Manager, wait!"
Chapter 20: The Person Behind Chen Zhenghua
"It's you?"
Zhao Wujiang smiled, his eyes like blades.
The small eunuch who had lunged forward started, swallowing hard. He met Zhao Wujiang's gaze, which felt like the blazing sun beating down upon him, roasting him alive.
With a single, simple trick, Zhao Wujiang had flushed out the person behind Chen Zhenghua who had been lurking in the crowd, because the hidden party could never allow another eunuch to read out the contents of the note.
Zhao Wujiang imprinted the man's appearance in his mind. The smile on his lips did not fade; instead, he stuffed the note into the hands of the kneeling young eunuch, patted his shoulder, and walked into the distance.
The surrounding eunuchs were puzzled but paid it no mind, following in Zhao Wujiang's footsteps with fawning flattery.
After Zhao Wujiang and the others had gone far away, the gaunt little eunuch slowly stood up. Beads of fine sweat dotted his forehead, and the clothes on his back were already soaked through with cold sweat.
Having lurked in the palace for many years, this was the first time he had been exposed—and it took merely a single glance and a single sentence.
......
The Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Emperor's bedchamber.
Zhao Wujiang did not immediately step out of the Imperial City to keep the appointment. In his view, the person behind Grand Eunuch Chen Zhenghua was an enemy rather than a friend, so it was best to proceed with caution.
At that moment, he sat in a huanghuali wood chair, his demeanor steady, imitating Xuanyuan Jing as he lightly tapped the tabletop.
"Thump, thump, thump... thump, thump..."
"Tap..."
"Thump, thump... thump, thump, thump..."
Three long and two short, two short and three long.
A gentle breeze swept through the room, and a deep blue figure appeared, dropping to one knee in salute:
"Jia Ersan pays respects to the Empr—hm? Eunuch Zhao!"
Jia Ersan was not as robust in build as Jia Shijiu; instead, he gave an impression of frail weakness, as if he lacked the strength to truss a chicken.
He was about to address him as Emperor when he noticed that the person sitting upright had an unfamiliar face. However, he quickly reacted, recalling that Jia Shijiu had mentioned the Emperor had gained a trusted confidant; if this confidant issued a summons, they were to obey his orders as well.
"Accompany me out of the palace!" Zhao Wujiang commanded with majestic authority.
"This old servant's appearance......"
An expression of hesitation crossed the aged face beneath Jia Ersan's mask. The faces of the Longyin Guard were generally not to be exposed to others.
"It's fine." Zhao Wujiang slowly stood up, extending his slender fingers with four silver needles wedged between his fingertips:
"Stay still."
He stepped up to Jia Ersan, and the silver needles slowly pierced into Jia Ersan's hair, embedding themselves into specific acupuncture points.
The Longyin Guard were fiercely loyal and possessed formidable martial arts skills, so Jia Ersan offered no redundant resistance, though his masked face remained filled with confusion.
Yet very soon, he felt the skin of his face begin to twitch beyond his own control, and the bones in his cheeks shifting position.
Divine Needle Facelift!
It was the long-lost divine needle disguise technique of the pugilistic world... Shock filled Jia Ersan's aged face, and he quickly understood.
A master of medicine with supreme skill could perfectly control the silver needles in his hands.
Not only could they save lives and heal the wounded, but they could also kill without a trace, or stimulate acupuncture points to forcibly unleash a brief surge of power, or temporarily alter bone and facial structure for disguise.
To control silver needles with such perfection at such a young age—truly worthy of being the trusted confidant of the Emperor. No wonder Jia Shijiu had spoken of him with such solemnity when they talked... Jia Ersan slowly removed his cyan mask, revealing a benevolent, weathered old face:
"Such marvelous skill, Eunuch Zhao!"
"When we are out and about, just address me as Young Master." With handsome brows, Zhao Wujiang slowly walked outward.
A respectful response came from behind:
"Yes!"
......
Jingdu.
Wutong Courtyard.
Wutong Courtyard was one of Jingdu's three major pleasure quarters. Compared to the other two, Wutong Courtyard specialized in subtlety and elegance.
Thus, its guests were all men of letters—or those who believed themselves to be—and every gesture carried an air of refined scholarship.
Zhao Wujiang and Jia Ersan stepped into Wutong Courtyard looking very much like a young master and his elderly servant.
Wutong Courtyard was divided into a front courtyard and a rear courtyard.
The front courtyard was mostly a place for drinking tea, discussing matters, and sharing drinks, while the rear courtyard was where guests forged intimate connections and engaged in deep communication with maidens or courtesans.
