Chapter 61: Story of an Old Friend, The Emperor’s Ill Intent
Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Story of an Old Friend, The Emperor’s Ill Intent
"Hahahaha, you are a man of great generosity, Eunuch. I am truly impressed. We should certainly keep in touch."
Pei Shaoqing cupped his hands with a beaming smile.
’Why did I engage in corruption and bribery, frantically amassing wealth?’
’Because in this world, money can work miracles.’
’Besides, I’ve never been stingy. The point of amassing wealth is to spend it, as long as it gets results.’
’Once it’s spent, I can just go back to being corrupt.’
’Corruption is the easiest thing in the world. I can just invent any excuse—my birthday, my wife’s birthday, my concubine’s birthday, even my cat’s birthday—and use it to collect money.’
"Of course, of course." The middle-aged eunuch’s face was about to split from smiling. He cupped his hands in return, then sighed and said, "But you’ve presented me with quite a difficult problem, Second Young Master."
"Oh?" Pei Shaoqing looked puzzled.
The middle-aged eunuch raised his hand in a delicate gesture, pointing a finger at a chest of silver, and said in a shrill voice, "This one left the Imperial Palace traveling light, but now I’m returning to the Capital City with all these bags. Anyone who didn’t know better would think I’d been out preying on the common folk."
"Worry not, Eunuch. This is a simple matter." Pei Shaoqing laughed heartily and said calmly, "This young master can arrange for people to deliver it to your residence outside the palace ahead of time."
"Aiyo, how could this one have a residence outside the palace?"
"Great men are often forgetful, Eunuch. I distinctly remember you have a large, four-courtyard residence in the capital. How could you have forgotten?" Pei Shaoqing said, raising an eyebrow.
’I need to get on good terms with this eunuch.’
’Then I’ll have my own man inside the Imperial Palace.’
"Aiyowei~" The middle-aged eunuch’s smile stretched nearly to his ears, his eyes narrowing into slits as he said cheerfully, "Then this one must thank the Second Young Master."
"You’re too kind, Eunuch." Pei Shaoqing waved his hand dismissively, then changed the subject. "You must be exhausted from your long journey. I’ll go instruct the servants to prepare a banquet. We can eat and talk. How does that sound?"
"This is the Second Young Master’s residence. You may arrange things as you see fit. This one will follow your lead." The middle-aged eunuch’s previously sharp and harsh tone was gone, replaced by an agreeable one.
"Good, I’ll go make the arrangements." Pei Shaoqing nodded and walked out. As he reached the door, he seemed to suddenly remember something and asked, "I have yet to learn your name, Eunuch."
"It seems the Second Young Master has truly forgotten." The middle-aged eunuch shook his head and said, "For a rootless person, a name is not important. You may call me Xiaoliuzi, Young Master."
’Xiaoliuzi? Sounds an awful lot like a word for something he’s missing.’
’The man doesn’t have one to begin with!’
"So it is Eunuch Liu." Pei Shaoqing showed a look of sudden realization, as if he’d remembered something. Then he cupped his fist again and said, "Then please continue to take your pick here, Eunuch."
After leaving, he had Liu Yuheng instruct the kitchen to prepare a banquet, then immediately ran to find Xie Qingwu.
Before he could speak, Xie Qingwu came to meet him and asked first, "Lady Gongsun told me you brought a group of eunuchs and soldiers back to the mansion. What’s going on?"
"Don’t even ask..." Pei Shaoqing briefly explained the situation, then asked, "The head eunuch is named Xiaoliuzi. He’s in his thirties, thin, and seems to hold a grudge against me. Do you know anything about it?"
"I actually do know about this. Before I married that waste of space, I had someone investigate all the absurd things he’d done," Xie Qingwu said with a sneer.
Pei Shaoqing immediately said, "Tell me quickly. I know nothing about that eunuch, so all I could do was throw money at him. Luckily, that trick worked, or I would have been in big trouble just now."
’This is one of the benefits of tying my fate to Xie Qingwu’s. Without her help, my charade as Pei Shaoqing would be exposed sooner or later.’
"Eunuch Liu is the adopted son of Liu Hai, the Chief Eunuch of the Rites. He currently serves as the Document Director in the Imperial Stables."
Xie Qingwu first explained Xiaoliuzi’s identity.
The Imperial Stables isn’t just about managing horses, as the name might suggest. It also controls the military power of the Imperial Guard, making it extremely important.
The Document Director, as the name implies, is responsible for managing the paperwork of the Imperial Stables. It’s an official position of the Sixth Grade.
To be sent out of the palace on business by Liu Hai meant he was clearly very trusted. He was considered a significant figure in the palace.
Pei Shaoqing asked again, "Then what’s the story behind our old grudge? How could I have made an enemy of a eunuch?"
Eunuchs are inside the Imperial Palace, while he is outside.
Theoretically, the two of them should never have crossed paths.
