After Being Reborn as the Chief Eunuch Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Ji Qingzhou had never thought about it before. It wasn’t until Xiao Shan brought it up that he realized just how strange his reaction had been.

That night at the Prince Residence, after Li Zhan got drunk and kissed him, Ji Qingzhou’s immediate reaction had been guilt and panic. He was afraid Li Zhan might’ve been sober enough to remember it, afraid of the awkwardness that would follow, afraid Li Zhan might bring it up afterward… Later, when he found out that Li Zhan had likely been very drunk and didn’t remember anything, only then did he finally breathe a little easier.

But thinking about it now, he realized that from beginning to end, he hadn’t felt any resistance or anger toward that kiss.

If it had been someone else—being kissed by a man without any warning—the natural reaction should have been to slap the guy, right?

So that meant… he really did feel something for Li Zhan?

The confusion and noise that had been troubling Ji Qingzhou for so long suddenly became clear.

So many moments from the past… those inexplicable heart flutters and sudden panic, the countless times he’d instinctively avoided or dodged something—now all seemed to have an explanation. It turned out all those uneasy feelings of guilt and nervousness had come from… liking someone?

Ji Qingzhou was caught off guard by this realization. He had never once considered that he might harbor such feelings for Li Zhan.

But when he thought more carefully, it didn’t seem all that surprising. If Li Zhan could like him, then why couldn’t he like Li Zhan?

Li Zhan was so powerful, so good-looking, and treated him so well…

Ji Qingzhou snapped himself out of his thoughts, realizing he might be getting a little carried away.

For the next few days, every time he saw Li Zhan, he would unintentionally zone out.

Before he had recognized his feelings, he could still face Li Zhan calmly. But ever since that conversation with Xiao Shan, the thought had been stuck in his mind. Especially when he made eye contact with Li Zhan—his heart would speed up, as if deliberately reminding him of what he had come to realize.

That feeling was unfamiliar to Ji Qingzhou—like a kind of sweet torment, scratching at his heart.

Yet at the same time, it brought a strange sense of joy and excitement he had never experienced before…

Sometimes he couldn’t help but wonder: how did Li Zhan feel about him?

He really wanted to know the answer, but also didn’t want to find out too quickly—like a child receiving a present, eager to open it but unwilling to lose that moment of anticipation and mystery.

Li Zhan had been busy dealing with the case these past few days, but even in the midst of his work, he hadn’t forgotten to pay attention to Ji Qingzhou.

He had noticed the youth acting oddly lately—often zoning out, and sometimes sneaking glances at him. But whenever Li Zhan looked back, Ji Qingzhou would hurriedly avert his eyes, pretending as if nothing had happened.

Just like today, Li Zhan was in the Yinghui Pavilion discussing the case with court officials while writing something on a document. Ji Qingzhou was by his side, grinding ink. But for some reason, Ji Qingzhou’s mind had wandered off again. The inkstone was nearly dry, yet he hadn’t thought to add water.

“What are you thinking about?” Li Zhan couldn’t hold back anymore and reached out, placing a hand on the youth’s wrist.

Li Zhan’s broad palm was warm. Ji Qingzhou was caught off guard and felt a little flustered from the sudden contact. Yet after a brief hesitation, he didn’t pull away. He just let the man’s calloused hand rest lightly on the back of his own.

The court officials were still discussing the case and hadn’t noticed what was happening over at the desk.

Still, Ji Qingzhou felt incredibly nervous—like he was being watched—as if he and Li Zhan were touching in full view of everyone.

In that short moment, Li Zhan had no idea what Ji Qingzhou was thinking. He simply noticed a faint blush rising on Ji Qingzhou’s face and assumed he might not be feeling well. So he reached out and gently placed the back of his hand on Ji Qingzhou’s forehead to check his temperature.

“Are you running a fever?” Li Zhan asked softly.

Ji Qingzhou was startled by the gesture. His first reaction was to glance toward the court officials in the hall.

Sure enough, just as he feared, nearly everyone had noticed Li Zhan’s action. And without even meaning to, they all turned to look at the two of them. Li Zhan’s move had been far too intimate—he was a Regent, someone with authority over tens of thousands, and no matter how considerate he was, it still didn’t make sense for him to personally check a eunuch’s temperature.

