After Being Reborn as the Chief Eunuch Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Ji Qingzhou’s stomach had been thoroughly emptied from vomiting. After returning to his room, he felt lightheaded and dizzy. He wrung out a damp cloth and wiped his face before he finally felt a little more clear-headed.

The young emperor hadn’t returned from the Old Wang Ye’s place yet—likely still keeping him company and chatting.

At the moment, only Ji Qingzhou and Li Zhan were in the room.

Li Zhan’s assigned room was next door, but he had followed Ji Qingzhou inside. Since that was the case, Ji Qingzhou couldn’t drive him out. He could only stand respectfully to the side, thinking that the Regent likely had something to instruct him about.

“What did Fourth Brother say to you?” Li Zhan asked.

Ji Qingzhou froze for a moment. He thought back to the overly dramatic things Prince Heng had said and felt none of them were appropriate to repeat. Eventually, he could only reply, “His Highness said… the Old Wang Ye intends to arrange a marriage for you both.”

“Fourth Brother has never let go of the broken engagement with your younger sister…” Li Zhan said.

“His Highness just can’t move on. It’s useless for others to say more,” Ji Qingzhou replied.

Li Zhan nodded slightly upon hearing this, then looked at Ji Qingzhou.

Ji Qingzhou returned his gaze with confusion and a bit of innocent puzzlement in his eyes.

“You have nothing you want to say to me?” Li Zhan raised an eyebrow slightly and asked.

“I…” Ji Qingzhou’s thoughts raced. He picked up on the unspoken meaning behind Li Zhan’s words and guessed he was probably referring to why Ji Qingzhou hadn’t gone to see the Old Wang Ye. He quickly said, “The matter with the Ji family has already been settled. The late emperor has passed, and those involved have already been dealt with… Though the Old Wang Ye was involved, he wasn’t the one making the final decisions… Besides, I’m just a lowly eunuch—what right do I have to go confront the Old Wang Ye?”

Li Zhan said, “Since I brought you here, it means I grant you the right to confront him.”

Ji Qingzhou was momentarily stunned, not expecting Li Zhan to say something like that. He felt a bit touched. But since Li Zhan had made his position clear, Ji Qingzhou knew he had to be honest. Hesitating or holding back would only make Li Zhan suspicious.

“Thank you, Wang Ye,” Ji Qingzhou bowed and said, “The lives of my siblings and I have only been preserved thanks to the painstaking efforts of many. Unless I’m absolutely certain, I don’t want to dig this matter back up lightly. If I lose my life, then so be it—but I can’t drag my elder brother and little sister down with me.”

Ji Qingzhou hadn’t spent much time dwelling on the injustice faced by the Ji family. Firstly, he had been like a clay bodhisattva crossing a river—barely able to save himself—so he hadn’t had the energy to consider it. Secondly, he had never personally experienced what happened to the Ji family, nor did he possess the original host’s memories, so it had been hard to fully grasp the depth of resentment or grievance…

However, he wasn’t against seeking justice for the Ji family. In fact, he was willing to do it—if nothing else, as a way to repay the second life he had received out of nowhere. Besides, he carried the blood of the Ji family, and after so long, it was natural to develop a sense of identity.

“But I can distinguish right from wrong, even if I decide to act one day, I’ll never harm the innocent, and I won’t cause chaos in the court.” Ji Qingzhou continued “Wang Ye, please rest assured.”

Hearing this, Li Zhan looked at Ji Qingzhou’s face. Seeing how calm and composed the youth appeared, he couldn’t help but feel moved.

“If I were to…” Li Zhan started to speak, but before he could finish, there was a knock at the door.

It was Dong Dong—he had gone to fetch a doctor from the estate garden. Their conversation had to be interrupted.

After receiving permission, Dong Dong led the doctor into the room. The doctor appeared to be in his fifties, steady and experienced. He had been tending to the Old Wang Ye’s health for some time and was known for his decent skills.

“I heard from this lord that the young master has been vomiting frequently? Are there any other symptoms?” the doctor asked as he placed a pulse pillow on the table.

Ji Qingzhou thought for a moment and replied, “I get hungry easily, but if I eat too much, I feel unwell. The vomiting isn’t too frequent—only when triggered. For example, when I see blood or smell alcohol—it’s not like I’m vomiting all the time.”

“Please stick out your tongue for me to take a look,” the doctor said.

