am-books Chapter 534 - 394 Admiral
Chapter 534 - 394 Admiral
Chapter 534: Chapter 394 Admiral
The Palace Supervisor.
At the door, two rows of eunuchs were waiting, each dressed in the plainest of grey robes.
Everyone had already found out that the new Admiral had not yet received his official robe. When the time came, seeing you dressed up brightly and beautifully, envy might arise in his heart, and before you knew it, he would use it as an opportunity to assert his authority.
The spring breeze of March was no longer cold, yet the heavy weight of waiting chilled the heart.
With the arrival of a new official, inevitably someone would be made into a sacrificial chicken, perhaps because their appearance was disagreeable, or perhaps because they stepped in with the right foot first, and then they would be beaten to death, fallen into a well.
This was like drawing lots by chance, and the one chosen would die.
...
Mental fear was more torturous than physical punishment!
The sun was already high in the sky.
No matter how much the waiting eunuchs cursed in their hearts, not a hint of impatience showed on their faces. Instead, they glanced left and right at their colleagues, ready to report anyone who dared show discontent.
If a colleague died, there would be no need for oneself to draw lots!
The Hour of the Sheep.@@@@
The sound of footsteps approached, and the eunuchs looked towards the source.
About a dozen figures were heading towards the Palace Supervisor, the one leading them was none other than the new Admiral, Eunuch Zhou Yi. The others were not unfamiliar either, including Eunuch Wen from the Library, Eunuch Shen from the Kitchen, and Eunuch Yu in charge of castrations...
The old men of the Palace Supervisor were one or two generations older than the eunuchs at the door.
Usually, these old eunuchs didn’t stand out, nor did they vie for power. Consecutive Admirals would not favor them, preferring instead to promote their young protégés.
Zhou Yi spoke softly to Eunuch Wen, constantly calling him “sir,” which made the old eunuch cackle with delight.
Not even glancing at the eunuchs on either side, he led a group of old fellows straight into the Palace Supervisor.
The layout of the hall had not changed in two years; directly in front was the seat of the previous godfather figure, Eunuch Xu, who had been succeeded by Eunuch Zheng. Recently implicated in corruption, he had been demoted to guard the mausoleum of the former emperor!
Zhou Yi stood ten paces in front of the chair, and, according to old habits, he should now bow deeply with his butt sticking out, assuming the posture of kneeling.
While uttering auspicious words, he quickened his pace, looking as if he had slid forward ten or so steps in a kneel to express his reverence and loyalty to his godfather figure.
“What a pity, godfather didn’t live to see my moment of glory!”
Zhou Yi walked slowly forward and gently sat down in the chair. Perhaps it was the exquisite craftsmanship, or perhaps it was psychological, but he felt a profound sense of comfort and pleasure from within.
Zhou Yi’s mind raced, instantly making all sorts of conjectures—an essential skill for surviving the palace politics. Those slow in thought had long since perished.
With these thoughts in mind, he asked with a smile.
“Elder, your purging of the household suggests the integrity of a scholar. Which position would you fancy?”
The real show had begun.
Eunuch Wen’s murky eyes glinted as he spoke slowly, “I’ve been teaching for over twenty years, and my handwriting is quite decent. Why not take up the post of a record-keeper?”
The other old eunuchs, expressionless, pricked their ears to listen to Zhou Yi speak.
“Very well, very suitable!”
Zhou Yi called out to the outside, “Eunuch Miao, come in. I have questions to ask of you.”
Eunuch Miao, waiting quietly outside, did not dare show any resistance; defying orders was a grave offense that could lead to immediate death.
Bowing low as he entered the hall and approaching within ten steps of Zhou Yi, his knees nearly touched the ground as he appeared to slide-kneel forward, thumping his head on the floor in prostration.
“This servant pays respects to the overseer, wishing you fortune as infinite as the waters of the Eastern Sea, and longevity as enduring as the pines of the Southern Mountains!”
This wretch dared to curse me with a short life! Indeed, he deserves to die!
Zhou Yi asked with a smile that was not quite a smile, “Eunuch Miao, I’ve heard that you’ve embezzled quite a bit of silver, haven’t you?”
“That is slander!”
Eunuch Miao hastily defended himself, “I live a life as pure as Clear Wind, never having committed any embezzlement. Overseer, you must seek justice for me.”
“I won’t wrong any good person.”
Zhou Yi continued, “To prove Eunuch Miao’s innocence, I’ll have someone search your residence. If no embezzlement is found, the accuser will be executed on the spot!”
“Ah...”
Eunuch Miao’s face turned ashen, fully aware that he was doomed if a search was conducted.
As eunuchs are physically incomplete and unable to engage in sexual activities, lacking one of the three vices—money, power, sex—their greed for the first two far exceeds that of average people, to compensate for what they lack.
The hoarded gold, silver, and jewels, a small portion stashed in houses outside the palace, with the majority hidden in their quarters for easy access and enjoyment.
Some eunuchs, who loved gold and silver as if their lives depended on it, would cast the ill-gotten wealth into bricks and lay them on their beds, requiring that they sleep atop gold in order to fall asleep.
Zhou Yi said coldly, “What is it? Eunuch Miao, are you afraid to have your residence searched?”
Eunuch Miao, knowing he couldn’t escape, begged for mercy repeatedly as he kowtowed.
“I let lard cloud my judgment and indeed embezzled some gold and silver, willing to offer it all to you, Overseer...”