Chapter 33 Attendant I

The King of Poison didn't speak, just quietly watching Shinjuku. In the shadows cast by the backlight, his dark eyes appeared even more unfathomable, like a bottomless abyss that swallowed up all light.

Masakatsu couldn't figure out what the King of Poison was thinking. Just when he thought the King of Poison hadn't listened to him, he saw the King of Poison suddenly move. He casually took off his bright yellow dragon robe and threw it on the clothes rack at the foot of the bed, then slowly walked to the head of the bed.

"Move in a little more." The King of Poison's voice was inexplicably low and hoarse, like a cold wind blowing on the rough Red Cliff.

Shinju was taken aback by the King of Poison's matter-of-fact attitude. He quickly bent his legs and said, "Ah no, I'll get out of bed. I'm fine now."

To his surprise, the King of Poison narrowed his long, narrow phoenix eyes and stared at him, saying, "You were unconscious for seven days, and you're perfectly fine as soon as you wake up? Do you think you're some kind of immortal?"

"..." Masakatsu was speechless for a moment.

"Lie down and go inside to sleep." The King of Poison's voice was deep and resonant, carrying an undeniable air of authority.

Fearing he would give himself away, Masaya hesitated for a moment before finally lying back down and obediently moving over to make room for him.

A look of satisfaction appeared in the eyes of the Poison King. He slowly lay down on the empty spot, reached out and pulled a piece of silk quilt over his waist and abdomen. Then, with a long arm, he pulled the quilt on the side of the True Monk under his neck and tucked the corner of the quilt in.

The closer the Poison King approached, the stronger the ambergris scent emanating from him became, carrying an aura of impending conquest and annexation that suffocated Shinjuku's breath. Shinjuku was already accustomed to this fragrance, but he wasn't used to lying so close to someone, their hair, even their breaths, intertwined, and both of them were awake. He felt that this was a bit too intimate.

However, the King of Poison did not withdraw his hand, but instead gently placed it across Shinju's collarbone through the silk quilt.

Shinju couldn't help but turn his head to look at the King of Poison, and was about to speak when the King of Poison asked first, "Do you know who buried you in the ground?"

"...In what place?" Zhen Su nearly choked on his words, his mind racing as he considered whether this was a test from the King of Poison. How many clues had the King of Poison gathered in these seven days? What was the current status of the two Taoist priests and the Nest Master? Had they been captured, or had they escaped? The pit he had dug for himself was near the secret chamber; how could he extricate himself from this predicament?

In just a few breaths, Shinjuku had already come up with a countermeasure.

King Zhen frowned slightly, stared at Masakatsu for a moment, and then changed his question, "Why did you leave the manor without permission that night?"

"That night, as soon as I returned to my residence, I discovered that the gold leaf His Majesty had given me was missing, so I went to a nearby teahouse to inquire about it. I had heard that information about petty thieves in those areas could be obtained at teahouses, so I went there."

"They'll tell you just by asking? Without spending any money?"

“I originally planned to tell them that I would give them a reward after I found the gold leaf.”

The King of Zhen nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

"Then I overheard the information the previous customer had bought... saying that Lord Chao of the Imperial Ceremonial Bureau and two Taoist priests went to the Phoenix Pavilion. I don't know what kind of information this is, but right after I heard it, I was knocked unconscious from behind. After that, I don't know anything... How did His Majesty find me?"

The Poison King said softly, "You were buried in a wasteland."

Majuku's eyes widened, his tone filled with disbelief, "Just because I overheard it, I'm going to be silenced?!"

Shinju secretly regretted his earlier suggestion to let the King of Poison rest. At such close range, he felt that every subtle expression of his was on full display. He was never good at acting, and now he felt even more certain that he might be seen through at any moment.

However, what Shinju didn't know was that because his head wasn't resting on the jade pillow, he was lying slightly lower than the King of Poison. Therefore, when his round, cat-like golden eyes looked up at people, they appeared even rounder, making him look exceptionally innocent and pitiful, making it impossible for anyone to bear blaming or questioning him.

King Zhen's dark eyes narrowed slightly. After a moment, he gently patted the hand on Zhen Su's body and softened his tone, "It's alright. I will capture those people for you."