For a moment, the hall fell completely silent. No one said a word.

The expressions on the officials’ faces were complicated, especially the looks they gave Ji Qingzhou—filled with meaning.

“Have Tang Shu come take a look at him later,” Li Zhan said calmly, as if nothing had happened. He neither avoided the matter nor offered any explanation.

Seeing his calm attitude, the officials quickly adjusted their expressions, and the atmosphere in the hall slowly returned to normal.

Li Zhan continued writing and casually asked, “Where were we just now?”

“Replying to Wang Ye, just now Lord Fang from the Ministry of Justice said the case is essentially resolved. Since the time is right, perhaps we should announce the results to the civil and military officials at tomorrow’s morning court, to prevent any unexpected complications.” Chi Zhou said.

When Li Zhan heard that, his hand holding the brush paused slightly, but he didn’t respond.

Another court official asked, “Wang Ye, has Eldest Young Master Ji been brought back yet? According to our usual procedures, if the case is to be concluded tomorrow, someone from the Ji family should be present.”

“I understand,” Li Zhan replied calmly.

“Then does Wang Ye mean… the results will be announced to the civil and military officials at tomorrow’s court session?” Chi Zhou asked.

Li Zhan glanced at Ji Qingzhou and saw him lowering his head, adding water to the inkstone, his expression unreadable. After a moment of silence, Li Zhan nodded and said, “Then let it be tomorrow morning.”

Chi Zhou looked like he wanted to say something, but after glancing at Ji Qingzhou, he swallowed his words.

That day, after the officials left the Yinghui Pavilion, they were all in high spirits.

Because their efforts over the past days had finally borne fruit—the long-unsolved case involving Western camp, the Second Prince, and the Ji family had at last come to a conclusion. These officials had all been handpicked by Li Zhan for their loyalty and integrity, and many of them had harbored lingering doubts about the case from back then.

But at the time, the political situation had been complicated. They neither had the strength to reverse the tides nor the courage to risk everything, so they had been powerless to intervene. Now, with a chance to uncover the truth of that year’s events, they naturally felt eager and hopeful.

“After tomorrow, His Second Highness should be able to return to the capital, right?” someone said.

“Not just His Second Highness—if the Ji family’s case is resolved, Young Master Ji can also leave the palace,” another added.

The moment Ji Qingzhou was mentioned, everyone’s expressions became slightly complicated.

“We used to think Wang Ye was avoiding Young Master Ji. But today…”

“Wang Ye has always been considerate of his subordinates. Given Young Master Ji’s troubled background, it’s only natural that he shows some compassion.”

“That’s true. The two young masters of the Ji family, and even their young lady, have all suffered greatly.”

At those words, the group sighed again at the Ji family’s misfortune.

The glory of the Ji family in the past had been witnessed by all. Although Grand Tutor Ji had held a high position, he had remained upright and incorruptible—his character and knowledge were admired by everyone. So when the Ji family fell, even those who had no personal connection with them couldn’t help but feel regret.

These past few days, after reinvestigating the Ji family’s old case, they had become even more aware of the injustice the Ji family had suffered. It was hard not to feel sympathetic. And since Ji Qingzhou was the only Ji family member they saw daily, he naturally became the main recipient of their sympathy.

“Still… Wang Ye…” someone seemed to want to discuss the matter further.

But another interrupted, “Wang Ye has always handled things with propriety. We should just focus on solving the case. It’s best not to worry about matters that are none of our business.”

After this reminder, everyone fell silent.

Though they sometimes enjoyed gossiping about Li Zhan, it was more for amusement—they weren’t like the censors who would judge him based on such things. So whatever Li Zhan’s actions might have implied didn’t really concern them that deeply.

In any case, once the truth of the Ji family’s case was made public, Ji Qingzhou would no longer need to remain in the palace as an inner attendant. Even if there really was something between him and Li Zhan, they wouldn’t have to worry about things like the Regent favoring an inner attendant or letting inner attendants interfere in politics.

As for other matters—what noble didn’t have a few romantic entanglements?

Li Zhan, after all, was a man in his prime. Even if he truly had something going on with Ji Qingzhou, it wouldn’t be surprising to them at all.

After the officials finished their meeting, Li Zhan sent for Tang Shu.

