Chapter 21 - 3#

Yunkui hurriedly stopped Jingzhe, “I’ll walk her out, you wait for me here.”

The sky was dark at the moment. Yunkui called out to Jingzhe, but deliberately did not mention his name, nor did he reveal the palace maid’s name. He probably wanted to hide both ends, so as not to expose his lover and harm Jingzhe.

The palace rules stated that the “eating together” relationship between eunuchs and palace maids was explicitly forbidden.

Although only the palace concubines were officially the emperor’s women, these palace maids who served in the harem, before they were released at the age of twenty-five, could also be regarded as the emperor’s people.

If a eunuch touched the emperor’s woman, wouldn’t that be a capital offense?

And if someone knew about it but did not report it, it would also be considered the crime of harboring a criminal.

Jingzhe really wanted to leave.

But he knew what Yunkui was worried about, so he had no choice but to stop and wait.

Yunkui furtively sent the palace maid away. When he came back and was about to say something to Jingzhe, he heard him say, “I didn’t see her face.”

Even if he reported it, he wouldn’t know who it was.

Jingzhe hoped that Yunkui could hear his unspoken meaning.

Yunkui did hear it.

He rubbed his hands awkwardly and said in a low voice, “Then, the others, you also…”

“I won’t say anything.” Jingzhe said bluntly, “As long as you don’t implicate me, I won’t tell anyone about you two.”

Yunkui breathed a sigh of relief.

Although he had not been in contact with Jingzhe for a long time, he could still feel Jingzhe’s temper. Either he wouldn’t say anything, or if he did, he would try his best to do it.

Jingzhe lifted his foot to leave, thought for a moment, and then stopped again.

“However, you’d better be careful. You’ve been asking for help too many times recently. I’ve already heard some of the managers talking about it.”

If someone with a mind to investigate really did, they might not be able to find anything.

Yunkui smiled bitterly, “She’s leaving.”

Leaving?

Where to?

Jingzhe was stunned for a moment before he remembered that palace maids could only stay in the palace until they were twenty-five. If they couldn’t become the emperor’s woman or a female official, then they really had to leave.

The palace maid who was with Yunkui was already twenty-five this year.

Jingzhe was silent for a moment, not knowing what to say.

But Yunkui, whether he had been holding it in for too long or was troubled in his heart, actually opened up to Jingzhe and started talking about their affairs.

Jingzhe: “…”

Go away, he doesn’t want to hear it!

Yunkui and the palace maid met by accident a few years ago.

This kid Yunkui had very good luck. He found a master as soon as he entered the palace, and later, he successfully came to the Zhidian Division. Although he did hard work here, with his master around, he could guarantee his future evaluation.

He and the palace maid met by accident and started a relationship.

Although he was not a man, it did not mean that Yunkui had no heart. The palace maid was also lonely, so she seduced him. The two of them were just taking what they needed. At first, there were no feelings involved, but sometimes, Yunkui would give her some money.

He didn’t know when this relationship changed.

Yunkui found that he had actually fallen in love with the palace maid. Later, his master discovered this relationship and threatened him to break it off, but Yunkui had been holding on until now. But he didn’t expect that the biggest problem was not his master, but that the palace maid had to leave the palace.

Palace maids could leave the palace when they reached a certain age.

But eunuchs could not.

Very few eunuchs could live to a certain age and eventually leave the palace.

And this was only for those who had climbed to a high position.

And high-ranking eunuchs, sometimes, if they fell from grace, they would also die directly.

The lucky ones were ultimately a minority.

Yunkui’s face was a little dazed and very lost.

Jingzhe: “‘I didn’t expect it’? That’s impossible. Everyone knows that palace maids leave the palace. You’ve been with her for these few years, it’s not that you didn’t expect it, but that you didn’t want to think about it.”

Yunkui: “…You’re right, it’s just greed. Even if it’s just a little, I want to hold on to it.”

Even at the risk of being discovered, he had to continue the relationship.

Jingzhe was originally just forced to listen to Yunkui’s story, but as he listened, he couldn’t help but think of himself and Rong Jiu.

These days, Rong Jiu hadn’t come to see him.

But Jingzhe always thought of him.

Thinking about how to reply.

Jingzhe wanted to refuse.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like him, but if something happened, he would be fine, but Rong Jiu…

He had survived until now by thinking about this and that.

If he didn’t think more, how could he hide his secret?

But he was not reconciled.

Jingzhe closed his eyes.

If he was really willing, he would have refused immediately when Rong Jiu spoke.

He couldn’t speak, so naturally he was not reconciled.

He had never thought about who he would like, whether it was a man or a woman, it was all vague, unformed, and he hadn’t thought much about it.

But when Rong Jiu appeared, there was no one else.

Only Rong Jiu.

