Chapter 95: Two Eunuchs

Night deepened at Wanan Battalion Command.

Over a dozen Red Lin Guards in crimson robes stood in formation on either side, blades at their sides, with a carved palanquin in the center.

Cao Fuer, his hair streaked white, sat atop the palanquin wearing a tall hat, holding a white porcelain teacup, leisurely picking out floating tea leaves, his eyes lined with crow’s feet, appearing half-asleep.

Zhenfu Shi Cao Huai’an knelt on one knee; behind him lay four corpses covered in white cloth. Though regarded by Beijing officials as a living Yama, his forehead now glistened with fine sweat, his voice tinged with tension:

“Your Excellency, forgive me—this is my failure in oversight. I will uncover the truth within three days and give Your Excellency a full account…”

Chief Eunuch Cao Fuer, since childhood the Emperor’s “Great Companion,” earned the title of Dragon’s Companion during the Jian’an Rebellion and was forcibly elevated by the Emperor to the Supreme Daoist rank through the entire empire’s resources, made his personal guardian.

Though one of only two Supreme-ranked figures in Beijing, Cao Fuer’s Supreme rank carried a touch of artificiality, lacking the overwhelming, heaven-defying aura of a true Ancestor.

Instead, Cao Fuer resembled an elderly, plump old man, with kind brows and gentle eyes, his speech tinged with a feminine lilt:

“It’s not to give your father an account—it’s to give the Heir an account.

“Just now, the Dan Wang’s Heir wept bitterly outside the palace gate, claiming the Red Lin Guards harbor disloyalty, plotting to assassinate him and sow discord between His Majesty and Dan Wang, even rousing His Majesty from sleep.

“Though the Heir is despised by Dan Wang, by His Majesty, and by the Crown Prince, he remains His Majesty’s own nephew.

“If you cannot offer a reasonable explanation, even I cannot protect you—the Heir will never agree…”

Cao Huai’an, having heard the news from Jin Tower, had already guessed the general truth and was about to report, when footsteps sounded again outside.

Tap-tap-tap…

He turned to see an elderly man in brocade robes, accompanied by attendants, striding in and bowing from afar:

“Cao Gong is here too? What a coincidence…”

Cao Fuer did not rise, only replied with a mocking tone:

“Oh~ So late at night, why isn’t Eunuch Li at home, keeping his concubine company? What brings you to the Red Lin Guards?”

Li Gongpu, the Huangmen Lang, was secretly mocked by officials as “Eunuch Li,” yet few in all Beijing dared address him thus to his face.

Cao Fuer, as Chief Eunuch, normally took no interest in Red Lin Guard affairs; the Emperor’s orders were usually delivered by Huangmen Lang Li Gongpu, and over time, Li became, in outsiders’ eyes, the Red Lin Guards’ second-in-command.

But within the Red Lin Guards, Li Gongpu was merely the Son of Heaven’s messenger—though they dared not disobey his words.

Facing Cao Fuer’s teasing, Li Gongpu showed no anger:

“I heard trouble broke out at Jin Tower—I came to check the situation. Has Han Jingchuan’s death been determined?”

Cao Fuer glanced at the corpses on the ground:

“Does this need investigation?”

Cao Huai’an, aware of the feud between Xie Jinhuan and Han Jingchuan, rose to reply:

“Han Jingchuan led men to ambush Xie Jinhuan inside the room, carrying blood-evil artifacts to frame him.

“But the Mingshenjiao bandits also sought to silence Xie Jinhuan—the two groups collided.

“Xie Jinhuan sensed something amiss and hid in advance, striking from the shadows and accidentally killing Han Jingchuan.”

Li Gongpu already knew the general situation; now he frowned at Han Jingchuan’s corpse, pointing to the fatal hammer blow—centered dead-on:

“Even an ordinary man wouldn’t land such a precise strike. How can this be called an accident?”

Though Cao Fuer’s Supreme rank was watered down, he was still a genuine Supreme; he assessed:

“He used every ounce of strength, beating him to death—there’s clearly some personal grudge mixed in.”

“Exactly.”

Li Gongpu asked: “If it’s not an accident, why won’t you investigate?”

Cao Huai’an replied: “There were witnesses inside and outside Jin Tower. Han Jingchuan wore black robes, masked, carrying a blade, hiding in someone’s home to commit violence. Even if Xie Jinhuan intended to kill him, Han Jingchuan brought it upon himself—how exactly do you plan to investigate, Eunuch Li?”

“…”

Li Gongpu had hoped to exploit the incident, but Han Jingchuan was too foolish—he left Xie Jinhuan not a single shred of evidence!

Seeing the father-son duo’s tone, he realized the Red Lin Guards had no intention of meddling, and replied:

“Han Jingchuan was a Battalion Commander of the Red Lin Guards. I merely expressed concern—how to investigate is entirely up to you, Cao Gong.”

Cao Fuer knew Li Gongpu’s nature and pressed directly:

“Was Han Jingchuan’s action arranged by you?”

Li Gongpu answered frankly:

“I’m not that foolish. Han Jingchuan came to me yesterday, asking for advice. I told him to hold his ground and increase vigilance.

“If Xie Jinhuan had no intent to retaliate, all would remain peaceful; if he truly came to assassinate, whether Han Jingchuan lived or died, the Red Lin Guards could thoroughly investigate Xie Jinhuan. Who could have imagined he’d actually hand the man a knife?”

Cao Fuer gave a slight nod:

“You truly are full of scheming, Eunuch Li. This kind of open strategy could be broken by Xie Jinhuan only with high-level assistance—but you used a useless pawn.

