Chapter 2, I punish you to go and keep watch.
Tian Qi's ears perked up, attentively listening to Ji Heng's response. Upon hearing him speak, she quickly stopped and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty." As she spoke, she stood up, respectfully bowing her head to listen to the imperial edict.
"The servant has lost composure before the Emperor, please spare my life! Please spare my life!" Tian Qi said while knocking her head on the ground, her voice trembling due to extreme nervousness, eventually only repeating the words "Please spare my life." She felt that this time she was truly doomed, not asking for anything else, but only hoping to save her life, thus focusing solely on these four words.
"It's nothing," Tian Qi shook his head, "In fact, Old Liu's words are also unreliable; he even said that I have a princess's fate."
Tian Qi opened her eyes and saw the fabric she was holding in her hand, a plain brocade in a pale white color, embroidered with water blue patterns. This brocade was produced in Songjiang Prefecture, costing several taels of silver per foot. She must have been out of her mind to use such a thing as a handkerchief
Tianqi: "... ..."
Here she comes! Tian Qi knows that her life hangs in the balance at this moment. She takes a deep breath and lets out a long sigh, her gaze tinged with sorrow. "My lord, your grace is unparalleled, and now, with this, the fragrance has vanished and the jade has shattered. It is not just the servants who have received your kindness that feel this way; even an ordinary person would feel sorrow upon hearing this news. Moreover, there is a young prince; who in the entire palace does not hope for the arrival of the young master? Who would have expected..." As she speaks, she raises her sleeve to wipe away her tears, stealing a glance at Ji Heng's expression, and continues, "My lord, your kindness is like that of a parent to me. With her departure, I feel as if I have lost my own parents." Moreover, there is a young prince; who in the entire palace does not hope for the arrival of the young master? Who would have expected..." As she speaks, she raises her sleeve to wipe away her tears, stealing a glance at Ji Heng's expression, and continues, "My lord, your kindness is like that of a parent to me. With her departure, I feel as if I have lost my own parents."
Ji Heng knows this eunuch, who has recently been close to Song Zhaoyi. He is sweet-tongued and knows how to handle situations, but apart from that, there is nothing else. Oh, and he is good-looking. There are good-looking eunuchs, but this person is different from those attractive eunuchs; his eyes are clean and clear, not resembling a typical eunuch.
Tian Qi summoned a young eunuch to bring a pot of hot water, and then brewed tea to serve to Ding Zhi
Ding Zhi gently lifted the lid of the teapot and slowly stirred the tea bowl, softly blowing on it, still immersed in the refreshing and pleasant sensation brought by the cloud and mist tea, casually replied, "It seems you are doing quite well with Song Zhaoyi."
Ji Heng was somewhat annoyed by the sound of Tian Qi's kowtowing and pleas for mercy, "Get up."
... ... so unattractive
Sheng Anhuai let out a furious shout, startling both Ji Heng and Tian Qi.
What should we do?" Ding Zhi was also anxious for this disciple, "Is there a way to break the code?"
After sending Master off, Tian Qi could not fall asleep. He lay in bed in a daze for half the afternoon, had an early dinner, and went to the drum room to take his shift.
The head that saw Tian Qi woke up, grinned and said, "You little rascal!"
Tian Qi realized that she had caused a great disaster—she seemed to have wiped her nose with the emperor's clothes
The Thirteen Houses, located outside the Forbidden City, served as the residence for the eunuchs. Most of the eunuchs in the palace lived in the Thirteen Houses, with only those on night duty or those who frequently served their masters being qualified to reside within the Forbidden City. Tian Qi moved into the Forbidden City for just half a month before moving out again. It is somewhat embarrassing to mention, but fortunately, she had a thick skin and did not take it to heart
Ji Heng squinted at the eunuch in front of him, who was crying like a toad, and could not tell whether this was genuine sincerity or cleverness on his part
Ah ! ! !
In her words, she did not take the opportunity to express her loyalty to Consort Song, but rather spoke of how pitiful the deceased were, evoking the Emperor's compassion. She also mentioned how generous and kind her late master had been to her—how could one have the audacity to cause the death of her beloved servant in front of the coffin of the old master?
