After Being Reborn as the Chief Eunuch Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Outside, the sky was clear and bright. The July sunlight fell on people with an unabashed warmth.

Li Zhan stepped out of the Court Prison. The chill that had clung to him inside lingered faintly, but once bathed in sunlight, it felt almost unreal. For a moment, standing at the prison gate, he almost thought it had all been a dream.

For months, although he tried not to dwell on it, the scene that unfolded in the Fengxian Pavilion kept surfacing unbidden in his mind. Such an experience was hardly something anyone would want to remember, especially for Li Zhan—those hours were filled with frustration and anger at being manipulated.

Yet, no matter how much he wanted to forget, everything that happened that night was real and could not be erased.

Could that person truly have been Ji Qingzhou?

As Li Zhan walked back toward Yinghui Pavilion, his thoughts swirled wildly.

At first, after the incident, he had doubted Ji Qingzhou. Both the unauthorized shift change with Gao Liang and the wounds Ji Qingzhou bore the next day cast suspicion on him.

But at that time, Li Zhan had no one trustworthy in the palace. If he had openly investigated that night’s events, it would only lead to mutual destruction. Duke Qiu Lanting had probably predicted this as well, knowing Li Zhan would not be reckless enough to risk everything—so he dared to make his move.

Only after subsequent upheavals forced Li Zhan to set that matter aside temporarily.

Still, his suspicion of Ji Qingzhou lingered like a knot he could never untie, buried deep within his heart.

Today, Qiu Lanxi’s words had completely confirmed his doubts.

The vague figure in his memory suddenly became crystal clear…

That slender youth in the Fengxian Pavilion was a perfect match for Ji Qingzhou’s appearance; every detail and interaction from that night now had a definite person behind them.

The sudden clarity in his memories left Li Zhan momentarily dazed. He forced himself to shift focus, lest his body betray untimely reactions.

He reflected on the past months’ details and realized that many subtle behaviors of Ji Qingzhou had silently confirmed this truth—he just hadn’t noticed before….

The youth’s nervousness and unease the first time they met in the Imperial Study…

The familiar short breaths when he fell into Li Zhan’s arms after the fall at the horse grounds…

His calmness while performing “a simple favor” for Li Zhan at the Jiao Fang Department…

The caution he showed after Li Zhan’s repeated guidance and warnings…

He must have been living very carefully all these months, right?

In that instant, Li Zhan suddenly yearned desperately to see him…

As if afraid that if he delayed any longer, the dream would end.

“Wang Ye?” Outside Yinghui Pavilion, Dong Dong came out to greet him, but found Li Zhan staring blankly, lost in thought.

“Did Wang Ye get any results from the Court Prison?” Dong Dong asked softly.

Li Zhan glanced at him with a deep, unreadable gaze.

“And… what about Ji Qingzhou?” Li Zhan asked.

“Young Master Ji accompanied His Majesty to Fu’an Palace. Should I send for him?” Dong Dong inquired.

Li Zhan waved his hand, “No need. I will find him myself.”

Turning to leave, Dong Dong called after him, “Wang Ye… the ministers from the Ministry of Rites are still waiting in the main hall. They’ve mostly settled the arrangements. Do you want to give the final approval?”

“Let them decide among themselves,” Li Zhan said, without looking back as he started walking.

Dong Dong hurried after him a few steps, “Wang Ye… what exactly happened? Please don’t scare your subordinate.”

Li Zhan paused, regaining some composure.

His eyes lingered on Fu’an Palace for a moment before he said in a low voice, “I’m going to meet the Ministry of Rites people. You—go find someone.”

“Who? Young Master Ji?” Dong Dong asked.

“Bring him to the Office of Judicial Review,” Li Zhan said coldly. “Don’t alert anyone else; keep it clean.”

Dong Dong furrowed his brow, realizing Li Zhan’s trip to the Court Prison must have yielded very important information.

After instructing Dong Dong, Li Zhan went to the front hall of Yinghui Pavilion.

