Eunuch Su, Eunuch Su!

King Xin's face, initially filled with grief and sorrow, froze the moment he saw the portraits of the late Emperor and Empress fall to the ground.

After Su Jin stepped forward to apologize, he seemed to come to his senses. He looked at Su Jin with hatred and malice.

Su Jin noticed King Xin's gaze but remained unmoved, so fearless that he didn't even bother to spare him a glance.

He indeed had nothing to worry about. Officially, the memorial service for the late Emperor and Empress was presided over by King Xin on behalf of his mother. He, Su Jin, was just an internal official, helping out with errands. To say that he had deliberately sabotaged the event would only make King Xin appear negligent and incompetent.

Moreover, ever since the Crown Prince's "death," the Emperor had been filled with regret. He even often vented his anger about the matter on the Empress and King Xin for their instigation.

Everything went smoothly when others offered incense. But when it was King Xin's turn, the portraits fell as if the late Emperor and Empress were present. It was fortunate that the Emperor didn't become suspicious. Naturally, he wouldn't pursue the matter with him, the late Empress's most beloved nephew, on this day.

King Xin had come this far, so he was obviously not a complete fool. The resentment in his eyes flashed, and he knelt on one knee in front of Su Jin, half apologizing and half explaining, "I knew that this portrait was painted by Elder Brother in memory of the Empress, so I didn't allow anyone to touch it. I didn't expect that after all this time, it would fall today. It's my negligence. I beg Father Emperor's forgiveness."

The Emperor's face was pale. He looked down at him with an unreadable expression and didn't want to pursue the matter further. He turned his gaze back to the portraits that had fallen on the incense table. His voice was a little vague, and it was unclear whether he was talking to them or to himself, "It's just a coincidence. It's not your fault."

Su Jin sneered inwardly, bowed in gratitude, and retreated. King Xin, on the other hand, seemed even more eager to prove something. After thanking the Emperor, he personally stepped forward, picked up the fallen portraits, rolled up his sleeves, and carefully hung them back on the incense table.

While King Xin's face was full of false loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness, Su Jin coldly watched his act. Prince Rui, on the other hand, seemed unconcerned. Emperor Xuande, who was facing the incense table, didn't seem to notice the undercurrents at all. His eyes were fixed on the vivid features of the late Empress in the portrait, as if he had fallen into some memory.

Since the Emperor was getting older, especially after his serious illness and prolonged recovery, moments of wistful reminiscing like this had become increasingly frequent.

But…what was the use? Regretting what he had done, even the Emperor's regret, was like a fan in autumn or charcoal in summer—superfluous and useless.

After the minor "coincidence" during the Empress's memorial service, the rest of the ceremony proceeded smoothly. As noon approached, the year's memorial service at the Palace of Longevity officially ended. As usual, Su Jin helped the Emperor, whose legs and feet were still not very nimble, out of the palace gate and into the imperial palanquin.

After the Emperor was seated, eight short but strong eunuchs stepped forward, bowed, and lifted the palanquin. Su Jin took a step back.

At this moment, King Xin brushed past him, and a voice filled with malice reached Su Jin's ears, "Head Eunuch Su, you're very capable!"

Su Jin paused and looked up at King Xin's almost flustered face.

On ordinary days, he could still put on an appearance of courtesy and righteousness. Now, with just a few minor mistakes, he had lost his composure and threatened him in front of the imperial palanquin.

In contrast, Prince Rui didn't show any sign of gloating. As the mastermind, he was still as rough and unrefined as ever, as if he didn't realize what the falling of the portraits meant…

Grandfather was right. King Xin was probably not Prince Rui's match.

Su Jin's face remained impassive, but he engraved his grandfather's warning even deeper in his heart. His eyes darkened, but he didn't respond to the malice. He simply walked past King Xin and followed the imperial procession.

King Xin, having hit a wall with Su Jin, felt even angrier. He turned around and bumped into Prince Rui, his face even more sullen.

But Prince Rui was even more straightforward than Su Jin. Facing King Xin's hateful gaze, he glared back fiercely, "What are you looking at, Brother!"

Prince Rui was rough-looking and had a particularly loud voice. His shout could probably be heard even by the Emperor inside the palanquin. King Xin was startled and simply walked further away with a flick of his sleeve.

They continued on in silence. After arriving at the Hall of Heavenly Virtue, the Emperor and his sons took their seats. Logically, King Xin, having presided over the important memorial service for the late Emperor and Empress, should have received a handsome reward. However, the Emperor didn't mention it at all. He only spoke a few casual words before his face showed fatigue, as if he was about to dismiss them.

It was Consort Xian who casually mentioned that since the anniversary of the late Empress's death had passed and the New Year was approaching, it was time to start preparing for the New Year festivities. However, there was no sign of preparation in the palace, and she wondered if the Empress had forgotten.

