Chapter 2: Blatant Seduction in the Bedchamber?
Do you know why I brought you to the Imperial Chamber?
After the palace attendant left, Cui, the eunuch, turned to look at Asakusa.
"The enemy...I don't know." He only had a bold guess in his mind that he wasn't sure about.
"His Majesty will be married next year, and the Empress Dowager has ordered our Imperial Bedchamber Bureau to arrange male attendants to guide His Majesty."
Guide the palace men!
It's true! He actually had such an opportunity!
"I truly do not know the great kindness and virtue you have shown me, my lord..."
Cui, the eunuch, interrupted him: "Don't rush. Just because I've chosen you doesn't mean you're guaranteed a spot. First, learn proper etiquette and please His Majesty before you'll have a chance to appear before him."
To please the Lord?
The Crown Prince is His Majesty's biological father and has ruled the harem for twenty years. He has always been strict in his palace rules. Even a lowly palace servant in Shou'an Palace has an impressive appearance. Can he satisfy the Crown Prince?
Asakusa felt uneasy, but touching his clothes, he made up his mind: he had to seize this opportunity!
"Please, sir, teach me."
"No pain, no gain." Eunuch Cui picked up a cane from the side and lifted his chin. "Can you endure hardship?"
What hardship could be worse than washing clothes in cold water? What hardship could be worse than being bullied by everyone?
Asakusa looked directly into Cui's eyes: "Yes!"
“Alright, let’s start with posture.” Eunuch Cui looked at him and said, “To serve the Emperor, even if you are just a male servant, you must be virtuous, handsome, eloquent and skilled in all aspects, and you must get rid of your timid attitude.”
Next, an emcee gave him comprehensive training:
Standing posture, sitting posture, walking posture, kneeling posture, bowing posture...
He then realized that the rules he learned when he first entered the palace were completely different from those he had now.
The old rules only required him to be obedient and follow the rules, but now he needs to learn manners, to express his obedience while also showing his beauty so that his superiors can appreciate him.
With only three months to change his habits of more than ten years, the emcee brought out special auxiliary tools: a water bowl, a hair ornament, a waist corset, and a step restraint...
Asakusa donned various restraints and began her daily training.
After half a day, his whole body ached, but he still gritted his teeth and endured it.
At noon, the palace servant brought over three dishes and a soup.
Looking at the snow-white rice and the stir-fried vegetables with their oily aroma, he felt that it was all worthwhile.
After lunch, they started training again without much rest.
By the end of the day, he was sore all over that he could barely walk.
"Someone, help him to the bathhouse to wash and pamper himself." With a wave of his hand, Eunuch Cui sent two burly maids to lead him to the bathhouse.
Asakusa thought it was just washing up and didn't think much of it at first. But when she got to the bathroom and saw that the girls were still there, she panicked and struggled to stand up straight: "Thank you all, I can manage by myself..."
“You can’t do it yourself.” Eunuch Cui also came in. “Today we need to give you a full-body treatment, so we need an experienced eunuch to do it.”
"Hey kid, hurry up and take your clothes off," Momo laughed. "This old lady's skill is something many noble men would beg for."
Asakusa blushed, but still bit her lip and loosened her belt, letting her clothes slip down.
The cool air awakened his skin's senses, and the gazes of the girls made him involuntarily curl up.
"Mind your manners!" Eunuch Cui reminded him.
His face turned pale instantly, and he quickly used what he had learned during the day to regain his composure.
Her skin, which was always covered up, was exceptionally fair, and under the dim light, it even gave off a sense of holiness.
Momo was momentarily amazed: "I will definitely use all my skills to keep your body warm, smooth and supple."
"...Thank you so much, muah." Asakusa thanked her shyly and gracefully slipped into the bath.
He finally breathed a sigh of relief after the warm water concealed his body, but the next moment, Momo's gloved hand reached out.
...
A full half hour.
Asakusa felt as if a layer of skin had been scrubbed off, and that she had been thoroughly washed.