The Ministry of Rites officials had nearly finalized the arrangements for Old Wang Ye’s funeral, with only a few key details awaiting Li Zhan’s decision.

Li Zhan glanced over their documents and said calmly, “Proceed as you’ve agreed. I have no objections.”

“Yes… May I ask, Wang Ye, if there are any other instructions?” Minister Zhang asked.

Li Zhan thought for a moment, then said, “Imperial Uncle’s only son died young. Now that he has passed, there is not even a male relative left to wear mourning. The Fourth Prince has always been close to the Imperial Uncle. Let the Fourth Prince serve as a family member and wear mourning on his behalf for six months.”

There was precedent in the Dayu Dynasty for this. Since Prince Heng was the nephew of Old Wang Ye, it made sense for him to bear the mourning garments. Especially since it was Li Zhan’s suggestion, everyone immediately agreed without objection.

Earlier today, Li Zhan had rejected a marriage in court and made that solemn vow.

But for some reason, when the ministers saw him again, they felt the Regent’s authority was greater than ever.

They belatedly realized that Li Zhan’s act today, though seeming like a concession, was actually him publicly stripping away his vulnerabilities in front of the court. Now without personal interests to guess at, his words and actions would carry more weight and influence.

For example, his proposal to have Prince Heng wear mourning garments for Old Wang Ye—if it had been suggested in the past, many would have suspected it was a ploy to take control of the Ministry of Appointments from Prince Heng. But today, no one argued; some even proactively raised the issue of who should oversee the ministry.

“Prince Heng is still young and indifferent to politics. Though nominally in charge of the Ministry of Appointments, in reality…” one minister trailed off, then added, “Since Prince Heng will be wearing mourning for six months, someone should be appointed to oversee the Ministry properly.”

Since they were from the Ministry of Rites, they normally had no duty over the Ministry of Appointments.

But since the two matters were linked today, they naturally reminded Li Zhan.

Li Zhan considered this and said calmly, “Discuss this after the funeral. Until a suitable person is chosen, I will handle it myself. When the court reconvenes in three days, if anyone objects, we’ll address it then.”

Everyone agreed quietly, suspecting there would be no opposition.

Once Prince Heng wore mourning for Old Wang Ye, no one in court but Li Zhan could fill that vacancy. If anyone dared object, they must have been out of their minds.

After everyone left Yinghui Pavilion, they couldn’t help but feel silently reflective.

“When the late emperor was alive, he placed the Ministry of Appointments under Prince Heng’s control precisely to keep the Regent in check. Yet now, with Old Wang Ye’s passing, the Ministry has somehow slipped back into the Regent’s hands,” someone remarked.

Another replied, “Wang Ye acts decisively. With the Ministry under him, things won’t be any worse than before.”

“But if you count the six ministries, haven’t they all ended up under the Regent’s control?” one asked.

Someone nearby said, “Does it really matter? As long as the Regent supports His Majesty well, what difference does it make if all six ministries answer to him?”

“That’s true…” another nodded in agreement.

To be frank, what worried these court ministers most was that Li Zhan might covet the throne.

Throughout history, ministers feared the upheaval of an unofficial or unlawful “change of dynasty.” Once such a thing happened, factions in court would inevitably face various levels of “purges,” which were disastrous for both the officials involved and the stability of the court itself.

What the ministers desired above all was stability.

And the most stable situation was for the Regent to remain Regent, and the young emperor to remain young emperor.

Even if full power rested in Li Zhan’s hands, as long as he didn’t claim the throne, everything else was negotiable.

After leaving Yinghui Pavilion, Li Zhan headed straight for the Office of Judicial Review.

Dong Dong was already waiting at the entrance, having brought someone along.

“Wang Ye, why suddenly insist on interrogating this person?” Dong Dong asked, puzzled.

“He should have been thoroughly questioned long ago. I just never had the time. Now, the moment has come,” Li Zhan said coldly.