"Did Your Majesty save me?" Shinju made a move to get up and bow to the King of Zhen, but the King of Zhen held him firmly down and he could not move. So Shinju could only speak, "Thank you for saving my life, Your Majesty! I will repay Your Majesty with my life and will be willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty. I will do whatever Your Majesty commands and will not refuse in the slightest."

The King of Poison's eyes were churning with turmoil, but his face remained unmoved. Instead, he asked, "Why is that gold leaf still in your clothes?"

"What?" Mashu looked surprised. "Golden leaf? It was in my clothes? That's impossible. I searched everywhere and couldn't find it, so I went out to ask around."

The gold leaf was, of course, in his clothes. He had used the gold thread cut from the leaf to buy the old Taoist's information, and the remaining half of the gold leaf had been kept in his inner sleeve pocket. He deliberately left this flaw so that the Poison King would notice. As long as he insisted on his ignorance, creating the impression that the people in the teahouse were untrustworthy, even if the Poison King found out that he had bought the old Taoist's information at the teahouse, he might not believe it. Moreover, this half-truth, half-lie, allowed for more room for imagination.

The King of Venom scrutinized Shinju's expression; though slightly unnatural, it was still quite endearing. No, that's not the point.

The King of Poison shifted his gaze, pondering: If this kid was lying, why didn't he fabricate something more private? That way, there would be no way to prove it, but the other party chose something he also knew about—the gold leaf he had given him.

The King of Zhen wavered for a moment, unsure of what was true and what was false, and began to doubt the various testimonies brought back by the secret guards.

Shinjuku continued his performance, "Who put this in my clothes... Could it be the person who knocked me unconscious? Did he steal the gold leaf? Is Your Majesty certain that the gold leaf on my clothes is the same one you gave me?"

The doubt in the eyes of the King of Zhen gradually dissipated, and he said calmly, "Let's leave this matter aside for now and investigate it later."

"How did Your Majesty find me?" Although the place where Masakatsu buried himself was very close to the secret chamber, he was certain that the pit had been filled in, so in theory no one should have been able to find it.

Now it was the Prince of Zhen's turn to look slightly uneasy. He said casually, "It was the secret guards who found you. Not long after you left the mansion, I sent people to look for you."

King Zhen offered no further explanation, and Shinju tactfully refrained from asking further questions. After all, the methods of the secret guards were court secrets, and could not be revealed casually. Shinju thanked King Zhen once again, demonstrating his utmost sincerity.

Although he knew he wouldn't die, if the Emperor wasn't concerned, why would he have sent his secret guards to search for him? He wouldn't have cared whether he lived or died. Furthermore, the Emperor didn't even pursue the matter of him leaving the residence without permission…

However, the next moment, the King of Zhen spoke up: "Other matters can be overlooked, but leaving the residence without permission is punishable."

Zhensu: "..."

The King of Poison raised an eyebrow and said mockingly, "Any objections? Didn't someone just say they would go through fire and water for you, and repay your kindness with their life?"

Shinjuku could only nod.

The King of Zhen chuckled, "Then come and be my attendant."

.

That afternoon, Shinju returned to the servants' quarters in the Imperial Kitchen to pack his belongings. His possessions were all stored there, but in reality, they consisted of nothing more than a copy of the "Five Ultimate Classic" and a few miscellaneous items.

Before even entering the house, he knew that Xiaodunzi was not inside. After calculating the time, he deduced that Xiaodunzi should be preparing the meal.

Shinjuku then sat down on the edge of his bed. Now that it was quiet and no one was around, he was finally able to rest for a while, even though he had been "resting" for a full seven days.

During the period of loss of his six senses, his perception of time became numb, but he did not completely lose consciousness. Therefore, he actually spent seven days, and it felt even longer to him physically, rather than jumping to today in the blink of an eye. That is why his whole body was extremely tired at the moment.

When he woke up, he was in a daze and his mind wasn't working very well. Fortunately, he received a stroke of luck from the Purple Palace, which cleared his mind and allowed him to get away with it in front of the Emperor.

Zhen Su opened the "Five Ultimate Scriptures" and, with the aid of his divine sense, deciphered it in just a dozen breaths. This time, he carefully read through all the contents of the Middle Stage of the Ultimate Poison and finally understood why his six senses had suddenly evolved.

