II. This Beau is Confused AF

"Pffft..." His majesty tried his best not to laugh. His identity is revealed to this beau so he has to maintain his composure. Seeing this, Xu Zhengming caught this and can't help but frown. "The concubines truly believed that you, a mere little eunuch, could seduce me? Ridiculous!" The emperor's voice still has a trace of suppressed laughter.

"Would I be able to seduce his majesty if I am older then?" Xu Zhengming let out a rhetorical question with a displeased tone. Rude as it seems, luckily, the emperor didn't bother to give it much of a thought and changed the subject.

"But what I found more... 'amusing' is that..." He clearly emphasized the word 'amusing'. It's more like the emperor used the word instead of "funny" to spare the little eunuch's face. "You didn't know that your rod will be removed to set your journey to become a eunuch? Pfft... Hahahaha."

The emperor couldn't hold it any further and laughed out loud. Xu Zhengming's face turned red out of embarrassment. Good thing, the dim light in the emperor's talisman can't make it obvious.

"But why is it that there's such rule existed? Can't we do our job with it?" Xu Zhengming asked in an annoyed tone.

Though it was just an offhanded question, still the emperor answered. "Of course, there are numerous royal concubines and consorts in the palace. If you don't know what I mean, you're dumb and stupid."

Xu Zhengming can't help but drown in vast confusion. Just earlier this day, the emperor that he bumped onto looks gentle, poised, and kind. But this one here who is currently holding his wrist is rude, uncollected, and ruthless. Is he bipolar or he is only showing his true colors?

"Your majesty, please spare me. If you let me go, I promise you will never see my face ever again." He pleaded.

"After you harassed me, you'll just flee and will not show yourself again? You won't take responsibility?" The emperor gave him a mischievous smile. His words and his smile made Xu Zhengming's hairs on his nape stand.

Why does he make it sound like he's been taken advantage of?

"This lowly one doesn't mean to be rude nor offend his majesty but..." He hesitated for a while but ended up spilling his thoughts anyway. "Wasn't it his majesty who kissed me first?"

The emperor's eyes turned cold and speaks in a serious manner, "I didn't. My hands were full with your wrists and you won't stop spouting nonsense. What will you do if someone found out I am not in the palace?"

So the emperor sneaks out of his house? Xu Zhengming's lips slowly curve upwards and formed a grin. "If your majesty will let me go, I will not speak of the matter to anyone."

Xu Zhengming knows very well that this is very risky and he's just gambling. However, things went down to this so what's the harm of taking one more risk? His grip on the little eunuch's wrist tightens. Xu Zhengming's lips parted with the pain yet no sound was created.

"I cannot assure that. Be a eunuch who serves directly under me." The emperor looks straight into his eyes. "I'll make sure you won't lose anything. How was that?"

Now that he thinks about it, it wasn't a big deal. He wants to be a eunuch in the first place after all. It's just he doesn't like how the initiation goes.

Of course, Xu Zhengming thought of the possible hindrances regarding the matter. "Wouldn't it raise issues, your majesty?"

The emperor answered with an indifferent tone. "If I said the cow in the field is a goat, then it would be written in the books as a goat. If you don't know what I mean, you're dumb and stupid."

Xu Zhengming somehow finds the last sentence annoying. He actually used it to him twice! But he realized that his majesty seems to trust him. Of all, people, the great Xu Zhengming, a loyal customer to not only one brothel, is trusted to be on the same ground as the royal concubines and consorts without being castrated. This emperor surely trusts strangers easily.

"I believe this matter is settled." The emperor suddenly holds Xu Zhengming in the waist with both hands and lifts him up, carrying him like a sack of rice.

"Y-your majesty!"

"Don't yell, or we will be discovered. Don't move too much. If you fall it isn't my fault anymore." The emperor warned before he hops on the wall then to the eves of the roof.

As they hop from one roof to the other, Xu Zhengming tried to shut his mouth and grabs on the emperor's disguise. This skill that the emperor possessed won't surprise the little eunuch. It was said that in his teenage years, his majesty stayed in a cultivation sect and cultivated as the sect head disciple.

It didn't take them long to arrive at the palace.

The emperor's steps are quiet and literally, no one noticed their presence. They entered the emperor's hall through its huge circular window. The hall is dark and quiet. Only the moonlight served as their light.

"You're late."

