I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Chapter 581: Chapter 423: In the Palace Garrison_2

“My son understands.”

The young servant bowed to accept the order, and if godfather said the young master had contracted a terrible illness, he was certain to die.

After the funeral.

Zhou Yi sent everyone away and stood alone in front of Old Deer’s grave.

“Our family has always listened to you boast about your favors with this person and saving that one’s life. Yet, in death, I see none here to send you off. Those who seek a living within the palace, one day they’re alive, the next they’re dead—where is there talk of grace and gratitude…”

Death is like a lamp extinguished, all past grudges and grievances dissipate like smoke.

...

It suddenly occurred to Zhou Yi, the long conversations he had with Old Deer in the Cold Palace, whether critiquing the ancients or discussing the National Dynasty.

Old Deer often had unique perspectives, which Zhou Yi kept in his heart, forging his own understanding of the world. These views subtly influenced his actions and words moving forward, a true testament to meticulous teaching.

“From now on, our family will not even have someone to speak with!”

With a sigh, just as he was about to leave, an old voice suddenly echoed in Zhou Yi’s ears.

“Eunuch Zhou, here we meet again.”

Next to the Stupa, a figure appeared as if he had been standing there all along, only revealing himself upon speaking.

Zhou Yi clasped his hands and said, “Junior has seen Eunuch Wei.”

“You flatter me, Eunuch Zhou. Even I might not be able to achieve what you did, slaying the Sword God in battle. From now on, let us address each other as equals.”

Eunuch Wei said, “My visit today serves two purposes: to pay respects to Eunuch Lu, and to deliver an imperial decree from His Majesty!”

Here it comes!

Zhou Yi, after his direct confrontation with the Empress in Kunning Palace, aimed to convey his stance to the Orthodox Emperor. Indeed, there are no secrets in the palace, as Eunuch Wei has promptly arrived with the decree.

Eunuch Wei said, “His Majesty commands that Eunuch Zhou guard the palace meticulously and prevent any chaos from erupting.”

“This servant accepts the decree.”

Zhou Yi’s eyes flickered, and he said, “Should this servant present the palace guard roster for His Majesty to review in case there are any oversights that need to be addressed early?”

“His Majesty has been indisposed recently and is not seeing anyone.”

After Eunuch Wei said this, he burned a stack of joss paper in front of Old Deer’s grave, then leapt up and disappeared from sight.

Zhou Yi looked towards the direction of the imperial palace, his gaze fluctuating.

“Our family is ultimately a monk that took the vows halfway through life, not truly a confidant of His Majesty. Even so, He still entrusts me to fortify the palace. Is He not afraid that I might collude with the Empress?”

“Who in this world could refuse the power that dominates the court? It’s not out of the question that our family might take a desperate risk!”

“Such simple logic, of course, His Majesty would have considered. Therefore, he is absolutely confident that even if our family rebelled, he could suppress the uprising…”

Zhou Yi pondered repeatedly on what could be the Emperor’s invincible stratagem.

When he saw the Empress in Kunning Palace, the lady who was once aloof and dignified, threatened him like a madwoman with force.

Zhou Yi knew then that the Empress was losing, and her current actions were those of a dying struggle.

The more he thought, the more unstable it felt. The imperial palace, the size of a palm with countless pavilions and towers, was a place where the power of an Innate Grandmaster could be fully displayed.

The Orthodox Emperor would never entrust his safety to Eunuch Hai or Eunuch Wei, nor would he allow himself to be in danger.

Zhou Yi could not fathom the Emperor’s thoughts, so he put himself in the Emperor’s shoes, imagining himself on the dragon throne.

“If I were the Emperor, and I sensed a palace coup imminent, I would surely flee and wait until all the rebels were dead before returning… Flee? No wonder Eunuch Wei left the palace to deliver the decree!”

…

Returning to the duty chamber.

Zhou Yi considered summoning an eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial to inquire about the Emperor’s recent condition but soon abandoned the idea.

Even if he called someone, he could not ascertain the truth. Eunuch Yuan had turned the Directorate into an iron barrel. To press for information forcibly would startle the snake and foil the Emperor’s plans.

After being promoted to the Head of the Internal Affairs Department, Zhou Yi did not purge or restructure the remaining nine departments, mainly overseeing the original three, so as not to accumulate too much power and arouse the Emperor’s suspicion.

At that moment.

A voice came from outside the door, “Godfather, I’ve found the one who had secret dealings with outsiders.”

Zhou Yi signaled with his eyes, and the young servants like the young seal bearer backed away.

“Bring him in.”

“Greetings, godfather,”

The young servant, Small Faithful, slid to his knees in front of Zhou Yi, thumping his head on the ground, then pointed at the white-haired old man behind him and spoke.

“This scoundrel’s surname is Wu and his name Ning, an inner eunuch of the Imperial Horse Supervisor in the palace, had clandestine ties with the Prince of Pingxi. On the day godfather returned to Capital, it was he who sent the secret signal, leading to the Princely Heir’s ambush on the road!”

Wu Ning, upon hearing this, was not alarmed, and stepped forward to kneel and pay his respects, “Your humble servant pays his respects to the Supervisor.”