"So it was caused by the sound barrier..." The book didn't describe the evolutionary path of the six senses, but it did mention that sensory barriers like the sound barrier are actually incompatible with the six senses. Therefore, using the six senses to break through the sound barrier is actually a kind of training of the limits of the six senses, just like every time he released his six senses, he consciously exceeded the maximum range of perception in order to enhance the six senses. And only when this limit of the six senses breaks through the evolutionary threshold can the six senses evolve, and only then will the side effect of losing the six senses occur.

That said, he is now genuinely curious about how much poison he had stored up before losing his six senses. He hadn't had time to examine it closely because the evacuation was too hasty.

After he internally examined the root chakra, he discovered that there were three poison membranes, each containing poison extracted from three sources: the initial Heart Nourishing Pill, the large poisonous materials such as minerals in the secret chamber, and the inferior pills that were haphazardly refined at the end. They were arranged in a small, medium, and large order.

The inferior pill was so large that it almost occupied the entire root chakra, which was truly astonishing. Even Zhen Su dared not imagine how much of a poison pill it could form after being refined; perhaps it could even form a poison pill directly.

There isn't much time to refine it right now, but there's plenty of time in the future, so there's no need to rush.

Shinju quickly tidied up the miscellaneous items, put the "Five Ultimate Sutra" back and placed it at the bottom of the box, then lay down on the bed to wait for Xiaodunzi to return, thinking that he should at least say goodbye before leaving.

They waited until dark, and before they knew it, Masakatsu was so tired that he fell asleep.

It wasn't until Xiaodunzi squatted by his bedside and quietly watched him for a long time that he was awakened by Ci Zifu. Zhen Su's curled eyelashes trembled slightly, and his eyelids slowly lifted, revealing his misty golden eyes, which suddenly met a pair of slightly swollen puppy eyes.

"Why are you squatting here? Why aren't you waking me up?" Shinjuku sat up and asked.

Xiao Dunzi's eyebrows drooped, his eyes filled with heartache. "You look so tired, go back to sleep."

Shinju shook his head. "I'm leaving. I came back specifically to tell you that I'm moving to the side room of the Scorpion Shadow Palace. I won't be living here anymore."

As Shinju spoke, he blinked, and his vision immediately cleared. His divine sense was released naturally, and he inadvertently saw faint golden patterns inside Xiaodunzi's body.

Upon hearing this, Xiaodunzi abruptly stood up, his tall figure completely blocking the candlelight behind him, plunging Zhensu into darkness. He asked nervously, "Why did you suddenly move out? Did I do something wrong to annoy you?"

Shinju looked up and saw that the little boy in front of him had his muscles tense and looked bulging, and his drooping eyes were filled with large tears, which looked extremely aggrieved.

But in Shinju's chaotic mind, he kept wondering why Xiaodunzi, a mere mortal, had the same golden meridians as him.

When Xiaodunzi received no reply, despair set in, and tears streamed down his face like a burst dam.

Xiao Dunzi's fierce crying finally drew Shinju's attention back. Realizing what he had done, Shinju quickly explained, "No, I don't hate you, Xiao Dunzi, you're very good. I didn't explain clearly just now. The Emperor has transferred me to be his attendant, so I have to move to the Scorpion Shadow Palace. The Emperor's head maid and attendant eunuchs always live there."

"...Then, what about me? Can I move over too?" Xiaodunzi asked, still unwilling to give up, though his voice had weakened considerably.

A hint of reluctance flashed in Shinju's eyes, but he still shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, I can't take you with me. If I have time, I'll come back to see you and Uncle Wu." Although he used to think it was unnecessary to get too involved with the characters in the book, things had come to this point, and it was impossible to erase the time he had spent with them. Besides, coming back to see them wouldn't cause any trouble.

As for leaving the small world, let's worry about that another day.

However, these words did not seem to comfort Xiaodunzi. He raised his hand and vigorously wiped around his eyes until they were red, but he didn't stop, wiping harder and harder as if he were torturing himself.

Shinjuku couldn't stand it anymore, so he got up and grabbed Kodama's hand. Kodama realized that the back of his hand was a familiar touch, and instinctively loosened his grip, afraid of hurting Shinjuku. His trembling body calmed down.

