Chapter 30: The Daily Life of a Personal Bodyguard

Zhang Qian’s figure defied all reason, or rather, all laws of physics. With such generous curves, gravity should have had its way—anyone would expect her to sag, as was only natural. Yet Zhang Qian’s form betrayed no sign of drooping; on the contrary, there was an almost defiant lift to her. Long Chen could not help but wonder—was this an illusion? Was it possible that ancient times already boasted something akin to a brassiere?

“You have to bathe, don’t you? Don’t tell me you never wash at all? How could such a beautiful young lady not take baths?” Long Chen fired off three probing questions in quick succession.

“How could that be?” Zhang Qian answered, annoyance clear in her tone. “We girls are all very clean.”

Long Chen pressed on, “If I go first and you follow, then you won’t be keeping your promise to stay by my side. Besides, baths take a long time—surely you don’t just rinse off and call it done?”

“Think about it—if you’re in the bath for half the day and I run into assassins outside, I’d be dead already.”

“So, why not bathe together? I’m just a eunuch, what’s there to worry about?”

His reasoning was flawless, airtight—a true master of logic.

Zhang Qian thought it over. After all, Long Chen was a eunuch... and to be honest, seeing his strong, muscular build, she couldn’t deny a faint stirring in her heart.

Turning away, she hung her clothes one by one on the folding screen. Long Chen watched each garment go up, unable to look away from the flawless curve of her pale back.

Clutching her arms around herself, Zhang Qian slowly turned toward him.

Long Chen felt as though the laws of Newton had no jurisdiction in this world—so full, yet not a hint of sagging, it defied all common sense. The laws of physics had failed him.

She stepped into the bath and crouched down, giving Long Chen an upward vantage that nearly made his nose bleed.

“What are you looking at?” Zhang Qian asked, turning her face aside, unable to meet his gaze.

“Your figure is truly exquisite,” Long Chen praised her sincerely—this was no empty flattery; her body was simply divine.

“Aren’t you a eunuch? Why are you so interested in a woman’s figure?” Zhang Qian blushed, half rising as if to flee.

“Just a little appreciation. I often bathe with the princess—there’s no need for such modesty,” Long Chen replied, quickly invoking Di Luoxi’s name to steady the situation when he saw Zhang Qian poised to bolt.

At the mention of the princess, Zhang Qian relaxed. It was true—Long Chen often accompanied the princess during her baths, so what was there to be shy about?

“You’re right, you often bathe with the princess,” she said, and with that realization, her unease dissolved. She picked up the bath towel and began to scrub herself, while Long Chen watched, barely able to restrain himself.

The benefit of being a false eunuch was that beautiful women let their guard down completely around him; the drawback was that all he could do was look, unable to act.

“Come—let me scrub your back, and you can help me with mine. Mutual assistance,” he offered.

Without waiting for her reply, Long Chen took the towel from Zhang Qian’s hand and began scrubbing her from the neck down.

“The princess loves when I help her bathe,” he added, seeing Zhang Qian hesitate yet again, and invoked Di Luoxi once more.

Zhang Qian thought it over—if the princess trusted him with this, why shouldn’t she? She could even enjoy a taste of royal treatment.

“Thank you, my lord,” Zhang Qian murmured, a little embarrassed, feeling as though she had overstepped and taken advantage of Long Chen.

The two of them helped each other bathe for a full hour before leaving the bathhouse. Xiang Ning brought fresh clothes for Long Chen, while Zhang Qian’s clean change was only just delivered from outside. Earlier, Long Chen had sent Xiang Ning to fetch clothes, but she had dragged her feet, clearly reluctant.

Once he was dressed, Long Chen returned to his room to read, then practiced the Dominating Dragon Spear technique in the courtyard. The iron spear in his hands moved like a dragon stirring the seas. The more Zhang Qian watched, the stranger she felt—how could someone with such masculine energy be a eunuch?

Did she really just bathe with a man? And even scrub each other’s backs? The thought made Zhang Qian’s face burn.

Impossible!