Zhou Yi said in astonishment, “Aren’t you afraid of our family?”

The four words ‘Supervisor of Eastern Depot’ in the Great Qing Dynasty could stop a child’s night crying; when wanting to frighten disobedient children, people often threatened to hand them over to the Supervisor to be eaten!

“Of course, I’m afraid of the Supervisor, but the lord has saved my life and I must repay that debt!”

Wu Ning said, “Today, it was only by the lord’s instruction that I actively exposed my identity to deliver the message, otherwise even with Grand Eunuch Zhong’s means, it would be hard to trace back to our family within the next several months.”

Little Zhong’s face turned green, yet he did not rebut.

Wu Ning, with his lowly position and unassuming presence, spoke and acted with caution and care, and as someone who had been at the palace for over ten years, did not seem likely to be a spy for the Prince of Pingxi.

Ten years ago, the Prince of Pingxi was just a local commander and had not come to the Capital more than a few times.

Zhou Yi asked, “What message did the lord have you deliver?”

Wu Ning glanced at Little Zhong, “This matter is of great importance, I can only discuss it privately with the Supervisor.”

Left with no choice, Little Zhong stepped back, a fierce and resentful glint flashing in his eyes, daring to repeatedly make things difficult for me in front of godfather.

If Wu Ning does not die today, in the future I will certainly make his Nine Clans pay dearly!

“Reporting to the Supervisor.”

Wu Ning spoke in a low voice, “The lord instructed me to tell you, His Majesty is not in the palace, the Capital Garrison is now in the hands of the Feng family; he asks how the Supervisor plans to act?”

Zhou Yi thought to himself that it was indeed so; the Orthodox Emperor wasn’t playing any dangerous games with the Empress but rather, brought in the army to sweep through the palace of Ghost Monsters, with a grand and upright cleansing of the cosmos.

In those novels, tales of emperors taking risks with their person, luring out rebels and the like, clearly could not exist.

After all, a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall!

For the emperor to have thousands of troops at his command and not use them, instead face-to-face fighting with the rebels, would only make sense for story needs.

Zhou Yi’s thoughts raced, instantly identifying several individuals who must be removed, with two of them topping the list: the Supervisor of the Imperial Ceremony, Eunuch Yuan, and the Head of the Eastern Depot, Eunuch Yu.

Such a critical matter of the Emperor leaving the palace, yet it was kept from our family!

“What to do?”

Zhou Yi knowingly asked while offering a salute towards the Capital Garrison, “By His Majesty’s decree, our family is in charge of guarding the palace, to prevent treachery during the night.”

Wu Ning hinted again, “This is a great opportunity, all the blame can be pushed onto the Empress.”

“How daring!”

Zhou Yi sternly reprimanded, “You dare trample palace regulations so casually, audaciously disrespecting your superiors and having frivolous discussions about the palace. It seems our family must rectify the Bureau of Inner Servants.”

Indeed, it was a good opportunity.

The Feng family controlled the Capital Garrison and Zhou Yi controlled the Bureau of Inner Servants; under the guise of the Empress causing disruption, they could have the emperor meet his demise. Then with a forged imperial edict, they could install the young prince upon the throne and, in doing so, the Feng family and Zhou Yi could resolve their difficult situation and even advance further in power and influence.

This was indeed a great temptation that few could resist, yet Zhou Yi dared not nor could he agree.

The Prince of Pingxi held sway over the Capital Garrison and had the support of the commanding generals of the Western Expedition; once he obtained power, Zhou Yi would be his next target for removal.

Furthermore, who knew whose man Wu Ning truly was?

Zhou Yi trusted no one, so his actions and speech were always flawless, always invoking the emperor’s boundless grace when speaking; and should the day come when he truly planned to act, he would tell no one.

“I am sparing your life in consideration of the lord’s regard, but having broken the rules, you must still be expelled from the palace.”

“I thank you, Supervisor.”

Wu Ning had repeatedly hinted with no response and had no choice but to leave. Without the support of the Bureau of Inner Servants, the lord would find it hard to take control and act as Regent unless he truly raised the flag in rebellion to usurp the throne.

The times were not in chaos; the military leaders could not afford to act recklessly.

Zhou Yi watched as Wu Ning left, his expression changing, his fingers rhythmically tapping on the table.

“Should I report to His Majesty that the Prince of Pingxi intends to rebel and overturn this potential great enemy? By doing so, there would be one less family in Capital that could rival ours!”

“No! Such action would lead to imbalance…”

“Without anyone to balance the civil officials within the court, it would be difficult to contain the King of the Northern Defense. Acting rashly would destabilize the National Dynasty, causing great chaos under heaven!”

Zhou Yi did not care whether the world was in chaos or not, but the power of the Bureau of Inner Servants came from the imperial authority. In times of chaos who would care about a eunuch without offspring, when only those with strong soldiers and horses could be king.

War is perilous and violent; what could be safer than now?

“No wonder His Majesty values the Prince of Pingxi so greatly. Truly, one man’s life is linked to the safety and security of the National Dynasty. No wonder the Prince of Pingxi wants to rebel.”

“Are you more important than His Majesty, or are you nowhere near death?”