After Transmigrating Into A Eunuch, I Became Famous In The Harem - Chapter 51

Shao Yin fell to her knees. “This slave knows she was wrong.”

Guan Zhixian quickly steadied her, only then realizing she had inadvertently supported Shao Yin with her injured hand.

She drew Shao Yin closer, pulling her nearer. Even in the warmly lit room, Shao Yin’s fingertips still felt slightly cool.

Guan Zhixian gently clenched her own hand, feeling a hollow emptiness in her heart, tinged with a faint bitterness. She sighed softly, her gaze fixed on the small blisters forming on the back of Shao Yin’s hand. “One wrong word, and you think I’ll forgive everything you’ve done?”

Suddenly, she gripped Shao Yin’s hand and yanked it sharply.

Shao Yin stumbled forward, catching herself on the chair arm just in time. Bent over, she now stood uncomfortably close to the Empress.

Her eyes flickered, unsure how to mend the situation.

Guan Zhixian held Shao Yin’s injured hand, her other hand tracing the line of Shao Yin’s jaw. “Do you know what happened to those slaves who dared to act like this before?”

Shao Yin’s eyes twitched slightly.

Guan Zhixian’s emotions churned, her gaze darkening, her voice sharpening with suppressed fury. “You’re going to Consort Zhen’s palace now, aren’t you? Delighted, I suppose? You delivered the hairpin I gave you to her, and now you’re going to her palace yourself.”

“I’m not happy,” Shao Yin said, her voice light and trembling, betraying her fear.

She meant every word. She wasn’t happy at all.

Feeling the Empress’s grip on her chin tighten, Shao Yin felt a sudden, inexplicable panic.

Guan Zhixian pinned Shao Yin with her gaze, each word deliberate: “I no longer believe a single thing you say.”

“You keep claiming I’m the most special to you, yet you turn around and give the hairpin I gave you to someone else.”

“I truly know I was wrong,” Shao Yin apologized again, deeply regretting her actions.
Her lack of caution had stemmed from seeing other eunuchs and palace maids freely give away their rewards to others, leading her to dismiss the matter.

Guan Zhixian lowered her head to examine Shao Yin’s injured hand. If she hadn’t been injured today, she would have punished her again. Yet letting her off now felt deeply unsatisfying.

Her jaw tightened, and deep within her pitch-black eyes churned a turbulent possessiveness she barely acknowledged.

“Is simply saying ‘I was wrong’ enough?” Guan Zhixian raised her head to stare at Shao Yin like a fierce, enraged wolf king, her gaze locked onto her prey.

“Please punish me, Your Majesty,” Shao Yin replied.

Guan Zhixian gazed at Shao Yin’s pale, fragile face, her gaze slowly settling on her slightly pink lips.

An inexplicable emotion surged within her, accompanied by tumultuous, indistinct thoughts.

She wanted to punish Shao Yin, to make her pay.

But what kind of retribution and punishment would truly satisfy her?

An answer seemed to be forming in her mind, yet she couldn’t quite grasp it.

The room, containing only the two of them, was deathly quiet, occasionally punctuated by the crackling of burning charcoal.

Guan Zhixian suppressed the turbulent emotions within her, her breathing growing deeper and more labored.

She considered imprisoning Shao Yin in her palace, mulling it over until she devised a satisfactory form of retribution, then releasing her.

But Guan Zhixian knew that wouldn’t do.

Her gaze grew increasingly intense as she stared at Shao Yin’s lips.

Suddenly, a small crackle from the charcoal snapped her out of her trance, her mind clearing slightly.

In the end, she chose to yield. “This palace will remember this. When the time is right, you will repay me in full and compensate me completely. Fail to do so, and your life will end at my hand.”
Shao Yin breathed a silent sigh of relief.

For her, this was actually good news.

As long as the Empress didn’t punish her now, as long as she could cling to her life for the moment, that was a good thing.

The sudden relaxation of Shao Yin’s features made Guan Zhixian uncomfortable, her chest prickling with a discomfort like countless ants biting at her.

Guan Zhixian’s gaze returned to Shao Yin’s wrist, lingering on the bracelet adorning it. A cold smile curled her lips. “Among the jewelry I gave you—pins, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets—why don’t you wear any of it? Yet you always keep the bracelet Consort Zhen gifted you close at hand.”

She looked up at Shao Yin, her gaze sharp with accusation. “What, do you prefer Consort Zhen’s gift more? Or do you simply favor jade bracelets? I have plenty of those too.”

Shao Yin felt the jade bracelet on her wrist grow heavy, threatening to crush her entire being.

She desperately wanted to tear off the jade bracelet… and stuff it into her sleeve.

But she couldn’t possibly discard it. The thing was far too valuable—its worth could sustain her for years if sold.

She recalled the jewelry Guan Zhixian had given her. “This humble servant prefers the jewelry Your Majesty bestowed upon me. But now that I’ve been castrated, it’s inappropriate to wear such adornments. Even necklaces and bracelets seem out of place on my body.”

“As for this bracelet, even when I’m on leave, I keep it locked away in my room.”

