[H] Who Says the Eunuch Can't Attack - Chapter 2

Since receiving the imperial decree from the Emperor, Yang Qing patiently awaited the completion of Shen Zi’an’s torture and interrogation, after which he was starved in the East Factory’s dungeon for three days. Finally, Yang Qing personally extracted the once spirited young scholar, stripped him, and bound him in the air-tight silkworm room. Interestedly fiddling with a folded fan, Yang Qing lifted the youth’s barely developed tender flesh, observing the young man’s resentful eyes. He comfortably instructed his subordinates to begin the punishment: a hard-boiled, peeled egg was stuffed into the young man’s mouth, and with sharp scissors, they cut open his delicate scrotum. As the young man tensed up in pain, they squeezed out his tender testicles, severing the cords and throwing them into a bowl. The blade craftsman was about to apply pig’s bile to stop the bleeding, but Yang Qing stopped him, instead taking out two gold horseshoes from his embroidered pouch and unceremoniously stuffing them into Shen Zi’an’s now empty scrotum. After wiping his hands clean with a silk handkerchief, he allowed the craftsman to apply the split pig’s bile to the wound. Then, Yang Qing took out a specially made elastic cloth from Jiangnan and tightly wrapped it around Shen Zi’an’s small member, constricting it to half its size before tying a tight knot. The acute and constant pain did not knock the young man unconscious; instead, it tortured him into a cold sweat. After a final look at the pale-faced, lifeless-eyed Shen Zi’an, Yang Qing instructed his men to take good care of him before he adjusted his cloak and left the silkworm room.

In the following days, while Wang Zhi found new diversions for the Emperor, Yang Qing, not wanting to share Wang Zhi’s displeasure, meticulously handled the affairs of the East Factory. He then accompanied the imperial physician to Consort Wan’s palace. Unexpectedly, the routine pulse-taking revealed that Wan Zhen’er was pregnant. Overjoyed, she generously rewarded the palace staff and immediately sent word to the Emperor, while focusing on discussing with the physician ways to ensure the safety of the dragon fetus. Gratefully acknowledging her generosity, Yang Qing discreetly left and slipped into the abandoned Shulan Palace, navigating through the dilapidated walls to a still-sturdy cloister, where a young man not much older than Shen Zi’an threw himself into Yang Qing’s arms. Comforting the youth, he pulled out a poetry collection and a packet of sweet pastries from Xie Yao, gently asking,

“How has the Crown Prince been recently? Has Agui been bringing your meals on time? It’s getting hotter these days; I’ll try to send you some ice, but you mustn’t indulge too much, lest you fall ill.”

The young man looked up at the handsome Yang Qing and shook his head, refusing, “Uncle Qing, I don’t want the ice blocks, nor do I want you to go. Consort Wan is pregnant, she won’t have time to manage the harem. Can you stay and keep me company?”

Yang Qing felt a headache coming on, thinking if he stayed, what would he do about Prince Qing, who was eagerly waiting for intimacy, and Xie Yao, who was as fierce as a tiger. Despite his internal complaints, he responded with extreme tenderness, uncharacteristic of an East Factory supervisor, “Uncle Qing needs to pave the way for your great cause. Please endure a little longer, and do not let down the hopes of the former Empress Dowager and Consort Shu. I promise, once I’ve dealt with Wan Zhen’er and cleared the source of the problem, I’ll spend every day with you, alright?”

The youth nestled into Yang Qing’s embrace, finding comfort before slowly letting go and reluctantly watching Yang Qing leave.

Upon returning home, Yang Qing found Prince Qing naked, toying with a newly gifted white jade Ruyi scepter on his bed, which immediately stirred Yang Qing’s frustration. Not bothering to fully undress, he lifted his robe, pulled down his trousers, and with his flesh already erect, mercilessly penetrated Prince Qing, who shivered in pain and twisted to strike him. Yang Qing held down Prince Qing’s shoulders, teasingly saying, “Your brother is about to have a son; Wan Zhen’er is pregnant.”

Prince Qing, stunned, turned incredulously to Yang Qing and asked, “Is it really my brother’s seed?”

“Prince, you jest. Royal lineage— who dares to tamper?”

“It hurts, impossible, my brother, like me, can’t even get hard for a woman!”

“You don’t know, Your Highness, sometimes conception doesn’t require a man to penetrate a woman.”

Prince Qing wrapped around Yang Qing, full of questions, but Yang Qing, unwilling to reveal the secrets of the inner court, simply used Prince Qing’s curiosity to coax him into sitting atop him, leisurely moving up and down on his own flesh, fully satisfied before tossing Prince Qing back onto the bed and heading alone to the side room to wash up.