The emperor and the little eunuch flinched in surprise when suddenly a low voice that belongs to a woman seems to echo in the entire room.

The lady continues to speak, "Do you have any idea how long did we wait for you?"

"Hahaha... really? I didn't notice how late it is." The emperor faked a laugh.

The lady opened her fan and covered the lower part of the face. Her guards up and ready to sneak an attack any time. She asked, "Who is that person you brought with you?"

"Ah, calm down, Xiulan. This eunuch will be serving directly under me." The emperor let Xu Zhengming down to stand on his feet.

Xu Zhengming heard the emperor called her name. He looks at her eyes. They are similar to the emperor's. So this is her highness the first princess.

Princess Yin Xiulan, the emperor's twin sister and the minister of both Ministry of War and Defense, and Ministry of Justice. The tactician behind the countless victories in wars against the other kingdoms. She's the only female member of the royal family who has such authority and political power. The most powerful woman in the palace next to the grand empress dowager. They often refer to her as the Princess General. The princess general was also once a cultivator. She and the emperor went to the same cultivation sect at the same time, and so, her fighting skills are not inferior to his majesty and not to be underestimated.

"Hmm? I can't recall assigning one to you. Selecting your personal servants isn't included in your scope. By tomorrow, I'll personally select one." She closes her fan and lets her guard relax a little. Her face resembles the emperor so much. If they let their long hairs down, one might get confused about who is who.

"No need. No need. You know what? You think of things too much. This man is good." The emperor taps Xu Zhengming's shoulder.

The princess looked at him for a while with a cold stare before letting out a sigh. "It's already this late, we will discuss tomorrow first thing in the morning." She waved her hand as she walks out of the hall.

"Aiyah, did she just waited here just to nag at me?" The emperor mumbled to himself.

Xu Zhengming, "It seems her highness doesn't want me to be your personal servant, your majesty."

"Psh, she's always like that. It's like her day isn't complete if she won't contradict me. In any case, you can't escape from me just like that." The emperor gestured as if he's giving the other a sign to get the hell out of the hall. "For now, you may go to the servants' quarters."

"..." Xu Zhengming didn't utter a single word. The emperor was about to leave the hall too but he noticed that his eunuch is just standing where he let him down and is quiet.

"Did you hear me? I said you may now go."

"Your majesty, the thing is..." He paused. "Where is the servants' quarter?" He smiled bashfully. Since it's his first day in the palace, he really doesn't know where is where. Though he studied here for years as a scholar, he's only bound to the royal academy which is just nearby the gates. He didn't dare nor bothered to stroll around the palace back then.

This made the emperor's sword-like eyebrows knit. "You don't know?"

"Today is my first day for my job. And... and I run away from the royal infirmary before those eunuchs could orient me about the palace."

"Aish, are you telling me to personally lead you the way?" The emperor's tone has a hint of annoyance.

"His majesty doesn't have to. Just tell me the way."

"Hmm... since you are new here, I guess you don't have a room assigned to you yet." The emperor robs his cheek with his palm. "Consider yourself as fortunate."

"...?"

"I'll change my clothes first. I'll bring you there." His majesty then walks behind the screen and changes his clothes. The cheap pair of robe and cloak was tossed and a luxurious robe made of gold yellow and obsidian black silk was worn. The silk itself has an exquisite embroidery of a dragon and lotuses.

In an instant, the common-looking man turned into a noble.

He wears his mian hat as he walks out of the screen, adorned with colorful beads.  Though he wears the same robes, the aura around him isn't the same. It's like he's a different person from before.

Xu Zhengming thought, this emperor is unpredictable.

"Your majesty! What brings you here?" Shocked, the eunuchs in the servants' quarters greeted. The emperor indeed walked him to the area!

"Ah, you see. My newly assigned eunuch doesn't have a room yet." Emperor Yin Renshu pointed at Xu Zhengming.

"His majesty insisted to trouble himself to go here. Please allow this lowly one to take care of things from here." A eunuch that seems to have a higher position spoke.

"Mn. I'll be counting on you." The emperor then looks at Xu Zhengming, "Go to my hall first thing in the morning."

Xu Zhengming bows his head, "Yes, your majesty."

And with that, the emperor headed back to his hall.

Mingming's fellow eunuchs look at him with confusion, and a little jealousy but didn't dare to say anything. It seems that this lowly one is favored his majesty. He looks young and inexperienced but still got chosen to be the one to serve him directly. Better not to be on bad terms with this little eunuch.

