Eunuch Su, Eunuch Su!

Hui Ming, though new to Qian’de Palace, had naturally met both of her superiors, the female officials in charge of affairs before the Emperor. However, because Madam Xu was old and had an air of retirement, rarely appearing in public, she did not interfere in the affairs of Qian’de Palace, leaving everything to Wei Gu Gu. In addition, Wei Gu Gu had the title of “Noble Lady” bestowed by the Emperor himself. It was no wonder that Hui Ming and the others thought that Madam Xu was deliberately avoiding Wei Gu Gu, recognizing her superior status and power.

But on the first day of working under Madam Xu, Hui Ming, along with all the other palace maids, realized that this was not the case at all.

The Emperor, upon seeing Madam Xu early in the morning, was surprised and asked, “Why are you here to do these chores?”

Madam Xu bowed respectfully and replied, standing to the side, “Your Majesty has just recovered from a serious illness. This old servant is worried and wants to serve you for a few more days, to see that you are well.”

The Emperor shook his head and said slowly, “You are also getting on in years. You should take care of yourself.”

The Emperor’s expression was serious, but his casual and familiar attitude, as if he were speaking to an old friend of many years, was startling.

Madam Xu, however, did not stop. Looking at the clothes presented by the palace maids, she said seriously, “Your Majesty, you have just recovered from a serious illness, why are you still dressed in such plain clothes? You should change into some joyful colors, even if it is just to look at yourself in better spirits.”

“Alright.” The Emperor did not mind the almost lecturing advice and agreed readily. Ku Kou Yu Gan, who was standing by, did not immediately withdraw upon hearing this but instead cast an imperceptible glance at Wei Gu Gu, who was on the floor.

The Emperor’s daily clothes and accessories were all personally selected by Wei Gu Gu. Now, Madam Xu’s words had caused them to be changed, which was naturally a blow to Wei Gu Gu’s face.

Wei Shi, however, continued to change the Emperor’s cotton boots and then looked up, her face full of gentleness. “Then shall I change Your Majesty into the newly made red brocade robe? It is also comfortable to wear.”

Unfortunately, after saying these words, the Emperor was tired. He only nodded vaguely in response, the extent of which made it impossible to be sure whether he had actually nodded.

If it had been before, this attitude would not have been considered anything. However, compared to Madam Xu’s casual familiarity just now, it seemed to highlight the Emperor’s usual indulgence and reliance on Wei Shi as if she were a mere plaything.

Wei Gu Gu’s face turned slightly pale, but she still maintained her usual gentle and submissive demeanor. Ku Kou Yu Gan and her sisters did not dare to wait any longer and quickly retreated, deftly presenting the dragon robe that Wei Shi had mentioned and allowing Wei Gu Gu to personally serve the Emperor in changing.

Over the years, the Emperor had become accustomed to Wei Gu Gu’s service. Such tasks were never entrusted to others. In the past, such a situation would only make all the palace maids envious and respectful. But today, with Madam Xu present, although she just stood quietly by and watched, there was an inexplicable air of a housekeeper inspecting a senior maid, her status a cut above Wei Gu Gu.

After the Emperor had changed his clothes, Madam Xu did not stay any longer. She took Hui Ming with her and turned to leave.

After this incident, everyone understood that Madam Xu’s status and seniority were above Wei Gu Gu. Although Hui Ming had the backing of Eunuch Su’s reputation before, the local official was not as good as the current administrator. The superior of the palace maids was ultimately Wei Gu Gu.

Now that Madam Xu had appeared so suddenly, it was like a war between two countries. Before the situation was clear, everyone was naturally more polite to Hui Ming, who was Madam Xu’s confidante, and would no longer easily exclude or offend her at Wei Gu Gu’s behest.

Hui Ming was grateful and admired. In her free time, she couldn’t help but ask curiously, “How long has Madam served by His Majesty’s side?”

Madam Xu, holding her teacup, narrowed her eyes and thought for a moment. “I was sent from the late Empress Dowager’s palace to serve His Majesty. Later, I left the palace and got married but became a widow. I was bullied by my relatives outside, so I asked for permission to return to the palace. Adding it all up, it has been more than forty years.”

Hui Ming was secretly stunned by this number. The Emperor was only in his fifties. Forty years, wasn’t that since he was a child? No wonder, after leaving and returning to the palace, the Emperor still remembered her and made her the head palace maid. Such a relationship could be said to be like brother and sister. No wonder they were so close in the morning.

