I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Chapter 589: Chapter 448 Casting a Stone to Ask the Way
 

The shift ended.

Zhou Yi returned to his quarters and found two additional young boys there.

The older one around twelve or thirteen, the younger merely eight or nine, both lay weakly on the bed, whimpering softly.

The eunuch from the Castration Chamber urged the two boys to mind their diet to prevent their wounds from festering. Amidst their profuse words of gratitude, he left with his medicine chest, nodding slightly to Zhou Yi before stepping out.

“Thank you, Elder Gugu.”

Zhou Yi deftly slipped him a silver note, neither too large nor too small, fifty taels.

Too large a sum would not fit the identity of “Little Mountain”, too small would be embarrassing to offer, making future requests for favors more difficult.

Elder Gugu expressed his satisfaction, “If only Little Mountain had been as sensible earlier, he wouldn’t have ended up guarding the gates.”

“The lesson is well taken, Gugu.”

Zhou Yi bowed to send Elder Gugu off, then turned back inside with a kind smile on his face.

“My dear Little Mountain, where have you two friends come from?”

The younger boy shrank back, too afraid to speak, while the older one bore the pain and responded, “Elder Gugu, my name is Qian An, from Wannian County.”

“In the palace, you can’t refer to me as I, you should say ‘our home’.”

Zhou Yi said, “If you encounter a petty eunuch who hears you say ‘I’, and doesn’t take kindly to it, they will surely set traps for you.”

Gratitude was evident on Qian An’s face. “Thank you for the guidance, Elder Gugu.”

“The Superintendent of the Directorate of Imperial Supplies bears the surname Qian, so you can’t be called Little Qian. How about Little An instead?”

Zhou Yi swiftly bridged the gap between them with a few words, then approached Little An’s bedside to inquire, “Wannian County is near Qujiang, controlled by fertile paddy fields. How did you end up selling yourself into the palace?”

“Us… our home originally had five acres of paddy field, next to the estate of Lord Wang. Who would have thought his fields would encroach upon ours year by year, our five acres turning to four, and then to three.”

Little An said hatefully, “My father only argued a few words with Lord Wang and as a result, was beaten mercilessly. Unable to bear the injustice, he took it to the authorities, only for that corrupt official to convict us of provoking trouble!”

The result was a beating, and the loss of silver.

Little An’s father succumbed to his grave injuries, passing away. Between the complaints, paying off debts, and medical bills, they were drained of all resources, and their five acres of paddy field went to Lord Wang to settle debts.

The corruption of the local magistrate, alas, amounted to nothing more!

For the sake of avenging his father, Little An resolutely severed his ‘troublesome root’ and sold himself into the palace to serve.

“Corrupt official!”

Zhou Yi, sharing the same hatred, exclaimed, “Our family, too, was destroyed by a corrupt official, forcing us to enter the palace. Fortunately, heaven is just, and that corrupt official has already been executed!”

After cursing himself for a bit, he also imparted some tricks of palace survival to Little An, and the two quickly warmed up to each other, calling each other brothers.

Little An expressed his gratitude, “Our home is lucky to have met Elder Brother Shan. Otherwise, having offended the wrong people, I wouldn’t even know how I died.”

“Hehehe!”

Zhou Yi let out a sinister laugh, a chill flashing in his eyes.

What luck, what coincidence, in this world—everything is merely the arrangement of those with intent. Zhou Yi needed a pawn to scout the path, so he asked Elder Gugu to send two eunuchs his way.

Elder Gugu, skilled in assessing one’s potential by feeling their bones, utilized the time of castration to discern the internal potential of the eunuchs.

Little An possessed outstanding martial talents and, with Zhou Yi’s guidance and practice of the Epiphyllum Treasure Tome, would be able to excel with half the effort, sure to stand out in the palace.

After a dramatic upheaval within the palace, there was a prevailing need to staff the Eunuch Directorate.

Given Little An’s clean background and exceptional talents, it was certain he would be promoted and utilized, which would help diminish Elder Yi’s residual influence in the Eunuch Directorate.

Zhou Yi looked toward the direction of the Watch Palace, where the Loyal Governor sat.

“Little Loyal, dare you to accept this godson offered up on a platter?”

If he dares to accept, it means Little Loyal truly wields power, and it also means he betrayed Zhou Yi before the palace coup, secretly tipping off the Dowager and others.

If he doesn’t dare, then he’s merely a puppet put on display.

Zhou Yi tended to believe the latter, given that without rebelling, Prince of Pingxi’s faction would undoubtedly perish.

“Be it Little Loyal or Little Xu, neither would have the capability to commit regicide, holding a high position without great merit. It’s likely a trap set to lure our family into seeking revenge!”

The night passed without incident.

The next day.

Zhou Yi went to the Eastern Residence for a meal with Little An.

The other young eunuch, named Little Wu, was reserved and silent, following close behind them like a minor attendant.

In conversation, Little Wu always seemed to shrink back in fear.

To ordinary people, Little Wu might seem timid and weak, but this did not escape the notice of Zhou Yi, who had seen through countless others.

