After Being Reborn as the Chief Eunuch Chapter 77

Chapter 77: Extra 5

　[Eight Years Old and Thirteen Years Old — Punishment]

Ji Ze’s identity, in the end, could not be kept a secret.

As he grew older day by day, it was impossible for Li Zhan and Ji Qingzhou to keep him hidden in the Prince Residence forever.

And once he stepped outside the Prince Residence—with his delicate, carved-from-jade looks and an air of nobility that could not be concealed—it was hard not to attract attention. As time went on, the rumors about Ji Ze’s identity grew more and more rampant.

At first, the court only whispered that the Ji family had a child of about seven or eight years old, whose appearance bore a resemblance to both Ji Qingzhou and Li Zhan. Later, that child was seen frequently entering and leaving the Prince Residence and the Ji family residence, and on more than one occasion, he had been spotted together with Li Zhan and Ji Qingzhou. Over time, his identity became increasingly clear.

The Regent had passed thirty and still had no intention of “marrying,” not even a hint of it. Though he had once sworn in court that he would remain unmarried, no one had expected him to truly follow through. Now that people were beginning to grasp the nature of his relationship with Ji Qingzhou, many suddenly felt everything made sense.

After all these years, most had nearly forgotten that the young master of the Ji family had once served as the chief eunuch within the palace.

Now that Ji Qingzhou no longer made public appearances in court, and only Ji Qinghuai remained in the Hanlin Academy with a modest position, court officials didn’t feel the need to overthink things.

After all, Li Zhan had earned deep respect among the majority of court ministers over the years. Whether the Regent harbored ambitions was something anyone with eyes could see. In the earlier years, when Li Cong was still a child, he had never once made any suspicious moves. Now that Li Cong had grown into a youth, it was even less likely.

More importantly, Ji Ze bore Ji Qingzhou’s surname.

That alone meant Li Zhan never intended for this child to inherit his noble title.

He had gone this far—carefully avoiding every possible point of suspicion or criticism from the ministers.

If anyone still had complaints after this, it would truly chill the heart.

As Ji Ze’s identity gradually became an open secret, Li Zhan and Ji Qingzhou grew more relaxed about it. They simply stopped hiding.

That year, the palace school was opened to the sons of honored families, allowing the children of nobles and high officials to enter the school and study. On one hand, it was a gesture of imperial grace; on the other, it served as a pretense for finding companions to study alongside Li Cong. That said, since Li Cong no longer needed to attend the palace school daily, the so-called “companions” were just a nominal excuse.

Before the final list of students was decided, Li Cong mentioned in morning court that he wished for Ji Ze to attend as well. Surprisingly, not a single minister objected.

When it came to the right to attend the palace school, Ji Ze was second to none.

After all, he was the only son of the Regent—technically Li Cong’s younger cousin.

So, the matter was settled just like that.

Among the students chosen for the palace school, eight-year-old Ji Ze was the youngest. Most of the other children were around ten years old or older. But Ji Ze had grown up in the Prince Residence, used to chasing cats and teasing dogs, so his nature was lively and mischievous. He even carried a trace of what could only be described as harmless arrogance. Because of this, blending in with a group of young boys wasn’t a problem for him.

“In the palace school, you must not speak rudely to the teachers or fight with your classmates,” Ji Qingzhou reminded him sternly before he entered the palace. “Your royal father’s Yinghui Pavilion is very close to the palace school. If you cause trouble, it won’t take more than half a stick of incense’s time for word to reach his ears.”

Ji Ze feared nothing—but he did fear Li Zhan. He immediately nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

“What if the teacher speaks rudely to me first? Or if a classmate hits me first?” Ji Ze asked seriously.

“The teachers at the palace school aren’t like Doctor Tang. They won’t speak rudely to you unless you make a mistake first,” Ji Qingzhou replied. “And your classmates definitely won’t hit you either. Do you think the palace school is a martial arts hall?”

Hearing this, Ji Ze nodded again. Ji Qingzhou helped him pack up his brushes, ink, paper, and books, and only then did he allow someone to escort him to the palace.

Ji Ze behaved very well, staying quiet and obedient in the palace school for several days.

Li Cong, still worried, had specially arranged for someone to keep an eye on him. The report came back that Ji Ze had been behaving perfectly.

“Imperial Uncle, did you hear that? Ze’er hasn’t caused any trouble at all—he’s been really well-behaved,” Li Cong told Li Zhan.

Li Zhan raised an eyebrow, tossed a memorial in his hand toward Li Cong, and said, “If you’re truly at ease, then why are you sending someone to watch him every day?”

Li Cong was caught off guard by this and had nothing to say—he could only give an awkward chuckle.