Upon hearing this, the Emperor said to King Xin on his right, "Go and see how your mother is doing. The New Year is an important event. If she's really not feeling well, tell me early, and let Consort Xian and the others help out."

King Xin's expression changed slightly. As the Empress's son, he naturally knew that although his mother was not feeling well, she was not so weak that she couldn't handle the New Year preparations. The reason why she hadn't started preparing these days was that the memorial service for the late Emperor and Empress happened to fall at the end of the eleventh month.

If they were to start preparing for the New Year festivities now, but she had to excuse herself from the memorial service due to illness, wouldn't it be obvious to others that she was intentionally disrespecting the late Empress?

In previous years, they always started preparing after the twelfth month, and his father had never said anything. But this time, he wanted Consort Xian and the others to "help out" and share her authority. It seemed that the incident of the late Empress's portrait falling in front of him had left a thorn in his father's heart.

Prince Rui and his mother were really going too far, step by step!

And Su Jin, if it weren't for that eunuch's meddling, he would have been the one presiding over the memorial service at the Palace of Longevity. How could he have let Prince Rui's people interfere?

If he continued to underestimate that slave, such disgusting things would never end. He had to find a way…

Numerous thoughts flashed through King Xin's mind, but he didn't dare to show any trace of them in front of Emperor Xuande. He only respectfully agreed and then withdrew to the Palace of Earthly Harmony.

After King Xin left, the Emperor lost all interest in talking. He dismissed Consort Xian, Prince Rui, and the others. He even bestowed his grace on Su Jin, who had been quietly standing by his side, "You have worked hard for the Empress's memorial service. I remember you were still suffering from a cold a few days ago. Since it's over today, go back and rest for half a day. You can come back to work tomorrow."

Su Jin knew that the Emperor didn't want to see him and be reminded of the past. He expressed his gratitude with feigned tears and withdrew.

In fact, after a whole day of busying himself at the Palace of Eternal Longevity, Su Jin was indeed physically and mentally exhausted. Since the Emperor had given him permission to rest, Su Jin didn't stand on ceremony. After leaving the palace, he instructed Yuanbao to keep watch and then went straight to Jing Lane.

Because he served the Emperor, he always got off work later. This was actually the first time he had returned home before Huiming.

Su Jin slowly walked into the courtyard, which seemed particularly deserted without Huiming. He looked up and waved away the servant who came to greet him. He walked straight down the corridor to the back residence and stood in the empty main hall for a while. Looking at the quiet room on the east side, he felt a strange urge and took a few steps towards it.

It was strange to say, but even though Huiming was still on duty at the Palace of Lasting Happiness and the east room was just an empty room, Su Jin felt as if his heart, which had been empty and adrift all day at the Palace of Eternal Longevity, had finally found a place to land.

The innermost part of the room was furnished with a nanmu canopy bed where Huiming usually rested. There was a wooden screen in front of the bed. Su Jin had already acted impulsively by coming here, so naturally, he wouldn't approach the bed now. There was a long table by the north window with some writing materials on it, which was relatively less private. Su Jin stood at the door for a moment, then finally decided to sit at the table for a while.

He would just sit for a while and leave. He wouldn't do such a rude thing again!

Thinking this to himself, Su Jin still walked with some hesitation. He took almost the time it took to drink a cup of tea to cover the short distance.

Not only did he walk hesitantly, but his eyes were also fixed on the ground, not daring to look around. It was only when he approached the long table that his gaze flickered as he caught sight of the objects on the table, and he froze.

There were scattered pieces of cloth and needles and thread on the table. The brush holder and brush rest had been put away in the corner, leaving only a rectangular inkstone made of fine jade placed solemnly in the center of the table. But under the inkstone were layers of backing paper, and to the right of the inkstone were messy piles of thick cotton cloth and paste. Next to all this was a crane-shaped candlestick that had almost burned down to the bottom. Just from this scene, one could imagine how Huiming had spent the night before, working tirelessly at this table until the oil in the lamp had run dry and his eyes were bloodshot. He must have been so exhausted that he couldn't even be bothered to tidy up before going back to rest.

These were the soles he was making for his shoes.

Su Jin slowly reached out and gently touched the unfinished soles as if afraid of startling something. In that instant, he felt as if his heart was filled to the brim, making his chest ache with a mixture of bitterness and sweetness.

——————

While Su Jin was waiting for Huiming's return with mixed feelings in Jing Lane, Huiming, who was still at the Palace of Lasting Happiness, suddenly received a visit from an old acquaintance.

It was Yuan Chengqiang, the head eunuch of the Palace of Lasting Happiness.

Huiming had known him from his previous life when he served the Seventh Prince. He was a greedy and opportunistic person who would always side with the powerful. Therefore, Huiming only greeted him coldly, "What brings you here, Eunuch Yuan?"

Yuan Chengqiang smiled obsequiously at him, "Oh, Aunt Song, hurry up and get ready. His Highness wishes to see you!"

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ

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