Chapter 47 Seeking Help from a Eunuch
Guan Yi'an was unaware that his home was in complete chaos and turmoil.
After the events of breaking off the engagement with Meng Lingge and Meng Huanyan severing ties with the Meng family, Guan Yi'an understood that Meng Xingyuan would no longer support him, and the Meng family would no longer be an asset to him.
It's absolutely impossible, at least in the short term.
He was eager to find a new patron.
The news of his breaking off his engagement with Meng Lingge spread like wildfire throughout the capital. Officials in the court became somewhat indifferent to him, and even the emperor seemed to have forgotten about him, the top scholar who had been so popular just a few months ago.
If things continue like this, who knows how much time he will waste in his position as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. He studied diligently and finally passed the imperial examination with top honors. He absolutely cannot be ignored at the last moment. No matter what the cost, he must rise to the top and bring glory to his ancestors.
However, his only savings were his monthly salary for the past few months.
This amount of silver is not even enough to pave a road to promotion, let alone treat a high-ranking official who is willing to appreciate him to two meals.
He was talented and good-looking, and could have relied on marriage to gain the help of his wife's family and rise through the ranks without spending any money. Unfortunately, he made a small mistake in a moment of confusion, which temporarily blocked this path.
After much deliberation, Guan Yi'an finally came up with a suitable candidate.
Wan Gonggong, a favorite of the Emperor, is the top eunuch of the Eastern Depot.
This person has been by the emperor's side since childhood and can be considered the emperor's most trusted person. If one can gain his favor and get him to say a few good words for one in front of the emperor, then one's promotion will be just around the corner.
Eunuch Wan had a terrible reputation, and the eunuchs and maids in the palace were terrified of him. It wasn't that he was incorruptible, but rather that he had some bad habits.
Perhaps because he now held immense power, Eunuch Wan was particularly regretful about his physical disability, and his solution to this regret was to torment his subordinates. In the palace, any maid or eunuch without protection, as long as they were attractive enough to catch Eunuch Wan's eye, could not escape his clutches. It was said that he was cruel and used a variety of methods, causing those young maids and eunuchs immense suffering.
Having committed so many heinous acts, it's no wonder that some people were dissatisfied with him, and he even complained to the Emperor twice. But the Emperor only reprimanded him a few times and never punished Eunuch Wan.
Firstly, the emperor was used to being served by Eunuch Wan and couldn't live without him. Secondly, the people Eunuch Wan chose were all lowly palace maids and eunuchs with no one to back them up, so as long as no one was killed, the emperor wouldn't pursue the matter.
Guan Yi'an would never have bothered with such a person before, but now he had no other choice but to spend money to ask a eunuch to put in a good word for him and ask Eunuch Wan for a chance to meet him.
Guan Yi'an was still in shock as the servant led her into the living room to wait.
He originally thought that if Eunuch Wan agreed to meet him, the meeting place would be under the walls of the palace or in a restaurant or teahouse in the capital.
Unexpectedly, Eunuch Wan not only left the palace without permission, but also owned his own residence in the capital. This residence was even more spacious and respectable than the one Meng Xingyuan had given him, and it had more servants and maids than his own home.
And each of them was handsome and well-mannered.
Guan Yi'an sat properly, thinking to himself that this Eunuch Wan was even more favored by the emperor than rumored.
The maidservant served tea, and Guan Yi'an saw that the tea leaves were fresh and tender, and the tea soup was rich. It was a variety he had never seen before, and he felt a little uneasy.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the room, and the maid greeted softly, "Master is back."
The maid and servant actually addressed Eunuch Wan as "master." Guan Yi'an had no time to be surprised; her body reacted first. She stood up, cupped her hands, and said, "Greetings, Steward Wan."
Guan Yi'an had met Eunuch Wan before. When he passed the imperial examination and entered the palace to meet the emperor, Eunuch Wan stood beside the emperor. At that time, Guan Yi'an only remembered that the emperor had a gentle expression towards Eunuch Wan and often chatted and laughed with him.
As for what Eunuch Wan looked like, he didn't have a deep impression of him, but he vaguely remembered that he was not bad-looking.
Now that the two are face to face, upon closer inspection, Eunuch Wan has thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a high nose bridge—a rare and handsome appearance. However, he is a bit old, and his eyes are too gloomy, giving him a effeminate and sinister look.
As Guan Yi'an sized up Eunuch Wan, Eunuch Wan was also sizing him up. Their eyes met briefly, and Guan Yi'an quickly lost his composure.
Eunuch Wan chuckled sinisterly and beckoned him to sit down. "There are many matters to attend to in the palace. The Emperor only grants me one hour to leave the palace each day. What urgent matter do you have, Scholar? Please speak frankly!"
Guan Yi'an pondered. Eunuch Wan had brought him here because he trusted him, so he didn't beat around the bush and simply said, "I heard that Vice Minister Liu of the Ministry of Rites has requested to retire and return to his hometown. I wonder if His Majesty has any arrangements for this? I have devoted myself to studying for more than ten years, hoping to contribute to the court. If Eunuch Wan can help me achieve my wish, he will be my great benefactor, and I will never forget Eunuch Wan's great kindness in the future."
"Ha! The top scholar is indeed an honest man." Eunuch Wan grinned.
He's met countless people who ask him for favors, but this is the first time he's seen someone ask for a vice minister's position without taking any benefits.
Guan Yi'an sensed Wan Gonggong's sarcasm, blushed and lowered his head, saying, "To be honest, I am not well-off. It's not that I don't want to prepare a gift for you, but what I can prepare now is not enough to show my respect. If you can help me, I will definitely make up for it with a generous gift when I become the Vice Minister of Rites. You only need to tell me your preferences, and no matter how difficult it is, I will find it for you."
Grandpa Wan was a womanizer, attracted to both men and women.
What he meant was that no matter what kind of beauty Eunuch Wan wanted, as long as he informed him at the time, he would do everything he could to find her for him.
Eunuch Wan naturally understood his implication, and his smile became more sincere.
But he's a notorious old fox, so how could he be swayed by Guan Yi'an's promise?
"The top scholar is exceptionally talented, but he doesn't understand the principle of enjoying life while one can. People change, and so do their preferences. For example, this cup of tea—if you didn't drink it when it was at its best, it won't taste as good now."
Eunuch Wan picked up the teacup in front of Guan Yi'an, raised it high, and splashed the tea in front of the two of them.
“We can’t wait any longer. The top scholar already has what we want most right now. If we don’t give it to him now, he might not like it anymore. So why should we bother with the top scholar?”
Guan Yi'an's heart raced from the commotion, but no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't think of anything he could offer in exchange.
He could only bow respectfully and say, "Please give me your guidance, Steward Wan. I will definitely offer you anything I can offer."
Eunuch Wan gave a sinister smile and circled around Guan Yi'an.
"You call yourself a top scholar? Pretending to be stupid while guarding a treasure. We've long heard that the three beauties of the Meng family are all stunning. We've only seen Meng Lingge, the eldest daughter of the Meng family, and she is indeed exceptionally beautiful. Yet, the top scholar actually abandoned this beauty for Meng Huanyan, the illegitimate daughter of the Meng family. This shows that the younger Meng Huanyan is even more beautiful. If the top scholar is truly interested, hehe..."
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