No matter how well one pretends on the surface, subtle habits are hard to conceal—such as straightening one’s clothes before meals, eating vegetables before meat, and chewing silently…

All signs pointed to the fact that Little Wu’s background was not as he claimed, far from a poor family.

Zhou Yi did not care about the minor servant; everyone in the palace has their secrets, and he would not force him to be a pathfinder, as having Xiao Anzi was enough.

…

The end of the twelfth lunar month came in a blink of an eye.

At noon.

Zhou Yi was on duty at the palace gate when he heard a procession of footsteps approaching.

The civil and military officials left the Imperial Court, hurrying towards the palace exit with mostly grim expressions, and those with fiery temperaments were even cursing – clearly dissatisfied with the morning court session.

“That fellow from the north, when has he ever lacked military provisions? Yet the Imperial Court keeps sending money relentlessly!”

“Some die from drought, some from floods; whose fault is it that you’re not a prince?”

“I am a loyal official of the National Dynasty, I would never aspire to be a King of another surname!”

“Watch your words, watch your words!”

The officials discussed and planned to jointly submit a petition, asking the Empress Dowager to retract the decision to allocate military provisions to the army at the Northern Border.

Since the passing of the former Emperor, the King of the Northern Defense had become increasingly presumptuous.

First, he took the head of Xuanfu’s prefect for embezzling military provisions without going through the three departments, then he dismantled the offices of the Eastern Depot and the Zhènfǔsī, setting up his own law enforcement agency to monitor local officials.

Such maneuvering had made the Northern Border practically a state within the state, and yet the Imperial Court was still sending funds!

Zhou Yi, standing outside the palace gate, jotted down everything the officials said; those dissatisfied with the royal court were allies, supporters of the Empress Dowager had to be eliminated, and the indecisive ones could be lured over.

After his shift, he returned to his quarters.

Xiao Anzi and Xiao Wu Zi had already returned and were revising the texts they had learned during the day.

Zhou Yi glanced at Xiao Wu Zi, who clearly already knew how to read but still pretended to be diligently studying – such character could lead to great achievements in the future.

Seeing Zhou Yi’s smiling face, Xiao Anzi couldn’t help but ask, “Did Brother Shan encounter some happy event?”

“Barely,” replied Zhou Yi, feigning hesitance. After a moment’s pause, he said, “There’s no harm in telling Brother An, this morning while I was on duty, I heard the Ministry of Rites’ Qi Shilang cursing Prince of Pingxi’s mother!”

Xiao Anzi looked puzzled, “Why would that make you happy?”

“Prince of Pingxi is the Empress Dowager’s favorite, newly promoted to Minister of War, powerful and dominant. Who in the palace doesn’t want to cling to him?” Zhou Yi said, “I’ll find an opportunity to inform the Loyal Governor of this matter. I’m sure to be rewarded and no longer have to guard the gate!”

To achieve great things, one must first sacrifice allies.

The National Dynasty will remember Qi Shilang’s contributions, and when things are set right, he will surely be posthumously vindicated!

“So that’s how it is.”

Xiao Anzi’s eyes glittered, and he congratulated, “Congratulations to Eunuch Shan; I’ve always felt that your prospects are boundless, and you’re sure to command a bureau one day!”

Zhou Yi patted Xiao Anzi on the shoulder, smiling as he spoke.

“Once I make it big, I’ll take good care of Brother An, ensuring the corrupt official of the permanent county is confiscated and exiled, and all of Lord Wang’s land is seized!”

“I am grateful to Eunuch Shan.”

Xiao Anzi bent over and stuck out his posterior, mastering the trick taught by Zhou Yi brilliantly.

“Hehehe…”

Zhou Yi laughed smugly several times and lay in bed, fully clothed, to sleep.

The next day.

Upon waking up in the morning, Zhou Yi saw Xiao Anzi’s bed was empty. Just as he was about to ask Xiao Wu Zi—

Bang!

The door swung open, and Xiao Anzi entered, his face glowing red with excitement.

Zhou Yi asked, “Where did Brother An go so early? There are many taboos in the palace; you cannot wander around recklessly!”

“Eunuch Shan, you’ve been thoughtful. I will never forget your teachings,” replied Xiao Anzi, puffing out his chest as if looking down from on high. “I went to the Imperial Diwan Monitor to greet the Loyal Governor, and incidentally mentioned the Qi Shilang matter.”

Zhou Yi, in disbelief, said, “You, how could you…”

Xiao Anzi continued, “The Loyal Eunuch was very pleased, he transferred me to the Directorate of Ceremonial to serve, to attend to the Emperor’s pen and paper.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi deflated like a punctured ball and slumped down on his bed.

Xiao Anzi patted Zhou Yi on the shoulder, “Eunuch Shan, with our friendship, it doesn’t matter who rises to power. Let’s not be overly concerned about it.”

Zhou Yi struggled to muster a smile, bent over, stuck out his posterior, and bowed deeply.

“Eunuch An’s lesson is well taken!”