Li Cong was now thirteen years old. Though his height had yet to catch up to Li Zhan’s, he was already tall and upright, with the spirited air of a young man. Over the past few years, Li Zhan had kept him close at all times, so his grasp of state affairs had improved tremendously. Many official documents barely needed Li Zhan’s input—Li Cong could already handle them with ease and precision.

While the uncle and nephew were busy with their work, someone outside the hall suddenly reported in, and moments later, Dong Dong entered.

He first saluted Li Cong, then turned to Li Zhan and said, “Wang Ye… the young master got into a fight at the palace school with the young heir of the Marquis Yongxing Residence.”

Li Zhan raised an eyebrow and glanced at Li Cong, as if to say: Didn’t you just say he was well-behaved?

“How is Ze’er? Did he get hurt? The young heir of the Marquis Yongxing sure is bold, to actually…” Li Cong looked anxious, instinctively rising from behind the desk as he spoke and preparing to rush out.

Only then did he realize Li Zhan had remained seated, completely unmoved.

“Imperial Uncle, Ze’er was beaten up,” Li Cong reminded him.

“That’s not necessarily the case,” Li Zhan said calmly. “We don’t know who hit whom yet.” He then looked at Dong Dong and asked, “Was there blood?”

Dong Dong quickly replied, “Just children fighting, not that serious. It’s just… Young Master got very fired up and pinned the young heir to the ground without letting go. No one could pull him off. Mr. Lu didn’t dare try to drag them apart in case the young master got hurt… so he sent me to ask for help.”

As soon as Dong Dong finished speaking, Li Cong nearly burst out laughing.

“The young heir of the Marquis Yongxing takes after his father. He has no real abilities, but he’s excellent at being infuriating,” Li Cong said. He had never liked the Marquis Yongxing—not because of his greasy, pampered appearance, but because he resented how the man lived off his father’s achievements, contributing nothing to the court while always being the loudest in political debates.

He was simply unbearable!

“Ze’er must have been provoked really badly to finally snap,” Li Cong added.

Li Zhan didn’t comment on that. Instead, he said to Dong Dong, “Go tell Mr. Lu that matters within the palace school should be handled by him. If he’s too frail to separate them, then call in the palace patrol guards. If that doesn’t work, get Gu Yiheng from the Imperial Guards. His Majesty and I have important matters to discuss—we have no time to deal with this.”

Dong Dong took his orders and left. Li Cong looked like he wanted to say more, but in the end, he stayed quiet.

After calming down, he realized he had overreacted.

Children fighting wasn’t something adults should step in to resolve too quickly—otherwise, even the one in the right could end up looking like the one in the wrong.

Lu Tingyi had never seen such a ruckus before and didn’t want to take responsibility, which was why he reported it to Li Zhan. But Li Zhan wasn’t a fool; there was no way he’d intervene rashly in a matter like this.

Besides, he knew his son well enough. Ji Ze wasn’t the type to suffer silently.

Ji Ze also had a guard following him. If he were ever truly in danger, the guard wouldn’t just stand by and watch.

That day, after classes, Ji Ze was brought back to the Prince Residence by Dong Dong.

Li Cong had been a little worried he might’ve been injured in the fight, but he and Li Zhan had been tied up in state affairs until late and didn’t get a chance to check on him.

He assumed the matter would blow over by the next day—but unexpectedly, during morning court, the Marquis Yongxing stood before all the civil and military officials and formally complained to Li Cong, claiming that the Regent’s son had injured his own son and demanding justice.

Li Cong immediately felt a surge of anger, but when he caught sight of Li Zhan standing calmly nearby, his expression completely unchanged, he quickly cooled down. He realized he couldn’t act on emotion.

Over the years, he had learned a lot from Li Zhan.

Most importantly: For a ruler, the greater the turmoil within, the more composed one must appear on the surface.

If others picked up on your emotional reactions, they could use them to control you.

And Li Cong could not let the ministers think Ji Ze was his weakness. That would make Ji Ze vulnerable.

“Ai.” Li Cong sighed, then looked toward Minister Zhang and asked, “Lord Zhang, you’re a bit older than the rest and must have some experience with children. If a fight broke out between kids in your home, how would you handle it?”

Minister Zhang hadn’t expected Li Cong to toss the question to him, but he couldn’t refuse. He quickly tried to gauge Li Cong’s intentions and answered cautiously, “I wouldn’t take one side at face value. I would call in both children and any witnesses, have them give their accounts, and determine the facts before making any judgment.”

Li Cong nodded in apparent realization, then turned to the Marquis Yongxing and asked, “What do you think, Marquis Yongxing?”