“Han Jingchuan was a Red Lin Guards Battalion Commander; this matter cannot be swept under the rug. But investigating Xie Jinhuan lacks legitimacy. Could you lend me something, so I have grounds to act?”

Li Gongpu frowned slightly, leaning closer:

“What do you want to borrow?”

“Your head!”

Cao Fuer stroked his chin, seriously considering:

“Xie Jinhuan clearly holds grudges—he’ll surely come after you. I can learn from your own method.

“If you die suddenly within a month, the Red Lin Guards will arrest him immediately. Even if Xie Jinhuan has heaven-defying abilities, he cannot escape investigation.

“If you live, it proves Xie Jinhuan has no intent to retaliate—Han Jingchuan brought his own death. We cannot judge a gentleman by a villain’s standards.”

“…”

A brilliant move—Eunuch Li offers his own head…

But Li Gongpu could offer Han Jingchuan’s head as bait—he would never offer his own. He merely gave a light laugh:

“Cao Gong, you jest. Yet ‘a state cannot stand without law.’ If this boy truly dares to assassinate me, I hope you will handle it impartially—no hidden agendas.”

Cao Fuer ignored him, lifting his teacup, blowing gently, and taking a small sip:

“Mmm~ This tea is excellent.”

Tea served—guest dismissed.

Li Gongpu’s eyelid twitched; he joked lightly:

“Cao Gong’s ‘Vajra Immovable Zen’ has reached the point of being impervious to everything—yet you still fear scalding your lips with tea?”

“You’re full of fat, so you shouldn’t fear cold—yet even in autumn, you added clothing.”

?

Li Gongpu’s sarcasm was no match for this eunuch; he said nothing more, swept his sleeve, and left.

Cao Huai’an stood with hand on blade, until Li Gongpu and his party exited, then whispered:

“Adopted father, why does Li Gongpu enjoy even greater favor than you?”

Cao Fuer looked displeased: “I am still human—how can I be compared to a lapdog?”

Cao Huai’an agreed, then asked:

“Given Xie Jinhuan’s nature, he’ll likely trouble Li Gongpu again; Li Gongpu won’t let him grow stronger. Should we intervene?”

Cao Fuer raised his hand slightly, signaling attendants to lift the palanquin:

“Even when beating a dog, one must consider its master. Xie Jinhuan won’t be foolish enough to assassinate Li Gongpu. As for Li Gongpu—if Xie Jinhuan can be tricked to death by such a man, he won’t last long.”

“Oh…”

…

—

On the other side.

Flickering candlelight still illuminated every corner of the basement, but the wall bed had become two.

He Can, bandages wrapped around his waist, Mianqiang sat up, wolfing down rice from a bowl, his eyes gleaming with joy as if he’d found hundreds of taels of silver, eating while mocking:

“Oh my~ Look at this—what’s called karmic retribution. A Mingshenjiao Incense Master? If all Incense Masters are like this, I think I could be one too…”

Zhang Chu lay bare-chested before him, bandages wrapped around his waist and abdomen, faintly revealing two bloodstained wounds; his eyes held no anger, only deep bewilderment:

“Why was Han Jingchuan hiding in Xie Jinhuan’s room? He stabbed me twice, then got wiped out by Xie Jinhuan—I’ve roamed Beijing for years, never met such a brainless oddity…”

He Can shrugged slightly: “The Jianghu is like this—if everyone could see the situation clearly and predict the future, where would deceit thrive? Honestly, you’re lucky to have escaped alive—I didn’t expect it. But don’t worry—you won’t live long. Xie Jinhuan has already marked you…”

In the basement sat an elderly man with white hair, examining Zhang Chu’s wounds; after a moment’s thought, he helped reconstruct the events:

“Three years ago, during the Imperial Palace ghost incident, Han Jingchuan couldn’t trace our trail, so to shift blame, he used Li Gongpu’s power to make Xie Jinhuan’s father take the fall.

“Xie Jinhuan still doesn’t know the details—he’ll surely blame Han Jingchuan for his father’s death.

“Han Jingchuan, feeling guilty, struck first—no surprise. He probably didn’t find Xie Jinhuan inside, so he lay in wait.

“Then you, fearing exposure, went to silence him—and ended up drowning the Dragon King’s temple…”

Zhang Chu, hearing this analysis, felt a suffocating sense of injustice but asked:

“This boy seems blessed by fortune—he’ll surely become a major threat. How should we handle him?”

He Can set down his bowl and interjected:

“I know this well—divert the water! Since Xie Jinhuan still doesn’t know the truth, we’ll pin the blame on Li Gongpu.

“Li Gongpu’s reputation is stronger than my master’s. Point to any corpse and say Li Gongpu killed it—the corpse will doubt its own memory of the killer’s face before questioning Li Gongpu’s innocence…”

The old man understood the weight of the title “Eunuch Li” and shook his head:

“Li Gongpu was the mastermind behind framing Xie Jinhuan’s father—no need to divert blame. Given Li Gongpu’s nature, he won’t let Xie Jinhuan grow stronger—he’ll strike soon.

“Our framing would be overkill. Focus on our own business. We botched the Danyang matter—we must quickly refine another ‘Blood Demon Pill.’”

He Can leaned closer upon hearing this:

“Where will we refine the pill? Who leads this time?”

“If you know how strong your master’s reputation is, you shouldn’t ask what you shouldn’t know—just rest and heal.”

"Huh? Do you think I’d sell you off…?"

……

——

I wrote ten chapters over two or three days, giving it my all—thank you all for your support or2!

(End of chapter)