But in reality, whether he held back or not, he wouldn't be able to move at all.

Shinju grabbed his sleeve and gently wiped his eyes, saying seriously, "Don't cry."

Shinju's command was like the mark that drop of immortal blood had left on him. Little Dunzi had no way to resist. The blood that had been boiling because of Shinju suddenly subsided.

At this moment, Shinju also noticed the abnormality in him and finally understood why Kotsuko was always chasing after him and why he always wanted to get close to him.

It's because they share the same bloodline. The drop of immortal blood left on Xiaodunzi will attract him to come and find him.

No wonder.

Shinju looked at Kodama with a look of guilt in his eyes, as well as the indulgence of an elder in the clan when looking at a junior.

He raised his hand and patted Xiaodunzi's head. "Don't cry. If you need anything, you can come to Scorpion Shadow Palace to find me. If you are bullied, remember to tell me. I'll cover for you. Take care of yourself and take care of Uncle Wu for me too."

Xiao Dunzi lowered his head, feeling the touch on his head, somewhat incredulous. This was the first time someone had ever touched his head. Xiao Dunzi couldn't help but feel his eyes well up with tears, and he almost cried again. He quickly blinked repeatedly, smearing the tears on his eyelashes to prevent them from falling. That way, he wouldn't be crying, and he wouldn't have broken his promise.

Mayuki ruffled his hair haphazardly, thinking to himself:

Lately, it seems like he's always making other people cry.

.

The news that Shinju had been appointed as the emperor's personal eunuch spread like wildfire throughout the palace. Coupled with the previous rumors of him keeping a mistress in a golden house, many people speculated that it was him, thus putting Shinju in the eye of the storm. However, before he could reap the benefits, he became a thorn in the side of many.

Shangyi Bureau.

Master Shan had already prepared the inaugural documents for Masakuni. As soon as he entered the rest room, he discovered that the person who came to collect the documents was none other than King Zhen himself, and realized with surprise that it was no wonder the appointment was made here instead of in the main hall outside.

He quickly bolted the door to the rest room, bowed to the King of Zhen, and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

The King of Poison glanced at him indifferently, which was considered a courtesy.

Chief Steward Shan was the first to ask, "Your Majesty, do you really not intend to reinstate Chief Steward Chao?"

The Prince of Zhen said, "He would rather sacrifice himself than let me believe that Attendant Qing is not on his side. In that case, I will grant his wish and let him go to jail with those two cunning old foxes, Fuyin and Wenbi."

Master Shan was startled by the fierce tone of the Prince of Zhen, and his heart tightened. He then probed, "Does Attendant Qing's account match that of Master Chao? He claims that he went to destroy their alchemy warehouse for His Majesty's sake?"

If that's true, it's no wonder the Emperor was furious. The more consistent the accounts of Chief Clerk Chao and Attendant Qing are, the more it seems they conspired to gain the Emperor's trust and plant someone as a spy by his side. They've used this method countless times before.

However, the King of Poison said, "Attendant Qing did not mention any elixirs."

The steward was taken aback, wondering why the other party hadn't claimed credit. Why then did the Emperor promote him to the position of attendant eunuch?

"Upon closer examination, there are still quite a few suspicious points, but Attendant Qing certainly doesn't seem to be in cahoots with them." King Zhen thought to himself, that kid even tried to distance himself from the whole affair, acting furtively, and didn't seem to have any intention of seeking power or currying favor with him.

The steward sensed the hidden resentment in Prince Zhen's words and couldn't help but ask, "But what if they deliberately do the opposite to mislead Your Majesty? Qing Suishi's suspicions have not been completely cleared. Why does Your Majesty keep him by your side and allow him to be so close?"

Why bring up something you shouldn't say? The Prince of Zhen glanced at him sideways, not wanting to answer, but after a moment's hesitation, he added, "I have my own considerations."

The steward quickly bowed his head, "Your Majesty is wise, I understand." He then turned to business, "Now that the ritual has been suspended and the Nourishing Heart Pill has been stolen, it cannot be sold to Emperor Feng as planned. What does Your Majesty think should be done with the two brothers, Fu Yin and Wen Bi?"

The King of Poison said casually, "They will be executed in the autumn. Now we'll see if they'll step in to save them."