For the past few days, Tang Shu had been checking Ji Qingzhou’s pulse every other day. He had just been there yesterday, and now he was summoned again. But he didn’t look surprised. Given how much Li Zhan cared about Ji Qingzhou and the child in his belly, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say Li Zhan wished Tang Shu could live in the Yinghui Pavilion and follow Ji Qingzhou around everywhere.

“Young Master Ji seems perfectly fine. There’s nothing wrong,” Tang Shu said after checking his pulse. “The child is doing well too—no issues.”

Li Zhan furrowed his brows slightly and said, “Today, I noticed his face looked a bit flushed, and his breathing seemed heavier than usual.”

Hearing that, Ji Qingzhou looked a little embarrassed and glanced at Tang Shu. “I didn’t feel unwell,” he said.

Tang Shu asked him to stick out his tongue for a look, then checked his pulse again, more seriously this time. “No major problems, just a little internal heat. Wang Ye doesn’t need to worry.”

“How could he have internal heat out of nowhere?” Li Zhan asked. “Was something wrong with his diet?”

“Young Master Ji’s diet has been fairly well-managed—no major issues,” Tang Shu replied. “Pregnant individuals are generally more delicate than others. And every person reacts differently during pregnancy. What one experiences may not apply to another.”

Li Zhan, looking more concerned, asked, “So what kind of issues… do people generally encounter during pregnancy?”

“There are quite a lot of them…” Tang Shu glanced at Ji Qingzhou and said, “Some people experience a huge increase in appetite during pregnancy, causing excessive weight gain. Others may lose their appetite and struggle to eat, resulting in the baby being born undernourished… There are also those who suffer from insomnia, hair loss, or even develop a stronger desire for intimacy than before.”

Ji Qingzhou heard this and took a deep, guilty breath, telling himself not to take it personally.

Lately, he had indeed been having all kinds of strange dreams, and he’d often needed Xiao Shan’s help washing his underwear. But he believed it was because the medicine he had taken had suddenly lost its effect, and his body needed an outlet for all the energy that had been suppressed for months…

It absolutely was not because pregnancy had made him more enthusiastic about that kind of thing.

In fact, he and Li Zhan had never had a proper intimate experience. Not only was he not enthusiastic—he actually disliked it. After all, what happened that night at Fengxian Pavilion had been far too unpleasant. If given the choice, he would rather dream a few more times. At least dreams didn’t hurt.

Ji Qingzhou: …

What in the world was he thinking about???

While Ji Qingzhou was off in his own chaotic thoughts, Li Zhan was quietly troubled. He had never realized just how much a pregnant person could go through. The thought of Ji Qingzhou suffering through several more months of this made his heart tighten with unease.

No wonder Ji Qingzhou had been so distracted lately—it was probably due to pregnancy-related discomfort. As for Ji Qingzhou sneaking glances at him, Li Zhan figured Ji Qingzhou was probably silently blaming him. After all, none of this would have happened if it weren’t for him.

“If he starts experiencing these symptoms, how should we deal with them?” Li Zhan asked.

“Face it as it comes, Wang Ye. There’s no need to worry too much,” Tang Shu said. “I’ll prescribe something to help ease Young Master Ji’s condition.”

Li Zhan finally felt a little more at ease upon hearing that.

After writing the prescription, Li Zhan personally escorted Tang Shu outside the hall.

Once they were a few steps away, Tang Shu suddenly asked, “How has Wang Ye’s intimacy with Young Master Ji been these past few days?”

Li Zhan: …

“Why are you asking this all of a sudden, Doctor Tang?” Li Zhan asked.

He had originally considered being honest with Tang Shu but hesitated and instead decided to feel him out first.

“No other reason. I just hope Wang Ye will be mindful of the fact that Young Master Ji is pregnant and exercise a bit of restraint,” Tang Shu said.

Li Zhan paused. “You’re saying… I’ve been too indulgent?”

“Young Master Ji’s pulse shows signs of yin deficiency and internal heat,” Tang Shu explained. “If a man is too unrestrained in that aspect, it can wear out the body. And during pregnancy, one must be even more cautious.”

Li Zhan frowned, sensing that something was off.

He trusted Tang Shu’s medical skills, so there was no way this was a misdiagnosis.