Ji Qingzhou did as instructed, and the doctor nodded, then gestured for him to place his wrist on the pulse pillow.

“Doctor, in general, what are the common causes for frequent vomiting?” Ji Qingzhou asked, slightly nervous. The most likely explanation he could think of was a stomach issue. He thought to himself, medical standards in this world weren’t nearly as advanced as modern times—he really hoped it wasn’t something serious.

The doctor replied: “There could be many reasons, eating something bad, imbalance in the spleen and stomach, indigestion—all can cause vomiting… Women who are pregnant also often vomit. But as for your specific case, I’ll have to finish checking your pulse before I can give a definite answer.”

Ji Qingzhou nodded, thinking to himself that it was unlikely he had eaten anything spoiled—everything in the palace was prepared with great care. Most likely, it was some kind of imbalance in the stomach. Aside from that, there really couldn’t be any other explanation. It’s not like he could be… pregnant…

Wait a minute—

Ji Qingzhou froze. A wild and shocking thought suddenly flashed through his mind!

No way… right?

He suddenly thought of Xiao Shan, and only now remembered that in this world, men could also bear children.

But surely he couldn’t be that unlucky, could he?

He had only been with the Regent once, that night in Fengxian Pavilion… Though, if he recalled correctly, the Regent hadn’t exactly stopped after just one round…

Still, it couldn’t be that coincidental!

Besides, not every man in this world could conceive.

Even if they could, it wasn’t like conception happened every single time…

The elderly doctor furrowed his brows as he checked Ji Qingzhou’s pulse. Catching a glimpse of Ji Qingzhou’s expression—like someone awaiting imminent doom—he hesitated before cautiously saying, “This pulse… seems rather unusual.”

Li Zhan, standing to the side, frowned as well and asked, “Is something wrong?”

The doctor paused for a moment, then switched to check the other wrist, but still gave no clear answer.

Ji Qingzhou’s heart dropped halfway to the floor in fear. Don’t tell me I’m that unlucky?!

If it really was that, and the truth was exposed in front of the Regent, would he even survive it?

The doctor clearly noted the subtle shifts in Ji Qingzhou’s expression and eventually sighed. “Young Master Ji needs proper recuperation. If delayed, it may be too late to restore his health later.” Ji Qingzhou finally let out a long breath of relief, his soul halfway returned to his body.

“T-then please prescribe something for me,” Ji Qingzhou said as he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

While the doctor had been speaking just now, his heart had nearly leapt out of his throat, terrified that the words “You’re pregnant” might come out of the man’s mouth.

Although he kept telling himself it was impossible, he couldn’t help but feel panicked.

Especially with Li Zhan right there—if it was true… Ji Qingzhou dared not even imagine the consequences.

The doctor gave him a knowing smile, carried his medicine chest to the side, and pulled out a brush and paper to begin writing a prescription. Ji Qingzhou, still shaken, moved to stand in front of him, as though afraid the man would say something inappropriate again.

“Young Master Ji should be more careful with his eating habits… overeating might cause your body to gain weight too quickly,” the doctor said with meaningful eyes as he finished writing the prescription. “The imperial physicians in the palace are far more skilled than this old man. When you return, you might want to have another examination—just in case I’ve missed something.”

Ji Qingzhou froze. He had a strong feeling that the doctor was hinting at something else.

“Thank you,” Ji Qingzhou said, accepting the prescription and personally escorting the doctor out of the room.

“No need to send me off, Young Master Ji. I’ll prepare the medicine and have someone deliver it to you once it’s brewed,” the doctor said. Just before leaving, he lightly brushed Ji Qingzhou’s lower abdomen with his hand, then respectfully saluted and turned away with his medicine chest.

His gesture had been so subtle that neither Li Zhan nor Dong Dong noticed—but Ji Qingzhou had seen it clearly.

His heart, which had just settled, leapt up again in an instant.

What… does that mean?!

Ji Qingzhou looked down at his own stomach, and his face immediately fell.

No way.

It can’t really be what I think it is… can it?!

“Young Master Ji, are you alright?” Dong Dong noticed how pale Ji Qingzhou had become and asked with concern.

Ji Qingzhou quickly snapped out of his daze, shook his head, and forced a smile. “I’m fine. Really.”

Dong Dong added, “The doctor here in the estate can’t compare to the palace physicians. If you still feel unwell when we return, just summon one of the imperial physicians.”

