Chapter 30
That night, after Ji Qingzhou finished bathing and stepped out of the bathhouse, he heard noisy sounds coming from outside the courtyard.
He wrapped his outer robe around himself and was about to go out and see what was happening, but Tu Dayou stopped him.
“Is something going on outside?” Ji Qingzhou asked nervously.
Tu Dayou, knowing what he was worried about, reassured him, “Don’t worry. The Office of Judicial Review never carries out executions at night. They avoid it because the night is heavy with yin energy, and restless spirits of the dead would leave behind too much malignant energy.”
Hearing this, Ji Qingzhou relaxed slightly and then asked, “Aren’t you curious about what’s happening out there?”
“If no one comes to report it to the master, then it’s not a big deal,” Tu Dayou replied. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing to concern yourself with. But you — tomorrow you start serving at Yinghui Pavilion. You’ll have to get up before dawn. Don’t want you to miss Wang Ye’s morning court, so get to bed early.”
Ji Qingzhou had been in the palace for some time, but tomorrow was his first day attending the morning court. He felt a little anxious. Having become the chief eunuch of Yinghui Pavilion and dressed in that bright red robe meant there was probably no more sleeping in for him in the future.
Sigh — truly a bittersweet thing.
Ji Qingzhou sighed and lost interest in being curious about the commotion outside. He went back to his room and lay down to sleep.
Perhaps because his mind was restless, that night Ji Qingzhou had nightmares for most of the night.
In his dream, Xiao Shan was beaten to death with a cane in the empty square outside the Golden Pavilion. In the dream, Xiao Shan was covered in blood, crying out in pain so loudly it echoed across several palace buildings. Next to him knelt He Man, unable to speak, helplessly watching Xiao Shan’s last breath. Then, He Man pulled out a dagger and stabbed his own heart.
Ji Qingzhou woke up drenched in cold sweat before dawn. The images from the dream were vivid in his mind, and his heart was so troubled he couldn’t fall back asleep. He got up, washed, changed clothes, and went early to Yinghui Pavilion.
When he arrived outside Yinghui Pavilion, the eunuchs on duty were already busy with their tasks.
All of them were now Ji Qingzhou’s subordinates and greeted him with respectful bows when they saw him approach.
“No need to pay me special attention. I’m just here waiting for Wang Ye to wake up,” Ji Qingzhou said, standing just outside the hall.
“Ji Gonggong, Wang Ye is already up,” a eunuch told him.
Ji Qingzhou was surprised. He hadn’t expected Li Zhan to rise so early.
By tradition, as the chief eunuch of Yinghui Pavilion, Ji Qingzhou should be at Li Zhan’s side when he woke. But in reality, Ji Qingzhou didn’t have much to do—menial chores were handled by lower-ranking eunuchs. His job was simply to “keep company.”
Just like how Yao Chang’an often accompanied the young emperor, this sort of companionship was, in a way, considered an “honor.” Of course, Ji Qingzhou wasn’t particularly fond of this honor. If given the choice, he’d rather be accompanying the young emperor studying.
A junior eunuch opened the door for him, and Ji Qingzhou stepped into Li Zhan’s sleeping chamber.
Li Zhan had already finished washing. Two eunuchs were helping him put on his court robes.
Ji Qingzhou stood nearby, seemingly distracted.
“Ji Gonggong, here you go.” A young eunuch held out a jade belt to Ji Qingzhou.
Ji Qingzhou was startled. He remembered that Tu Dayou had told him the protocol: dressing the lord was done by the robe eunuchs, but the belt and crown carried different meanings. For instance, when it was Tu Dayou’s turn to be on duty, he personally fastened the young emperor’s belt and placed the crown on his head. Similarly, Ji Qingzhou was supposed to fasten the belt and crown for the Regent.
Li Zhan stood tall in his court robes and looked at Ji Qingzhou without much expression. Ji Qingzhou took the jade belt and stepped in front of Li Zhan. He looped the belt around Li Zhan’s waist, tried to fasten the clasp but it wouldn’t catch, and the belt almost slipped out of his hands.
“Ji Gonggong…” The robe eunuch standing nearby was startled, fearing he might drop the belt.