The two entered the interrogation room, where they saw a palace attendant bound to the rack—the same Gao Liang who had switched posts with Ji Qingzhou at the Fengxian Pavilion during the palace banquet. Gao Liang had been caught by Dong Dong at the Prince Residence that night, but after a few days’ imprisonment under Li Zhan, he was released.

“Wang Ye… please spare me! I didn’t do anything wrong. I’ve been obedient all these months…” Gao Liang was terrified. Had he not been bound, he would have dropped to his knees and kowtowed to Li Zhan by now.

Li Zhan looked at him calmly and said, “If you hadn’t been obedient, you wouldn’t be alive to see me today.”

“Yes, yes…” Gao Liang hurriedly said, “Whatever Wang Ye commands, just say the word. I’d go through fire and water for you…”

Li Zhan thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Chief Steward Ji—how did he treat you?”

Gao Liang was startled and quickly replied, “Chief Steward Ji treated me well!”

When Gao Liang was first released, Ji Qingzhou had been wary of him for a while, knowing his mind was unstable and fearing he might speak out. But Gao Liang seemed frightened by his capture at the Prince Residence and had been obedient since. Later, Ji Qingzhou found his behavior reliable and even gave him a good assignment.

“If I told you to harm him, would you be willing?” Li Zhan asked.

This question startled not only Gao Liang but also Dong Dong, who looked at Li Zhan with surprise.

Gao Liang said, “Wang Ye… Chief Steward Ji has been loyal to you, never harboring ill intentions. Why would you say that…?”

A barely perceptible smile flickered in Li Zhan’s eyes before he said, “In that case, I’ll give you a chance. When you were taken to the Prince Residence that night, did you lie to me?”

Gao Liang’s expression changed immediately, cold sweat breaking out.

He had already heard rumors of his capture. Being questioned by Li Zhan today, he guessed something had gone wrong.

“Wang Ye… I deserve to die. I should not have deceived you,” Gao Liang quickly said. “That night, it was Tu Gonggong who came for me, saying it concerned my life and that I mustn’t be careless…”

“What part was false?” Li Zhan asked.

“Only one thing…” Gao Liang said, “When I left Fengxian Pavilion, Chief Steward Ji hadn’t left yet.”

That night, he had told Li Zhan that Ji Qingzhou left before him.

Why would Tu Gonggong have him lie about this? It must have been to cover something up…

More precisely, to cover up something for Ji Qingzhou.

Li Zhan didn’t ask further and turned to leave the interrogation room.

He no longer doubted this matter. The reason for questioning Gao Liang was only because of his connection to it; leaving it unresolved might cause trouble later. Especially since Ji Qingzhou was involved, Li Zhan could not afford to be careless.

Dong Dong followed behind, realizing something from Li Zhan’s questions.

Combined with Li Zhan’s visit to the Court Prison to see Qiu Lanxi, the truth was becoming very clear…

“Wang Ye, what should we do with Gao Liang?” Dong Dong asked.

Li Zhan considered and said, “Send him to an estate on the outskirts of the capital. Watch him closely. If he dares to babble nonsense, execute him by cane immediately.”

Dong Dong nodded, sensing Li Zhan’s stance from this decision.

If Li Zhan were truly angry, Gao Liang’s fate would likely have been death by beating. But Li Zhan spared his life, which surprised Dong Dong. He even suspected that the first question Li Zhan asked Gao Liang was the real key to deciding his fate.

Li Zhan had asked if he was willing to harm Ji Qingzhou.

Gao Liang’s instinctive answer had been to defend Ji Qingzhou…

Had he agreed without hesitation, the outcome might have been different.

“Wang Ye, should we go see Young Master Ji now?” Dong Dong asked.

Li Zhan paused, his expression seeming very hesitant.

“Wang Ye… there’s one thing I’ve never been able to figure out,” Dong Dong said. “That palace attendant in the Lotus Pond back then…”

“The wounds on that attendant were suspicious. At the time, I didn’t plan to investigate further, so I let it go,” Li Zhan replied.

Dong Dong asked, “If it’s confirmed that the person that night was Young Master Ji, then what was going on with that palace attendant in the Lotus Pond?”