"The year before last, His Majesty held a banquet in the palace. A drunk Pei Shaoqing was on his way to relieve himself when he ran into the Eldest Princess and blocked her path to harass her. Eunuch Liu happened to see this and stepped in to stop him, but the bastard, flying into a rage out of shame, beat, kicked, and verbally abused him. That’s how the grudge was formed."
Xie Qingwu paused here, then added with a cold snort, "If he hadn’t been concerned about his status, Eunuch Liu could have flattened that bastard into a bloody pulp with a single palm strike that day."
"Is Eunuch Liu’s martial arts that good?" Pei Shaoqing’s eyebrows shot up when he heard this, and he asked in surprise.
"The eunuchs in the palace are all skilled in martial arts," Xie Qingwu explained. "They practice a cultivation technique that can only be mastered by those who have been castrated. It allows for rapid progress. Eunuch Liu has been in the palace for over a decade; he must be at least in the Qi Condensation Realm."
"You really can’t judge a book by its cover," Pei Shaoqing muttered to himself. That middle-aged, effeminate man was actually a master.
’But in a world where power is everything, even a master like him could only let a good-for-nothing beat and humiliate him.’
’I’m just glad he’s a greedy man.’
’And I happen to be someone willing to part with my wealth.’
’Otherwise, if the resentful Eunuch Liu had really wanted revenge, I would have been in for a world of hurt this time.’
"My lady, do you think His Majesty knows about the grudge between us?" Pei Shaoqing suddenly thought of this question.
"Of course he knows." Xie Qingwu pursed her moist, red lips and said, "It was only after he was beaten and humiliated by Pei Shaoqing for protecting the Eldest Princess that Liu Hai took him in as an adopted son, allowing him to enter the Imperial Stables and serve as a Director."
"In that case, I guess you could say I’m his benefactor." Pei Shaoqing laughed self-deprecatingly, but he couldn’t bring himself to laugh on the inside. ’The Emperor has ill intentions!’
’But since Eunuch Liu dared to take my money...’
’...it must mean the situation isn’t too serious.’
’The eunuchs in the palace are experts at seeking advantage and avoiding harm, adapting to whatever way the wind blows. You could say they’re the most prudent people in the world.’
He let out a breath. "I’ll go meet with him again."
Half an hour later, in the main hall of the Pei Mansion, a sumptuous feast was laid out on the table. Pei Shaoqing and Eunuch Liu sat facing each other, with several maids standing by to serve them.
"Eunuch Liu, please. You’ve had a long and dusty journey. You’ve worked hard. I toast to you with this cup," Pei Shaoqing said, raising his cup.
Eunuch Liu cupped his hands in the direction of the Capital City and said with a chuckle, "It is no hardship to run errands for His Majesty."
"I was a real bastard back then." Pei Shaoqing drained his cup and set it down. "Thinking back, Eunuch Liu, you’re actually my savior. If you hadn’t happened to pass by and desperately stop me, and I had actually done something to the Princess in my drunken state, I’m afraid I would not have escaped death!"
"The Second Young Master was truly bold back then," Eunuch Liu said with sincere admiration, then added with a laugh, "But it was also because of that incident that this one caught my godfather’s eye, rising from a lowly eunuch to a Director in the Imperial Stables in one fell swoop."
"In that case, I suppose you could say we helped each other succeed," Pei Shaoqing said, raising his cup again.
Eunuch Liu also laughed loudly, raised his cup, and clinked it against his. "What you say is not wrong, Young Master."
With money as the bond, and with Pei Shaoqing’s ability to swallow his pride and apologize—showing the other man a great deal of respect—Eunuch Liu was quite pleased. The two got along very pleasantly.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Pei Shaoqing finally got down to business. "May I ask, Eunuch Liu, what business has His Majesty sent you to Tongzhou for this time? If there is any way I can be of assistance, I am willing to do my humble best."
"The Second Young Master is a straightforward man, and you show respect for a ’flawed’ person like me. In that case, this one won’t beat around the bush with you," Eunuch Liu said, his breath thick with the smell of alcohol.
Pei Shaoqing quickly leaned in, all ears.
Eunuch Liu let out a drunken hiccup and subconsciously lowered his voice. "On the surface, His Majesty sent this one to verify the truth of the Second Young Master killing the Kaiyang Saint Heir. In reality, he wants this one to find proof that you have deceived the Emperor."
Although the Emperor said that day that he didn’t believe Pei Shaoqing would deceive him, in his heart, he thought exactly that.
And Liu Hai understands the Emperor, so he specifically instructed Xiaoliuzi that his purpose in coming to Tongzhou was to find evidence of Pei Shaoqing’s guilt.
"Ah!" Pei Shaoqing put on a look of terror.
"Calm yourself, Second Young Master." Eunuch Liu raised a hand and soothed him in a low voice. "Originally, I didn’t believe you could kill the Kaiyang Saint Heir either. But as they say, one must see a man in a new light after just three days apart. I’m starting to believe it now. As long as you haven’t deceived the Emperor, not only are you not at fault, you have performed a great service!"