Chapter 85: Everyday Life

Long Chen had fallen asleep, and Zhang Qian, Xuanyi, and Xiangning were roughhousing and teasing one another on the bed.

All the palace maids of the Western Palace knew that elsewhere one had to observe proper rules: no speaking loudly, no walking without grace. Only in Long Chen’s bedchamber could they make a racket as they pleased; even stripping off their clothes was no matter at all.

So they often ran to Long Chen’s room to fool around, while Long Chen watched them with amusement. Best of all was when they tore all their clothes off; that was truly interesting.

...

At the Jing residence.

Jing Heng returned to his room and, in a sour mood, threw himself onto the couch. Two dancing girls came forward to attend him.

“Why is the young master in such low spirits?”

“Let us cheer you up, young master.”

Jing Heng was too vexed to endure them and told them to leave and stop making noise.

The dancers withdrew awkwardly, and Tang Wei stepped inside.

“Young master, is it because of that dead eunuch Long Chengen?”

Tang Wei went up and began kneading Jing Heng’s feet.

“This time we took a huge loss. The deficit in the Ministry of Revenue has been completely filled, and now he holds both ministries as minister, with Di Luoxi backing him.”

“We meant for him to die in Linjiang City. Who would have thought that dead eunuch would win again?”

Jing Heng did not avoid the topic, because Tang Wei knew about it too.

“Exactly. Shangguan Wei had nothing but an empty reputation. Even after being given the defense map, he still couldn’t kill Long Chengen. Useless trash!”

Tang Wei, too, found it deeply regrettable.

“Tell me—do you think Shui Han truly died in battle, or was she discovered?”

Jing Heng asked Tang Wei.

Shui Han had been killed. The court’s official statement was that she had died for king and country, loyal and righteous, yet Jing Heng always felt something was amiss.

Today had been the day of celebration for the victory. Because he had been stripped of his ministerial post and had received no new appointment, he had not attended.

By all rights, if Shui Han had been exposed for colluding with the enemy, the Empress should have dealt with her. But Jing Heng had waited the entire day, and no word had come from the palace.

Could it be that Shui Han had truly died in battle?

Jing Heng felt his wits were no longer enough for this.

Shui Han had been a hidden piece planted by Jing Tianlie, meant gradually to replace Li Xiannan and seize control of the troops along the southern frontier of Eastern Zhou.

Out of selfish motives, Jing Heng had used Jing Tianlie’s name to make her act, and in the end things had turned out like this.

Only Tang Wei knew of this matter.

Tang Wei felt a chill crawl over his skin. In a low voice, he said, “She must really have died in battle. If her collusion had been discovered, His Majesty would certainly have dealt with her. We would already have...”

Jing Heng sat up and said in a hushed voice, “No one else must know of this. If word gets out, we’re both dead!”

Even if the Empress did not move against them, Jing Tianlie would beat Jing Heng half to death.

A hidden piece cultivated for more than ten years had simply been ruined like this.

Tang Wei drew in his neck and whispered, “I understand. I won’t seek my own death.”

Jing Heng scratched his head and said, “When will Father be able to return to court? I’ve been idling at home for so long, and they won’t give me any office at all.”

“I’ll write Father a letter tomorrow.”

...

At the Hall of Autumn Delight.

Long Chen woke amid peals of laughter. Two petite palace maids were causing a ruckus in the room.

These two were new to the Western Palace, tiny and delicate, said to be from Southern Liang.

They were speaking in the dialect of Southern Liang, and as Long Chen listened, he felt dazed, as though he had returned to his childhood.

Plainly it was the memory of the body’s original owner, yet Long Chen felt it as though it were his own childhood.

Sure enough, body and soul had fused, and even the memories showed signs of blending.

Xiangning came in from outside and scolded them, “My lord is still sleeping, and you’re making such a scene.”

One of the little maids, with an oval face, giggled and said, “What’s there to fear? At worst, my lord will spank us.”

This little maid was called Xiao E. She was soft and plump all over, with exceptionally pleasant curves to the touch, and Long Chen loved spanking her bottom.

The other little maid laughed brightly and said, “My lord’s awake. Why don’t you go take your punishment?”

This one had a pointed face, slender and delicate, and was called Little Daiyu.