After Wan Zhen’er’s pregnancy was confirmed, the Emperor became increasingly lenient, neglecting state affairs and leaving everything to the East Factory and the Cabinet, spending his days secluded in the palace with Wang Zhi. Wan Zhen’er, awaiting the birth of the prince to ascend to the throne of the Empress, focused solely on nurturing the fetus, even refraining from using jade tools to avoid endangering the pregnancy. Her eyes burned with a fiercer passion towards Yang Qing, who seemed oblivious, still diligently managing both internal and external palace affairs. With the freedom to use the imperial seal almost at will, Yang Qing remained restrained, always consulting the Emperor before taking action, which only deepened the Emperor’s trust in his loyal and childless eunuch cousin, perfectly aligning with the Emperor’s distorted appetites.

As the year drew to a close, Wan Zhen’er’s belly swelled like a balloon. To ensure the safety of the dragon fetus, the Emperor ordered a family banquet to be held in Wan Zhen’er’s palace. Yang Qing, along with the Cabinet members, put aside state affairs to prepare. He managed the imperial family banquet with a heavy heart, while the less favored concubines watched the glorious Wan Zhen’er indifferently. Prince Qing, after toasting the Emperor twice, finally settled down. The Emperor tenderly stroked Wan Zhen’er’s belly and proclaimed loudly,

“Now that the Consort is carrying the imperial heir, just waiting to give birth to the prince, for…”

Before he could finish, the grand palace began to shake violently, heavy ornaments tumbling to the ground amid the screams of the palace maids. Yang Qing and Wang Zhi struggled to pull the Emperor out of the palace, while a managing maid supported the staggering Wan Zhen’er, only for her to be struck by a luxurious golden lamp from the ceiling. The Emperor flailed about trying to save Wan Zhen’er, but Yang Qing and Wang Zhi firmly held him back until the tremor ceased. The surviving maids pulled the weak Wan Zhen’er from the rubble, and the Emperor fainted on the spot.

Yang Qing approached the still conscious Wan Zhen’er and quietly asked, “Empress, given the situation, your dragon fetus may not reach full term. While you still breathe, the Imperial Medical Bureau asks whether to save the dragon fetus or you?”

Wan Zhen’er’s eyes widened, and without hesitation, she seized Yang Qing’s hand, commanding with all her might, “Have the physician bring medicine, fight to save the prince at all costs, my life is not important, the prince must be safely born!”

Understanding, Yang Qing nodded and stepped aside to let the midwives and physician attempt to save the dragon fetus.

After several doses of strong labor-inducing medicine, Wan Zhen’er, using her last bit of strength, gave birth to a premature male infant. Yang Qing carried the baby to her side for her to see, and whispered in her ear with utmost gentleness,

“Congratulations, Empress, on the birth of the Second Prince. However, even in death, you cannot become the Empress. This child, it seems, has a fate tied to me. The Emperor had the Crown Prince decades ago, and this child, who should not have survived, will be immediately castrated by me and taken as my adopted son to raise. Rest easy, Empress. You caused my Yang family to end its lineage, so I shall simply adopt your son.”

Despair filled Wan Zhen’er’s eyes as she stared at Yang Qing, and without uttering another word, she breathed her last.

Yang Qing nodded to the assembly of physicians and maids, carrying the infant to a hall temporarily occupied by the Cabinet ministers, undressing the swaddle to reveal the infant’s lower body, and awaited the group’s decision.

“This witch, after all, has given birth to such an emperor! What to do now???”

Yang Qing smiled faintly, decisively replying, “Who says this is a prince? The witch Wan Zhen’er disrupted the imperial palace and bore another man’s child, confusing the royal lineage. Today, punished by the earthquake, she has met her death, the offspring, though innocent, should be brought into the East Factory and subjected to castration, personally taught by me, ensuring the elimination of future threats.”

The Cabinet ministers exchanged looks, gathered around Yang Qing, and collectively said, “Supervisor Yang’s righteousness is profound. On behalf of the people, we thank you, Supervisor.”

After discussing with the Cabinet ministers, Yang Qing carried the baby back to his residence. Xie Yao, eating, watched curiously as Yang Qing explained the baby was Wan Zhen’er’s son. Dropping her utensils, she drew her sword, ready to kill the infant.

“It’s not worth killing him. In a few days, once his testicles drop, tie them tightly with a rope, castrating him early to make him a eunuch, my adopted son, who will be grateful to me for a lifetime. Isn’t that more interesting?”

Xie Yao sheathed her sword, bowed slightly, “In terms of cruelty, the East Factory surpasses all.”

Yang Qing, unruffled, carried the child into the bedroom.