Qing Kingdom's royal family had always been extremely strict in its management of eunuchs. Among the many rules, one absolute decree was that eunuchs were never allowed to purchase residences outside the palace. This was to ensure the privacy and security of the nobles within the palace walls, facilitate control by the Imperial Guards, and prevent powerful eunuchs with the means to buy homes from colluding with court officials.

However, those high-ranking eunuchs never lacked silver. Since they couldn't buy mansions and estates outside, they had to focus their efforts on their current residences. Thus, in the seemingly impoverished area of the Laundry Quarter (浣衣坊), one could still find more than a dozen conspicuously luxurious homes.

The private courtyards of the powerful eunuchs stood calmly, proud amidst the bustling chaos of the Laundry Quarter.

The night was already deep. Hong Zhu had arranged matters at the Eastern Palace, knelt to bid farewell to the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince, and then led several trusted eunuchs towards the Laundry Quarter.

Not far from the inner palace, these trusted eunuchs produced a bamboo sedan chair from somewhere and invited him to sit.

Inside the inner palace, Hong Zhu didn't dare put on airs, but once outside, he wouldn't refuse such enjoyments. However, tonight, as he sat in the swaying bamboo chair, his complexion wasn't good. Those somewhat glaring red bumps shivered in the cold wind, and his mood was also somewhat gloomy.

He forcibly suppressed the hint of fear and unease in his eyes, spoke a few words to the eunuchs around him, and even scolded them a few times, telling them they absolutely had to serve those two in the Eastern Palace well. The fear in his heart lessened with the scolding, which made him feel slightly more at ease.

Entering his own small courtyard, he mumbled something and went inside, sitting in a horseshoe-back chair beside the heated brick bed (炕 kang). This chair was identical in style to the one Old Eunuch Hong used to bask in the sun outside the Hanguang Hall, which he had specially commissioned.

Whenever eunuchs came to the courtyard on errands and saw this chair, they would think of the relationship between Little Hong and the old eunuch, and feel a sense of vigilance and respect.

Hong Zhu was very pleased with this tactic. Sitting in the chair, he slowly sipped hot tea from a pot in his left hand. A young eunuch, about thirteen or fourteen years old, knelt respectfully and took off his shoes, then brought hot water to soak his feet.

Feeling the small hands gently scrubbing his feet in the wooden basin, Hong Zhu felt a strange sensation: some satisfaction, some triumph, and some sadness. His family had once been a scholarly family, producing several Jinshi degree holders, but they had been destroyed by that official, which led to his current life. If such a tragedy hadn't occurred – Hong Zhu thought – he should probably be passing the Imperial Examinations (春闱 chun wei) at his age and starting on a career path.

Whenever he thought of this, he couldn't help but feel dejected, then angry, and then develop the most sincere gratitude for Master Fan, the adult outside the palace.

Hong Zhu was not an ungrateful person. As the saying goes, "A scholar dies for his confidant." He had always believed that although he lacked that "thing" between his legs, his heart… was still that of a scholar.

His fingers slowly caressed the grainy surface of the Zisha teapot, but his mind wasn't on the pleasant sensation. He was thinking about the matter he had risked telling Master Fan, not knowing what kind of trouble this would bring him… He had been afraid, afraid for many days, until Master Fan returned to the capital, when he finally felt a little more confident. He would leave this terrible thing to Master Fan to handle. Perhaps he would gain some benefits from it, and he would be able to repay his kindness, as long as… the incident didn't involve him.

Hong Zhu's fingertips suddenly trembled. He stuck out his tongue to moisten his dry lips, and said in a parched voice: "You can leave now. I'm a little tired. Don't disturb me unless it's important."

The delicate-featured young eunuch wiped Little Hong's feet clean with a dry cloth and said with a grin: "Master, do you want me to call Xiu'er to give you a massage?"