He liked Rong Jiu.

He wanted to be with Rong Jiu.

These were all natural feelings that appeared in his heart.

Jingzhe couldn’t restrain it, couldn’t suppress it.

How hard must one try to hide one’s love for someone, to hide everything, and then say cold words?

Maybe some people can do it.

But Jingzhe couldn’t.

Now, he stood in front of Yunkui, listening to him tell his story, but he also saw his own tragic future.

He was the same as Yunkui.

He would be trapped in this palace forever.

But Rong Jiu was like a palace maid. As long as he wanted, he could walk out of this prison at any time. As long as he abandoned this relationship, he could break it off cleanly, leaving Jingzhe alone.

He shouldn’t take the risk.

Jingzhe’s reason was emphasizing.

But Yunkui’s pain, to a certain extent, made Jingzhe more clear-headed.

No matter what he chose, it would end badly.

Then why not, before the end came, choose a direction that would leave him with more memories?

He liked Rong Jiu.

At this moment, Rong Jiu probably liked him too.

Why not be greedy for a moment of pleasure.

He didn’t want to regret it.

A big stone was lifted from Jingzhe’s heart. Knowing the tragic ending, he showed a faint smile.

He smiled and patted Yunkui’s shoulder, and said softly, “Thank you.”

It made him see his own heart more clearly, which had been calling a name all along.

Without stopping.

The tide of love will always overwhelm the retention of reason, making people go towards what their heart desires.

Compared to the previous fear,

Jingzhe couldn’t help but look forward to Rong Jiu’s appearance.

After all, Rong Jiu.

I have already made a choice.

…

In the Prince Rui’s mansion, several advisors were seated in the study.

Prince Rui had several trusted advisors by his side. For example, Chen Xuanming, who was initially sentenced to exile, was eventually replaced by Prince Rui through a clever trick, changed his appearance and surname, and returned to the capital. For example, Wang Zhao, whose family was killed by Emperor Jingyuan, and only he survived. And for example…

These people were all brave and resourceful, and they all had a grudge against Emperor Jingyuan.

This was not a coincidence.

It was specially selected by Prince Rui.

Only by having a grudge against Emperor Jingyuan could he ensure that no one would betray him. After all, competing for power with the emperor was not an easy matter. Once the secret was leaked, even if Prince Rui could immediately raise troops to rebel, he would easily lose the initiative.

However, when they were secretly planning, these advisors rarely gathered together.

Gathering would leak the news, and Prince Rui had always been very cautious.

But this time he had to do it, because of Emperor Jingyuan.

Before long, the advisors finally waited for Prince Rui.

But at this moment, Prince Rui was in a sorry state.

His arm was injured and was constantly bleeding. There were also two wounds on his neck, which were clearly aimed at his life. Looking at his front, the cloth at his heart was also torn open. If it weren’t for the lack of blood…

But even so, Prince Rui’s appearance scared all the advisors, and they stood up abruptly.

“Your Highness, you were attacked?”

Chen Xuanming frowned. He knew some medicine, so he could naturally see that Prince Rui’s appearance was like he had lost too much blood.

If it weren’t for the fact that there were already several servants and a doctor rushing over to Prince Rui’s side, he would have gone to help.

Prince Rui waved his hand at them and took out a heart-protecting mirror from his bosom.

There was a hint of danger in his eyes. If it weren’t for the fact that he always carried these life-saving things with him when he went out, he would have really been done for this time!

On the way back to the mansion, in broad daylight, eight people were hiding in the street, trying to assassinate him.

Prince Rui had trained many secret guards, and they would usually follow him when he went out.

But these secret guards were basically all killed by the assassins, and only one or two were left to protect him.

A few times, he really felt death approaching.

If it weren’t for the fact that the magistrate of the capital had appeared in a hurry with his men, he was afraid that he would really die!

And those assassins, after the reinforcements arrived, all committed suicide by taking poison, not even leaving a chance to be caught.

When Prince Rui heard this news, his fingers were trembling with anger.

“Your Highness, this must have been done by Emperor Jingyuan.”

“Is the emperor crazy? He sent people to assassinate the prince in broad daylight. Isn’t he afraid of being cursed by the civil and military officials?”

“Who has evidence?”

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was speechless.

They would naturally guess that it was the emperor.

Besides Emperor Jingyuan, who would be so crazy, so unscrupulous?

And who had such a powerful force?

But there was no evidence.

All the evidence was dead.

And the reason why these advisors gathered at Prince Rui’s mansion was also related to Emperor Jingyuan.

In the past few years, Prince Rui had been quietly developing his own power.

It was very smooth.

After all, before Emperor Jingyuan ascended the throne, Prince Rui’s interactions with the civil and military officials had always been very close.

It was only in these few years that he had to hide it.