“Do you suspect he tampered with something?” Li Zhan’s gaze sharpened as he looked at Dong Dong.

Dong Dong hurriedly said: “No… given Young Master Ji’s character, he wouldn’t harm an innocent person. I just can’t make sense of it. The one who drugged people at Fengxian Pavilion was Qiu Lanting, and the rumors must have been spread by him too, right? Since he couldn’t succeed with his plan, he probably tried to frame Wang Ye, and logically, he would have gone all in, since he’s thoroughly offended you. So why would he set up a scapegoat to quiet the rumors?”

“Maybe the person in the Lotus Pond wasn’t tampered with by him at all,” Li Zhan said.

Hearing this, Dong Dong suddenly understood and asked, “Who in this palace could have pulled off something so flawless?”

Li Zhan thought for a moment, then said, “Wasn’t it Tu Dayou who went to find Gao Liang that night?”

“Yes…” Dong Dong answered quickly. “Tu Dayou… could this whole thing have been done by Prince Heng?”

Li Zhan didn’t confirm nor deny, but his speculation was reasonable.

At that time, the only person Ji Qingzhou could rely on was Tu Dayou. So the scapegoat in the Lotus Pond was very likely Tu Dayou’s doing. And Tu Dayou answered to Prince Heng…

“As for Young Master Ji and Prince Heng…” Dong Dong trailed off, not daring to continue.

He sensed a coldness had crept into Li Zhan’s expression.

“Does Wang Ye want to interrogate Tu Dayou now?” Dong Dong asked.

Li Zhan thought a moment and said, “My fourth brother has dealings with the Ji family and is familiar with him. Even if he had requests of my fourth brother, that would be only natural.”

“Yes,” Dong Dong said. “Young Master Ji has always been loyal to Wang Ye. I spoke out of turn.”

Dong Dong knew Li Zhan well and understood he was a man of measured actions, so he didn’t need to say more.

Besides, over all this time, Dong Dong had observed how Ji Qingzhou treated his lord and wouldn’t imagine him being suspected over this matter. Whether or not Li Zhan cared deeply about it was none of Dong Dong’s business.

The two left the Office of Judicial Review, with Dong Dong a half step behind, but he noticed Li Zhan heading toward Fu’an Palace.

Dong Dong glanced at his lord and saw a fine sweat on his neck, unsure whether it was from the sun or something else…

Just as they turned onto the main street, they ran into Qin Zheng rushing by.

Qin Zheng had been assigned to accompany Qi Jingheng and hurried back to the palace after suddenly hearing what Li Zhan said in court today.

“What are you planning?” Qin Zheng asked anxiously, ignoring that they were still outside. “His Majesty won’t take full power for at least another ten years. By then, you’ll be well past your thirties. Are you really planning to spend the next decade all alone?”

Li Zhan glanced at Qin Zheng with a faint expression. “Why are you so eager? Someone who doesn’t know might think I’ve let you down.”

Li Zhan rarely joked, but Qin Zheng wasn’t in the mood to respond. He pressed on, “Why do you have to go this far? It was bad enough that Old Wang Ye and the late emperor pressured you, but now you control everything in court. Why yield so much?”

Dong Dong was startled by the phrase “control everything in court” and quickly looked around.

“Even if you really want that position, who would dare stop you?” Qin Zheng continued.

Li Zhan didn’t take offense but calmly replied, “It’s not that I can’t take that position — I just don’t want it. Don’t you understand?”

“What am I supposed to understand?” Qin Zheng asked, stunned. “I just think you’re throwing it all away.”

Qin Zheng knew Li Zhan well enough to realize he wouldn’t easily tear open conflicts with court ministers, but hearing about this decision still left him deeply resentful.

Li Zhan looked into the distance, as if recalling something, and a faint smile curved his lips.

“Go and take good care of Liang Kingdom’s… princess,” Li Zhan told Qin Zheng. “After the imperial uncle’s funeral, we’ll have many things left to handle.”

Qin Zheng looked at him puzzled.