Hong Zhu paused slightly at these words, immediately thinking of the palace maid's soft body and fragrant, wet tongue. A surge of heat rose in his lower abdomen, but it didn't reach where it was supposed to, causing his face to darken. Moreover, he was afraid that the person inside the room might hear this, and he scolded with shame and anger: "Get out! What Xiu'er, Xing'er!"

The young eunuch didn't know why his master was angry, and he left the room with a mournful face, carefully closing both the courtyard gate and the door, before going to sleep in the side room.

…

…

"Xing'er… isn't that a confidante of Consort Yi? You even dare to think about her." Fan Xian walked out from the inner room and scolded with a smile: "Looking at your life, it's even more comfortable than mine. You're getting bolder and bolder."

Hong Zhu said with a bitter face: "Master, don't make fun of me. My courage isn't that big…" He tentatively glanced at Fan Xian and said with a smile: "Besides, isn't that girl Xing'er, your person?"

Fan Xian was startled and scolded in a low voice: "Damn it! How dare you say such absurd things."

Hong Zhu shut his mouth with a smile.

This small courtyard was located on the southwest side of the Laundry Quarter, in a relatively quiet area. Fan Xian had previously used his true Qi to listen carefully, and there shouldn't be anyone eavesdropping nearby, so it was relatively safe and convenient to talk. He was afraid that Hong Zhu was too frightened by that matter, so he started with a few jokes.

He sat on the edge of the heated brick bed. The lamplight inside the room couldn't cast his shadow outside from this angle.

Hong Zhu cautiously looked around and lowered his voice: "Master, knowing that you were staying in the front city today, I guessed it, but… it's not safe here either. You should leave quickly."

Fan Xian nodded, looked at him a couple of times, and asked in a low voice: "Confirmed?"

Hong Zhu's complexion changed immediately. His lips trembled for a long time, and he glanced around with some fear again. After a long while, he nodded.

"Keep this matter buried in your heart. You can't tell anyone." Although Fan Xian knew that Hong Zhu wasn't stupid enough to do that, he was still worried and reminded him: "Even if it rots, don't be talkative… When you sleep, it's best not to have anyone around… not even that Xiu'er."

Hong Zhu shuddered and thought, damn it, this is too extreme. Who can control what they say in their sleep.

In fact, Fan Xian was also a little annoyed at this time. There were too many things to consider in turning this hot potato into a stone to throw at people. He was visiting Hong Zhu tonight mainly to confirm this matter in person. The subsequent arrangements, however, couldn't be made rashly right away.

After a moment of silence, he said in a low voice: "No matter what we do next, there's one thing you must remember. First, you have to extract yourself from this matter… You can't let anyone realize that you are related to this matter."

"That's the first condition." Fan Xian said seriously: "If there's even the slightest possibility that you'll be involved, then don't move."

Hong Zhu silently nodded. He had long known in his heart that if he sold this information to Master Fan, Master Fan would definitely use it, and he would definitely become an important part of the other party's actions. From the very beginning, he had given his life to Fan Xian. He owed his clan tens of lives, and it wouldn't be much to pay it back with his own life. At this time, he felt even more grateful when he heard Fan Xian's concern for his safety.

The candlelight in the room flickered, and the light and shadows were a little blurry.

Fan Xian beckoned Hong Zhu to his side and whispered something in his ear. The more Hong Zhu listened, the brighter his eyes became, but the fear and horror in that bright color still couldn't be concealed. However, this fear and horror couldn't overcome the future rewards.

Like the ministers in the court, the eunuchs in the palace also naturally had to secretly place bets, especially big eunuchs like Hong Zhu who had climbed to a certain level.

Starting a year ago, because of Fan Xian's secret actions, Hong Zhu had no choice but to bet on him, on the Shufang Palace.

"It's inconvenient for us to contact each other now, so we always have to find a way." After Fan Xian finished explaining some things, he frowned and said: "But we can't go through an intermediary. There are also some details that I need to think about carefully when I get back. Before I return to Jiangnan, we must meet again. In the first month, which day can you leave the palace?"