“I… I think that’s reasonable,” the Marquis Yongxing quickly replied.

At a moment like this, going against Minister Zhang’s words would make him look guilty.

Besides, he believed his son hadn’t done anything wrong, so he wasn’t afraid of a confrontation.

Once all other matters had been settled and morning court was nearly over—and by this time the palace school students had already arrived at the palace—Li Cong had someone bring both Ji Ze and the young heir to court. Lu Tingyi happened to still be present, and since he was a witness, he stayed as well.

As Ji Ze and the young heir were brought in together, the court ministers couldn’t help but steal curious glances at them.

Ji Ze, though still a child, wore a calm expression and didn’t seem fazed at all by the grandeur of the court. His posture was upright, his demeanor proper, and he even remembered to bow respectfully to both Li Cong and Li Zhan. In contrast, the young heir beside him had a chubby, flushed face, clearly flustered. He even forgot to bow and nearly rushed straight to Marquis Yongxing.

Fortunately, once the young heir saw Ji Ze bow, he seemed to realize what he was supposed to do and imitated him by bowing to Li Cong as well. However, he forgot to bow to Li Zhan. At present, Li Zhan was still the Regent, and his status in court was only slightly below Li Cong’s. Since he held regency authority, everyone except Li Cong was required to pay him respects according to protocol.

This etiquette had already been taught to all the palace school students on their very first day.

The young heir’s lapse might have been due to excessive nervousness, but in the eyes of the court ministers, it came across as a blatant act of disrespect.

After all, even Ji Ze, the Regent’s own son, bowed properly. So what excuse did a mere young heir have?

“Come now, you two. Tell me why you fought yesterday,” Li Cong said.

Ji Ze glanced at the young heir, as if to say, You go first.

The young heir puffed out his chubby cheeks and held it in for a long time before speaking. “Ji Ze… Ji Ze hit me! I couldn’t beat him, and even after I begged him to stop, he wouldn’t let go!” His voice began to tremble as if he were about to cry. Li Cong, afraid he really would start crying, quickly turned to Ji Ze.

Before Li Cong could even ask, Ji Ze replied, “Your Majesty, I was quietly reading in the palace school when the young heir came over to talk to me. I ignored him, so he pinched my face. I told him he shouldn’t do that, but he wouldn’t listen and even tried to touch my hand. Our teacher said that doing something without permission is improper behavior for a gentleman. Since he refused to act like a gentleman, I had no reason to treat him with courtesy either.”

Though Ji Ze was young, his words were spoken with the unique seriousness of a child, which made it hard for the court officials not to chuckle.

Especially when the young heir didn’t refute anything or show any anger, making it clear Ji Ze had told the truth.

“Mr. Lu, you were present at the time. Can you confirm their accounts?” Li Cong asked.

“Both of them are telling the truth,” Lu Tingyi answered.

Lu Tingyi was known throughout the court as an old-fashioned stickler. He had never been particularly close to Li Zhan over the years.

That made his words all the more credible.

“Children squabbling is no serious matter. Bringing it before me like this feels like making a mountain out of a molehill,” Li Cong raised an eyebrow and glanced at Marquis Yongxing. “Still, since it’s already been brought to my attention, I can’t ignore it. So let’s do this…”

His gaze swept sharply across both boys as he said, “Marquis Yongxing’s son acted inappropriately and failed to behave like a gentleman… I recall that recently, a newly appointed official from the Ministry of Rites wrote an essay titled *On the Conduct of a Gentleman.* I found it quite enlightening. Let’s have the Yongxing heir copy that essay ten times as punishment.”

Any court official who enjoyed literature would’ve recognized the essay. It had been the subject of intense discussion among scholars in the capital when it was first released. Some found it brilliantly profound; others thought it was needlessly obscure, filled with rare and archaic characters—almost as if it were showing off.

For the Yongxing heir to be made to copy it ten times, it was likely he’d cry for days. Unfortunately, neither he nor his father were bookish types and had never even heard of the essay. They assumed it was some ordinary piece of writing and didn’t suspect anything. Marquis Yongxing even thought the punishment was rather lenient and let out a breath of relief.

The court officials, though fully aware of the situation, offered no warning. The truth was, Marquis Yongxing was not particularly well-liked, and since this whole affair had been stirred up by him, most people were eager to see him embarrassed.

Li Cong then turned to Ji Ze and said, “Ji Ze is still young. When provoked, he couldn’t keep his temper. He should have reasoned with words but instead resorted to violence, nearly injuring someone and escalating the matter to the imperial court. That truly displeases me.” Though he seemed to be rebuking Ji Ze, any discerning listener could tell the criticism was aimed at Marquis Yongxing.