He was then helped out of the bath, dried off, and led to the couch.
Momo took out a special balm and thread from the box and carefully twisted his cheeks, not even missing the other area with lush vegetation.
Asakusa's mattress was clenched and deformed, but she kept her legs taut and did not struggle, offering herself up as if as a sacrifice.
After finishing the massage, Momo nodded in satisfaction and then carefully applied the ointment for moisturizing.
"Sun Momo, what do you think of his aptitude?" Cui, the eunuch, couldn't help but ask.
Sun Momo kept moving: "What woman wouldn't like this face, this waist and hips?"
"Is there any way to improve in a short time?"
Sun Momo pondered for a moment: "His Majesty has been fond of riding and archery since childhood, and he should also train his stamina more, so that his waist can be more flexible..."
Eunuch Cui decided to give him extra lessons tomorrow.
...
After a month, Asakusa had shed her old habits, and every move she made was elegant and pleasing to the eye. After Eunuch Cui took her to see the Imperial Bedchamber and the Imperial Bedchamber, both of them nodded in approval.
Once his posture was perfected, the next step was to refine his physique. In addition to daily maintenance, he also had to train relentlessly, and every meal not only provided nutrients but also had beautifying effects.
Eunuch Cui even found a diet recipe to strengthen his chest to complement his training.
Two more months passed, and he was completely transformed. If the people in the laundry department saw him, they wouldn't recognize him.
"Lord Cui, the Imperial Chamberlain requests that you take Asakusa over there," a young palace servant quickly entered and reported.
Knowing that she was about to meet the Emperor, Asakusa suppressed her panic and, after receiving permission from the eunuch, quickly changed into a more composed dark blue dress.
Seeing that he had been eating and exercising well these past few months, and that his complexion was rosy and he looked very healthy, Cui, the eunuch, did not ask him to put on makeup and took him directly to see Liu, the Imperial Chamberlain.
When they arrived, there were already three men standing in front of Liu Shangqin. Asakusa knew that they, like him, were palace men selected by the eunuchs to serve him in bed.
"Floating tumbleweed, white water lily, shallow grass, willow branch, have you all remembered the rules?" Liu Shangqin asked, looking at them.
The four quickly replied, "We've got it all."
"We've taught you everything we needed to. Now it's up to you to decide your own fate." After saying this, Liu Shangqin led them to Shou'an Palace.
Asakusa had been in the palace for eleven years, but he had never even gotten close to the main palace. However, he had no interest in looking at it, as he was preoccupied with making a good impression on his future.
The other three were all in the same situation, which reassured Liu Shangqin, who had been keeping an eye on them.
Upon arriving outside Shou'an Palace, Liu Shangqin respectfully requested permission to enter.
After the palace servants were summoned inside, the head of the palace remained standing with his head bowed, while the four women, including Asakusa, followed behind, not daring to move an inch.
After a long while, a palace servant led them inside.
The surroundings were so quiet you could hear a pin drop, the floor tiles underfoot were spotless, and the air was filled with the heavy scent of incense.
Asakusa dared not even breathe loudly, keeping the etiquette and rules firmly in mind, kneeling and kowtowing behind the eunuch.
"Raise your heads, all of you, and let me see you." The Lord's voice was not stern.
Asakusa, however, dared not be careless and respectfully presented her face.
The scrutinizing gaze lingered on him, and time seemed to stretch on endlessly at that moment.
"They all seem to follow the rules; the Imperial Chambermaster has put in a lot of effort," the Emperor praised.
Liu Shangqin said excitedly, "It is our honor to serve you and His Majesty, how could we dare not do our best?!"
The Lord's expression softened, and he offered a few more words of encouragement, gave them some rewards, and then dismissed them.
When the Grand Chamberlain of Shou'an Palace saw them off, she said, "Tomorrow is an auspicious day."