"The twenty-second." Hong Zhu swallowed a mouthful of saliva and said in a low voice: "The Empress doesn't like the embroidered colors of the tribute from Jiangnan last autumn, and has asked for a batch to be ordered from Dongyi City. This is a lucrative business, and the Empress has rewarded it to me. I can go out that day."

Fan Xian nodded and confirmed the time for the next meeting. However, a thought flashed through his mind, and he realized that the Empress was really fond of this eunuch Hong Zhu. He looked at the pimple on Hong Zhu's forehead and subconsciously glanced down at his crotch, then chuckled silently to himself in self-deprecation. Having seen too many dark and filthy things in this gloomy palace, he couldn't help but think about everything in a lower direction.

But that was impossible. The examination for entering the palace was too strict. On the land of Qing, it was impossible for a story like Wei Xiaobao to happen.

Fan Xian didn't dare to stay in Hong Zhu's courtyard any longer. He carefully exhorted him a few more times before leaving.

After he left for a long time, Hong Zhu finally came to his senses. He looked at the empty corner of the heated brick bed, at the lamplight in the room, and felt confused. The door and gate hadn't been opened. How did Master Fan leave?

"Hey, it's really amazing."

Hong Zhu slapped his thigh and praised to himself. The big stone that had been pressing on his heart these days suddenly felt much lighter after Fan Xian arrived. Perhaps it was because he had told this huge secret to another person, sharing half of it, or perhaps it was because he felt that someone like Master Fan, who was like an immortal, would definitely be able to handle this matter well.

He had a lot of confidence in Fan Xian and felt that he could finally sleep well tonight. With a relaxed face, he blew out the lamplight, took off his clothes, and crawled into the thick quilt. Although the quilt lacked the youthful and beautiful body of Xiu'er, Little Eunuch Hong still felt very comfortable.

…

…

However, Fan Xian's confidence in Hong Zhu was not very high.

There were three methods for controlling Hong Zhu. On the one hand, he helped his family take revenge. On the other hand, he gave his elder brother in Jiaozhou countless benefits. But what truly bound Hong Zhu was the word "qing" (情 love, sentiment, feeling). People in this world are all different. Some can be bought with money, and some have no resistance in front of beautiful women. But Fan Xian confirmed that Hong Zhu was a very special little eunuch, with a style of sincerity and chivalry. Otherwise, he wouldn't be willing to become a nail in his hand in order to repay his kindness, nor would he occasionally please Old Eunuch Hong…

However, a person's character and temperament always change with the environment in which he lives. Now, Hong Zhu is no longer the poor child who fled in the mountains, nor is he the little eunuch who was bullied in the palace. He is the chief eunuch of the Eastern Palace, and he is also deeply favored by the Empress and loved by His Majesty. The eunuchs and maids in the palace are all trying to please him—dwelling changes the body, and environment changes the spirit. Vanity can melt bones, and profit can intoxicate the heart. Who knows if he will be unable to resist the temptation of profit in the future and silently lean to the other side.

No one knows that Hong Zhu is his person, so it will be very easy for other factions to accept him. If he were playing a double agent, Fan Xian would of course be happy with this situation. But if Hong Zhu really did something, he wouldn't have any way to stop it.

Fortunately, he had such a secret. Fan Xian was very grateful for this secret. No matter what benefits it might bring him in the future, at least this shared secret would prevent Hong Zhu from leaving him, at least until the Eldest Princess and the Crown Prince fell.

Returning to his residence in the front corner of the Imperial City, Fan Xian carefully confirmed in the darkness that the small mechanisms he had set when he left hadn't been tampered with. It seemed that no one had come to disturb him in this short period of time. He reached out his finger to unhook the black hair and, after entering, smeared something on the noses of the two eunuchs who were sleeping sweetly.