Crossing the winding layout of the forecourt and passing by one smiling maiden after another, Zhao Wujiang reached the front courtyard.
Small tables were scattered about, and these "scholarly men" sat beside them, reciting poetry, drinking wine, and hands-on with the young maidens beside them.
With sharp eyes, Zhao Wujiang swept across the crowd and spotted a solitary old man drinking alone in the southeast corner. The man was dressed in fine silks and sat with a distracted air.
Floating in the old man's wine cup were a few orange-red wolfberries.
Zhao Wujiang and Jia Ersan walked swiftly over. Reaching the old man's small table, Zhao Wujiang flicked the hem of his long robe and sat cross-legged on the soft couch.
"This seat is taken!" the old man said coldly.
"Wutong Courtyard wolfberries..." Zhao Wujiang rubbed his fingers, a smile on his face, while Jia Ersan stood behind him looking benevolent and maintaining a warm expression.
Chapter 21: Making Money
The silk-clad old man turned his head to gaze intently: "Manager... Zhao?"
"Speak, what is it?" Zhao Wujiang cut straight to the point.
"Chen Zhenghua is dead. Manager Zhao will hereafter command the eunuchs of the inner court..." The old man smiled, cupping his fists in salute:
"When the time comes, I trust Manager Zhao will grant us some convenience..."
"Such as?" Zhao Wujiang rubbed his hands.
"The Imperial Hospital has a vast store of medicinal herbs. With Manager Zhao's superlative intelligence, you naturally know that certain herbs need to be... shipped out for safekeeping. The transport process is cumbersome, so we hope Eunuch Zhao can keep an eye on things when the time comes and dispatch a few young eunuchs to lend a hand..."
The silk-clad old man spoke slowly.
Illegally reselling medicinal herbs... Zhao Wujiang grinned:
"How much did Chen Zhenghua get before?"
"Hehe... Eunuch Zhao truly is a clever man... Him? Half a share!" The old man offered a benevolent smile, then added:
"Manager Zhao must not underestimate this half share; the amount shipped out is..."
"Three shares!" Zhao Wujiang's eyes turned sharp, his face wearing a look of crafty greed:
"Then I will help... you all!"
"Manager Zhao, do you have any idea how much three shares represent? Some things, you might... not be able to stomach them..." The smile on the silk-clad old man's face gradually faded.
"I am not discussing this with you!" Zhao Wujiang rubbed his fingers, his tone turning severe:
"If you cannot make the decision, go back and discuss it with your... Superintendent!"
This fellow really is as shrewd as they warned, quite unlike that foolish eunuch Chen Zhenghua... The silk-clad old man narrowed his eyes. Zhao Wujiang had directly pierced the veil to reveal that he was backed by the Superintendent of the Imperial Hospital, which truly surprised him.
"Clack, clack." Zhao Wujiang tapped the table:
"A three-share cut, and I agree to this matter!
Once you've made up your minds, just have your little eunuchs notify me."
With that, Zhao Wujiang slowly stood up and walked out of the southeast corner of the forecourt. Jia Ersan followed closely behind him, his face shifting expressions, wanting to speak but holding back.
After Zhao Wujiang had gone far away, the gloomy silk-clad old man, who had been rooted to the spot, slowly stood up. He crossed his hands over his abdomen, turned, and bowed toward the shadows:
"Superintendent, this brat is too greedy. Shall we..."
He made a slashing gesture.
From the shadows slowly stepped a middle-aged man who stood with the imposing stance of a towering peak. His hair was a mixture of black and white, and his demeanor was scholarly. He seated himself at the small table, and the silk-clad old man respectfully filled his cup with wine.
He was none other than the Superintendent of the Imperial Hospital, Sun Yiku.
"Only those with ability are qualified to be greedy. Right now... he indeed possesses some qualification." Sun Yiku drained his wine in one gulp, toying with the cup:
"He is close to the Emperor and acts with utmost convenience within the inner court. Having him during the transport of herbs is far better than Chen Zhenghua.
As for the three shares, give them to him! What matters is not the money, but the herbs... As long as the herbs can be continuously and safely shipped out, we could even give him five shares!"
"Hmph, let this brat play cover for us for now. He'll get what's coming to him soon enough."
The silk-clad old man sneered. A three-share cut was enough for him to live in luxury for the rest of his days, but the thought of that profit going to Zhao Wujiang filled him with a distorting jealousy.
......
Walking out of Wutong Courtyard, Zhao Wujiang wore a light and airy expression, his hands tucked into his sleeves, though his mind was racing with thought.