“I can do it.” Ji Qingzhou took a deep breath and tried again. After fumbling for quite a while, he finally managed to fasten the clasp.
His eyes casually scanned Li Zhan’s figure. Although they had shared an intimate night at Fengxian Pavilion, it was dark and emotions were high then, so Ji Qingzhou hadn’t paid attention to Li Zhan’s physique.
Today, he realized Li Zhan was tall and slender, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist—a nearly flawless figure. Unfortunately, Li Zhan was always wrapped in luxurious robes, rarely showing his physique to anyone. According to the original book, this Regent Li Zhan had never married. Ji Qingzhou wondered if this time would be any different, or if Li Zhan would remain emotionally detached.
If so, then in this life, Li Zhan would only ever “show off” his figure in front of the eunuchs of Yinghui Pavilion.
Thinking of this, Ji Qingzhou involuntarily sighed softly, unsure for whom he was feeling this regret.
The youth’s faint sigh was barely audible, but it caught Li Zhan’s attention. He raised an eyebrow and asked, “What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.” Ji Qingzhou instinctively denied it but then realized his tone was too stiff, so hurriedly added, “I was just thinking about how Wang Ye works tirelessly day and night for the country. It stirs some emotions in me.”
Li Zhan’s gaze dropped slightly onto the youth’s face, noticing the faint dark circles under his eyes. It was obvious Ji Qingzhou hadn’t slept well last night.
“Where’s Wang Ye?” At that moment, Qin Zheng’s voice came from outside the hall.
He pushed the door open and walked in.
“Ah, I said it would look good on you, Young Master Ji, that red robe.” Qin Zheng smiled broadly when he saw Ji Qingzhou. “Just yesterday, I told Wang Ye that this red robe was made just for you!”
When he finished speaking, all eyes in the hall instinctively turned to Ji Qingzhou. The youth was dressed in red robes, his fair skin even more striking. His delicate features and elegant demeanor gave the eunuch uniform an air of nobility.
“Getting you to Yinghui Pavilion was absolutely the right choice!” Qin Zheng said. “Quite the eye candy!”
Ji Qingzhou wasn’t in the mood to joke around with him. He took the crown handed to him by a eunuch and carefully placed it on Li Zhan’s head.
“There’s still two quarters of an hour before the morning court. Wang Ye has something to attend to first. I’ll take you to eat something good.” Qin Zheng nodded slightly at Li Zhan, then put his arm around Ji Qingzhou’s shoulder and led him to a side hall. To Ji Qingzhou’s surprise, the side hall was already prepared with porridge and snacks.
Qin Zheng pulled him down to sit and began eating. Ji Qingzhou was puzzled but didn’t mind.
“Wang Ye isn’t hungry. You eat your fill,” Qin Zheng said to Ji Qingzhou.
Ji Qingzhou drank a small half bowl of porridge but couldn’t shake the feeling that Qin Zheng seemed off today; even Li Zhan appeared somewhat different. When he recalled the subtle nod Qin Zheng gave Li Zhan earlier, it was clearly a silent exchange of information—something that couldn’t be openly spoken in front of others.
After a simple breakfast, Ji Qingzhou accompanied Li Zhan to the throne room.
Qin Zheng did not follow them, and although Ji Qingzhou was curious, he didn’t feel it was appropriate to ask.
“You look like you have a hundred questions written all over your face,” Li Zhan said on the way to the hall.
“Is it that obvious?” Ji Qingzhou replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.
“Why not ask?” Li Zhan asked.
Ji Qingzhou answered, “The Regent already knows what I’m thinking. If he wants to say something, he will. Otherwise, it would just disturb his peace if I pressed him.”
Hearing this, Li Zhan glanced at Ji Qingzhou. The youth’s expression carried a faint anxiety, but it was well-hidden and didn’t disturb his calm demeanor. Li Zhan realized that ever since he first met Ji Qingzhou, the youth had always been so measured and respectful.
Earlier, Li Zhan had told him not to call himself “slave,” and since then, Ji Qingzhou had never used that term.
Yet his attitude toward Li Zhan remained extremely deferential, never overstepping.
He did whatever he was asked without question, never asking where he shouldn’t, and never hiding what needed to be said.
When they reached the main hall, Ji Qingzhou noticed that the young emperor was absent today.