Without uttering a word, she turned around and knelt before Ji Heng, desperately knocking her head against the floor, the dull thuds echoing throughout the entire mourning hall, creating a rather strange atmosphere
He had a deep impression of Tian Qi. Sheng Anhuai was the chief eunuch in charge of the internal affairs of the palace, overseeing all the position transfers of the eunuchs within the Forbidden City. Since Tian Qi wanted to get closer to Song Zhaoyi, he naturally had to handle matters well with Sheng Anhuai, and over time, they became somewhat familiar with each other. Sheng Anhuai had a good relationship with Tian Qi's master, and he thought that Tian Qi was a decent person with a sharp mind, so he was willing to promote him a bit. Now, seeing Tian Qi act foolishly and collide with the imperial presence, he was quite surprised. However, the emperor was clearly displeased, so he did not dare to plead for Tian Qi and quietly stood by, trying to remain inconspicuous. Sheng Anhuai had a good relationship with Tian Qi's master, and he thought that Tian Qi was a decent person with a sharp mind, so he was willing to promote him a bit. Now, seeing Tian Qi act foolishly and collide with the imperial presence, he was quite surprised. However, the emperor was clearly displeased, so he did not dare to plead for Tian Qi and quietly stood by, trying to remain inconspicuous.
This punishment is already quite lenient, Tian Qi secretly rejoiced. The Emperor is indeed a benevolent ruler with a kind heart, possessing the demeanor of a gentleman
Tian Qi quickly got out of bed and invited him in, saying, "Master! What wind has blown you here today? Aren't you supposed to be serving in front of Empress De?"
Tian Qi scratched his head and smiled, saying, "It is still a gift from the late Imperial Concubine. I know you like this, and I have been wanting to give it to you. Unfortunately, I forgot when the Imperial Concubine had her accident."
The moment he thought of that servant just now wiping his nose with his clothes, Ji Heng's previously relaxed expression turned sour again
When it comes to the topic of palace maids, Ding Zhi begins to lead the conversation astray. He enumerates which palace maid is beautiful and which one is easy to approach, as if reciting treasured knowledge. Tian Qi feels a chill run down her spine and simply tells Ding Zhi that she offended the Emperor yesterday and was punished with night watch duty.
Don't mention it, I have been there before. He said my fate is too strong and it brings misfortune to the master
Sheng Anhuai, upon hearing these words, secretly thought to himself, this kid is so shameless! I like it!
Tian Qi was ultimately punished to serve as a night watchman in the drum tower for one month
Ji Heng's thoughts drifted a bit far. Seeing Tian Qi with his head down, he couldn't help but say, "Lift your head up."
The next day, Tian Qi registered his duties for the upcoming month as a night watchman at the Internal Affairs Bureau, and then returned to the Thirteenth Institute
Tian Qi shook his head, "My good master, you do not know which boat I am on, and which boat will capsize," as he spoke, he held up three fingers towards Ding Zhi, "Three of them. To be honest, I am feeling a bit disheartened.
Ding Zhi once again expressed his sympathy towards her and comforted her for a while before preparing to leave. Tian Qi gave half of the Lushan Yunwu tea to Ding Zhi, which made the master smile broadly like a blooming chrysanthemum.
Both parties have developed some discrepancies in their impressions of each other
Upon waking from a deep sleep, I opened my eyes to see the dark blue cotton curtain hanging in front of the door swaying. After a while, a head peeked in from beside the curtain.
It seems that she has forgotten to lock the door again
Ji Heng unconsciously touched his face, was it very frightening
Ding Zhi is currently serving the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager is two years older than the Emperor, and although her appearance is not the most striking and her age has advanced, she has chosen to adopt a virtuous and benevolent path. Despite having no children, the Emperor still remembers her and makes it a point to visit her every couple of months.
Bold!
A sudden jolt ran through her heart as her gaze moved along the fabric, slowly rising upwards. Above the blue waves was a patch of white clouds, within which coiled a dragon; counting its claws, there were five, not four. Undeterred, she continued to raise her gaze, her eyes sweeping past Ji Heng's waist and stopping at his belt. The deep blue belt, embroidered with subtle patterns, featured a gem buckle at its center, which revealed nothing significant.
Although the inner officials are mostly overseen by the Twenty-Four Yamen, each with their own ranks and responsibilities, they often also take on duties beside the imperial consorts. Their original responsibilities are thus relegated, as who would not prefer the generous rewards offered by the consorts? Of course, not all masters are wealthy; those without money naturally find no one eager to serve them, and they can only be assigned by the inner officials. Tian Qi and Ding Zhi both hold dual positions, while even more remarkable is Sheng Anhuai, who holds multiple positions simultaneously. Of course, not all masters are wealthy; those without money naturally find no one eager to serve them, and they can only be assigned by the inner officials. Tian Qi and Ding Zhi both hold dual positions, while even more remarkable is Sheng Anhuai, who holds multiple positions simultaneously
Ji Heng felt a bit bored. With his hands behind his back, he asked, "Why are you crying so sadly?"