The room he got isn't bad. There's a small table with brushes and papers for writing on top of it. Also, a comfortable bed that has clothes for the night, a couple of eunuch uniforms, and a casual one laid on the side.

The life of a eunuch is actually well-off. They got a good salary. But to Mingming, all these things are not enough to pay for what they are bound to lose.

However, since he got lucky and became one without losing anything, thanks to that bipolar emperor, he got to indulge in this kind of life.

The next morning, he woke up early and get himself ready to go to the emperor's hall.

He knocks on the door with caution. "Your majesty?"

"..."

A few moments after that, he still got no response. Is he still asleep?

He was about to knock again when a couple of maids headed by a court lady came. One maid holds a basin of water and one holds a soft towel. The court lady that is with them is no other than Court Lady Han. The court lady he met yesterday.

"Why are you here?" She raised one of her eyebrows as she asks him.

"His majesty asked me to come first thing in the morning." He answered. But then, the ladies have unreadable faces after he answered. They look at each other and it seems they have the same thing in mind. Though Xu Zhengming doesn't get them, he felt like he should explain himself. "The emperor assigned me to be a eunuch who serves directly under him."

However, their faces became even more unreadable.

The court lady faked a cough and said, "If the emperor truly made you his personal servant, then that is good." She then faced the huge door and said in a loud voice. "Your majesty, it is time for you to wake up."

Court lady Han slides the door open as she enters the hall. The maids then follow after her. He thought he should come in too so he followed after them.

The emperor is in his white undergarments. He is already sitting on his bed and rubs his eyes.  He doesn't have the fierce look on his face yet. He looks like he's torn between being asleep and awake.

The maids put the basin and towel on the small table then the emperor came to wash his face. After doing so, he blinked twice. His face looks more awake now. His eyes roamed around and stopped his gaze on Xu Zhengming. His eyes widen and all his consciousness came back to him all at once.

The emperor beamed a smile to him as he says, "What brought you here? Ah, you should have told me that you'll see me beforehand so I can at least prepare tea."

"Eh?" Xu Zhengming is very much confused. Didn't he say last night to come here first thing in the morning?

The maids look at him with a suspicious look.

Xu Zhengming thought, did he forgot or is he just doing this intentionally?

He responds, "The emperor summoned this lowly one to come here today. Yesterday, his majesty appointed me to be your eunuch."

"Ah? I did?" The emperor seems he's still not on the same page. He thinks for a while before finally saying things with more sense. He smiles gently as he said, "Yes, yes. I remember now. My mind has been occupied these days."

The emperor turns his head to the court lady. "Court lady Han, please bring me my breakfast here. And oh, make it good for two persons. I would like to share it with my eunuch."

"???" Xu Zhengming couldn't be more confused. Why is this emperor who was mean last night could be this kind today?

No emperor in history shared their meal to their servants until now, the reign of Emperor Yin Renshu. Just who is this little eunuch to get the privilege of eating the same food with his majesty?

The ladies' faces turned dark yet they still left the hall after receiving the order. As they headed to the imperial kitchen, the maids couldn't hold their mouths any longer.

"So he really seduced the emperor?" The maid with the basin said in a low voice.

"If that's not the case, why is he willing to have his meal with him?" The maid with the towel responds.

"Not even the empress had a meal with his majesty. That's strange." The maid commented.

"How bold of him. He used his beauty to capture his majesty's eyes! How thick-skinned!" Court lady Han joined the conversation as well.

This conversation caught the attention of a lady of high status. "May I know who is this one who captured the emperor's eyes?"

The three of them halted their movements at once. Their reaction looks like they have seen a ghost. They quickly bowed their heads as they greet, "Your highness."

This lady is no other than the current empress of the imperial palace. Empress Xue Chi, the wife of Emperor Yin Renshu. Although they are husband and wife, the two seemed distant from each other. In fact, they rarely meet inside the imperial palace. They're a couple by law but not by heart.

The empress is affectionate to the emperor but it's not the same for the other party. Nevertheless, the emperor doesn't treat her badly and visits her in her hall once a month. But then again, it's just compliance with the law.

Behind her highness are six maids and a court lady. Their faces look gloomy unlike the empress' bright face.

The facial expression she wears is much scarier than an angry face full of resentment.

She's smiling sweetly.

"I want to meet this person."