Chapter 3, The Emperor's Trust

The jade body lies in repose

However, there is not a trace of drowsiness. She has slept too much during the day

Did you fall asleep just like that? Are you snoring as well

The thought of desecrating the sacred body left Tian Qi feeling quite alarmed. As if they shared a telepathic connection, Ji Heng suddenly lifted his eyelids and glanced at Tian Qi.

Thus, Ji Heng did not wait to ask and chose to believe Tian Qi first. He kicked Tian Qi's knee and said, "Get up"

First come, first served, so they agreed that he would work the first half of the night while Tian Qi would work the second half of the night

Tian Qi felt a buzzing in his head, slowly getting out of bed, putting on his shoes and clothes. While rummaging through a small kang box, he found a piece of broken silver and handed it to him, saying, "Could you please make this trip... How did the Emperor remember me?"

In the days to come, she will mark off the last two items one by one with many crosses

Regardless of the circumstances, this time one can withdraw safely. Tian Qi feels that although the Emperor is somewhat eccentric, he has a good heart and is magnanimous

Tian Qi gently bumped his head against the wall, thinking to himself that he must come early tomorrow

Having just finished the third watch, Tian Qi did not dare to sleep. She was not familiar with the eunuch on duty and feared that he might not pay attention and wake her up on time. If she were to oversleep, it would be a serious offense, and who knows what misfortune might befall her then

After finishing this shift, Tian Qi looked up at the sky. The stars were scattered across the heavens, and the silver moon hung like a hook. The deep blue sky resembled an inverted large bowl of azure glaze, with specks of white rice scattered within it.

After enduring until three minutes past five o'clock, she finally finished her shift and ran back to the Thirteenth Institute without even thinking about eating. She covered herself with a quilt and fell asleep immediately. She slept until the afternoon, and when she woke up, she went to the kitchen to find something to eat, packed some more, and took some snacks and food to the drum room to wait.

Tian Qi suddenly thought of an idiom.

That suffering, don't even mention it

Better to remain still than to act; the Emperor said nothing, and Tian Qi knelt obediently, not uttering a word. Having served as a eunuch in the Forbidden City for seven years, she was particularly well-versed in the rules. Now, kneeling, she managed to keep her back straight without moving an inch, and she was not afraid of her knees hurting.

Tianqi smacks his lips and continues to sleep

She was truly exhausted. With her head drooping, her neck bent, and her chin resting on her chest, she began to snore.

Tian Qi could not help but shiver

Tianqi: "... ..."

Ji Heng could hardly believe it. He got up and walked over to Qian Qi, crouching down to look at her. The person before him had her eyes closed, her breathing steady, and a faint blush on her cheeks, indicating that she was indeed asleep. However, her brows were tightly furrowed, suggesting that she was not sleeping very comfortably.

If someone were to say such words to Tian Qi, she would certainly first doubt, then hesitate, and finally decline. However, this little weakling in front of her, upon hearing these words, simply expressed gratitude and fell asleep immediately

To be able to fall asleep while kneeling is, in itself, a remarkable skill, and how could it possibly be comfortable

Tian Qi's face turned red, and she hurriedly lowered her head

This is quite a predicament

She felt that she was merely speaking out of boredom. However, once words are spoken, they cannot be taken back, and she did not want to take the opportunity to be malicious. Since she was not tired anyway, she might as well lend a hand, considering it a good deed for the day

Ji Heng stood up, recalling the earlier reports made against him, and couldn't help but shake his head. The premature birth of Song Zhaoyi was suspicious, and her death was equally strange. The concubines in the harem responsible for the matter could not uncover the truth, so he had to take it upon himself. He did not initially suspect Tian Qi, but yesterday someone suggested that this eunuch had close ties with eunuchs from other palaces. Moreover, Song Zhaoyi indeed began to show signs of premature labor only after Tian Qi's arrival. Therefore, Ji Heng thought to summon him for questioning.

