Dugong

Chapter 51: An Old Man and a Young Man

Li Ping'an bent over and stuck out his butt next to the rocking chair, chattering on and on to flatter and express his loyalty, but he didn't know that his true identity had been seen through.

"Grandpa, please have some soup."

"Well, Xiao Anzi is good."

Instead of exposing the truth, Eunuch Chu enjoyed being served and gave Li Pingan compliments from time to time, giving him excellent emotional feedback.

There are only two of them in the cold palace, and in terms of martial arts strength, Li Pingan is of course stronger.

Eunuch Chu knew very well that even though he was deeply favored by the emperor and even though he had a network of connections in the palace, if he turned against Li Ping'an, there might be bloodshed.

In history, many powerful people died as ordinary people.

Eunuch Chu was able to become an evergreen figure in the Wude Dynasty because he was well aware of the reason. If he wanted to live a stable retirement, he needed to control this little eunuch.

Listen to us, serve us, and do things for us!

After dinner.

The sky was getting dark.

Li Ping'an had already cleaned the house and made the bed. He bowed and said, "Old Ancestor, it's a chilly night. How about we help you go inside to rest?"

"No, we can walk by ourselves."

Eunuch Chu leaped up, and his clumsy and bloated body landed lightly on the ground. His footsteps landed silently, and each step was two feet and two centimeters, which was in accordance with the rules.

Li Ping'an was stunned. There was a rumor in the palace that Eunuch Chu was too fat and needed four eunuchs to support him to stand up and walk.

Eunuch Chu glanced at him and asked, "Are you surprised?"

Li Pingan asked in surprise, "Grandfather, are there any problems with your legs and feet?"

Eunuch Chu said: "Although my talent is ordinary and I am not dedicated to martial arts training, I have taken a lot of elixirs and my Dantian is full of true energy. Even if I gain a few pounds, I can still walk freely."

Li Pingan asked in confusion, "Then why are you pretending to be unable to move?"

Eunuch Chu said, "We are giving the younger generations in the palace an opportunity to be filial and make progress. Besides, we have so many god-grandchildren and great-grandchildren. How can we know which one is loyal if we don't try it out?"

Li Ping'an seemed to understand something and hurried forward to support him.

"Thank you for the advice, ancestor."

Eunuch Chu nodded and said, "You still have a lot to learn. When I was your age, I was still pouring night incense in the palace."

Li Ping'an raised his eyebrows. Is there something mysterious about burning incense at night? Several powerful eunuchs in the court have had similar experiences.

He went into the house to help Eunuch Chu undress, put him on the bed and cover him with the quilt.

Li Pingan asked with concern, "Grandfather, the bedding in the cold palace is rough. Should we talk to the Wardrobe Supervisor?"

"It doesn't matter."

Eunuch Chu said, "Before I entered the palace, I begged on the streets and slept in the grass piles of dilapidated temples. Having a bed and bedding was already very good.

No matter how prosperous and wealthy you become, you must never forget where your roots are!"

"That's what our ancestors taught us."

Li Ping'an secretly complained that the new commander of the Imperial Wardrobe was most likely to have a grudge against Eunuch Chu. If it was Eunuch Meng, he would have sent new bedding long ago.

She stood by the bed and waited for a long time, and only went back to bed to rest when Eunuch Chu started snoring.

Covered with the coarse cloth blanket that I usually despised, perhaps because Eunuch Chu next to me received the same treatment, I suddenly felt that it was not so rough, but became warm and comfortable instead.

The next morning.

Li Ping'an got up early to wash and prepare clean water for Eunuch Chu, as if he was back to the time when he first entered the palace.

At that time, I served Xiao Fangzi and Xiao Yuanzi, and now I serve Eunuch Chu.

Near noon, Eunuch Chu woke up from his sleep and stretched comfortably.

Li Pingan handed over the soaked face towel at the right time: "Grandpa, did you sleep well last night?"

"very good."

Eunuch Chu took the handkerchief and wiped his face: "We haven't had a good night's sleep in years. If I had known that the cold palace would be so comfortable, with food, drink and sleep, I should have come here two years ago." Li Ping'an's face was slightly sad: "It's good, but it's a bit boring. It feels like being in prison."