"The enemy understands." Upon returning to the Imperial Chamber, Liu Shangqin immediately instructed everyone to prepare:
Everything needed for the private quarters—the incense, bed curtains, utensils, the attire of the male attendants—had to be carefully checked to ensure nothing was amiss. The entire Imperial Bedchamber Bureau was suddenly in a flurry of activity.
the next day.
Starting in the morning, Asakusa and the others had their diet strictly controlled, and then they began their skincare and grooming routines.
The sun in the sky moved slowly yet quickly, and before Asakusa was mentally prepared, it had already set.
"Change into your gauze robes and cloaks, and come with me to the Zichen Palace," said Liu Shangqin after carefully examining the four of them to make sure there were no problems.
The half-covering gauze robes prepared by the Imperial Bedchamber Bureau for the male servants were all untouched young men who had never seen such things before.
But hearing that women would like it, they changed into it no matter how shy they were.
Fortunately, they each had a cloak that could completely cover them and block the gaze of others, which gave them some peace of mind.
Two young palace boys led the way with lanterns, and the four of them followed behind the Imperial Bedchamber, with the palace boys carrying the bedchamber supplies.
Upon seeing them, the other palace servants bowed and kept their distance. Asakusa, upon seeing them, was reminded of her former self.
He gripped his cloak tightly, his steps becoming increasingly firm.
With Shangqin leading the way, the journey was smooth and unimpeded, and they were quickly released when they encountered inspections.
Upon arriving at Zichen Palace, a young eunuch was already waiting: "His Majesty is still handling state affairs, and the Grand Eunuch has ordered Lu Cai to take you to his bedchamber."
Liu Shangqin naturally had no objection.
The palace men she encountered along the way seemed to keep their eyes straight ahead, but Asakusa sensed many subtle glances and instinctively wrapped her cloak tighter around herself.
As the emperor's sleeping quarters, it was a rarely used private place, yet its beauty was beyond description in the barren language of Asakusa. Stepping inside, he felt as if his soul was about to float away.
"Just kneel here and wait." After saying this, the palace servant retreated outside the hall.
Asakusa suddenly realized: he was just a palace servant waiting to be chosen, and if he didn't win His Majesty's favor, he would soon be reduced to his original status.
He slowly knelt down.
As lowly palace servants, the other three dared not cause any trouble.
The hall was covered with thick carpets, so kneeling wasn't uncomfortable; it was just that the waiting time was incredibly long.
As footsteps sounded outside the hall, Asakusa's heart began to pound.
"His Majesty has arrived..."
He immediately bowed his head and kowtowed, bending his waist extremely low: "The barbarian pays his respects to Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be well."
Si Ze was still thinking about the memorials from the border region when he heard this voice and remembered that he had other plans for the night.
"These four are all carefully selected male servants to serve Your Majesty. Does Your Majesty find any of them pleasing to the eye?" Liu Shangqin asked respectfully.
"I've heard it's good for men to relax?" Si Ze said casually, "Get up, all of you, let me take a look."
The four men all stood up, revealing their carefully made-up faces. Although it was still winter, they looked like spring flowers in bloom.
These handsome young men put Si Ze at ease, and she chuckled, "Spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, each has its own unique charm."
The boys blushed instantly.
Asakusa was captivated by the voice and couldn't help but look up. That one glance made him mesmerized.
From childhood to adulthood, he had never seen such a noble and elegant Ying'e.
She was still the emperor who possessed the entire world.
Asakusa bit her lip, and her fingers moved unintentionally, pulling on the already loose cloak straps, causing the entire cloak to slip down.
A curious gaze fell upon him, and only then did he realize what he had done!
Fear and shame made him kneel down and beg for forgiveness instantly, while his desire to curry favor made him unconsciously lower his waist.
Si Ze was also a woman full of vigor and vitality. Seeing this beautiful scene, even though she knew it might be seduction, she couldn't help but be tempted. After all, he was just a male servant who wanted to please her: "Let him serve me."
The other three, filled with jealousy and contempt, had no choice but to follow the imperial attendant out.
A note from the author:
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