The Demon Lords-Chapter 602 - 96: Sorrow_1

「Yanjing.」

The Sixth Prince reached out and took a roast goose from a young palace eunuch, along with two liang of silver fragments.

As a prince, as a master, to not even speak of proactively rewarding these eunuchs was one thing, but to actually exploit them, snatch their snacks, and even extort their silver—this master, it could be said, was behaving with utter impropriety.

Eunuch Zhang had gone to Li Tian City. Following behind the Sixth Prince now was a young eunuch, also surnamed Zhang, named Zhang Miannian. He was Eunuch Zhang's godson, had only recently entered the palace, and came from a clean background.

Young Eunuch Zhang reached out to help the Sixth Prince take the roast goose, but the silver fragments were not given to him; instead, they went directly into the Sixth Prince's own purse.

The eunuchs and palace maids within the palace truly formed a small world of its own. There were always those who stepped on others to rise, and always those who were pulled down. Of course, being servants, ninety-nine percent of their futures depended on their respective masters.

If the master was powerful, the servant walked tall. If the master's influence waned, then the servant would not be well-received when venturing out; even palace maids looking for a 'partner' wouldn't deign to consider you.

Young Eunuch Zhang felt that there was no master more embarrassing than his own.

"Hey, tell Little Chen tomorrow that it's his turn to offer his respects to me."

"My, Your Highness, you have such a good memory! Your servant will inform him right away."

"Heh, how could I not remember? I'm living from one meal to the next, counting on you all to feed me."

"Your Highness, you're too kind. It is our good fortune to be able to show our devotion to you."

"I'm hungry. I'm going to eat first."

"Enjoy your meal, Your Highness. Your servant will take his leave."

The Sixth Prince walked over to a pavilion, sat down, and signaled Young Eunuch Zhang to unwrap the roast goose. He himself first tore off a goose leg and began to gnaw on it.

As he was eating, the Sixth Prince noticed Young Eunuch Zhang wasn't moving and asked curiously, "What are you looking at? Eat with me."

Young Eunuch Zhang hesitated and shook his head.

"What's wrong? Are the meals in Xin Zheku so good that you'd turn your nose up at roast goose? Hey, that's not right. Xin Zheku is just a place for scrubbing toilets; where would they get any rich food?"

Young Eunuch Zhang's face flushed red, and he shook his head. "Your Highness, they… they actually live quite frugally."

"Which 'they'?"

"Just… just now…"

"Oh." The Sixth Prince paid it no mind and continued eating the goose. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Your Highness, although this servant has only been in the palace for less than two years, I know that other nobles, upon entering the palace, are exceedingly courteous even to the most junior eunuchs and maids. The chief eunuchs, moreover, regularly received tokens of respect. Which of them is like Your Highness, who not only doesn't try to curry favor but even extorts them?"

"So what? If I have no money for food, I can't just starve, can I?"

"Your Highness, my godfather… he still has a fair bit of private savings. This servant… this servant can go steal it for Your Highness to use."

Steal from my own godfather to support you?

"No, no, no! What's yours is yours; I have no need for it. This business of calling on the eunuchs and palace maids from various palaces to prepare my meals each day—life is quite carefree. And the menu changes daily; what could be better?"

"But… but… but if it goes on like this…"

Young Eunuch Zhang felt that although his master was the least favored among the princes, he shouldn't be so self-destructive. This behavior would gravely offend people.

Having served in the palace before, Young Eunuch Zhang knew clearly that while these eunuchs might not wield great power, if they truly wanted to cause trouble for you, they had plenty of underhanded tricks. Even just speaking ill of you to their respective masters would be enough to cause you significant problems.

The Sixth Prince waved his hand dismissively, even sucking on his greasy fingers. "It's no matter, no matter at all. Everyone knows my circumstances are tight right now. These palace eunuchs—if you were to reward each of them with a gold bean, they'd call you 'Master, auspicious greetings' to your face, but in truth, they're long used to it. But if I have no food and am waiting for them to deliver meals, and then I fleece them for a bit of loose silver, not only will they not be angry, they'll actually be happier."

There was another sentence the Sixth Prince didn't say: they wouldn't just be happy; seeing you eat the food they brought, they would even be moved.

Of course, one had to choose specific targets to extort; one couldn't just go about it foolishly and indiscriminately. The timing and approach in these matters required delicate handling.

Young Eunuch Zhang didn't understand.

The Sixth Prince didn't mind. "If you're not eating, then I'll eat it all."

"Your Highness, please, you eat."

"Heh."

As he continued to munch, a wave of wailing suddenly came from the other side of the palace wall.

The Sixth Prince, who was gnawing on a goose neck, shuddered.

Has Father Emperor passed away?

For a moment, the Sixth Prince's heart felt as if it had been hollowed out. Fear, unease, confusion, shock… and a tiny sliver of… relief.

However, the Sixth Prince managed to suppress his outward emotions and said to Young Eunuch Zhang, "Go over there and see what's happened."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Young Eunuch Zhang went to see. A short while later, he ran back, his eyes red, and knelt at the Sixth Prince's feet.

The Sixth Prince felt as if his head were about to explode.

