Huangming

Chapter 11 Like fleeting clouds and grey dogs, the supreme ruler

“That old bastard Wang An actually kicked me out.”

After leaving Cining Palace, Li Jinzhong became increasingly angry.

Li Jinzhong was originally surnamed Wei.

He came from a poor family and spent his childhood on the streets. He was illiterate but knew how to shoot arrows and ride horses. He liked gambling and was addicted to alcohol and women.

He often gambled with a group of delinquent youths. Once, after losing a lot of money gambling, he was very distressed and castrated himself in hatred, changing his name to Li Jinzhong.

Why would someone like him become a eunuch?
Is it really true that one is lowly and must serve others?

Or are they starving to death because they don't have enough to eat?
None of them.

Wei Zhongxian was determined to climb to the top step by step, step by step, he wanted to become Zhao Gao!
One person is inferior to ten thousand people.

That's the kind of person he wants to be.

To curry favor with the Wei dynasty, he was willing to abandon his dignity, kneel before them, call them "father," and even wash his feet and hold their shoes, doing everything in his power to flatter them.

Similarly, he would stop at nothing to climb the social ladder and become the heir apparent!

Now, there is only one person who can help him, and that is Madam Ke!
Just as Li Jinzhong was racking his brains for a wicked idea, a group of people suddenly appeared in front of him. Upon closer inspection, he realized they were old acquaintances.

It was the Wei Dynasty.

Wei Chao was panting heavily, sweat beading on his forehead, but a smile played on his face, as if he were thoroughly enjoying himself.

Li Jinzhong hurriedly went to greet him.

"This humble servant pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Li Jinzhong submitted to the Wei dynasty, his backside sticking out high.

"They were originally brothers, Jinzhong and Jinzhong."

Wei Chao helped Li Jinzhong up. He was in a good mood today, especially after seeing Li Jinzhong, who served him like an ancestor. He couldn't help but feel the urge to help him.

"It's getting late, what are you doing outside Cining Palace?"

Li Jinzhong said aggrievedly, "I was going to Cining Palace to pay my respects to my father, but instead of seeing him, I saw the old ancestor and was kicked out by him."

Has our ancestor returned?

The smile on Wei Chao's face vanished abruptly.

"Our ancestor has returned. Did he ask anything?"

Li Jinzhong honestly replied, "I asked His Majesty who he met, and where my father went."

Wei Chao suddenly clenched his fists and placed them on Wei Zhongxian's shoulders, asking, "What did you say in response?"

Seeing Wei Chao's strong reaction, Li Jinzhong immediately sensed something unusual.

Wei Chao and Wang An.
Is there something going on between the two of them?

Li Jinzhong immediately recounted vividly, "We replied that His Highness had not seen anyone, and that my father had been sent to the Qianqing Palace by His Highness."

Upon hearing this, Wei Chao finally felt relieved.

"very good."

Those two eunuchs on duty were promoted by him, and now it seems they haven't forgotten his kindness.

And then there's Li Jinzhong.
Wei Chao looked at Li Jinzhong.

This man was very clever and quick-witted, and his partner, Madam Ke, often praised him in front of him.

Now that I am about to assume the position of Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, I will inevitably need a few people under my command who can keep things in order.

Wei Chao smiled and asked Li Jinzhong, "How's the job at the Xixin Division?"

Upon seeing this, Li Jinzhong was overjoyed and immediately said, "The job at Xixinsi is good, but it just means I can't serve Father anytime, anywhere."

"You do know how to talk."

Wei Chao grinned broadly and said, "Then you can stay by my side and become a eunuch in the Directorate of Ceremonial."

Li Jinzhong's joy was evident, but his face quickly showed worry.

"Father, transferring me from the Xixin Division to the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs requires recommendation from within the Directorate and review by the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. Will the Ancestor agree?"

"Hahaha~"

Wei Chao laughed heartily and said, "Today, the Directorate of Ceremonial is still in charge, but by tomorrow morning, that may not be the case."

The news struck Li Jinzhong like a thunderbolt, leaving his mind buzzing. In an instant, his mouth went dry.

"Father, are you going to..."

Wei Chao nodded, but made a shushing gesture.