Tian Qi returned to the Thirteenth Institute and found that her old nest had not yet been occupied, which was quite good. There were a total of three people living in the same room, but the other two were not present. She returned to her room, covered herself with the quilt, and fell into a deep sleep, making up for the sleep she missed during the day, so that she could endure the suffering at night
It is what it is; the death penalty may be avoided, but the punishment for living cannot be escaped
Oh my!
Tian Qi finished speaking and then knelt down again to plead for forgiveness
Ji Heng raised his hand again, and Sheng Anhuai fell silent.
In the bell tower of the watch house, there are all inner officials who have committed offenses and are serving their sentences. Every night, they go to the gate tower of Xuanwu Gate to keep watch. The duty is not tiring, but it has to be done at night, and there are no benefits to be gained from it
Perhaps she was looking too intently, Ji Heng could only feel that this person's gaze seemed to take on a tangible form, moving upward from below.
Tian Qi obediently raised his head, almost as if he were about to say "As you command." Although he lifted his head, he did not dare to look at Ji Heng, his eyelids still drooping. The pair of large eyes, which had just been swollen and red from crying, were now displayed before Ji Heng.
Tian Qi's gaze finally climbed over his chest and settled on his face. A handsome man with the beauty of a clear moon and gentle breeze, his brows exuded an air of nobility. However, that nobility was now entirely replaced by a sense of gloom as he furrowed his brows, scrutinizing her.
The person who has arrived is named Ding Zhi, and he is the master who has been following Tian Qi since he entered the palace. Ding Zhi was originally named Ding Zhiyuan, but later became a eunuch. He felt that this name sounded quite ironic; no matter how ambitious one’s aspirations might be, he is still a eunuch. Therefore, he simply changed his name to Ding Zhi
Sheng Anhuai listened from the side, thinking to himself that this young man really knows how to excuse himself; what you did was not merely a breach of decorum before the carriage, it was a complete desecration of the sacred body
Tian Qi was startled and let out a loud scream, immediately rolling and crawling to the side
Ji Heng imposed a light punishment, yet still felt that the servant crying alone in the middle of the night was sincere, indicating that the heart is truly genuine
Jiang Heng, who had flirted with countless people throughout his life, suddenly felt a sense of being flirted with, and the other party was a eunuch. He felt a bit awkward, yet maintained his composure, standing with his hands behind his back, looking down at her.
I came out on official business and just happened to come by to see you. The man was helped in by Tian Qi and sat down. Tian Qi hurriedly poured him some tea. He said, "Don't busy yourself, I won't stay for long. Let's have a chat, just the two of us."
Tian Qi recounted yesterday's events to Ding Zhi, omitting the part about wiping his nose, and only mentioned that he was too busy crying to see the Emperor
Lushan's clouds and mist, Ding Zhi opened his eyes, "This is great! You little rascal are like a golden rake, you won't let any good thing slip away. Where did you get this from?"
The term "eunuch" is a colloquial name for the castrated men, and it is also a title within the palace. When a eunuch reaches the highest position, he is referred to as a eunuch, holding the rank of the fourth grade.
Ding Zhi lifted the lid of the teacup and looked inside; the light green tea soup was clear and transparent, resembling a bowl of transparent jade. Floating within the jade were a cluster of tea leaves, which had already unfurled from steeping, their leaves plump and rich, a vibrant green like fresh produce. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the fragrant aroma enveloping him, instantly invigorating his spirit
Ding Zhiguo asked in surprise, "What is going on?"
"It is indeed good, but unfortunately, the good times do not last long," Tian Qi replied dejectedly
Ding Zhiting chuckled after listening, "This fellow really dares to talk nonsense. If it were a palace maid, it would be one thing, but with your appearance, you might actually manage to become a minor consort."
Ding Zhi is currently the Deputy Supervisor of the Imperial Eunuch, holding the fourth rank, just one step away from becoming a eunuch himself
Ding Zhi reflected for a moment, and indeed, he suddenly felt sympathy for Tian Qi, beginning to offer her some misguided advice, "Why not try having your fortune told based on your birth date? It seems that Old Liu from the Imperial Kitchen can do this; you might as well give it a try"
Ding Zhi, upon hearing this, put down his tea bowl and advised her, "In my opinion, you need not be disheartened. With one gone, there will always be another. In the imperial harem, there will always be those who achieve success. You have the ability to navigate these matters, and you have a bright future ahead. As long as you board a good ship and establish a firm foothold, there will surely come a day when you will rise to prominence."