This facial appearance, no matter how one looks at it, exudes an air of nobility, yet it is found on the face of a eunuch

Seeing the other party so calm, she felt it inappropriate to be petty, so she decided to just watch. After finishing her own call that evening, she tossed another book to Wang Meng, then tucked her arms and curled up beside him, wanting to take a nap.

She is hungry

At that moment, she would never have thought that her action would bring about a life-saving opportunity

Upon returning to the value room, I saw a frail eunuch lying sideways under a quilt, sleeping soundly. Tian Qi was filled with anger and kicked him twice, then sat down beside him and pulled the quilt over his legs

Recalling the lines from the poem "A few cold stars, wild geese cross the frontier, a long flute sounds, a person leans against the building," she once found them to be extraordinarily beautiful. However, upon reflection, it is evident that one must first have a full stomach before leaning against the building; otherwise, the suffering would be unbearable.

Because she took a nap during the day, Tian Qi was not very sleepy. She managed to stay awake until midnight when she finally felt drowsy. Just as she fell asleep, she was called to duty: it was her turn to keep watch.

Such a weakling still dares to compete with her, Master Tian, in the front line, how audacious!

Ji Heng continued to read. The room fell silent, leaving only the sound of pages turning.

Ji Heng had no choice but to grab her by the back of her collar and lift her up. Tian Qi slowly opened her eyes, and upon seeing the face before her, she was instantly so frightened that her hair nearly stood on end, staring at him with wide eyes.

When I went out, I was still half-asleep; by the time I climbed up to the doorframe, I was already wide awake—frozen.

Tian Qi sighed, touched his belly, descended from the door frame, and returned to the duty room

Standing on the gate tower at the third watch of the night, one feels as if they are a lost ship adrift in the vast sea. In the distance, lanterns hang, emitting clusters of dim light in the deep night, resembling a lighthouse on the shore, as well as eyes peering through the sea mist

It is not fear that has gripped her, but the cold. In the dead of night, when one's vitality is at its weakest, she stands high up, exposed to the chilling wind. The cool breeze seeps in through her navel, making her feel as though her internal organs have been soaked in cold water, and the discomfort is beyond description

In contrast to her, Wang Meng was overwhelmed by drowsiness, walking with his eyes half-closed and swaying with every third step. After finishing his shift, fearing that he might fall asleep, he, like Tian Qi, sat for a while before going out for a stroll.

Seeing this person's eyes transform from two horizontally placed jujube pits to an apricot pit, Ji Heng couldn't help but laugh. In a good mood, he chose not to pursue her lack of decorum. He released her and said, "You may go back now"

Staying up late at night easily leads to hunger, she should have thought of this earlier, but unfortunately, she was in a hurry when she left and did not bring any food

In an instant, the sound of snoring erupted. Do not be deceived by the person's unimposing appearance; the snoring was quite formidable, resembling the sound of spring thunder striking the bed. Tian Qi could almost feel the slight vibrations of the wall.

Following the little eunuch with a sense of unease, Tian Qi was led by Sheng Anhuai to the Warm Pavilion, where he knelt and paid his respects to Ji Heng.

Tian Qi, fearing that he might inadvertently fall asleep, would take a stroll outside whenever he felt excessively drowsy. He would wait for the cold wind to disperse his sleepiness before returning, only to feel sleepy again, and then go out to face the cold wind once more

Tian Qi understood that she could not disclose this matter, which was likely significant and certainly not a good thing. She pondered that since she had not made any mistakes in the drum room, could it be that the Emperor regretted having imposed a light punishment and wanted to add more?

The warm room is cozy, comfortable, and quiet, with no cold wind blowing. At first, Tian Qi remained somewhat alert, but gradually his mind became a bit heavy.