There was a distinct chill in Li Cong’s tone. Though he was just a youth, he already exuded the demeanor of a ruler.

Upon hearing this, Ji Ze immediately bowed and said, “If I have displeased Your Majesty, I am filled with fear and regret. I am willing to accept punishment.”

“You are to face the wall and reflect for three days. Use the time to think over your mistakes, so that next time, when you encounter rudeness, you won’t be so quick to raise your hand,” Li Cong declared.

Ji Ze quickly nodded and accepted the punishment with humble courtesy.

None of the ministers raised any objections. In fact, many of them inwardly sighed, Like father, like son—neither of them is worth much. In their eyes, Marquis Yongxing’s son, never mind his looks, carried himself with an annoying air. Especially when standing next to the composed and poised Ji Ze, he looked even more petty and unpresentable—clearly cut from the same cloth as his father.

After all, it was the Yongxing heir who had grabbed the face of the Regent’s son. The Regent hadn’t even made a fuss about it, and yet the Marquis had the nerve to bring a complaint. Poor Ji Ze had simply lost his temper and thrown a punch—not even injuring anyone—yet he was scolded and punished with a three-day reflection.

And so, the matter was finally put to rest.

After court ended, Li Cong looked a little pleased with himself. He edged closer to Li Zhan, clearly hoping for some praise.

Li Zhan paused to consider, then commented, “It was adequate.”

“Was there a better way to handle it?” Li Cong asked.

Li Zhan thought for a moment and replied, “Raising a child poorly is the father’s fault. You should have punished Marquis Yongxing and me together. That would’ve asserted your authority before the entire court. Today was a golden opportunity—you could have used it to teach the Marquis a lesson. But you missed it.”

Li Cong’s face dimmed as he listened. He could sense that there was a deeper meaning behind Li Zhan’s words.

Over the past year, whether intentionally or not, Li Zhan had gradually begun entrusting many important matters to Li Cong.

Li Cong could feel it—Li Zhan was pushing him to grow up.

Now, hearing Li Zhan say such things, it was less about helping Li Cong establish his authority, and more about sending a signal to the court officials: if Li Cong dared to punish even Li Zhan, it meant that the court was no longer ruled by just Li Zhan alone.

“You said you wouldn’t force me to take full control before I turned fifteen,” Li Cong said.

“I’m not forcing you—just letting you get used to it in advance,” Li Zhan replied.

Li Cong let out a small breath of relief at that, but he still felt a tinge of sorrow.

He had gradually learned how to act as a ruler, but he didn’t want to face that loneliness too early.

He knew that once he officially assumed power, Li Zhan would no longer stay in the palace. Over the past two years, Li Zhan had gradually shifted his trusted officials in court to become Li Cong’s men. Li Cong understood well that Li Zhan had long been eager to leave court affairs behind.

That day would come sooner or later—but Li Cong couldn’t help feeling afraid.

He wasn’t afraid of the cunning and treachery of the political arena. What he feared was having no one standing beside him in the years to come.

All the people beneath him would be his ministers, and he would sit alone at the top, with no one to share the burden.

[Ten and Fifteen Years Old — Coming of Age]

Day by day, time passed. In the blink of an eye, two years had gone by.

In those two years, Ji Ze had thrived in the palace school, like a fish in water, and made friends with many sons of noble families.

He was lively by nature—neither as steady as Ji Qingzhou nor as stern as Li Zhan. He had a keen sense of how to interact with others. The noble children at the school had initially assumed that, as Li Zhan’s son, Ji Ze must be overbearing and difficult to get along with. But to their surprise, he didn’t put on airs. The occasional flashes of arrogance weren’t malicious; instead, they carried a touch of childlike innocence.

That year, Ji Ze had begun spending more time moving about in the palace.

He often shared amusing stories from the palace school with Li Cong. Li Cong loved listening to him speak, but at times, as he listened, he would drift off into thought.

Ji Ze wasn’t particularly sensitive—compared to Li Cong, he was almost blunt.

So he didn’t always pick up on what was weighing on Li Cong’s heart.

Especially now that Li Cong had grown even more mature over these two years, his emotions rarely showed on his face.

If there was something he didn’t want known, even Li Zhan sometimes couldn’t guess it.

“Royal Father said once you take the throne next month, he’ll take me and Dad to the northwest for a visit,” Ji Ze said excitedly to Li Cong. “It’s a shame you can’t come. But I’ll write you letters from there. If I see anything interesting, I’ll tell you all about it!”

Li Cong gave a faint smile. “How long will you stay?”

