From street beggar to high-ranking official

The next day.

The kitchen was especially crowded at Chenshi (7-9 AM). Fortunately, Xiao Fengzi was there to help. Lu Li personally witnessed a young eunuch having his rice porridge snatched away and thrown into the slop bucket.

The young eunuch seemed to be called Xiao Chizi. He was quite dull-witted and was often bullied and amused by other eunuchs.

If it were the old Lu official, he could have reached out and scooped it up to eat without any problem, but now he just felt disgusted looking at that swill bucket.

"Using half a pancake to gain favor with Xiao Fengzi will only happen once. We need to be useful to last. Even if it's just fetching water or sweeping the floor, how can we gain prestige if we don't take advantage of others' power?" Lu Li thought to himself while eating dumplings.

Enjoying the flavor of dumplings dipped in vinegar, Lu Li ate his fill and then followed Xiao Fengzi to the martial arts school.

Eunuch Ji repeated the same words: "Recite it with us..."

"First, in the beginning, at the very beginning..."

"Yuan means beginning..."

"Heavens, utterly chaotic..."

"Pi, Taiya..."

They were still reciting the "Shuowen Jiezi" (a dictionary of Chinese characters). The time seemed to fly by. Ji Gonggong was still surrounded by many eunuchs, but this time, with Xiaoyuzi's guidance, Lu Li memorized many more characters.

"Read a book a hundred times, and its meaning will become clear. Little Lu, you can write it down and memorize it slowly," Xiao Yuzi advised.

The martial arts academy has writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and does not prohibit eunuchs from using them or bringing in scrap paper.

They had them, but whether they had enough was another matter; some eunuchs didn't even have a single book on their desks.

"Then we'll just go to the kitchen and get some charcoal; it'll do the writing anyway," Lu Li said immediately. After saying this, he asked Xiao Yuzi, "Eunuch Yu, don't you think Eunuch Ji was reciting too fast?"

"Is it fast? Every time Eunuch Ji says something, we have to say something. We wish we could enter the meditation room right now and comprehend the martial arts." Xiaoyuzi thought that Lu Li's basic knowledge was too poor.

Lu Li stopped asking questions and returned to his seat, thinking to himself, "That's it. My earlier feeling wasn't an illusion. Eunuch Ji, who taught us to read, was indeed using some kind of technique."

Lu Li's horizons were not yet broadened, and even if he understood the matter, he didn't know if it was acceptable. So he read it aloud by himself, stumbling and remembering as much as he could.

Later, with the guidance of Xiao Fengzi, I figured out some key points of acupoints and meridians in the "You Ting Nei Jing Jue".

When Xiao Fengzi turned to the last page of "The Secret of the Inner Landscape of the Secluded Court", Lu Li realized that there were pictorial instructions.

"You must be familiar with the twelve regular meridians and the eight extraordinary meridians. Xiao Anzi, remember this well. The cultivation methods may differ, but the meridians are all the same," Xiao Fengzi reminded him.

"Eunuch Feng, we've heard rumors that if you practice this technique incorrectly and go into qi deviation, what should you do?" Lu Li couldn't help but think of this.

In the martial arts world, it is often said that even the most renowned heroes who have gone mad from their cultivation will be arrested by the authorities if they kill indiscriminately.

"That means death," Xiao Shunzi said indifferently.

"Is that so? Won't the Palace Attendants Bureau investigate Eunuch Ji's crime?" Lu Li was taken aback.

"So what if we die? Every year, countless people like us enter the palace, and many die from fever or infection. Even those who work in coal mines or ice mines often die from exhaustion, being crushed, freezing, or drowning. Who cares? As long as you're not an official, nobody cares. The castration papers say that life and death are irrelevant. Little Lu, have you forgotten? Oh, we forgot you can't read." Xiao Shunzi continued.

After hearing this, Xiao Fengzi said quietly, "If you don't climb up the social ladder, no one will care even if you die. For a eunuch to be castrated is the greatest act of filial impiety. Being neither male nor female means you're not even considered a human being. Even your own father wouldn't allow our family to be buried in the ancestral grave."

Lu Li felt a chill run down his spine. He then realized that the saying "eunuchs have cheap lives" was not just a figure of speech. They were like bowls and chopsticks; if they broke, you could just buy new ones.

Farmers treat their cattle and horses well, even paying for their medical treatment. When a eunuch dies, they simply buy a new one. They are treated worse than cattle and horses!

However, he didn't quite agree with Xiao Fengzi's words. "Our father always took me with him when he begged on the street. Several times when human traffickers came to our door, it was my father who protected me. When I was kidnapped or chased by wild dogs, wasn't it my father who protected me every time?"

If Dongxue hadn't killed someone, and I had truly run out of options, my father wouldn't have sent me to the palace, much less forced those few taels of silver into my hands.