Then he sat on the bed, took out a bottle of imperial wine he had grabbed on the way, sprinkled a little on the edge of the bed, sat in a daze for a while, and then fell asleep.

——————————————————————

Sitting in the carriage, Fan Xian couldn't help but look back at the thick vermilion palace walls, subconsciously wanting to get as far away from the palace as possible. He had entered the palace too many times, but every time he entered, it was like the first time he visited the various consorts, and he could feel that chilling feeling.

It had nothing to do with the weather, it was just chilling… coldly chilling.

He hated this feeling in the palace, so he hated staying in the palace all the time. He sympathized with the emperor, who was locked in the palace all the time. By the same token, he really didn't want to be the emperor. This wasn't being affected or being pretentious, it was the truth.

A post on a certain forum in his previous life had described the inhuman pain of the emperor's profession, so Fan Xian wanted to retain his right to choose his own career. This was probably the biggest conflict between him and Chen Pingping.

"To have ten thousand strings of cash around one's waist, ride a horse down to Jiangnan, bear the Son of Heaven's sword, and remotely control the power of the world" – such a life might be good.

Among the four Grandmasters, Ye Liuyun actually had the most carefree life, but he still needed the Junshan Association's silver and meticulous service.

But Fan Xian didn't need it.

Immersed in beautiful fantasies, Fan Xian turned his head to look at his wife, lovingly stroking the hair on her head, and said: "In a few more years, the world will be at peace."

"A few years?" Wan'er tugged at the corners of her lips, forcing a smile and said: "Hopefully."

"How did your talk with your mother go?" Lin Wan'er, her eyes fixed on the scenery of the capital outside the carriage window, suddenly asked this question.

Fan Xian paused slightly and said gently: "We chatted for a while, but there was nothing substantial. You looked very tired yesterday and went to sleep so early, so I didn't want to stay too long."

"I was pretending to be asleep." Lin Wan'er said calmly: "If I didn't sleep, it wouldn't be convenient for you two to say anything."

Fan Xian was silent for a long time. Only now did he understand that his wife was giving him and his mother a chance for negotiation, a chance to see if they could compromise. But… there was too much blood on both sides, and it would be difficult to wash it clean for a second handshake.

Feeling the silence of her husband beside her, Lin Wan'er suddenly felt a little weak and listless, and said softly: "What can we do?"

Fan Xian silently put his arms around his wife tenderly, not knowing what to say.

Wan'er didn't reject his embrace, leaning her head gently on his chest. A hint of indifference and despair flashed between her eyebrows and disappeared immediately. Tears began to fall, like pearls, stringing together into a line, wetting Fan Xian's clothes.

It wasn't that Fan Xian hadn't considered what to do, but the situation had already taken shape. He could try to eliminate the Second Prince's ambition, but he had no hope of being able to persuade the Eldest Princess to withdraw from the stage of the world.

It was a struggle where either you died or I perished.

And Wan'er, who was in the middle of it, was naturally the most pitiful person. Fan Xian clearly knew this, but he couldn't change anything. He held his wife tightly in his arms, and for some reason, his heart also began to ache.

A year ago, Wan'er had reminded him that perhaps her mother would join forces with the Crown Prince again.

Recalling the past at this time, Fan Xian couldn't help but admire his wife's keen intuition. He knew that Wan'er wasn't unaware of the surging undercurrents beneath the peaceful and prosperous Qing Kingdom, but she was trapped in the middle and could only remain silent.

Always silent, silent to the point of seeming to disappear.

Because of this, Fan Xian felt even more guilty and apologetic towards his wife, because he couldn't say anything, not even a promise.

His wife was crying silently in his arms.

Fan Xian gently wiped the tears from her face with his thumb.

Looking up at the street scene outside the window, he thought that even if a person had two lives, there were still many things that couldn't be changed, and many wishes that couldn't be fulfilled.

Ye Qingmei was like this, and so was he.