“Ah… alright.” Ji Qingzhou nodded absentmindedly, his mind a complete mess.

At the window, Li Zhan stood silently. Though his gaze appeared casual, it happened to fall on Ji Qingzhou, and his expression was difficult to read.

That night, at the Old Wang Ye residence.

The young emperor had played himself tired and was now dozing off with his head resting on a small table nearby.

“Take His Majesty away and look after him well,” the Old Wang Ye instructed.

A maid immediately stepped forward and carefully carried the young emperor away.

Only then did the Old Wang Ye turn his attention to another man standing in the room—none other than the doctor who had just examined Ji Qingzhou.

“Speak. What is it?” the Old Wang Ye asked, dismissing the attendants.

The doctor stepped closer and whispered a few words into the Old Wang Ye’s ear.

The Old Wang Ye’s face changed. “Is that true? Are you sure?”

“I may not be an expert in this area,” the doctor replied, “but there’s no mistaking his pulse. And after I gave him just the slightest hint, the young master’s expression changed instantly.”

“What was his reaction?” asked the Old Wang Ye.

“Panic,” the doctor answered. “He seemed terrified, as though he was afraid I would expose him right there on the spot.”

The Old Wang Ye pondered for a moment. “How long has it been?”

“Nearly two months,” the doctor replied.

“Two months… that would line up exactly with the day he entered the palace,” the Old Wang Ye murmured. “What about Zhan’er? How did he react?”

“Wang Ye didn’t show any emotion from start to finish. I’m not sure if he picked up on my implication,” the doctor said. “And… to be honest, I couldn’t be sure either. That’s why I didn’t dare say it outright—this involves that Ji family young master, and perhaps even…”

He trailed off, but the Old Wang Ye knew who he meant. He’d heard the rumors floating through the palace lately—that Li Zhan had suddenly changed his ways and taken a liking to an inner attendant.

Those rumors hadn’t gone beyond whispers, because Li Zhan had always had a spotless reputation, and no one dared accuse him outright of improper relations with an attendant. But today’s events were far too coincidental, and the Old Wang Ye couldn’t help but connect the dots…

After all, that Ji family young master had always carried himself with pride. Even after becoming an inner attendant, it was unlikely he’d take an interest in just anyone.

The Old Wang Ye coughed a few times, clutching his chest, then said, “Don’t speak of this to anyone yet. Let me think it over.”

“Indeed,” the doctor replied. “I’m afraid Young Master Ji won’t be able to keep it hidden. He definitely picked up on what I meant between the lines, and once he returns to the palace, he’ll likely have someone else check his pulse to confirm.”

“Mm,” said the Old Wang Ye. “I’m aware. All you need to do is keep your mouth shut.”

The doctor quickly agreed and finally withdrew.

That night, Ji Qingzhou tossed and turned restlessly in bed.

His mind kept drifting between the events of that night in Fengxian Pavilion and the image of Xiao Shan being carried out of Yan Court, covered in blood… and then to the doctor’s meaningful glance, especially that subtle gesture of brushing his lower abdomen before leaving.

Even though Ji Qingzhou tried hard to convince himself that something as unlucky and improbable as this couldn’t possibly happen to him, a quiet voice inside kept whispering that he was doomed.

If things truly were as he feared, setting aside how he might deal with palace regulations, the Regent alone wouldn’t let him off the hook.

It was true that Li Zhan had shown him care and leniency, largely out of respect for the late Grand Tutor, but that kindness was based on one condition—he posed no threat to Li Zhan. The moment this matter became real and rumors spread, it was easy to imagine how the court officials would lash out in fury… There was no way Li Zhan would sacrifice his own reputation and standing just to protect him. And so, Ji Qingzhou could see only one possible outcome.

He remained anxious until the latter half of the night before finally falling asleep.

But the moment he did, nightmares came flooding in…

In the dream, he was accompanying Li Zhan to morning court. For some inexplicable reason, his belly began to swell, growing round like a ball in front of all the civil and military officials. The ministers erupted in fury, condemning him as a treacherous eunuch who had seduced the Regent and now carried his child—a national disgrace that deserved no mercy!

After a bout of scolding, they began discussing punishments. Some suggested dismemberment, others called for him to be beaten to death. The officials argued back and forth, listing all ten of the cruelest tortures in his dream until Ji Qingzhou was scared out of his wits…

He jolted awake in the middle of the night, drenched in cold sweat.