The court officials clearly noticed this unusual absence and couldn’t help whispering among themselves.
But what shocked them even more was the striking youth in red robes accompanying the Regent. Everyone in the Great Yu Dynasty knew the Regent disliked eunuchs and never allowed them close to him.
A few days ago, the Regent had moved to Yinghui Pavilion and had assigned eunuchs to serve him. The officials had heard rumors but never seen it firsthand—until today, when the youth in the red robe stood out too much. Though dressed as a eunuch, his bearing and presence far surpassed most young civil and military officials present.
“That’s Young Master Ji.”
“Ah, no wonder…”
Someone among the officials revealed Ji Qingzhou’s identity, and the gossip quickly shifted from “the Regent having eunuchs around him” to “the eunuch serving the Regent is actually the son of Grand Tutor Ji.”
The officials’ murmurs ended with one conclusion: the Regent’s actions were becoming increasingly unfathomable.
Only when the court session formally began did the officials divert their attention away from Ji Qingzhou and return to a more pressing question—why the young emperor wasn’t present at the morning court.
“The Emperor caught a cold yesterday and is resting today,” Li Zhan said calmly.
Though the officials had questions, Li Zhan gave no opportunity for further inquiry, signaling that those with petitions could proceed.
It was Ji Qingzhou’s first time attending the morning court, and he was curious about the officials’ discussions on state affairs. But after listening for quite some time, he found no mention of any major state matters. The most talked-about topic was still the Regent’s move to Yinghui Pavilion.
“Since the founding of our Great Yu Dynasty, there’s never been precedent for a Wang Ye living inside the palace,” one civil official said. “When a prince comes of age and opens a government office, he always lives in his own residence. The Regent’s move breaks ancestral protocol!”
Once the remark was made, many officials echoed it, repeating the same tiresome arguments. Their main point was clear: they hoped Li Zhan would reconsider.
Though they didn’t say it outright, Ji Qingzhou could tell they hoped the Regent would move back out.
He had heard about how difficult these civil officials could be, and now he was witnessing it firsthand.
“If the Regent finds the Prince Residence too far from the palace, it wouldn’t be impossible to choose another site outside the palace to build a new residence.”
“However, the treasury is not overflowing these days, and the Emperor just ascended the throne. Building a new residence for the Regent would be a significant expense!”
After some discussion, the officials were still debating whether to build a new mansion for the Regent.
Ji Qingzhou listened dumbfounded, glancing at Li Zhan, who showed no expression—no hint of approval or displeasure.
Ji Qingzhou: …..
No wonder this Regent job isn’t easy. If it were him, he’d be driven mad every day!
At first, Ji Qingzhou had worried the officials might stir trouble over Xiao Shan’s case. After all, after the rumors at Fengxian Pavilion last time, the previous court was in chaos, fixated on blaming the eunuchs for corruption and defiling the palace, desperate to destroy the Inner Attendant Department.
But now it seemed Xiao Shan was actually benefiting from the Regent’s influence.
For several days, these officials had been trying to convince the Regent to move out of Yinghui Pavilion, totally ignoring Xiao Shan’s situation.
It appeared these officials had their own priorities and understood which matters carried more weight…
“The Emperor is young and has no one to watch over him, and the servants around him are disloyal and untrustworthy. I cannot bear to leave him alone in the palace; I need to care for him closely,” Li Zhan said coolly.
Ji Qingzhou was startled by this and wondered silently who Li Zhan meant by “disloyal and untrustworthy.”
It shouldn’t be him, right? After all, he was now part of Yinghui Pavilion’s eunuchs.
Could it be Tu Dayou? Surely the Regent didn’t know about Tu Dayou’s situation!
“If the servants do their jobs poorly, they can be punished…” one official interjected.
“You all have seen the late Emperor’s will, which mentioned that I could move to Fu’an Palace to watch over the Emperor,” Li Zhan sneered. “So, do you not want me living in Yinghui Pavilion? Are you suggesting I move to Fu’an Palace instead?”
Everyone was shocked by this and looked at the Regent with complex emotions.
Because Fu’an Palace was the Emperor’s private chamber, Li Zhan’s words easily suggested something unsettling…
A Regent moving into the Emperor’s bedchamber—was he planning to replace him?