Thinking of this, Lu Li's eyes dimmed, and he thought of that few taels of silver again.

I miss my father even more!

......

After finishing the book, he practiced his skills, which was also done by eavesdropping in the quiet room. Lu Li listened to Xiao Fengzi's teaching of Xiao Shunzi by pressing himself against the corner of the wall.

Being able to teach about meridians was already an unexpected bonus. Lu Li didn't ask about martial arts insights. Even if he did ask, Xiao Fengzi wouldn't answer, and it would ruin the relationship that had been so hard to build.

While eavesdropping on Xiao Fengzi's teachings, Lu Li couldn't help but feel puzzled. Xiao Fengzi said yesterday that it had to be useful. Our family was given bread, so why was Xiao Shunzi able to receive such teachings from Xiao Fengzi?

Status and position? They were all just lowly eunuchs entering the palace; it wasn't necessarily that one was more noble than the other. Knowledge and martial arts? Xiao Shunzi would have to consult Xiao Fengzi in that regard, so it was even more impossible.

Completely baffled, Lu Li simply stopped thinking about it and focused on secretly learning how to cultivate.

Half a month passed in this way, and Lu Li had already gotten used to life in the palace. He walked close to the wall to make way for the main road, ate with Xiao Fengzi and others, and even fetching water and sweeping the floor became part of his daily routine.

Even though he was busy every day, Lu Li's originally thin and pale face gradually gained weight.

That day, Lu Li left the quiet room as usual, intending to find Xiao Fengzi and the others to go to the kitchen, but was entangled by a young eunuch.

"Eunuch Lu, Eunuch Lu, come here for a moment, I want to have a word with you."

Lu Li frowned slightly. He always kept a low profile in the martial arts hall, just like Xiao Yuzi. Apart from Xiao Fengzi and the other two who shared a room with him, he had no other dealings with the other eunuchs. However, not wanting to offend others, Lu Li still went over.

But the young eunuch's opening statement was startling: "Little Lu was eavesdropping on Little Feng's cultivation in the quiet room, wasn't he?"

Lu Li's heart skipped a beat, but he managed to maintain his composure: "We share a room with Xiao Fengzi, so just ask him directly if you have any questions. Why eavesdrop and try to learn from him!"

"Oh? Then why is it that these past eight or nine days, as soon as Xiao Fengzi and Xiao Shunzi entered the meditation room, Xiao Luzi immediately followed them into the next room?" The little eunuch seemed very confident: "If Xiao Luzi feels that we have wronged you, then we should go together to find Xiao Fengzi to verify the facts. If we are truly wrong, we will respectfully kowtow to Xiao Luzi and apologize in front of everyone."

Lu Li knew this matter couldn't be brought to Xiao Fengzi's attention. Even without evidence, it would be difficult for Xiao Fengzi to steal the techniques once he became cunning. Reading the entire manual would take considerable time. This matter either needed to be delayed, or...

"May I ask your name, sir?"

"I don't need to tell you your real name, just call me Little Douzi." Little Douzi chuckled in a high-pitched voice, "We've been waiting for ten days, and we've finally caught a big fish."

"What does Xiao Douzi want from our family?" Lu Li asked immediately.

"Of course, it's about learning to read and write, and practicing martial arts."

Lu Li immediately understood that this person was probably someone who had no guidance, no background, and difficulty in reading and writing. He himself was also insecure and had no deep connections, so this kid had taken notice of him.

"That's fine, but you have to promise that no third person will know about this."

"Of course! A gentleman's word is as good as his bond. If I go back on my word, may I be torn to pieces!" Xiao Douzi patted his chest and guaranteed.

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Lu Li's eyes, but he mimicked Xiao Fengzi's smiling face and said, "Then let's go eat first, and I'll teach you martial arts tomorrow."

"No problem, no problem," Xiao Douzi readily agreed.

......

In the martial arts hall, they were still learning to kowtow, stand, and kneel. Lu Li waited until mealtime, but couldn't think of a reasonable solution.

Killed on the spot?

Having only practiced the technique for half a month, I had no confidence in myself, and besides, the blood splattering on the spot would surely attract my father-in-law's attention.

Should we explain to Xiaofengzi first?

First, let's talk about whether Xiao Fengzi believes it or not. But once Xiao Fengzi has this idea, it will be difficult for him to learn to read in the future!

Eunuchs are all petty-minded!

Why keep putting off teaching Xiao Douzi martial arts?

We can delay for a while, but not forever. What if Xiao Douzi goes back on his word after he has really learned the whole set of skills?

A gentleman's word? Eunuchs are not gentlemen!

"Teach Xiao Douzi the kung fu first; we still have time," Lu Li thought to himself.