CH 54.1

Translator – Xiao He Lian

Thankyou @Lenka for the coffee!! 

Chapter 54.1

Since His Highness told Eunuch Zhu to go and collect the reward, he went straight to the treasury and picked out an item he had liked for a long time and also took a few trinkets and gave them to the eunuchs who came with him.

The eunuchs were very happy and thanked Eunuch Zhu.

Among them was Xiao Shuanzi who returned to serve His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

After Xiao Shuanzi put the trinket that Eunuch Zhu gave him into his sleeve, he didn’t leave like the other eunuchs; instead he carefully followed behind Eunuch Zhu.

Eunuch Zhu held the whisk in his arms and walked forward. He squinted at Xiao Shuanzi who was hesitating to speak and asked, “Do you still have something to say?”

“Eunuch Zhu, there is something I don’t know whether to say or not. ……”

Eunuch Zhu, who was still very noble and aloof in front of Xiao Shuanzi and the others, gave a laugh and said nonchalantly, “Since you have already spoken, do you still feel it is inappropriate to say it?”

“I know my mistake.” Xiao Shuanzi hurriedly said, “Didn’t Eunuch Zhu order someone to send something to Young Master Wen in the Bamboo Flute Residence in the name of His Royal Highness?”

Eunuch Zhu immediately understood what Xiao Shuanzi was referring to and hummed, “Do you have any objections?”

“Eunuch Zhu also knows that this slave made a mistake before and was transferred to other places to do hard labor.” Xiao Shuanzi said, “During that period, this slave had dealt with the people in the Jinshi bureau1In the Forbidden City in the Qing Dynasty, there was an institution called the Respect Room/ Jinshi bureau. The Jingshifang belongs to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and its most important responsibility is to manage the affairs of the house. The so-called “dedicated to the emperor’s/royal affairs” means that the emperor/royal and the empress and concubine’s sexual affairs are managed and recorded by the eunuchs of the Jingshifang. and I had heard some things about this, I heard that the jade had to be delivered in a different way.”

Eunuch Zhu was surprised and said, “Oh?”

Although Eunuch Zhu had been in the palace for so many years, he used to do errands similar to Xiao Shuanzi. After finally climbing up, he went to serve His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who had just returned to the palace.

His Highness is now twenty-six years old, and if it were any other prince, he would already have many wives and concubines, and even children running all over the place. Even the fourth prince who has yet to marry has a side concubine and several tongfang2maids who serve in bed.

However, His Highness the Crown Prince has no one. Even though the Emperor has forcefully stuffed many young men and women into the East Palace in the past two years, no one could catch the eyes of His Highness the crown prince except for Young Master Wen.

Since his master is like this, how could Eunuch Zhu, who is a servant, know anything about the affairs of the Jinshi bureau?

Eunuch Zhu is someone, who has never eaten pork , but has seen pigs run3This idiom is often used to describe people who have not experienced things personally, but have heard about them, seen them, and have a little understanding of them. If a young eunuch hadn’t mentioned this, he would have planned to send some gold, silver and jewels there in the name of His Royal Highness.

Seeing the doubt in Eunuch Zhu’s eyes, Xiao Shuanzi immediately gained confidence and said with a more serious tone: “I heard from the person in the Jinshi bureau that the jade should be sent in both thick and thin forms, slowly deepening the shape, so that the person using the jade can gradually get used to it.”

Eunuch Zhu froze, he had not thought of this at all and ordered the craftsmen to create eight identical jade pendants.

Xiao Shuanzi continued: “The jade rods should be used in conjunction with the ointment, either daily or every two or three days, depending on the condition of the person using it.”

Eunuch Zhu: “…”

He thought it would be enough to just send those jade gifts but he didn’t expect that there would be so many troubles.

Xiao Shuanzi looked at Eunuch Zhu eagerly and asked softly, “Eunuch Zhu, what should we do next…”

Eunuch Zhu thought for a while and then patted Xiao Shuanzi on the shoulder: “I will leave this matter to you, go and choose a good ointment, have those craftsmen make a new set of jade rods and send them to Young Master Wen.”

Xiao Shuanzi said: “Yes.”

At the end, Eunuch Zhu instructed him, “Remember to tell Young Master Wen how to use the jade rods.”

**

Eunuch Zhu is a man of action and even Xiao Shuanzi, who works with him, is also a man of action. Within half a day, he packed the newly made jade rods with the carefully selected ointment and wrapped it in the finest silk.

Xiao Shuanzi hesitated for a long time, thinking that this is a very private thing, even if he is a eunuch, it would not be convenient for him to take this thing to the Bamboo Flute Residence in a grand manner.

Eunuch Zhu had already delivered the jade to Young Master Wen, so now that all that should be given away has been delivered, Xiao Shuanzi racked his brains, but he couldn’t think of a reason to go out to Bamboo Flute Residence.

So the matter was delayed for two days.

T/N – sorry for going awol for 2 weeks. Even I didn’t expect myself to become so busy. My senior told me my new department was going to be super chill and instead I found myself going early mornings and coming home super late. Hopefully I’ll be able to continue updating properly from now on.