She thought of that courtyard. “That courtyard is my absolute favorite. During my last day off, I stayed there, and it’s far more comfortable than the palace.”

“I will never forget Your Majesty’s kindness.”

Her words brought Guan Zhixian a measure of relief.

Guan Zhixian released Shao Yin. “You’re not entirely foolish, this eunuch.”

“Once the New Year’s Day festivities are over and I’m free, return to Kunning Palace.”

“As Your Majesty commands.”
Where Shao Yin returned wasn’t up to her. She only hoped that by then, the other two Imperial Consorts would have grown weary of her, found no amusement in her presence, and no longer wished to contend with the Empress. That way, they might release her to Kunning Palace, where she could live as a leisurely eunuch.

That would be a remarkably comfortable life after her transmigration.

As she emerged from Kunning Palace, the biting wind revealed she was drenched in cold sweat.

She walked slowly toward Chengqian Palace, her steps lacking any spring. She knew the Noble Consort was also angry, and that Chengqian Palace held no pleasant days for her.

Her fears proved true.

The moment Shao Yin entered Chengqian Palace, Liang Fujun, standing in the Main Hall, sneered mockingly. “Oh look, the Empress’s favorite eunuch has returned. Eunuch Shao actually remembers to come back to Chengqian Palace.”

“After spending so much time at Kunning Palace, the Empress’s residence, you must have received several sets of jewelry from Her Majesty, right? It seems Eunuch Shao has no interest in the rewards I intended to give you. No wonder you showed no reaction when I mentioned buying you a pair of hairpins the other day. The Empress must have gifted you so many that you don’t even need more.”

Each word dripped with venom, making Shao Yin wince inwardly. How could a mere eunuch like me deserve the envy of these Imperial Consorts?

Of course, she didn’t believe they envied her because they liked or valued her. This was undoubtedly a power struggle among the Consorts, and she, a lowly servant, was merely a pawn in their palace intrigue.

Before Shao Yin could even reach Liang Fujun, she knelt in the Main Hall. “This servant was wrong. I didn’t intend to withhold information. Please forgive me, Noble Consort.”

She pressed her hands against the floor and bowed low.

The Noble Consort’s gaze fell on Shao Yin’s wrist, where the bracelet was conspicuously absent.

The Noble Consort’s alluring figure leaned languidly against the low couch armrest, her posture graceful, but her tone sharp. “Where’s the bracelet Consort Zhen gave you? Weren’t you so precious about it that you wore it even during your duties? Where did it disappear to now?”

“Could the Empress have smashed it?”

Shao Yin replied, “This servant put it away.”

Liang Fujun pressed, “Where did you put it?”

Shao Yin had initially thought about keeping it in her sleeve, but then remembered it was made of jade. If she accidentally dropped it and it broke, it would be a great loss.

So she had tucked it into a hidden pocket inside her robe, close to her chest.

But now, Shao Yin suddenly didn’t dare to say.

Seeing Shao Yin kneeling on the ground, too afraid to answer, Liang Fujun immediately guessed what was going on.

She let out another cold laugh, her voice growing even sharper and more acidic. “You want to keep it safe, don’t you? After all, it’s a gift from Consort Zhen.”

After a long moment of hesitation, Shao Yin finally explained, “If I don’t keep it safe, it’ll lose its value if it breaks.”

At these words, Liang Fujun paused, a flicker of amusement finally appearing in her eyes. “So you were planning to sell it? That bracelet is of decent quality; it certainly could fetch a good price.”

Her tone shifted again. “The bracelet I gave you…”

“Of course I wouldn’t sell that,” Shao Yin replied. “I treasure that bracelet and keep it safely in my room. If I ever have the chance, I’ll definitely wear it.”

Liang Fujun’s irritation melted away. “Rise. Why are you still kneeling? I’m not punishing you.”

After Shao Yin stood, Liang Fujun beckoned her closer. “Come, let me examine the injury on your hand again.”

Shao Yin stepped forward and extended her injured hand.

Her skin was naturally fair, and her fingers were slender and long like scallion roots, making her hands exceptionally beautiful.

Now, a patch of crimson stained the back of her hand, making her skin appear even fairer in contrast. However, the few blisters on her delicate hand were jarring.
Liang Fujun took her hand, examining the blisters, and murmured softly, “I wonder if the medicine the Empress gave us will actually work.”

She didn’t change Shao Ying’s dressing. Though she voiced her doubt, she knew deep down that the Empress’s medicine was unlikely to be ineffective.

Her fingertips gently brushed against the swollen, red blisters.

“Hisss—” Shao Yin hadn’t expected the Noble Consort to touch her wound so directly and instinctively hissed in pain.

Liang Fujun looked up at Shao Yin, a malicious glint flashing in her eyes. “Tell me, if I were to worsen this injury—if I were to poke at your wound until the pain seeped into your very bones—wouldn’t you remember me forever?”

“Even if you were to go to Consort Zhen’s palace, every time you look at this wound, day and night, your mind would undoubtedly dwell on me.”

Shao Yin felt a chill run down her spine.

This Noble Consort was truly a force to be reckoned with—more difficult to deal with than even the Empress.

Are these the words of a human?

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