Li Zhan added, “The debt’s been paid… some matters need closure.”

Qin Zheng and Dong Dong were both startled. They sensed a certain deadly seriousness beneath Li Zhan’s words.

Was Li Zhan preparing for something with this move?

But Li Zhan had no intention of explaining, and they didn’t press.

After sending Qin Zheng off, Li Zhan headed straight to Fu’an Palace.

By now it was already past noon. The young emperor had probably finished his lunch.

“Wang Ye? Why not go inside?” Dong Dong asked, watching Li Zhan stand outside the palace gates.

“You tell me…” Li Zhan hesitated briefly, then said, “Should I go ask him now?”

Dong Dong almost dropped his jaw. His Wang Ye was actually asking for his opinion?

Before Dong Dong could answer, Li Zhan answered himself, “The evidence is clear. Why bother asking?”

“Yes, yes,” Dong Dong quickly agreed.

Li Zhan showed a rare look of confusion on his face and said, “If I meet him, what should I say?”

Dong Dong knew this wasn’t a question for him. Li Zhan’s mind seemed cloudy, as if he’d drunk counterfeit wine. He was asking and answering himself, seeming very conflicted.

Dong Dong had followed Li Zhan for years but had never seen this side of him before and wasn’t sure how to respond.

After a long moment, Li Zhan seemed to make up his mind and stepped into Fu’an Palace.

The palace attendants all bowed to him, and Li Zhan asked, “Where is His Majesty?”

“Reporting, Your Highness, His Majesty felt sleepy after lunch. Chief Steward Ji is accompanying him for his nap,” a palace attendant replied.

Li Zhan nodded. “No need to inform anyone. Don’t let anyone disturb him.”

With that, Li Zhan stepped into the young emperor’s bedchamber. The attendants bowed and withdrew, while Dong Dong stayed outside.

Since the young emperor was napping, the doors and windows were closed. No candles were lit inside, leaving the room dim.

On the low couch, Ji Qingzhou cradled the young emperor, who leaned against the couch edge. Both big and small were asleep.

Li Zhan slowly approached the couch, eyes resting on the youth’s sleeping face. The youth’s brows were slightly furrowed, and his long eyelashes twitched faintly, as if having a nightmare.

Li Zhan instinctively reached out to smooth the youth’s furrowed brows but hesitated.

The hidden feelings in his heart, which he had barely contained, suddenly ripped open today. A flood of emotions and desires surged out, almost overwhelming him.

Yet when facing the youth at this moment, Li Zhan forced himself to stay clear-headed.

He knew he couldn’t rush or he would scare him.

Besides, Ji Qingzhou was still under the influence of medicine, which would prevent him from developing feelings until it wore off. If Li Zhan revealed everything now, no matter what Ji Qingzhou’s response, it wouldn’t be what he truly wanted.

More than that, their relationship would become awkward.

He might no longer be able to look at the youth as freely as he did now…

Li Zhan quietly persuaded himself to wait a little longer.

But even after deciding this, his heart still beat wildly with longing as he looked at the youth’s smooth, pale forehead. He leaned in slowly, as if to secretly plant a kiss.

Just as his lips were about to touch the youth’s forehead, he realized it was too sudden.

Although they had shared their closest intimacy, it had been out of necessity…

His feelings were intense, but it was precisely because of their intensity that he dared not act rashly.

Li Zhan hesitated a moment and decided to give up — if he was going to wait, why rush?

At that moment, the young emperor’s sleepy voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.

“Imperial Uncle? Are you going to kiss Ji Gonggong?”

The young emperor knew that a kiss on the forehead was coming because of Li Zhan’s gesture…

When he finished speaking, Ji Qingzhou was startled awake and suddenly raised his head, accidentally bumping into Li Zhan’s nose.

Neither had been prepared. Li Zhan suddenly felt a sharp sting in his nose, and when he raised his hand to it, he found his fingers wet and warm…

Ji Qingzhou: …

Young Emperor: Ah! Imperial Uncle is having a nosebleed!

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