Xiangning said angrily, “It’s because my lord treats you too well. None of you have any sense of proper conduct. If Shadow Phoenix were still the chief steward, would you dare behave like this? Your skins would already have been flayed off!”

In the past, Shadow Phoenix had governed the palace maids and eunuchs of the inner court with extreme severity. Disorderly frolicking like this truly had earned floggings.

The little maid stuck out her tongue and said, “Good thing Lord Long is the chief steward.”

Long Chen sat up from beneath the covers and smiled. “They’re just children. Why take it seriously?”

Xiangning complained, “My lord, you can’t be too indulgent. They’re only small in stature. How are they children?”

Such delicate little creatures had nothing to do with age; all that mattered was their looks and figures. These two maids were tiny and adorable, and that was enough.

“True, I can’t be too indulgent. Xiao E, come here and take your paddling.”

Long Chen pointed to the pillow beside him.

Little Daiyu laughed and said, “My lord is calling you over for punishment.”

Xiao E grinned and crawled over, draping herself across the pillow. Tilting her head, she smiled and said, “My lord, be gentle. I’m afraid of pain.”

Long Chen smiled. “If I’m too gentle, you won’t remember.”

As he spoke, he lifted Xiao E’s skirt and brought his hand down in punishment.

There were many forms of punishment in the palace, and paddling was one of them.

A penalty that ordinarily inspired dread had become, in Long Chen’s hands, little more than an excuse for caresses.

Xiao E giggled as she was struck. “My lord, your paddle is far too light. It’s like being tickled.”

Xiangning was rendered speechless by what she saw. This was no paddling at all; it was plainly a fondling.

After the commotion went on for a while, Xiangning drove the two girls out of the room.

Then she brought water for Long Chen to wash up, and he ate.

Long Chen took out brush and ink and wrote down from memory The Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, which he had read the day before.

When he finished, he read through it again and felt there were no mistakes.

“Good thing my memory’s sharp. The Empress is really stingy, only letting me read it once.”

Long Chen shut the door, bolted it from within, and began cultivating the mental method in his room.

The Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix was a technique reserved exclusively for the imperial clan, utterly unlike ordinary methods. The difference became clear the moment Long Chen began practicing it.

Other cultivation methods all sought to send martial energy coursing through the limbs and every meridian, keeping the body in a state overflowing with true qi.

But this method ran directly counter to that path, gathering all martial energy into a single point. That point was like a phoenix, drawing all birds to bow before it. That was why it was called The Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.

Unexpectedly, the logic of the Secret Art of Yin Cultivation was rather similar to that of The Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix. That senior truly had been a genius.

As expected, men of lust were often men of talent.

Long Chen felt heat surging through his entire body, and there were even faint signs that his cultivation was on the verge of a breakthrough.

He cultivated from morning until night before finally opening his eyes. Every pore on his body was clogged with black grime.

“Xiangning, have water heated for me. I want to bathe.”

Opening the door, Long Chen called out.

Xiangning came over with clothes in her arms, smiling brightly. “It’s already prepared. I saw my lord cultivating, so I knew you’d want a bath afterward.”

Long Chen asked in puzzlement, “Why are you smiling so happily?”

With a sly look, Xiangning said, “Zhang Qian isn’t here, so I’ll attend my lord’s bath.”

As she spoke, Xiangning slipped into the bath chamber with a grin.

All day he had felt that something was missing. Now that she mentioned it, he realized Zhang Qian truly had not been by his side.

“Where did Zhang Qian go?”

Long Chen asked.

Xiangning pouted. “You only know Zhang Qian. Isn’t it enough that you’re together every day? Wouldn’t it be the same if I served you instead?”

In a few quick motions, Xiangning hung up all of Long Chen’s clothes, then tossed her own aside as well and pulled him into the bath.

“My lord, I want...”

She hastily washed Long Chen clean, then immediately voiced her request.

“Come on, not this practical?”

Long Chen was a little speechless. This girl Xiangning was far too direct.

“Zhang Qian is with my lord every day. She’s not here today, so it should be my turn.”

Xiangning threw herself into his arms, wriggling against him until Long Chen could no longer bear it.

“By the way, where did Zhang Qian go? I haven’t seen her all day.”

By rights, Zhang Qian clung to him like glue. How could she vanish for an entire day?

Xiangning said nothing, only continued demanding what she wanted. Long Chen had no choice but to wash his fingers clean.