Indulging in Carnal Desire

Jing Chen held back his impatience while having a tedious dinner with Consort Rong, the Fifth Princess, and Yun Wan. But, he didn’t think that after tiresomely enduring the whole ideal, he had lost his precious Little Dumpling.

When he finally returned to the side hall, he was greeted by the trails of bloodstain and utter mess all over the floor. He frantically searched the entire room but didn’t find a shadow of Chu Jiao, his eyes, including his pupils, turning red.

He realized that tonight’s dinner was clearly a feast at Swan Goose Gate.¹鴻門宴 (Feast at Swan Goose Gate): banquet set up with the aim of murdering someone. See the origin of this term at wiki. and barged directly into Consort Rong’s main hall in a fit of fury, questioning her loudly and angrily, asking where she was keeping his little eunuch.

“Oh, that little eunuch?” Concubine Rong fiddled with her nail guards casually, her tone was as though she was merely bringing up an insignificant ant, “This consort lost something in her sleeping quarters and had arranged for someone to interrogate every servant who was on duty. Who would’ve thought that that little eunuch of yours was harboring evil intentions, hurting my servant and fleeing away from the scene of the crime…”

“So I thought, ‘This won’t do.’ This consort has already ordered for the entire inner hall to be searched inside out, and once he’s captured, extrpunishment will immediately be given,” On the inside, Consort Rong secretly blamed the two servants she had dispatched for being useless, unable to capture a mere weak eunuch. However, she didn’t consider it to be a big problem. The royal palace wasn’t too big nor was it too small, so catching and ensnaring one person was just a matter of time. She was far more concerned with how the son she was raising in front of her was beginning to grow more impudent by the day. Consort Rong slowly drummed her fingers on the table, “Jing Chen ah, this is all because you’ve failed to discipline your servants properly. Mother Consort will confer Wang Momo to you to make sure your servants are kept in check, lest sother wily cat or dog tempts you again…”

Jing Chen wordlessly lowered his head and merely listened to Concubine Rong’s words, slowly clenching his fists.

The flaring rage and impulse he felt gradually rescinded back to its cage. The intuitive part of him was able to quickly understand the hidden implications behind Consort Rong’s words and also realized that he was the main culprit for exposing the little eunuch to danger.

It was he who couldn’t hold himself back. It was he who wasn’t strong enough. It was he who had no way of protecting her.

“It was also Mother Consort’s fault for neglecting you. After a few days, Mother Consort will discuss with your Father Emperor about finding you a suitable marriage partner…”

It wasn’t that Concubine Rong failed to realize that Jing Chen was already at a marriageable age, but she was still considering the list of candidates, carefully pondering over who she should choose to reap in the most benefits before she could hold Jing Chen firmly in her hands.

Now that Yun Wan had helped bring up such a vile scandal to light, it also made her realize that sthings needed to change as soon as possible.

Jing Chen could only grit his teeth, “Jing Chen only wants to study and protect the family and the country.”

“Hehe,” Concubine Rong covered her mouth in amusement, “Oh you, that’s fine then. Letarrange a few bedfellows for you first.”

The candidates for bedfellows were not chosen like those for legal wives, which needed to take into account the intricacies of imperial power to at least be considered, so she only needed to arrange a trusted confidant to take on the position.

Jing Chen was aware that he shouldn’t resist anymore at this point of the situation and lowered his head, responding in acknowledgement.

Bringing along the elderly maid appointed by Concubine Rong back to the side hall, Jing Chen shut himself inside his room.

With someone out there to keep a close eye on him, he couldn’t even vent his anxiety and pain he had been silently enduring and could only cover himself under his quilt, inconsolably hugging the mask that Chu Jiao had drawn on for him, murmuring in a soft voice.

“Ah Jiao… Where are you?”

“What should I do? I’ve lost you…”

*

Right at this moment, the person he was worried about was ordinarily pushing a wooden cart full of cargo barriers, discreetly lowering her head as she walked out of the palace.

“Hold it right there! Stop!”

At the palace gates, two guards on duty stopped the eunuch who was pushing the cart in his tracks.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh, brother guards, we’re from the Directorate of Palace Delicacies. Isn’t the Empress Dowager’s birthday coming up soon? The superintendent has ordered us to buy singredients for the celebration.”

The eunuch next to Chu Jiao subsequently bowed his chest and lowered his head, putting on a flattering face.

“The palace is currently looking for someone who has committed a grave offense, raise your heads up!”

The eunuch then raised his head when he heard these words, his eyes were squinted into fine lines while his nose took the shape of a bulbous garlic. The two guards took a step back in disgust from the sight. Glancing at the portrait in his grasp, he then waved his hand as if he was shooing an ugly fly, letting the two people leave without even looking at Chu Jiao’s face who was beside the unsightly eunuch.

The person who was ordered to be caught was a pretty little eunuch. And, this court eunuch was so unsightly that it was absolutely impossible for him to be the wanted person, whereas the other was a little court lady, so there was no need to look at her.

A little later, one of the guards rubbed his chin, full of thought, and smacked his lips after the two left. That little palace maid looked quite beautiful.

After Chu Jiao passed through the palace gate, she walked with the eunuch to the tavern, where the palace often bought from, before bowing to the little eunuch next to her to give sincere thanks.

The little eunuch waved his hand nonchalantly and smiled honestly, “Godfather is the only person who treatswell in the palace. I will definitely do whatever he orders to the best of my abilities.”

The godfather that the little eunuch had mentioned was Chu Jiao’s uncle Zhang Shun. After Chu Jiao was transferred to Jing Chen’s side that year, Zhang Shun felt a lot more relieved. Later on, in order to cover up, he took in a godson, but he didn’t expect this little eunuch to be so honest and sincere.

After bidding farewell to the little eunuch, Chu Jiao stared at the bustling capital city in front of her and suddenly felt a little lost.

Without Jing Chen by her side, where was she to go now?

[Completed]