Still reeling, he reached out to feel his lower abdomen and found it thankfully still flat. The nightmare, he figured, was half due to the doctor’s words and half because he had drunk too much water before bed and now needed to relieve himself.

Ji Qingzhou slipped on his boots and stepped outside. The cold night breeze sobered him up slightly.

Exhausted, he made a silent wish in his heart, pleading with the heavens not to let his worst fears come true.

The next day, more guests arrived at the estate—this time it was Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Rites.

To Ji Qingzhou’s surprise, the Old Wang Ye had actually invited him over to serve as a witness in deciding the marriage matches for Li Zhan and Prince Heng.

“I asked you both to think it over yesterday, do either of you have someone in mind now?” The Old Wang Ye said to them.

Li Zhan remained silent, while Prince Heng opened his mouth as if to speak but hesitated.

Seeing this, the Old Wang Ye prompted, “If there’s a young lady you fancy, feel free to bring her up. As long as she comes from a respectable family, everything can be discussed.”

As he spoke, he especially emphasized the words “young lady” and “respectable family,” and even paused his gaze on Li Zhan’s face. But Li Zhan’s expression remained calm and unreadable throughout, giving nothing away.

“In that case, I’ll make the choices for you,” the Old Wang Ye said, pushing forward two pieces of paper bearing birth details. “Lu Tingyi’s daughter, just turned sixteen, graceful and well-mannered, matches Heng’er’s age quite nicely.”

He then turned to Li Zhan and said, “As for you—the Duke Qiu’s youngest sister, she’s seventeen this year…”

At the mention of Duke Qiu, Li Zhan furrowed his brows ever so slightly, but quickly returned to his usual composed self.

Minister Zhang chimed in with enthusiastic praise for both the Lu and Qiu daughters, declaring that the matches were simply perfect—heaven-sent, even!

“Uncle…” Prince Heng’s brows knitted tightly, his face clearly resistant. There were dark circles under his eyes, suggesting he hadn’t slept well. And the moment he heard the bride would be Lu Tingyi’s daughter, his expression turned sour. “With the way Lord Lu looks, how pretty could his daughter possibly be?”

“If you’re after beauty, you can take in a concubine after the marriage. No one will stop you,” the Old Wang Ye said flatly. “But upright officials like Lu Tingyi are rare in court. Marrying into his family is a great political alliance. Even your late father, were he alive, would surely approve.”

Minister Zhang readily agreed, showering praise upon the Old Wang Ye for his wisdom.

“Zhan’er, do you have anything to say?” the Old Wang Ye turned to Li Zhan.

“No,” Li Zhan replied coolly.

The Old Wang Ye looked slightly surprised but said, “Very well then. The Ministry of Rites will select an auspicious date to formalize the engagement… My time is running short. My only remaining wish is to see the two of you properly married.”

Minister Zhang quickly offered some pleasantries about the prince’s long life and robust health.

Though Prince Heng was clearly unhappy, he couldn’t argue with Li Zhan remaining quiet, so he held his tongue.

That same day, Li Zhan didn’t linger at the estate.

After lunch, he set off to return to the palace, taking the young emperor with him.

Inside the carriage, Ji Qingzhou held the drowsy young emperor in his arms, while he himself looked dazed and absentminded.

The nightmares had left him drained, and when he got up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, the cold breeze had made him catch a slight chill. Now, he appeared utterly listless, with barely any energy at all.

“Why do you look even paler than yesterday after taking the medicine?” Li Zhan glanced at Ji Qingzhou’s ashen complexion and frowned.

“It’s nothing… Maybe I’m just… not used to the water and climate here,” Ji Qingzhou avoided Li Zhan’s gaze, not daring to look at him.

Probably because he felt so guilty—ever since last night, Ji Qingzhou couldn’t help but want to avoid Li Zhan whenever he saw him, as if he feared Li Zhan had some kind of piercing gaze that could instantly see whether something that shouldn’t be there was inside his belly.

“Before we leave, you should let the physician take another look,” Li Zhan said.

Upon hearing that, Ji Qingzhou thought to himself, Just that one look last time almost scared the soul out of me. If he looks again, I might not survive it.

“Um…” Afraid Li Zhan would continue on this topic, Ji Qingzhou quickly tried to change the subject. “Did… the Old Wang Ye really finalize your and Prince Heng’s marriage arrangements?”