Tian Qi did not understand what kind of trust she had inadvertently developed during her sleep. She felt somewhat perplexed, unsure of which act the Emperor was performing, and also a bit apprehensive, as it seemed she had done something foolish again

From the perspective of Tianqi, he was lying sideways in front of her. The soft fabric clung to his body, outlining the contours of his physique, with a natural curve at his waist. A jade pendant hung from his waist, and bright yellow tassels spread out on the kang. His legs were crossed and extended outward, appearing long and straight

Ji Hengwai sat in front of the kang table, pressing a pillow under his armpit, with his shoulder resting against the edge of the table; his legs were naturally together, lying horizontally on the kang, and he had not taken off his boots, which were just resting on the edge of the kang.

Within and outside the imperial city, thousands of households were asleep, yet only the unfortunate like her would climb up to the gatehouse in the middle of the night just to strike the gong a few times

Ji Heng was reading a book and, upon reaching an exciting part, did not want to be interrupted, so he continued to ignore Tian Qi.

After the rain, Tian Qi headed straight to the old lair of the Thirteen, as usual, to catch up on sleep. Unfortunately, she had barely slept for a short while when she was lifted up by someone. Upon opening her eyes, she recognized the person; it was a eunuch from the Qing Palace.

Tian Qi looked on with empathy, feeling a certain degree of satisfaction, yet more so a sense of reluctance. Everyone shared the same plight, and there was truly no need to trample on one another. In a sense, she could be considered a kind-hearted person. Thus, she said to Wang Meng, "I have had enough sleep during the day, how about I take your place in the fight?"

According to her usual routine, this should be the time when she is sound asleep. Those who stay up late tend to feel particularly fatigued, their minds clouded, and their self-control diminished

It is unclear what has happened to the eunuchs recently; each one seems to be quite well-behaved. Among those punished in the inner chamber, there are only two eunuchs, with another one responsible for supervising them. Although Tian Qi hurried over, he arrived a step too late, allowing the other person to take the lead.

What is the eunuch doing here in front of her? Tian Qi suddenly had a bad feeling.

He was taken aback, put down the book, looked around, and finally his gaze settled on someone kneeling on the ground with their head bowed

The person who was punished along with her is named Wang Meng, who does not look fierce at all, being as thin as a refugee fleeing from disaster. As soon as Tian Qi saw him, she instinctively wanted to give him some food to eat

However, I did not expect that he would fall asleep while kneeling like this

Tian Qi: "... ..." truly does not consider oneself an outsider

Tian Qi's gaze swept around the spacious warm pavilion. There was no one else present, only Sheng Anhuai waiting outside. The dragon bed was large, with a bright yellow canopy raised, faintly revealing the embroidered dragon patterns of the same color above. Tian Qi was very curious; with such a bright color, could the Emperor sleep soundly at night

... I just don't believe you can be earlier than me this time

The other party shoved the silver back into Tian Qi's hand, saying, "You will understand when you see the Emperor; I am merely a messenger and do not know anything else"

Ji Heng glanced at her and then ignored her.

That person has indeed not yet arrived, and Tian Qi feels a bit pleased with himself

The eunuch said, "The Emperor has summoned you for questioning, so hurry up."

cough cough cough cough cough

Ji Heng shook his head regretfully. He reached out and flicked her long eyelashes with his finger; she squinted but did not wake up

I have never seen such a brazen lackey, but this also indirectly proves one thing: this person has no guilty conscience. If he were truly involved in the death of Song Zhaoyi, no matter how well he disguised himself, he could not possibly sleep so soundly before the emperor.

Tian Qi brought two storybooks in advance, reading one while waiting. When it was almost time for his shift, Wang Meng arrived. He said nothing and sat down beside Tian Qi, picking up the other storybook to read.

As Ji Heng was flipping through the book, he suddenly noticed that a faint snoring sound had emerged in the room

Ji Heng carefully examined her face. She had an oval face, fair skin with a hint of rosy glow. Her forehead was full, and her eyebrows were slender and elegant. Her eyelashes were long and curled, exuding a lively charm. Her nose was small and delicate, and her lips were rosy and plump, with a refined shape that did not require any rouge, yet was beyond the reach of any cosmetic.

Alright, let's endure it

The person has a delicate appearance, and their snoring is equally gentle, low and soft, resembling a cat lazily resting in the corridor