"Come with me to the Qianqing Palace tonight. If that Consort Li still dares not to move, then we'll have to take some measures!"

The night passed in the blink of an eye.

The first moment of Yin hour.

The eunuch on duty from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs gently knocked three times on the door frame of the sleeping quarters with a bronze chime, and reported in a soft voice: "The sky is about to brighten, may His Majesty be well."

There was no response from inside the hall.

Two eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs knelt outside the hall to wait.

At the beginning of the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), when it was still dark, two eunuchs in the palace gently knocked three times on the door frame of the sleeping quarters with bronze chimes and announced loudly, "The sky is about to brighten; may His Majesty be well."

This time, Zhu Youxiao was awakened.

For many, tonight will be a sleepless night.

But for Zhu Youxiao, he slept very soundly.

So much so that he didn't even hear the eunuch's call at the beginning of the Yin hour.

Even when I woke up, I thought I was in my dormitory at work, until I saw the nanmu dragon bed with an apricot-yellow gauze curtain hanging above it, the top of the curtain embroidered with the twelve symbols of imperial authority in gold thread, and a Xuande incense burner on a rosewood table beside the bed.

When the appearance of the Cining Palace's sleeping quarters came into view, Zhu Youxiao realized that he had truly traveled through time.

Frustration and fear are fleeting.

Zhu Youxiao quickly composed himself and whispered to the door:
"May I live in peace!"

Upon hearing Zhu Youxiao's voice, the eunuchs inside and outside the palace immediately opened the palace doors, and the imperial attendant knelt down with a gilded bronze basin to offer the emperor warm salt water for rinsing his mouth and refreshing his mind.

The rim of the copper basin was covered with plain silk to prevent splashing, and as for the water temperature, someone had already tested it with the back of their hand.

After washing his face and rinsing his mouth, the steward of the Imperial Wardrobe knelt down and presented the day's attire on a tray with dragon patterns: a set of robes worn by the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty.

The two eunuchs kept their heads down the whole time, only glancing at the position of the belt out of the corner of their eyes as they helped Zhu Youxiao change his clothes.

Meanwhile, the eunuchs of the Imperial Household Department used a rhinoceros horn comb dipped in rose dew to gently comb the hair twelve times along the texture of the bun, and then tied the hair up with a gold ring that had been burned with ambergris in an incense burner beforehand.

The palace maids of the Imperial Household Department knelt and held a bronze mirror and a mother-of-pearl inlaid cosmetic box, which contained an ivory-handled toothbrush, salt, and pearl powder. After helping Zhu Youxiao to wash and groom himself, they gently wiped the corners of the emperor's lips with a silk handkerchief.

Nail trimming was done by eunuchs in the eunuch's quarters using golden scissors, and the scraps were collected in a brocade pouch and burned to ward off witchcraft.

The entire process involved dozens of people helping Zhu Youxiao get up.

No wonder everyone wants to be the emperor.

Who wouldn't be envious of such treatment?
Zhu Youxiao didn't have to do it himself at all.

Upon exiting the Cining Palace's sleeping quarters, Wang An immediately greeted him with a smile.

"This servant greets Your Highness."

Zhu Youxiao waved his hand, his face expressionless.

"Get up."

Is there an emergency?

Wang An immediately said, "There is nothing urgent. Besides, even if there were, Your Highness has the Grand Secretariat and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs to worry about."

Zhu Youxiao frowned slightly but did not retaliate. As they approached the main hall, Wang An called out to the eunuchs waiting outside, "Serve the meal."

A young eunuch dressed in the robes of the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Kitchen was seen directing his men to serve the meal.

During the mourning period, the meals were simple, but Wang An did not see Wang Tiqian, which made him feel a little strange.

"Your Highness, why is Wang Tiqian not here to serve you?"

Sitting upright before the dining table, Zhu Youxiao calmly said, "Wang Tiqian has become senile. I have removed him from his position as the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Kitchen."

A sudden sense of unease arose in Wang An's mind.

The chief eunuch of the Twelve Directorates was replaced, yet he, the Grand Secretary of the Directorate of Ceremonial, was completely unaware of it.

昨夜
Did nothing really happen?
(End of this chapter)