"Yes. In short, they are the ones in a hurry, not us." Manager Shan paused, then added, "What about Manager Chao's side..."

The King of Poison said calmly, "Do your job well." The implication was that Chief Nest would not be reinstated, and Chief Shan would remain firmly in his position as the current chief, no longer a temporary appointment.

The steward was delighted and bowed, saying, "Yes! Thank you for your high regard, Your Majesty. I will certainly live up to Your Majesty's expectations." He then handed over Qing's official appointment document and the newly made waist badge.

The King of Zhen accepted the documents and the waist token, and left the rest room without lingering.

.

Scorpion Shadow Palace.

Shinjuku carried the wooden box into the left wing room, and as soon as he entered, he saw a crab lantern on the shelf. The candle inside the lantern had long since burned out, but from the crab legs swaying wildly in the wind, it was clear that this was the one he had bought at the lantern festival.

This crab lantern… He remembered that when he returned to his residence, he handed it to a maid and entrusted her to deliver it to the Emperor. Why is this lantern now hanging in his room?

Shinju used his divine sense to sense that Tang Quan was nearby, so he put down the box and went out to look for her.

After explaining to Tang Quan, Tang Quan's expression became indescribable, her eyes seemingly filled with disappointment and frustration.

Shinju didn't understand, so Tang Quan had to prompt him, "His Majesty is so noble, how could he possibly be interested in such a trivial thing?"

"So... Your Majesty doesn't want this lamp anymore?" Shinju asked.

"?!" No, she meant that His Majesty didn't buy it for himself, but for you! Tang Quan's eyes twitched, but she was never good at explaining, so she could only frown and say, "Since you're keeping it, then it doesn't mean His Majesty's efforts have been in vain."

"Hmm..." Is His Majesty afraid of being accused of extravagance and waste? Shinju secretly grumbled to himself, then thanked the head maid Tang Quan, and took the crab lantern back to his room.

Although Tang Quan saw that he accepted it, he couldn't tell whether Shinju understood or not. In the end, after pondering without success, he turned and left.

Shinjuku found a new spot and hung the crab lantern up there, so that it could be seen at a glance whether he entered the room or lay in bed. As Shinjuku looked at it, a smile couldn't help but appear in his eyes.

The side room wasn't large, but it felt exceptionally spacious since he was the only one living there. Thinking about the right side room opposite, which housed five head palace maids, he figured it must be rather cramped.

After taking out a set of his usual underwear, Masakatsu took out the wooden box and stuffed it under the cabinet.

Besides the usual furnishings such as the canopy bed, the eight-immortal table, and the bookshelves, there was also a small area separated by a screen. Behind the screen was a rather large bathtub with a slightly low stone base and drainage channels around it, similar to the design of a courtyard.

Looking at it this way, the private quarters for attendants were indeed of superior quality, a stark contrast to the large communal sleeping quarters for the servants and the fact that they could only go to the bathhouse once every two weeks. Only then did Shinjuku gain a clear understanding of the high rank of the attendants.

Shinju looked down at his clothes. Although they looked clean and he was relatively fresh, since his True Immortal Body wouldn't expel any filth, he had still been bedridden for several days and buried in the mud, so he felt somewhat uneasy...

Shinjuku gazed at the rather tall bathtub, his heart filled with longing.

Just as Maju was preparing to boil some hot water at the back and bring it back, Tang Quan appeared at the door of the side room.

Tang Quan saw that he was carrying two wooden buckets, paused for a moment, and then said, "Eunuch Qing, His Majesty wants you to go to Bixiao Hall."

Bixiao Hall? Zhen Su pondered for a moment, then asked with slight surprise, "Isn't that His Majesty's bathhouse in Luoyi Palace?"

"Exactly."

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Author's note: The results were pretty bad; I don't know if there will still be a ranking list later...

It was even flagged as a minefield by a mine-clearing bot, albeit for a ridiculous reason.

Well, I'll just write as much as I can, and try my best not to let everyone down. I'll keep writing until no one reads it anymore. Although it was originally planned as five volumes, this volume is only about halfway through. I don't know when I'll finish it…

Thank you all for reading this far. There will be red envelopes dropping in the comments section of this chapter as a small token of appreciation. It's a sad ending, but it'll be alright.