Jia Ersan, walking behind him, wanted to speak but hesitated. He had not expected that coming out for a trip would actually allow him to witness the Emperor's trusted confidant engaging in corruption?
No, that wasn't it. Eunuch Zhao was the Emperor's confidant; it couldn't be that simple. Let this old man think... Oh... I see, I understand now...... Jia Ersan's aged eyes lit up, glowing with newfound comprehension.
"Ersan, if you have something to ask, just ask," Zhao Wujiang said with a warm smile.
"My lord, you must be planning to feign agreement with them first, and then adopt a long-line strategy to catch a big fish—luring out the mastermind behind the scenes to capture them all in one net, thus relieving the worries of the Empr... Emperor? How profound is my lord's painstaking care..." Jia Ersan carefully weighed his phrasing.
"No, no, no..." Zhao Wujiang shook his head:
"A horse grows fat not on grass alone, and a man grows rich not without windfall. I simply want to make some money!"
Jia Ersan: ???
Chapter 22: The Princess in Disguise
......
Actually, Jia Ersan's guess was not wrong; Zhao Wujiang indeed wanted to play the long game to catch a big fish.
The illicit resale of medicinal herbs within the palace could not possibly proceed so smoothly without the tacit permission and grease provided by the Superintendent of the Imperial Hospital—so much so that he had never heard of it in the palace before, and Xuanyuan Jing remained completely oblivious.
Yet the sudden death of Grand Uncle Zhao Shou, the Loulan Gu-worm found on Grand Eunuch Chen Zhenghua, coupled with Dugu Yihe's letter, all led him to believe that a tremendous crisis was hidden within the inner court.
Reselling medicine was certainly a highly lucrative venture, but Zhao Wujiang felt it was not that simple. The medicinal trade might merely be a facade used to pull wool over people's eyes.
Thus, he needed to probe the waters, which was why he had made the greedy demand for a three-share cut.
Following the clue of the medicinal drug trade, let me see what kind of massive crocodile is hidden behind you all. What was Third Grand Uncle's encroachment upon? Chen Zhenghua was merely an executioner; the mastermind behind the scenes is the crucial piece.
Zhao Wujiang and Jia Ersan walked through the alleys and streets of Jingdu, where shops stood row upon row and the cries of peddlers rose and fell.
With his hands tucked in his sleeves, Zhao Wujiang walked past one building after another until he spotted a stall not far ahead, where a "young lord" fair as jade was squatting down.
Hmm?
Why is she here?
Shouldn't she be over at the Court of State Ceremonial?
Zhao Wujiang pondered.
The person before him was none other than the Western Regions Baiyue Kingdom princess he had encountered yesterday upon returning from Dugu Yihe's mansion.
Only now, the princess was wearing Daxia attire, disguised as a man.
"Interesting."
Zhao Wujiang smiled and stepped closer.
At the stall, the vendor was spouting spittle as he boasted about a string of inferior glass beads in his hand:
"Young master here, I'm not blowing smoke when I say this, but under the heavens you'll never find a second string of glass beads like this."
"Ah? Really??"
The Baiyue princess had bright eyes and white teeth, and was dressed in white purer than snow. Her large, round eyes brimmed with spirited color, and though disguised as a man, she remained extraordinarily handsome. At that moment, holding the string of glass beads, she found them quite impossible to put down.
"Slap!" The vendor slapped his thigh:
"Right beneath the Emperor's feet, how could this humble one dare to deceive you?
This is an auspicious treasure. If you miss it, it's gone!"
"Then... what should I do?" The Baiyue princess furrowed her pretty brows, pouting in distress. She had sneaked out of the reception hostel belonging to the Court of State Ceremonial, fleeing in such a hurry that she hadn't brought any money at all.
"Ah well, since you and I could meet in Jingdu today, it's all fate. Since it's fate, this humble one will give this auspicious treasure to you as a gift, as long as..." Before the vendor could finish speaking, the Baiyue princess interrupted him with a gasp:
"Really? Thank you, thank you."
She picked up the glass string, slipped it onto her wrist, and wound it twice, feeling it looked exceptionally pretty. She rose to leave immediately.
"Hey, hey, hey, you haven't paid yet! It's five taels of pure silver!"
A look of grievance bloomed on the princess's pretty face, and she said pitifully: "Didn't you say you were giving it to me?"
"Hey, you pale-faced fellow, I hadn't finished talking yet." The vendor placed his hands on his hips.
"Clack!" A ingot of gold was tossed through the air, landing squarely on the stall:
"Her tab is paid by this young master!"