After this remark, the officials fell silent, unwilling to say anything provocative.
If the Regent became angry and said something unforgivable or treasonous, it would be hard to control the situation!
Ji Qingzhou found the officials’ stubbornness rather ironic.
The Regent had always been mild-tempered, which had allowed these officials to become so reckless in court. But now the Regent was no longer the same, and the officials knew when to stop pushing.
“If there is nothing else, you may disperse. I am going to Fu’an Palace… to see the Emperor,” Li Zhan said, casting a cold glance at the officials.
No one dared meet his gaze, and they only breathed a sigh of relief once he left.
“Ji Qingzhou…” After leaving the throne room, Li Zhan suddenly stopped and asked, “Why do you think I moved into Yinghui Pavilion?”
Ji Qingzhou was taken aback and thought to himself that in the original story, the Regent had been distant from the young emperor and had never moved into the palace. Because of this, in the original story, Ji Qingzhou had been able to stir trouble in front of the young emperor and keep him wrapped around his finger.
But this time, many things had changed. The Regent not only moved into the palace but also treated the young emperor in a completely different way than described in the original book. Ji Qingzhou had wondered about this more than once, but he could never quite figure out what the Regent was thinking.
“Maybe it’s so he can sleep a little longer,” Ji Qingzhou answered.
Li Zhan was momentarily taken aback by this reply, then let out a light chuckle. He never expected such an answer from the youth.
“People always liked to imagine things in strange and complicated ways, as if only then could they show how clever they were,” Ji Qingzhou said. “They didn’t realize that truly wise people often considered the simplest reasons when doing things.”
“Like when you said you were tasting food for me just to fill your stomach?” Li Zhan asked.
Ji Qingzhou’s face flushed red at the words, and he suddenly felt awkward.
He looked at Li Zhan and saw a faint smile teasing him in his eyes.
Ji Qingzhou: …
The way of heaven was cyclical — even the Regent could tease people now!
“No need to accompany me back. Go to the palace school and tell Mr. Lu that His Majesty won’t be attending today,” Li Zhan said to Ji Qingzhou.
Ji Qingzhou was a little confused. He thought it would be enough to send someone else for such a message — why did he have to go himself?
It wasn’t that he was putting on airs, but he had eaten too little that morning and was feeling quite hungry now.
But since the Regent gave the order, he dared not disobey and turned toward the palace school.
“Wait,” Li Zhan suddenly called out.
Ji Qingzhou stopped and looked back at Li Zhan. Li Zhan opened his mouth as if to say something, but then changed his mind and only said, “Don’t linger too long.”
“Yes,” Ji Qingzhou quickly agreed, but inside he was puzzled. I’m just delivering a message — how could I possibly stay overnight? This order makes no sense.
But he didn’t have time to think further then.
Ji Qingzhou passed through the alley beside the Golden Pavilion. As he stepped onto the square in front of the hall, he saw a large crowd gathered nearby. The palace attendants on duty and civil officials who had just finished their morning court session were all clustered there, but he didn’t know what was happening.
Without thinking much, Ji Qingzhou moved toward the crowd.
But before he even got close, he heard a terrible scream…
After the first scream came a second, each filled with heartbreaking pain and despair.
Ji Qingzhou’s steps froze, his mind went blank, and he stood there dumbfounded for a long moment…
“Why carry out a beating execution here?”
“No idea. Who is it?”
“The Office of Judicial Review is conducting the execution…”
Palace staff passing by whispered quietly among themselves. The braver ones gathered closer to watch, while the timid kept their distance.
Ji Qingzhou was bumped by someone and nearly fell. That snapped him out of his trance, and he quickly hurried toward the crowd. As he drew nearer, the screams and the dull thuds of the blows landing on someone became clearer…
Finally, Ji Qingzhou stumbled into the crowd and saw the person being punished already battered and bruised, with blood sparsely splattered on the tiled ground. The mix of blood and piercing screams sent chills down his spine.
But when Ji Qingzhou’s eyes landed on the punished man’s face, he froze!
How could this person be… him?
Ji Qingzhou stared at the suffering expression on the man’s face. A sudden tightness lodged in his chest, making it hard to breathe. For a moment, he wondered if he was hallucinating.