After saying that, Madam Xu sat quietly by the side, watching Hui Ming clean the Emperor’s rings, beads, crown, jade pendant, and other accessories one by one, and put them back in the gilded box according to their positions. She nodded in approval. “Although you are new here, you are doing a good job.”

Thinking back to her previous life, when she was worried about Eunuch Su’s “ulterior motives” and her work was mostly done with Qiu Ya’s help, Hui Ming couldn’t help but blush at Madam Xu’s praise. She shook her head and modestly denied it.

Seeing her sincere humility, Madam Xu was even more satisfied. “Not arrogant or impetuous. With your temperament, even in the past, you would have been worthy of Su Jin.”

Eunuch Su’s full name was Su Jin. Hearing Madam Xu address Eunuch Su in such a way, and thinking back to her doubts yesterday, Hui Ming couldn’t help but ask, “How did Madam get to know Eunuch Su so well? I heard that he seems to be…”

“Born a palace servant.” Madam Xu coldly said the four words that Hui Ming was still hesitating to say. Seeing Hui Ming’s tacit agreement, she remained silent for a while and then looked at the dead branches outside the window. “Yes, born a palace servant. Since he is a palace servant, he used to be an official. But the Su family was not an ordinary official family. They were the Duke’s Mansion of the capital. Eunuch Su was originally the eldest legitimate grandson of the Duke’s Mansion and was often brought into the palace to kowtow and greet the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. I was serving at the side at that time, so I met him a few times.”

Hui Ming’s eyes widened in shock. After being in the palace for so long, she never knew that Eunuch Su had such a background. “Then how…”

At this point, Madam Xu’s voice also sank. “When Eunuch Su was nine years old, the Duke’s Mansion was convicted, and the entire family was executed. Only those under ten years old were spared. The girls were sent to the courtesan houses, and the boys were sent to the inner palace. I was outside the palace at that time, and when I returned, I learned that of all the boys from the Su family who were castrated and sent to the palace, only Eunuch Su survived in the end. And he alone, walked to where he is today.”

These short words weighed heavily on Hui Ming’s heart like stones, heavy but unable to sink.

The Chief Eunuch, she originally thought this was already an extraordinary identity. Eunuch Su was young but had climbed to the top of the eunuch hierarchy, deeply trusted by the Emperor. This was already very impressive, surpassing countless people in the palace. He deserved to be proud and respected by everyone.

But who knew, Eunuch Su, he should have been the eldest legitimate grandson of the Duke’s Mansion, he should have been at this age, either studying or practicing martial arts, becoming an official, or getting married and having children, living a life of wealth and luxury. He should have had a broader, more brilliant life and future. The Emperor’s trust in him should not have been as a Chief Eunuch, but as a true talent of the court, a pillar of the country.

The refined air about Eunuch Su, the bearing of a scholar-official, was not strange at all. It was something he should have had from birth, from his roots. It was just… he later entered the palace, he fell from the brocade and jade of the Duke’s Mansion into the dirtiest dust, forced to the ground, his spine broken, and then inch by inch, he climbed up again, never shedding his roots. This was what made him forever different from the others in the palace.

How much suffering and beatings did new palace maids and eunuchs have to endure before they could become obedient slaves in the eyes of their masters? Hui Ming, who was also a palace maid, knew this all too well. And she was still a commoner who had been properly selected. What about Eunuch Su? Entering the palace as a palace servant, he was born the lowest of the low. One can only imagine what he had been through.

In that case, what Eunuch Su had said through Yuan Bao in her previous life, about their few encounters when she first entered the palace, was that before Eunuch Su had even reached the Emperor’s side? But, how? Why didn’t she have any memory of it at all?

“How… was he convicted?” Hui Ming’s voice was a little hoarse.

“It’s all in the past, why bring it up again…” Madam Xu lowered her eyes slightly, obviously not wanting to elaborate. “I think you are very good. There’s nothing I need to teach you. I think from now on, that Wei Shi won’t dare to make things difficult for you again. If you need anything, just come to me.”

Hui Ming bowed and saw Madam Xu off. But when she thought back to what had just been said, she couldn’t calm down for a long time. The stone in her heart didn’t lighten in the slightest, instead, it became heavier and heavier, weighing her down until it hurt.

After pacing back and forth restlessly for a while, still unable to let it go, Hui Ming gritted her teeth and finally, in one breath, turned and went out the door, heading straight for the main hall where Eunuch Su was at the moment.

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ

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