She instantly dismissed the idea. After all, everyone in the Western Palace knew Long Chen often bathed with the princess. If he weren’t a eunuch, then what about the princess? No—Long Chen was definitely a eunuch.

Having settled that in her mind, Zhang Qian felt at ease again.

Back in the room, Long Chen hung up his clothes and went to bed. Zhang Qian sat on a chair opposite.

“Why not join me? You can sit for a day or two, but for three or five years?” Long Chen tried once more to coax Zhang Qian to share the bed.

This time, Zhang Qian declined, “No, thank you. If I get tired, I can make a bed on the floor.”

Long Chen shook his head. “In this heavy snow, you’d risk catching a chill sleeping on the floor. A woman should take care of herself. Come up—just don’t share a blanket.”

He opened the wardrobe, revealing several comforters.

Zhang Qian thought it over, then bowed, “Thank you, my lord.”

She took a quilt and lay down beside him. The bedding felt light as air, yet remarkably warm.

“My lord, this quilt is amazing—so warm!” Zhang Qian pinched the comforter, marveling at its soft, fluffy filling.

“It’s a down comforter, made from duck feathers. Very warm,” Long Chen explained.

When he first arrived, the comforters were stiff and uncomfortable, so he had the palace ducks’ feathers collected, cleaned, and made into down quilts. He kept a few for himself, sent two to Di Luoxi, who was so pleased with them that she gave one to the Empress.

“My lord, you are so clever,” Zhang Qian praised him sincerely.

Long Chen was tempted to slip under her quilt, but he knew that moving too fast could backfire. He decided to wait until Zhang Qian was used to this arrangement; perhaps when summer came and quilts were no longer needed, things might progress further...

...

The tasks Long Chen had assigned to the Ministry of Works were completed swiftly. The first batch of honeycomb briquettes—three thousand in total—was ready, along with fifty coal stoves.

Long Chen placed some wood shavings in the bottom of a stove, lit them, and added three briquettes.

“These holes must face the right way—air needs to flow through for the fuel to burn,” he explained, demonstrating to Di Luoxi and the ministry officials how to use the briquettes.

Xuan Yi brought a scarf for Di Luoxi to shield her nose and mouth, and the other officials had prepared for toxic fumes.

Strangely, when the briquettes glowed red, no smoke or unpleasant odor appeared.

“There’s really no poisonous smoke?” Di Luoxi exclaimed in surprise.

“The toxins in coal come from oils and sulfur; I’ve washed out the impurities. These briquettes are perfectly safe.”

“Bring the kettle,” Long Chen instructed.

An official brought over a kettle. Long Chen set it atop the stove; although no visible flames licked at the bottom, the water inside quickly came to a boil.

“These briquettes burn hotter than wood or charcoal,” Long Chen said, pouring out a bowl of steaming water.

“Little Dragon, you’re amazing! It really works!” Di Luoxi was astonished.

The ministry officials were equally stunned.

“Lord Long, this coal really burns and produces no toxic fumes.”

“That means coal can completely replace firewood. Our Daughter’s City no longer needs to worry about fuel shortages.”

“This problem has plagued us for decades, and now it’s finally solved—by our Ministry of Works!”

Vice Minister Xu Ming stared at the stove, all his earlier doubts and jealousy vanishing. He was deeply impressed—Long Chen had managed to turn coal into a clean, safe fuel. Extraordinary.

“Minister Long, you are truly remarkable—I am in awe,” Xu Ming declared with a formal bow, now fully convinced that Long Chen was worthy of leading the ministry.

“Vice Minister Xu, you are too kind. You played a crucial role in producing these briquettes. I thank you,” Long Chen replied graciously, accepting Xu Ming’s loyalty.

“I only followed your orders, my lord—hardly worthy of credit,” Xu Ming said modestly. With him leading the way, all the other officials fell in line.

“Little Dragon, you’re firmly established as Minister of Works now!” Di Luoxi said happily.

Long Chen smiled, “Your Highness, there’s still more I’d like to show you.”