The Eunuch Has A Wife - Chapter 4

Bai Zhi took a subtle deep breath, feigning a look of fear on her face as she said, “Please rest assured, Your Highness. I will follow your instructions diligently. I will ensure she is not wronged in any way, and I will not lay a hand on her.”

“You’d better know your place.” the Crown Prince flicked his sleeve, glanced around, and then hurriedly left.

Bai Zhi raised her eyes to watch the Prince’s retreating figure, a slight frown creasing her brow.

As the crown prince of a nation, one’s demeanor and bearing should be exemplary, standing out among the best. At the very least, his steps should be steady and composed. Yet, this Crown Prince’s footsteps were unsteady, his complexion sallow, and he appeared utterly incapable of achieving greatness.

She let out a soft sigh, then placed the food box she was carrying on the ground and entered the room empty-handed. She really shouldn’t have been so soft-hearted. After all, there were already influential figures looking out for this woman—why should she trouble herself with such concerns?

Hearing the sound of the door opening, Wei Ziwan abruptly looked up, her face still pale with fear. When she saw that it was Bai Zhi who had entered, she inexplicably felt a wave of relief.

Heaven knows how terrified she had been when she heard the Crown Prince’s voice outside.

The Crown Prince of Baiyue was mediocre in talent, having achieved neither merit nor fault over the years, with only one notable weakness: his lust for women.

She had no idea how he had managed to find this place. Men like him, obsessed with beauty, would say all sorts of sweet words and make all kinds of promises when they were infatuated. But once they grew bored, they could be the most heartless.

In the past, Wei Ziwan might have had a chance to become a concubine in the Eastern Palace. But given her current status, she would likely be treated as nothing more than a plaything by the Crown Prince, discarded like a worn-out shoe once the novelty wore off.

Especially since she was a princess from an enemy nation—the Baiyue royal family would never allow her to bear royal offspring. Once her beauty faded, her fate would be all too predictable.

“My husband, you’re back.” Wei Ziwan said.

Bai Zhi gave her a slight nod and asked coldly, “Did anyone come while I was away?”

“The door was locked, How could anyone have come?”

Hearing this, a faint trace of amusement appeared at the corner of Bai Zhi’s lips. “Good. No one came, then.”

Wei Ziwan’s breath tightened, and she hesitated before asking, “But… I thought I heard someone outside saying they would treat me well and take me away someday. Was that you, husband?”

The Crown Prince’s voice had only just faded away when this person entered. She wasn’t sure if the two had crossed paths, but whether they had or not, since the question was asked, she couldn’t hide it. Doing so would only make her situation more difficult.

Bai Zhi raised an eyebrow in surprise. She stared intently at Wei Ziwan for a moment, then suddenly broke into a smile. “It was the Crown Prince, The one speaking outside was His Highness. the Crown Prince, He told me to treat you well and forbade me from touching you.”

“My encounters with the Crown Prince have been nothing more than fleeting meetings. As for whether you touch me or not, I will naturally comply if that is what you desire.” Wei Ziwan lowered her head, a hint of self-mockery flashing in her eyes. She thought to herself that this eunuch’s smile was far too fake.

She wasn’t sure whether these words were meant as a deliberate test or an attempt to curry favor, but either way, it didn’t bode well for her.

Bai Zhi looked at Wei Ziwan expressionlessly. In her past life, she had also locked the door, so the Crown Prince likely hadn’t entered. At most, the two had exchanged a few words. However, this woman probably had no real interest in the Crown Prince—otherwise, she wouldn’t have killed him later while resisting.

After a pause, Bai Zhi, unusually kind, offered a reminder: “Since the Crown Prince has promised to take you away, you should rest easy. How would I dare to lay a hand on you?”

Besides, it wasn’t even possible. Not only was she a fake eunuch, but she was also a woman. Only someone out of their mind would dare to touch such a dangerous beauty.

“Husband, do you despise me, or do you not trust me?” Wei Ziwan looked up, offering a sorrowful smile, her voice trembling slightly with suppressed emotion.

Bai Zhi twitched the corner of her mouth, her gaze turning icy. This woman was truly a master of pretense—her acting skills might even surpass her own.