Initially, he had planned to conceal the matter, but now, concerned for Ji Qingzhou’s health, he decided to be honest: “To be frank with you, Doctor Tang… I’ve been very restrained these days. I haven’t… I haven’t touched him at all.”

Tang Shu was momentarily stunned, a trace of confusion on his face.

Then he raised his eyebrows slightly and said, “Seems I was mistaken. That pulse might be caused by something else.”

“What else?” Li Zhan quickly asked.

“Most likely… the effects of the medicine he took are wearing off, and the rebound is strong,” Tang Shu replied.

Li Zhan: !

“You’re saying… the medicine’s effects on his body have already worn off?” Li Zhan asked.

Tang Shu had mentioned before that the medicine might wear off before the full six months, but Li Zhan hadn’t expected it to happen this soon.

“Wang Ye is so close to Young Master Ji. You ought to be more attentive,” Tang Shu said with a meaningful look. “If you want to know, ask who’s been washing his undergarments these past few days—you’ll understand.”

With that, Tang Shu turned to leave. But Li Zhan called out, “If that’s the case, what should I do?”

“Uh…” Tang Shu scratched his head and said, “Being affectionate once a day should be fine. Otherwise, all those dreams Young Master Ji’s been having would just go to waste. After all, he’s been holding it in for nearly half a year!”

Li Zhan: …

“But don’t harm the child,” Tang Shu reminded him before walking off.

Li Zhan stood there for a while, Tang Shu’s words echoing in his mind, unable to snap out of it.

Yinghui Pavilion, small kitchen.

Xiao Shan was cooking medicinal porridge for Ji Qingzhou. Hearing footsteps, he assumed it was Guo Zi. But when he looked up, he was surprised to see Li Zhan.

“Wang Ye, what brings you here?” Xiao Shan asked, clearly startled.

Li Zhan gestured for him to skip the formalities, then stood at the kitchen door and asked, “I heard that Young Master Ji’s undergarments haven’t been sent to the laundry attendants lately, but were washed by you instead?”

Xiao Shan was briefly stunned and replied, “Yes.”

“Why?” Li Zhan asked.

Xiao Shan gave a somewhat embarrassed smile and said, “Since Wang Ye is asking me, I suppose you already know the reason.”

Li Zhan remained silent for a moment before asking, “Did he ask you to keep it from me?”

“Chief Steward Ji is quite shy, Wang Ye—you know that well. How could he bring up something like this himself?” Xiao Shan said. “And since Wang Ye didn’t ask him directly but came to me instead, I assume you didn’t want to embarrass him either?”

Li Zhan sighed lightly at those words, his heart filling with even more tenderness.

He had long known how thin-skinned Ji Qingzhou was. Otherwise, Ji Qingzhou wouldn’t have hidden his pregnancy from him for so long.

Even though Li Zhan had always hoped Ji Qingzhou would be able to speak honestly with him about anything, he understood—this kind of thing involved a level of “shame” that was hard to articulate. For Ji Qingzhou to come clean, it would require immense courage.

The only thing he could do was give Ji Qingzhou enough space—and enough patience.

But this time, beyond just that, he decided to take a more active step.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t wait for Ji Qingzhou to slowly come toward him, but rather, he wanted to be the one to take the first step.

That night, as Ji Qingzhou came out from the back hall after bathing, he saw Li Zhan standing tall at the doorway, as though he’d been waiting for him.

“I knew you wouldn’t bother to put on an extra layer,” Li Zhan said as he held a cloak in his hand. The moment Ji Qingzhou appeared, he stepped forward and draped it over his shoulders.

Ji Qingzhou lowered his head, watching Li Zhan patiently tie the sash of the cloak. A small, warm flutter stirred deep in his heart.

“Tomorrow morning, accompany me to court,” Li Zhan said.

“Okay.” Ji Qingzhou nodded, then lifted his eyes to look at Li Zhan. “Did something happen to my elder brother?”

Li Zhan looked at Ji Qingzhou, entirely unsurprised by the question.

He knew that, given Ji Qingzhou’s sharp intuition, the boy had probably figured it out long ago—he just hadn’t asked because Li Zhan hadn’t said anything.

“Ji Qinghuai and Tu Dayou went missing together. I’ve already sent people out to search for them, but there’s still no news,” Li Zhan replied.