“Royal Father didn’t say, but Dad said the wind and sand in the northwest are harsh, and I’m still young, so staying too long might be bad for me. We’ll probably be back in a month or two.” Ji Ze added, “I heard people say the scenery in Jiangnan is the most beautiful. I’m thinking, once we return from the northwest, I’d love to stay in Jiangnan for a while. They say it doesn’t even snow in winter there.”

Li Cong nodded. “Sounds nice. Just means I won’t be able to build snowmen with you on your birthday anymore.”

Ji Ze froze at that. The excitement on his face faded a little. After a long moment, he said, “Imperial Brother… I wish you weren’t the Emperor.”

His words brought a shadow across his expression. Seeing this, Li Cong reached out and pinched his cheek.

The two boys looked at each other and smiled, but there was a quiet bitterness in their smiles.

Ji Ze had grown up with Li Cong since they were little. To him, Li Cong was already like a real brother.

As family, they shouldn’t have to part ways. Yet now they were leaving—and they couldn’t take Li Cong with them.

Because Li Cong was the sovereign of the nation, and on his shoulders rested the burden of the entire realm.

“Dad, when do you think Imperial Brother will be able to leave the capital with us?” Ji Ze asked Ji Qingzhou after returning to the Prince Residence.

Ji Qingzhou laughed softly. “Perhaps… when he has a child of his own someday, someone who can take over that burden for him.”

“Just like now with Royal Father, right? Since Imperial Brother’s taking the throne, Royal Father finally gets to travel and have fun with us?” Ji Ze asked.

Ji Qingzhou nodded, and Ji Ze asked again, “Did Royal Father ever want to run away before?”

“If he ran away, what would happen to your Imperial Brother?” Ji Qingzhou chuckled.

Ji Ze looked a bit troubled at that and asked, “But can Imperial Brother run away?”

“If he did, the Dayu Dynasty would fall into chaos. When the country falls into disorder, many brothers like you would be forced apart—some sent to fight in wars, others would die in the turmoil…” Ji Qingzhou explained, “Back then, your father didn’t run away, so your Imperial Brother naturally wouldn’t either.”

Ji Ze nodded, only half understanding, thinking thankfully his father was not the emperor.

But imagining his Imperial Brother trapped inside the imperial city made him feel sad.

Not long after, Li Cong officially took the throne.

After a decade of assisting Li Cong, Li Zhan finally relinquished his title as Regent that year.

Half a month later, Li Zhan took his family and set off on a journey that he had already planned ten years earlier.

On that day, when Li Cong attended court, he no longer had anyone by his side to lean on. The feeling left him both lost and uncertain.

He had long since learned how to be an emperor, but he hadn’t yet learned how to be alone.

After the morning court session, Li Cong went to the back hall, took off his dragon robe, and sat on a low couch wearing his inner garments. His heart felt empty and hollow.

But amidst his sadness, there was some comfort because he knew Li Zhan and his family had stayed in the capital all these years because of him. If not for that, he would have been utterly alone ten years ago.

Li Cong sniffed and forced himself to steady his emotions.

There was still a pile of official documents waiting for him in the study. He didn’t have time to sit here and brood.

Just then, he suddenly heard a faint noise coming from behind the folding screen.

“Who’s there?” Li Cong asked.

As soon as he spoke, a small head popped out from behind the screen.

Li Cong’s face lit up with joy. He stepped forward, scooped the child up, and spun him around several times before stopping.

“Hahaha, Imperial Brother, you’re squeezing me too hard!” Ji Ze complained playfully with a smile.

Li Cong finally let him go and asked, “Weren’t you supposed to leave today?”

“Dad said the winds and sandstorms in the northwest were too harsh and worried I’d get hurt. He said he’d take me along next time when he and Royal Father go south to Jiangnan,” Ji Ze said cheerfully. “Actually, I know Royal Father just doesn’t want me tagging along because I’m a nuisance, hehe.”

Li Cong laughed heartily and couldn’t resist pinching Ji Ze’s chubby cheek.

Ji Ze pretended to be in pain and muttered, “I’m already ten years old, Imperial Brother. You can’t pinch my face like a kid anymore.”

“When I was ten, Imperial Uncle and Zhouzhou pinched me just like this!” Li Cong said.

“Royal Father and Dad are adults!” Ji Ze laughed.

“I’m an adult too.”

“You’re not — you only become an adult when you get married.”

“You know quite a bit…”

“Hahaha…”

The sound of the two brothers laughing and playing in the back hall brought a warm touch to the otherwise chilly throne room.

Love the drama and palace machinations? Buy Ciacia a coffee on Kofi to keep the intrigue brewing.

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