Eunuch Su, Eunuch Su!

“Yuanbao, wait a moment.” Reaching Eunuch Su’s quarters again, Huiming recalled yesterday's events and hesitated. Seeing Yuanbao, she didn't rush inside. Instead, she called out to him and asked in a low voice, “How is Eunuch Su’s mood today?”

Yuanbao looked surprised. “I thought you wouldn't be here until noon, Auntie. Master will be delighted to see you so early!”

It wasn't a day for the grand court assembly. The imperial physician had scheduled acupuncture and massage for the Emperor a few days prior. Adding the time needed for the warm bath before the treatment and other preparations, it wouldn't be until after the hour of the snake (9-11 am) that the Emperor would be ready. No one was allowed to disturb the physician during the treatment, so the eunuchs and maids serving nearby could get some free time. Huiming had heard about this yesterday after finishing her shift and had brought breakfast at this hour for Eunuch Su. As expected, the timing was perfect.

However, Eunuch Su's inexplicable anger yesterday still bothered Huiming. She thought about it and asked, “Did I upset Eunuch Su by bringing him food yesterday?”

“What are you talking about?” Yuanbao forced a smile. “How could Master be angry with you? He was overjoyed!”

Huiming wanted to ask more, but Yuanbao had already taken the food box from her. “If you have something to discuss, go inside and talk to Master. Don’t stand out here in the cold. Master will scold me for not being considerate! It just so happens that Master hasn't had breakfast yet. Please persuade him to eat.”

Yuanbao had already lifted the curtain for her, so Huiming had no choice but to enter. Eunuch Su wasn't at his desk but on the bamboo couch, dressed in a plain inner robe, placing his cotton robe on the brazier.

Hearing the sound, Eunuch Su assumed it was Yuanbao and said without looking up, “I told you, no need to bring breakfast. You go ahead and eat.”

Huiming paused, gently put down the food box, rolled up her sleeves, and walked over. “Let me take care of the clothes. Breakfast is important, you should eat something.”

As soon as Huiming spoke, Eunuch Su looked up abruptly and froze for a moment before seeming to recognize her. He stood up suddenly.

“Be careful!” Huiming didn't pay attention to Eunuch Su's reaction. She quickly took a step forward and caught the brocade robe that almost fell into the brazier.

The room was small and couldn't accommodate a proper brazier. They mostly relied on people to hold the clothes over the fire basin. With such a sudden movement, it was easy for sparks to fly out. Huiming picked up the cotton robe and carefully checked it. Thankfully, it wasn't burned. She breathed a sigh of relief and looked up, only to realize she was standing very close to Eunuch Su.

Huiming hurriedly took a step back, but Eunuch Su seemed even more flustered. He pulled at his collar, a rare blush appearing on his usually cold face under the firelight. “Huiming, why… why are you here so early?”

It was winter, and the clothes were thick. Besides the outer cotton robe, there was also a padded inner robe. It wouldn't have been a big deal, but Eunuch Su's reaction made Huiming too embarrassed to look up. She quickly lowered her head and explained, looking at the clothes in her hands, “I thought you would be busy and wouldn't have time at noon. It just so happens that I’m off duty today, so I brought you breakfast.”

As she spoke, Huiming noticed that the sleeves and chest of Eunuch Su’s inner robe were damp, as if they had gotten wet. No wonder he was drying them over the brazier. Huiming took another step back and said, “Your clothes are wet?”

Eunuch Su's voice seemed to have regained its calmness. “Yes, I accidentally splashed some water on myself while helping His Majesty bathe.”

Huiming walked past Eunuch Su and sat down where he had been drying his clothes. She spread the wet parts over the brazier and said, “I know you don't have much appetite, so I brought light and digestible food. Please have some.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Huiming heard Eunuch Su walk towards the table. Then came the sound of the food box opening and the dishes being gently placed on the table. After a while, Eunuch Su seemed to remember something and asked softly, “Have you eaten?”

“Not yet.” Now with a ready excuse, Huiming didn't have to lie. She simply said, “I’m off duty today. You go ahead and eat. I’ll go back and eat after I finish drying your clothes.”

Huiming was relieved that she didn't have to eat with Eunuch Su. She used to be an embroiderer in the Bureau of Imperial Attire and knew everything about fabrics. She knew that directly drying this kind of satin would leave wrinkles. There was no brazier here, so she took out her handkerchief, dampened it, and used it to smooth the fabric from time to time. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than nothing. Focusing on this task, she soon calmed down.

Seeing Huiming's cheerful expression and no sign of grievance, Su Jin felt a sense of relief he couldn't quite place. Huiming kept her head down out of respect, focusing on the clothes and the brazier. It allowed him to look at her freely.

A young girl of fifteen, her face still held a childish innocence. But these past few days, she seemed to carry a sense of maturity beyond her years. Sitting so close to him, drying his clothes with her head bowed, she made the entire room feel warm and cozy. It was as if he wasn't in the forbidden palace, not a eunuch serving the Emperor, but an ordinary man returning home after a long day to a warm meal and a loving wife.

Loving wife… Su Jin's face flushed again. He clenched his fists, pushing away these inappropriate thoughts. He shifted his gaze, forcing himself to focus on the breakfast in front of him.