Li Zhan raised his eyebrows and replied, “Mm.”

“Then… congratulations, Your Highness,” Ji Qingzhou said.

Li Zhan’s gaze lingered on Ji Qingzhou’s face, with a hint of amusement in his eyes. After a moment, he asked, “Take a guess—which family’s daughter is it?”

“It’s…” Ji Qingzhou looked at Li Zhan, and a sudden thought flashed through his mind. He asked, “Could it be the young lady from the Qiu family?”

Back when that incident happened at Fengxian Pavilion, Li Zhan had even asked Ji Qingzhou to sound out the Qiu family’s young lady. At the time, Ji Qingzhou had expected Li Zhan to act afterward. But Li Zhan had done nothing—neither pursuing the matter nor seeking revenge.

Ji Qingzhou had been surprised then. Based on what he knew of Li Zhan, he had thought Li Zhan would’ve torn the Qiu family apart! But after spending more time with him, Ji Qingzhou’s understanding of Li Zhan had changed. He now knew Li Zhan was far more restrained and calculating than he had imagined.

Ji Qingzhou even suspected that Li Zhan hadn’t acted not because he forgave the Qiu family, but because he was holding back, preparing a bigger move to completely ruin them. But Ji Qingzhou couldn’t be sure. Most of the time, he couldn’t guess what was going on in Li Zhan’s mind.

Li Zhan smiled faintly and replied, “Unexpected, but not unreasonable.”

“Young Lady Qiu is His Majasty’s maternal aunt. If Wang Ye marries her, it would tie you to the Qiu family,” Ji Qingzhou said. “The Old Wang Ye is clearly thinking long-term.”

As he said that, Ji Qingzhou suddenly recalled the events at Fengxian Pavilion and furrowed his brows. Li Zhan noticed the change in his expression and asked, “What did you just think of?”

“I…” Ji Qingzhou panicked slightly and said, “That incident back then… could it be…”

“It’s not impossible,” Li Zhan said. “I even think my uncle and the Qiu family might have already joined forces. Only by dragging me into it too could they truly put their minds at ease.”

Ji Qingzhou let out a sigh at those words and couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for Li Zhan. Even though Li Zhan had been wholeheartedly devoted to supporting the young emperor, he was still constantly met with suspicion and caution. To prevent him from developing rebellious intentions, those people were even willing to resort to such underhanded methods…

“Will Wang Ye agree to it?” Ji Qingzhou asked.

“What if I do?” Li Zhan replied. “Even if I marry into the Qiu family, do you think that would truly set their minds at ease and stop them from doubting me?”

Doubt was like a seed—once planted, it would take root and sprout. If you only cut off the visible branches but left the roots, it wouldn’t take long before it all grew back, even stronger than before.

But… what if he didn’t agree?

Ji Qingzhou couldn’t help but worry for Li Zhan. Was he really going to go against the Old Wang Ye and the imperial decree left in his care?

At that moment, the young emperor, who had been sleeping in Ji Qingzhou’s arms, seemed a bit uncomfortable. With his eyes closed, he shifted several times before finally draping his legs over Li Zhan’s and resting his upper body on Ji Qingzhou’s stomach.

Just as Ji Qingzhou was busy worrying for Li Zhan, the young emperor’s weight on his stomach made him suddenly tense up again.

Even though he knew that even if there was something in his belly, there wouldn’t be any noticeable signs at this point, he still couldn’t help but feel guilty.

A moment later, the young emperor suddenly lifted his head and looked at Ji Qingzhou through sleepy eyes. “Ji Gonggong, what’s wrong with your belly?”

Ji Qingzhou went pale with fright at the question and stammered, “N-nothing, what do you mean?”

He nearly lost his mind—he hadn’t even confirmed anything himself yet, so how did the young emperor already know?

“It’s making noise…” the young emperor muttered, then tilted his head and went right back to sleep on top of Ji Qingzhou’s stomach.

The carriage grew so quiet that one could hear a pin drop, the only sound being Ji Qingzhou’s slightly anxious breathing.

Moments later, a loud “gurgle” came from Ji Qingzhou’s belly…

The young emperor mumbled sleepily, “See… it’s talking again…”

Ji Qingzhou: …

Li Zhan: …

Ji Qingzhou reached up and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, thinking that if things kept going like this, even if something really did spark between them, it would probably be scared away soon enough…

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