The Eunuch Has A Wife - Chapter 7

Half an hour later, the door of a side hall was knocked, and a voice from inside said, “The door isn’t locked, come in.”

An elderly concubine in a gray robe, holding a string of prayer beads, was lazily reclining on a bamboo chair. Seeing that the visitors were Bai Zhi and an unfamiliar woman, she glanced up and said indifferently, “Such a beautiful lady, you’re quite lucky, young man.”

Hearing this, Bai Zhi suddenly remembered the black leather booklet. She couldn’t help but feel unable to look directly at the old consort’s seemingly detached and peaceful demeanor. Could someone who appears so indifferent and spends their days in vegetarianism and prayer really give out such a booklet?

She forced a dry laugh, helped Wei Ziwan sit on a bamboo stool nearby, and then replied, “I specially brought Wanwan to pay her respects to you today.”

Wei Ziwan bowed her head slightly in a shallow gesture of respect.

The old consort glanced at Wei Ziwan, then back at Bai Zhi, her voice still calm, “No need to thank me, a good book is just for the right person.”

Bai Zhi’s smile stiffened again. A good book! The right person! Looking at the old consort’s composed expression, she suddenly felt that her own acting skills were far from adequate.

As the old and young conversed, Wei Ziwan rubbed her wrist, her eyes quietly fixed on the ground, pondering the intentions of the eunuch who had escorted her here.

In this capital, she had no support, no connections, especially after the fall of her country, everyone avoided her like the plague, except for that one person who had pursued her even into the depths of the palace.

On the way back, they didn’t encounter anyone else, and Wei Ziwan inexplicably felt a sense of relief.

She glanced at the person calmly supporting her and tentatively asked, “Are you at odds with the Crown Prince?”

Or perhaps not aligned with the Crown Prince’s faction, and all this was done to attract his attention, but would that really work? She didn’t think she held that much weight.

Nor did she believe a mere eunuch from the cold palace could play any role in the struggle for the throne.

Bai Zhi glanced at her and said lightly, “Perhaps.”

Strictly speaking, she had no direct grudge against the Crown Prince, but because of this woman, she had lost her life.

“Then your plan might be mistaken, my husband overestimates me. The fleeting affections of men are truly insignificant.” Wei Ziwan said, watching Bai Zhi, who no longer wore a smile when no outsiders were around, thinking to herself what a two-faced eunuch.

Bai Zhi raised an eyebrow, “How many foolish rulers have there been who set the beacon fires to amuse their beauties and lost their kingdoms?”

She hadn’t overestimated Wei Ziwan, but had underestimated the Crown Prince, especially after meeting him. His weak and unsteady demeanor was hardly intimidating, hardly befitting a nation’s heir, no wonder he was plotted against.

Thinking this, she subtly glanced at the person beside her. In her past life, the Crown Prince’s death was mysterious. What role had this femme fatale played? Was she innocently caught up and used by others? Or was there another possibility?

Wei Ziwan didn’t confirm or deny, her eyes flickering before she lightly asked, “Does my husband also believe that the actions of those foolish rulers, leading to the fall of their kingdoms, were the fault of women?”

After asking, a bitter smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, chiding herself for asking such a foolish question.

Bai Zhi stopped walking, looked at Wei Ziwan, recalling their past life where they had hardly spoken, let alone discussed such matters.

The two silently looked at each other for a moment before Bai Zhi was the first to avert her gaze, looking into the distance, “It was the foolish rulers who lit the fires. As rulers of a nation, they were deluded and ignorant, unwilling to admit their own mistakes, pushing all the blame onto women.”

In truth, although she had been implicated by the woman before her in her past life, if one were to truly assign blame, this woman was also innocent, and of course, the most innocent was herself.

Wei Ziwan blinked in surprise, “It’s rare for a man to speak so objectively and fairly.”

After saying this, she remembered, is this eunuch even a man? Or perhaps half a man?

Hearing this, Bai Zhi silently rolled her eyes, thinking to herself, I am a woman.

“But we can’t entirely blame the men, everyone has their share of responsibility.” after all, the fall of a dynasty isn’t an overnight event. Corruption in the court, the decline of the state, the responsibility for this isn’t something that can be shouldered by any single individual.

Wei Ziwan’s heart stirred, somewhat surprised, “My husband speaks with such reason.”

It’s truly rare, a small eunuch from the cold palace actually has such insight, no wonder he’s not easily fooled.

The woman before her, under the sunlight, appeared bright and beautiful, her maid’s attire unable to conceal her extraordinary beauty.

Bai Zhi sighed inwardly, no wonder she was called a femme fatale, and why the Crown Prince had coveted her for so long.

Beauty is something every woman desires, but when you lack the ability to protect yourself, this beauty often turns into a disaster.

Sometimes, when a flower blooms too beautifully, even if it does nothing, butterflies will come drawn by its fragrance. Whether these butterflies are black or white is entirely up to fate.

And Wei Ziwan had clearly attracted a black butterfly, bringing disaster not only upon herself but also implicating those around her.

“You go back to your room first, I need to go to the small kitchen.” Bai Zhi’s expression was complex, for the first time since her rebirth beginning to ponder, once she leaves the palace, if she leaves the capital, what about Wei Ziwan?

Would she, as in her past life, refuse to submit to the Crown Prince and choose mutual destruction? Or is there another possibility, such as choosing to yield to the Crown Prince?

Why did she instinctively use the word ‘yield’? A fallen princess catching the eye of a nation’s Crown Prince should be considered an elevation.

Bai Zhi shook her head sharply, turned, and quickly left, thinking to herself, I’m really overthinking this, whatever this femme fatale does is none of my business.

Wei Ziwan nodded, only feeling that this eunuch had suddenly become heavy, like a light cloud in the sky suddenly filled with rain, dark and oppressive.

She pursed her lips, ultimately asking nothing.

Seeing Bai Zhi quickly leave as if avoiding something, Wei Ziwan looked around, then down at herself, a thought irrepressibly surfacing, is this person avoiding me?

How absurd, I’m not some kind of monster.

Three days later, Wei Ziwan was again escorted by Bai Zhi to wander around a few times, even deliberately standing at the gate of the cold palace for a while. She rubbed her forehead, feeling that this eunuch was making futile efforts.

Even if the Crown Prince knew, so what? Would he storm the palace?

At lunch, Bai Zhi set down the food box and, unusually, sat down. These past few days she had always left after setting down the box, staying to eat with Wei Ziwan was a first.

Wei Ziwan, surprised, couldn’t help but ask, “Does my husband have something to instruct?” This look of wanting to speak but hesitating is really rare, if you have something to say, just say it, why wait for someone to ask.

Bai Zhi sighed inwardly, lowering her eyes to hide the complexity within, “Tonight the small kitchen needs to be inventoried, I might return late. If you encounter any ruffians, remember to call for help loudly. Although there aren’t many people in the cold palace, it’s quiet, any noise will attract attention.”

Wei Ziwan was stunned, after a moment she replied, “Alright.”

What kind of ruffians could there be in the cold palace?

Returning late at night, encountering ruffians?

Could this eunuch be so depraved as to let ruffians in to assault her, then feel the payment wasn’t enough, so wants her to call for help, planning to double-cross them?!

This shameless scoundrel!

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Author’s note:

Bai Zhi: You’re overthinking it.