Ji Qingzhou was momentarily stunned. He knew that Li Zhan had downplayed the seriousness of the matter. The reality was likely much worse. If he remembered correctly, Ji Qinghuai should’ve arrived in the capital several days ago. Back then, when Li Zhan brought it up, he already seemed evasive.

Now that so many days had passed and they still hadn’t been found, it was likely they had met with misfortune.

And yet, Ji Qingzhou had a strange feeling that somehow, Ji Qinghuai and Tu Dayou were probably safe.

He couldn’t say where that certainty came from—it was just a strong sense of conviction.

“He’s blessed—he’ll be fine,” Ji Qingzhou said softly.

Li Zhan had been wondering how to comfort Ji Qingzhou, but to his surprise, the youth ended up comforting him instead. What’s more, his tone wasn’t forced or merely reassuring—it carried a quiet, inexplicable certainty.

“I think this might be fate… that somehow Heaven arranged everything in advance—so that tomorrow, I’ll be standing beside Wang Ye,” Ji Qingzhou said.

He hadn’t been a superstitious person, but after everything that had happened, he could no longer deny the workings of fate. The overturning of the Ji family’s case, while led by Li Zhan, was also deeply connected to him.

If he hadn’t been transported into this world, then the original Ji Qingzhou in the book wouldn’t have been who he was now.

In that case, he and Li Zhan wouldn’t have developed such trust and connection, and this reversal of justice wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.

“I didn’t want you to face all this…” Li Zhan murmured.

“But I want to,” Ji Qingzhou replied. “I want to be there when the Ji family’s name is cleared… When I finally shed this identity… I want to be present. After walking out of the throne room tomorrow, I won’t be a palace servant anymore. I’ll be someone… someone who—”

He paused, unable to find the right words to finish the sentence.

He wanted to say, “someone who’s finally a man,” but that would be dismissing the man he already was. Did that mean he hadn’t been one before?

“Someone who can take control of their own life,” Li Zhan said gently.

“Mm.” Ji Qingzhou nodded, a flicker of anticipation rising in his heart.

After tomorrow’s court session, he would no longer be a eunuch, no longer a servant. He would be someone who could stand proudly at Li Zhan’s side.

And maybe then, he would have the courage to unwrap that gift.

The next morning, Ji Qingzhou got up early—but Li Zhan had risen even earlier.

They walked out of Yinghui Pavilion side by side. The sun hadn’t yet risen, and the entire palace was still cloaked in the dim light of dawn. The sun hovered just beneath the horizon, but Ji Qingzhou knew it would soon emerge and light up the whole palace—and the entire Dayu Dynasty.

When they arrived at the rear hall of the throne room, the young emperor was already there, dressed in his dragon robes.

For some reason, he seemed unusually alert today, wide awake even before court had begun.

Just before the morning court session started, someone suddenly came to report that Assistant Minister Chi was outside seeking an audience.

Ji Qingzhou was surprised—court was about to begin, what could Chi Zhou be doing here at this hour?

“Let him in,” Li Zhan said.

As soon as Li Zhan spoke, Chi Zhou entered, and behind him was another figure—Ji Qinglan.

Ji Qinglan wore plain robes and had no makeup on her face, but her presence remained as graceful and radiant as ever.

“What are you doing here?” Ji Qingzhou frowned.

He instinctively glanced at Li Zhan with a questioning look—was this Li Zhan’s arrangement? Was she here to attend court in his place? But Li Zhan’s expression held a touch of surprise as well—clearly, he hadn’t known about this either.

Ji Qinglan stepped forward and bowed to Li Zhan and the young emperor, then turned to Ji Qingzhou and said, “Second Brother, you’ve never been good at arguing. I’m afraid you’ll get bullied, so I came to back you up. Once you enter the court, I’ll be right behind you. If those censors try to push you around, I’ll carry Father’s spirit tablet into court and argue them down—let them see that the Ji family isn’t extinct yet.”

“I’ve experienced Young Lady Ji’s eloquence firsthand,” Chi Zhou chimed in from the side. “Those censors may not be a match for her at all.”

Ji Qingzhou: …

She truly was the Ji family’s daughter—her boldness was no less than that of a man.

While Ji Qingzhou quietly marveled at her, he couldn’t help but feel a warm surge in his heart.

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