She shook her head and replied indifferently, “No matter what you think, I’ve said all I need to say. Compared to a eunuch, the Crown Prince can offer you far more.”

So, it would be best if the two of you were truly smitten with each other and stayed together happily. That way, you wouldn’t drag out all the chaos that followed and implicate an innocent like her, costing her life for no reason.

With that, she didn’t wait for Wei Ziwan to respond. She stood up, walked out, and locked the door behind her.

There was still a lot to do in the cold palace. The flowers planted by the old concubine needed to be watered on time, and Consort Rong’s clothes didn’t conform to the regulations, so someone had to persuade her to change them. The food in the kitchen had also run out, and it was time to go and fetch more.

On the other side, after Matron Jiang saw the Crown Prince sneaking away from the cold palace, she quietly went to report the matter to Consort Lin.

Consort Lin had someone give her two ingots of silver and instructed, “Next time the Crown Prince goes there, stop him. Tell him that the little eunuch is extremely possessive, spending all day in the room guarding that woman and playing games, unwilling to leave her side for even a moment.”

After Matron Jiang left, the eldest prince emerged. “Mother, how far do you think my younger brother, the Crown Prince, will go?”

Consort Lin smiled and said, “His Majesty always thinks that the Crown Prince’s lustfulness is not a big deal. If it were an ordinary person, it might be excusable, but the Crown Prince is, after all, the Crown Prince. He must remember that above the word ‘lust’ hangs a knife. My son, don’t worry about these things. Your mother will carefully plan and clear all obstacles for you.”

The eldest prince walked over and began massaging Consort Lin’s shoulders, smiling gently. “I naturally trust in Mother’s abilities.”

He was Consort Lin’s son, the emperor’s firstborn, and held the position of the eldest. Yet, the Crown Prince had surpassed him simply because he was born to the Empress, holding the advantage of being the ‘legitimate heir.’ But was the position of Crown Prince so easily maintained?

Even if his mother’s plans didn’t succeed, he would still drag the Crown Prince down from his position as heir. The eldest prince glanced toward the palace gates. The knife, after all, was safest when held in one’s own hands.

No matter how skilled his mother was at scheming, she was still a woman. Who would emerge victorious in the end remained to be seen.

Matron Jiang returned to the cold palace, gave some instructions to the eunuch guarding the gate, and then tucked the silver into her room. There was little profit to be made in the cold palace, and it was nearly impossible to accumulate any wealth. Fortunately, she had caught the eye of Consort Lin, which gave her the chance to save up some money for her old age.

Speaking of which, she had to thank that little eunuch, Bai Zhi. But that boy also had some luck—he gained a good adoptive father who spoke highly of him in front of His Majesty. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have quietly acquired such a beauty.

Thinking of this, she spat in disdain, muttering to herself that no matter how high and mighty someone was as a princess, in the end, they still ended up as a eunuch’s companion. People really had to believe in fate.

Meanwhile, Bai Zhi, who didn’t believe in fate, was busy watering the flowers.

The old concubine glanced at her sideways and suddenly asked, “Found yourself a companion?”

“I suppose so.”

The old concubine turned and went back to her room, retrieving a black-covered booklet. She handed it to Bai Zhi and said, “You’ve taken good care of these flowers. Take this and read it in secret. Don’t spread it around.”

Bai Zhi was stunned for a moment, then accepted it as if it were a treasure, tucking it into her robe.

This hadn’t happened in her past life. Could it be that since she was reborn, heaven had finally begun to favor her? She thanked the old concubine solemnly, thinking to herself that this must be the old concubine passing down her secret techniques for cultivating flowers and plants. With this skill, she would have something to rely on if she ever left the palace.

As her adoptive father had said, it’s true that in the palace, one must never offend others. It’s always right to show kindness to everyone you meet. And sure enough, she had now received a kind gift in return.

As the sun set in the west, Bai Zhi returned to her room. She glanced at Wei Ziwan, who was sitting with her eyes closed and silent, then took out the booklet from her robe and walked to the table. She lit a candle, washed her hands, and only then opened the booklet.

On the first page were just eight words: “These secret methods must not be shared.”

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Author’s Note:

The first ten chapters mainly focus on escaping the palace. After that, the story shifts to returning home and farming.