“I will devote myself fully to serving Your Majesty,” Gao Dazhuang declared, effectively claiming all the credit for himself.
Li Qingzhi and the others immediately felt dissatisfied. Without their life-and-death efforts, how could there have been such a remarkable achievement?
The Emperor glanced at each of them before addressing Gao Dazhuang, “You shall remain by my side henceforth. The others will continue to follow your orders.”
“I obey, Your Majesty,” Gao Dazhuang replied. He then removed his mask, allowing the Emperor to see his face.
This was customary, as the Emperor needed to know the appearance of his close bodyguards.
Sui Yunzhu, Li Qingzhi, Qiu Yunyan, and Sun Dixian also revealed their true faces in turn.
Lou Mingyue hesitated briefly before removing her veil.
The night’s rain had disheveled her appearance. Strands of her jet-black hair, still clinging to raindrops, fell across her forehead. Her arched eyebrows gave her an air of both beauty and valor.
Gao Dazhuang remained impassive. He wasn’t worried, knowing that while Lou Mingyue was stunningly beautiful, she wasn’t the Emperor’s type—unless His Majesty’s tastes had suddenly changed.
When An Jiu removed her veil, Gao Dazhuang couldn’t help but glance over. Noticing she still wore a human-skin mask underneath, he felt slightly relieved, hoping the girl wouldn’t be too honest and remove that as well.
The Emperor looked around at them all and nodded slightly. “You may withdraw.”
Gao Dazhuang exhaled imperceptibly and immediately led the group out.
As the Emperor returned to his seat and looked at the documents before him, he suddenly called out, “Stop!”
Gao Dazhuang halted abruptly and turned, bowing. “Your Majesty?”
The Emperor spread out the group’s files, his cold gaze sweeping over them. His eyes lingered between An Jiu and Sui Yunzhu before settling on An Jiu. “How dare you not show your true face to your sovereign!”
The files indicated three men and three women, plus the androgynous Gao Dazhuang. However, now there were four men and two women. One was a woman disguised as a man.
Gao Dazhuang glanced at An Jiu, feigning surprise. He fell to his knees with a thud. “Your Majesty, please calm your anger! This child is facing the Emperor for the first time and doesn’t understand protocol.” Then, lowering his head, he admonished in a hushed tone, “Quickly remove your mask!”
As the others slowly knelt, An Jiu took out a vial of oil from her garments. She applied it to the edges of her mask and, after a moment, peeled off the human-skin facade.
Beneath was a face of extraordinary beauty. Her features were delicate and refined. Due to prolonged concealment, her skin had an almost sickly pallor. With downcast eyes, she exuded a captivating charm—add a touch more, and it would be too vulgar; any less, and it would be too bland.
The Emperor stared at her face for several breaths before regaining his composure. “Of the Mei clan?”
“Yes,” An Jiu replied.
Over the years, more than one Mei clan woman had accompanied the Emperor. They all possessed this same touching beauty. Recently, a woman from the Yu He Guards had been assigned to Hua Rongtian, and the Emperor had felt a twinge of regret at losing her. Now, another had appeared…
“Your Majesty,” Gao Dazhuang interjected, knowing full well what the Emperor was thinking. “Mei Shisi is exceptionally skilled in archery. In the recent border battle, she turned the tide, forcing back the Liao army. The Mei clan has just suffered a great loss. Mei Shisi’s mind is unsettled, and she meant no disrespect. I humbly request Your Majesty to be lenient in punishment.”
Hearing such obvious protection, the Emperor smiled. “Gao Yuanxin, you’re still as tactless as ever in your words and actions.”
His gaze lingered on An Jiu’s face for a few more moments. “You may withdraw.”
While most men were fond of beautiful women, the Emperor was more obsessed with seeking immortality and enlightenment. Beautiful women were mere embellishments to him. Feeling a sense of resistance, he wasn’t inclined to force her into his bed. Moreover, according to her file, Mei Shisi was purely focused on external cultivation, lacking internal energy—useless for his pursuit of the Dao. As for mere beauty, the imperial harem was full of such women.
As the group retreated, a black-clad figure descended from the rafters, materializing before them. He handed a package to Gao Dazhuang. “The Commander orders that from tomorrow, High Official Gao will have to disguise himself as a eunuch. Do it well, and after some time, Huang Bandang will take you as his disciple.”
Huang Bandang was the Emperor’s attendant, a high-ranking eunuch. Surnamed Huang, he had served the Emperor since childhood and was considered half a playmate. The Emperor privately called him Bandang. For a eunuch, serving the Emperor from childhood was an honor, and he enjoyed being called Huang Bandang by officials of some rank.
Gao Dazhuang’s mouth turned bitter, the package in his hands feeling as heavy as a thousand catties.
Without his manhood, this step was inevitable sooner or later. At least it’s a high starting position, he thought sardonically.
“Understood,” he responded.
The black-clad man said, “I am Xuan Liu. If you need anything in the future, come find me.”
He tossed palace maps to the group. “The red dots mark places the Emperor frequently visits. The area within the purple dashed lines is your responsibility. Whenever the Emperor enters your assigned area, you must ensure his safety! But don’t look at what you shouldn’t see, don’t listen to what you shouldn’t hear! The black dots indicate the Long Wu Guards’ quarters. As for shift arrangements, decide among yourselves and report to me. If there are any lapses, those on duty will be held accountable!”
“Understood!” they responded in unison.
Xuan Liu handed them bells. “The rules for choosing quarters are the same as in the Yu He Army.”
Gao Dazhuang looked at the bells enviously, never having found them so appealing before. As the saying goes, to play a part, one must do it thoroughly. Disguised as a eunuch, he would now have to live among them, no longer able to enjoy time alone.
With maps in hand, they set off to find their quarters, eager to at least change out of their rain-soaked clothes.
An Jiu arrived first.
The Long Wu Guards’ living quarters were in a courtyard within the Cold Palace—a perfectly square compound with many similar-sized buildings. The interiors were simply furnished with a bed and a table, reminding An Jiu of her former lodgings in the organization.
The courtyard was enclosed by a fence, and overgrown with weeds.
An Jiu surveyed the area, noticing all the rooms were empty. Realizing this place was prepared solely for their team, she chose a room with an east-facing window and hung the bell at its entrance.
Just as An Jiu pushed open the door, she heard singing from nearby.
Having been confined in a mental hospital before, she could discern the neurosis hidden beneath the beautiful melody. The singer was certainly not of sound mind.
After a brief moment, the song abruptly stopped midway, and the woman joyfully shouted, “Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
An Jiu hummed the tune as she inspected her room.
The furniture was new, and the room appeared to have been specially prepared, with little dust. A chest at the bedside contained various clothes and shoes.
Soon, Lou Mingyue and the others entered the courtyard, each selecting their rooms. Sui Yunzhu then called everyone out to discuss shift arrangements.
“I’ll team up with Mei Shisi and Li Qingzhi. Lou Er, Qiu Yunyan, and Sun Dixian will form another team,” Sui Yunzhu decided, knowing the others rarely voiced opinions. “Does anyone object?”