Eunuch Chu said, "You are too impetuous and don't understand the benefits of this cold palace."

Li Pingan asked, "Grandfather, do you really not want to return to the Imperial Household Department?"

Eunuch Chu shook his head and said, "Our family has lived in prosperity for half our lives. Now we have a place where we can retire peacefully. Why would we go back and fight? Never mind what would happen if we lose. Even if we win by chance, we can only control the Imperial Household Department for another ten or eight years. What will we do when we are too old to work?"

Li Pingan said: "Retire and enjoy your retirement."

Eunuch Chu carried the bedding and went out: "Aren't we just taking care of the elderly now? Why go through so much trouble?"

Li Pingan remained silent. He could understand the implication of Eunuch Chu's words, but he had never experienced wealth and power. Even if he understood it, he could not see through it and could not bear to let go.

In the courtyard.

Eunuch Chu spread the bedding on the rocking chair, which was like a soft couch, and lay on it leisurely basking in the sun.

"Xiao Anzi, how long has it been since you looked up at the sky?"

Li Ping'an didn't understand why. He worked in the palace and had to hurry on his way with his head down every day. He had no time or leisure to look up at the sky.

Eunuch Chu murmured, "Accompany our family to take a look."

Li Ping'an sat obediently on the stone steps next to the rocking chair, looking up at the clouds rolling in the sky. After a while, his originally anxious heart suddenly calmed down.

The old man and the young man just stared blankly until the sun set, watching the brilliant sunset glow in the sky fade away until the bright moon was in the sky.

Half a month later.

When Li Ping'an was not serving Eunuch Chu, he was staring blankly at the clouds.

At first, I lamented the fickleness of life, and after two days I felt bored and uninterested. I was intimidated by the majesty of Eunuch Chu and did not dare to complain.

He seemed to be still staring at the sky in a daze, but in fact he was concentrating on circulating his true energy and practicing martial arts.

Normally, he would flatter Eunuch Chu whenever he got the chance, but the old lady had heard the flattery for who knows how many years, so ordinary flattery did not enter her ears and was not moved at all.

Li Pingan persisted in flattering and admiring others, firmly believing that flattery never wears out, no matter how many holes there are.

……

This evening.

Li Ping'an brought hot water as usual and helped Eunuch Chu wash his feet.

Eunuch Chu suddenly asked, "Xiao Anzi, how much of the Four Books and Five Classics have you read?"

Li Pingan answered truthfully: "I haven't read a single word."

Eunuch Chu said, "If you want to be rich and famous, you can't just practice martial arts. You will become a commoner. You must study hard and gain wisdom."

Li Pingan said helplessly: "There is no one in the palace to teach us."

When Xiao Fangzi was still alive two years ago, Li Ping'an would ask for help in learning to read and write, and would occasionally practice calligraphy. Later, Eunuch Yuan was promoted and left, and never touched paper and pen again.

Xiao Fangzi and Xiao Zhongzi studied so hard, but still ended up dead.

Eunuch Chu said, "We can't just let you serve us for nothing. I'll have some books sent over tomorrow, and I'll teach you how to read and write when I have time."

"Thank you, old ancestor, for your teachings."

Li Ping'an showed a look of joy and knelt on the ground, kowtowed.

What made him happy was not that he could read and write, but that Eunuch Chu was willing to teach. The two of them had a teacher-student relationship, and Eunuch Sun became a junior.

I call you godfather, and you call me uncle-master!
Of course there are disadvantages as well, as I am once again standing against Princess Yuan.

Li Ping'an didn't care about it. As a mere eunuch, he had no choice but to accept the favor of any important figure. He could deal with future troubles later.

A strange look flashed in Eunuch Chu's eyes. After pulling the trigger for half a month, he finally hooked Xiao Anzi and could order him around at will from then on.

A lifetime of intrigue, even if you decide to retire, you are still calculating in your every move.

It may come from anxiety or from habit.

(End of this chapter)