He had entered the palace at the age of ten. As a young eunuch, he was often bullied. But he was stubborn and refused to curry favor with the older eunuchs and supervisors. He was assigned the most menial and exhausting tasks, his food and clothing often skimped on. He also felt responsible for looking after his nephews and cousins who had entered the palace with him. Over time, he developed a stomach ailment. Although he no longer lacked food and clothing, he felt even more uncomfortable after eating. He knew his future was uncertain, so he didn't pay much attention to it, figuring as long as he didn't starve to death, it wouldn't matter.

But now, looking at the plain porridge and crispy cakes on the table, thinking about Huiming's thoughtfulness in bringing them to him, Su Jin felt a warmth spread through him. By the time Huiming looked up, he had already finished most of the food. The meal, which usually only brought him discomfort and forced him to eat, now felt like a true delicacy.

Su Jin slowly put down his chopsticks, his gaze lingering on the table, his heart filled with complex emotions. Then, he heard Huiming speak softly, “You were assigned to prepare for the late Empress's death anniversary again yesterday. You must be even busier now.”

“Yes.” Su Jin looked up and saw Huiming gently pressing the cotton robe with her delicate hand, her head lowered, her expression hidden. Only the fine hairs on her forehead danced slightly in the heat from the brazier, as lively as a sparrow.

Huiming kept her head down, unaware of Su Jin's gaze. She tried to make her voice sound casual, like an idle chat. “For such an important event like the late Empress's memorial, even if the current Empress is unwell, there are still Consort Xian and the other consorts. It's strange that they would specifically ask the Prince, who has already left the palace, to officiate. It's quite unusual.”

Although he was a little surprised that Huiming brought this up, since she asked, Su Jin explained in detail, “Although Consort Xian is respected, according to etiquette, she is still a concubine. It would be disrespectful to have a concubine preside over the Empress Dowager's memorial. In the past, when the late Crown Prince was alive, he personally presided over the memorial. Now that the Empress is ill, His Majesty doesn't want the late Empress to suffer such disrespect, so he asked Prince Xin, the Empress Dowager's own son, to preside over the memorial on her behalf. This is to show respect for the late Empress. It has always been this way whenever the Empress is unwell.”

Eunuch Su's explanation was clear, and Huiming understood. The death anniversary memorial required a grand ceremony. According to etiquette, even the current Empress had to act as a concubine before the late Empress. This was a sign of respect for the late Empress, but wasn't it also cruel to the current Empress?

In that case, it was no wonder the Empress's health had been deteriorating.

However, what puzzled Huiming even more was, since the Emperor felt that even Consort Xian wasn't of high enough status, why did he specifically ask Eunuch Su to assist with the preparations? Prince Xin couldn't enter the palace easily, but what about the other consorts? Even if Consort Xian wasn't of high enough status to preside over the memorial, surely there were other consorts who were more suitable than Eunuch Su to help with the arrangements?

Although she didn't know the reason, Huiming guessed it must have something to do with Eunuch Su's family background before he entered the palace. The Duke of Zhen Guo's Mansion… perhaps those four words carried more weight than she imagined. So much so that even though he was the descendant of a family of criminals, Eunuch Su, as the eldest grandson of the Su family, could still be involved in the memorial of the late Empress, something that even Consort Xian wasn't qualified for.

Huiming's hand holding the cotton robe paused. But how could she, who barely knew Eunuch Su, bring herself to ask him about such a sensitive topic and risk opening old wounds?

Huiming lowered her head slightly, feeling that the clothes were almost dry. She stood up, folded the clothes, and said, “There are some wrinkles left, but they are not noticeable unless you look closely.” She knew Eunuch Su was a stickler for appearances. She didn't mind the wrinkles, but she didn't want him to feel uncomfortable seeing his clothes wrinkled. She bowed her head and excused herself.

Su Jin stood there for a moment, then slowly picked up the cotton robe that Huiming had folded. The garment, still warm from the brazier, felt like it was warming his heart.

It wasn't until Yuanbao lifted the curtain and entered again that Su Jin came back to his senses. He instructed, “Go back and bring me another set of clothes.”

Didn't you say earlier that once it's dry, it's fine and not to bother? Yuanbao scratched his head in confusion, but he still agreed and reached out to take the wet clothes from his master's arms. To his surprise, his master suddenly dodged and snapped, “Don't be nosy!”

Huh? Yuanbao felt wronged and turned to leave, confused. Then he heard his master ask, “How has Auntie Huiming been doing serving the Emperor these past few days?”

Master had already instructed him to keep an eye on Auntie Huiming and report back immediately if anything happened to her or if anyone bullied her. Yuanbao replied, “Everything has been going well. Auntie asked for some good quality mink fur scraps from the Bureau of Imperial Attire a while back. I just heard about it yesterday and was planning to send them over when I had time!”

“Mink fur scraps? What for?”

“She said it’s to make knee pads for Madam Xu.” Yuanbao answered without hesitation, believing he had done a good job with the task assigned by his master. He was expecting some praise when he saw his master's face darken, his entire being radiating a gloomy aura. Yuanbao faltered and asked hesitantly, “Then… should I still send them over?”

Su Jin raised his eyes slightly, his gaze cold.

“I’ll go right away! I’ll go now!” Yuanbao's heart skipped a beat. He suddenly understood and said quickly. Seeing that his master had no further instructions, he hurriedly turned and left.

Author's Note:

Eunuch Su: It's getting cold. It's time to find a more perceptive apprentice…

Yuanbao: Meow meow meow???

Thank you to [Thickleg] for the landmine, love you!

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ

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