No, it can't be! Has my father really passed away so soon? Doesn't that mean Second Brother, who just became Crown Prince, will ascend the Dragon Throne before his bed in the East Palace has even warmed?

The Royal Family is ruthless. That was the first thought that crossed the Sixth Prince's mind.

Of course, one couldn't very well demand excessive grief from the Sixth Prince at this moment.

The saying, 'An unfilial son is the father's failing,' was perfectly exemplified by this father and son of the Royal Family.

"Your Highness! Your Highness! The begonias in the Grand Master's residence… they've withered!"

Hearing this, the Sixth Prince felt like a drowning man suddenly yanked from the water, his head spinning.

He staggered back to his chair.

Phew…

Father Emperor… hasn't passed away.

A wave of relief washed over him once more.

Because the Sixth Prince knew that no matter how his Father Emperor tormented him, slaughtered his mother's clan, pushed down the ancestral hall, stripped him of everything he had—at the very least, his Father Emperor would not kill him.

Even Third Brother, who committed such a grave error and likely even had spies from the Qian State in his employ, wasn't he castrated and confined to the pavilion in the lake's center, but still alive?

But if his Second Brother ascended the throne…

Given Second Brother's temperament, honestly, not many of his siblings would meet a good end.

And that wasn't even mentioning his even more formidable and ruthless sister-in-law, who was soon to arrive in Yanjing. If she were to become Empress upon her arrival, then for the current generation of Ji Family princes, all hope would truly be extinguished.

Yet, inexplicably, the Sixth Prince also felt a pang of disappointment. Father Emperor… he hadn't passed away after all.

Then, an exceedingly treasonous thought surfaced: Father Emperor, just how much longer can you hold on?

Young Eunuch Zhang had no idea what forbidden thoughts were racing through his master's mind; he was still lost in grief over the Grand Master's passing.

The Grand Master of the palace was the 'teacher' in the hearts of all eunuchs.

In truth, not many eunuchs had been accepted by him to be taught the art of Qi refining, only a small handful. But he was like a guiding beacon, igniting a flicker of hope in the hearts of these eunuchs living within the palace.

These eunuchs, due to their physical incompleteness, tended towards extreme personalities. If they hated someone, they tended to hate them to the core. But conversely, if they were truly grateful to someone, they could genuinely regard that person as their 'parent,' even more so than their actual parents.

This was because the vast majority of them had been sold into the palace by their own parents as children to be castrated.

"My condolences." The Sixth Prince sighed, lowered his head, and continued to eat the roast goose.

He didn't actually know where the Grand Master had gone. He didn't dare inquire too deeply, because every card in his hand now was one that, once played, was gone forever.

But one thing the Sixth Prince had known for a while: the Grand Master had been away from the palace for many days.

He knew because the two eunuchs who did chores in the Grand Master's residence hadn't secretly brought him rice cakes when they delivered his meals.

The Grand Master… had died outside the palace.

「...」

The atmosphere in the palace instantly grew heavy.

The corners of many eunuchs' eyes were red, a display of genuine, irrepressible grief.

「In the Imperial Study.」

The Yan Emperor was reviewing memorials. He looked to be in good spirits, his face even holding a healthy flush.

At this moment, a young eunuch walked to the entrance of the Imperial Study. Wei Zhonghe, who was attending by His Majesty's side, understood and stepped out. Upon hearing the news of the Grand Master's passing, Wei Zhonghe's body swayed for a moment. Then, his gaze sharpened, and he looked up at the sky, his hands beginning to form seals.

After a short while, Wei Zhonghe walked back into the Imperial Study.

"Has something happened?" the Yan Emperor asked, putting down his imperial brush.

"Your Majesty, the Grand Master… has ascended."

Hearing this, the Yan Emperor leaned back and closed his eyes.

After a moment, he asked, "Has it returned?"

"It has, Your Majesty. Before the Grand Master left the palace, he said that regardless of whether Your Majesty believed in such things, or even cared, as a Qi cultivator of Great Yan, he had to help Great Yan replenish this portion of its destiny's fortune. This, aside from making rice cakes, was the only other thing he could do for Your Majesty."

The Yan Emperor waved his hand dismissively. "Leave me. I wish to be alone for a while."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Wei Zhonghe bowed and withdrew from the Imperial Study.

The Yan Emperor leaned back in his chair, no one able to discern what thoughts were passing through his mind at that moment.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the Yan Emperor forced himself to sit upright again.

He picked up his teacup. The tea had grown cold, yet he drained it in one gulp without a care, even taking the tea leaves into his mouth and beginning to chew them slowly.

Yet, no matter how he chewed, he could not discern the slightest hint of bitterness.

A fierce light flashed in the Yan Emperor's eyes, his five fingers gripping the imperial desk tightly.

"You were always nattering in my ear, saying it was because Master Zang severed the dragon vein that my health began to worsen, and that you wanted to replenish that severed destiny for me. Hmph, even if I could live a few more days, so what? I can no longer eat the rice cakes you made with your own hands."

"Cough, cough…" The Yan Emperor covered his mouth with his hand.

After the coughing subsided, he habitually opened his palm.

He suddenly found that the bloodstains in his palm were less than half of what he usually coughed up.