How could this person be the one being executed?
“Ugh,” a civil official nearby couldn’t stand the gruesome scene and vomited on the spot.
His act caused several others nearby to vomit as well.
“What’s the meaning of this? Someone explain!”
“They deliberately executed him here just to show us all.”
“To make an example of him…”
None of the officials had ever seen such a bloody spectacle before. Fear stirred anger among them, but soon the anger was suppressed by that same fear. Especially after some noticed Ji Qingzhou, no one dared to discuss it further. They supported each other and quietly left.
Within moments, the screams stopped.
The executioners stepped forward and checked the man’s breath, confirming he was dead. Then they left the body there, without even covering it.
“Like watching this so much? Aren’t you leaving yet?” Qin Zheng’s voice suddenly sounded in Ji Qingzhou’s ear. Then he grabbed Ji Qingzhou’s shoulder and turned him around. “It’s just a corpse. One glance is enough. Let’s go.”
Ji Qingzhou’s body trembled involuntarily as Qin Zheng led him away. He didn’t know if it was from fear or disgust.
Qin Zheng wiped the cold sweat off Ji Qingzhou’s forehead with his sleeve and asked, “Scared?”
Ji Qingzhou glanced at Qin Zheng and murmured, “I have to go… to inform His Majesty.”
“No need. I already did,” Qin Zheng said, holding him back.
Ji Qingzhou couldn’t help but look back at the corpse. Qin Zheng forcibly turned his head away. “I told you, one look is enough. Stop staring.”
“Why?” Ji Qingzhou stopped and asked, “Did the Regent send me here… just so I could see this?”
Qin Zheng remained silent, but his expression spoke volumes.
Gradually, Ji Qingzhou collected himself and recalled the reactions of the ministers…
Today Li Zhan had ordered the Office of Judicial Review to publicly beat an attendant to death right on the path where the ministers had to leave the palace. Was this really just to make an example?
But Ji Qingzhou didn’t expect that he himself would be one of those “monkeys.” He had thought Li Zhan had begun to trust him.
“It’s not what you think,” Qin Zheng finally said.
“What did I think?” Ji Qingzhou asked. “I don’t understand… is the Regent trying to warn me about something?”
Qin Zheng sighed, guided Ji Qingzhou around a corner so he wouldn’t see the scene again, and said, “You’ve always been smart, haven’t you? Didn’t you notice something was off here?”
Ji Qingzhou was stunned, still looking dazed.
Qin Zheng sighed again, “Looks like you really got scared silly!”
Ji Qingzhou had just witnessed a man beaten to death. The shock was too great for him to stay calm or think clearly.
“Who arranged for the Office of Judicial Review to execute someone here?” Qin Zheng asked.
“The Regent…” Ji Qingzhou replied.
Qin Zheng raised an eyebrow, implying that Ji Qingzhou should understand by now.
Ji Qingzhou said, “If the Regent can control the Office of Judicial Review… does that mean…”
“Shh,” Qin Zheng cut him off, “Just keep it in your heart. Don’t worry about your little brother. Go home and calm down. Take a nap. You don’t have to attend to Yinghui Pavilion today.”
Ji Qingzhou watched Qin Zheng walk away and finally took a deep breath.
Yinghui Pavilion.
After hearing Qin Zheng’s report, Li Zhan frowned, his expression complex — part uneasy, part displeased.
“This isn’t my fault!” Qin Zheng said. “Who could’ve known he’d leave so quickly? By the time I got there, he had already seen the whole execution and was trembling like a leaf. His face went pale… I didn’t know he was so foolish, scared but didn’t move away — just stared straight at it… If I hadn’t gone, who knows what might have happened…”
Li Zhan’s face flickered with irritation as he asked, “Where is he?”
“I saw he was unsettled, so I let him go back,” Qin Zheng replied.
Li Zhan shot Qin Zheng a displeased look and said, “Send my order. Starting tomorrow… no, today, have him move into Yinghui Pavilion to live.”
Qin Zheng smiled meaningfully and asked, “Then should he stay in your room or mine?”
Li Zhan picked up an inkstone and threw it at Qin Zheng, who dodged nimbly, grinning as he walked out the door.
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