Don't Raise A Black Lotus Flower; Use The Emperor As A Substitute [Transmigration novel] - Chapter 6

Ji Ruxue calmly watched Lin Ruoxuan. When he saw Lin Ruoxuan swallow a spoonful of the rice balls himself, his heart fluttered slightly. Could it be that the rice balls were not poisoned?

However, the fact that this specific rice ball was safe did not mean the others were. But then again, if this eunuch really wanted to poison him, he had plenty of methods; there was no need for such pretenses. They should be safe.

“Your Highness.” Lin Ruoxuan scooped up a rice ball and smiled as he held it out to Ji Ruxue’s lips.

Having gone without food or water for a day and night, Ji Ruxue felt as if his stomach were burning like a knife was slicing through it. He stared at the snow-white rice ball, pursed his lips, and finally nodded. “Chief Eunuch Lin, I will eat it myself.”

Lin Ruoxuan smiled. “That is the right way.”

Ji Ruxue took the small bowl, scooped up a rice ball, and took a small bite. Once the soft, sticky glutinous rice skin broke, the rich sesame filling flowed out. It was hot, fragrant, and thick, so delicious it felt as though he could swallow his own tongue.

He had never eaten anything so good.

Ji Ruxue had always been a man who knew how to adapt to circumstances, and he never wasted food. After finishing the rice balls, he even drank the fermented rice soup before handing the empty bowl to Lin Ruoxuan. “Thank you,” he murmured.

“Your Highness, there is no need to be so polite.” Lin Ruoxuan breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Ji Ruxue was willing to eat what he made, it meant he had taken the first step.

After the meal, Lin Ruoxuan remembered another issue. He had thought of a barely plausible excuse for his medical knowledge and personality shift, but how should he tell Ji Ruxue? If he brought it up too suddenly, would it seem too deliberate?

Just then, Ji Ruxue touched the bandage on his calf and asked slowly, “Did you set my bone, Chief Eunuch?”

“This…” Lin Ruoxuan blinked, suddenly realizing this was the perfect opportunity for an explanation.

Ji Ruxue narrowed his eyes. “What are you thinking about, Chief Eunuch?”

Lin Ruoxuan racked his brain to recall the excuse he had prepared. “Your Highness, you may not know this, but my father was a traveling physician. When I was young, I followed him and learned some medical skills for a time.”

Ji Ruxue nodded thoughtfully. “So, your father was a doctor.”

“Indeed.” Lin Ruoxuan sighed pretentiously. “When I was resting next door yesterday, I dreamt of my father. He wept and told me that the most important thing for a healer is to have a compassionate heart. When I woke up in a fright, I recalled how I had let myself go over the years because of my incomplete body, committing all sorts of disgraceful acts. I felt filled with regret.”

Ji Ruxue twitched his mouth slightly. “Is that so?”

Lin Ruoxuan put on a grave and remorseful expression. “It is! I felt as though I had been shaken awake from a dream. I hurried next door to treat Your Highness. Looking at the scars on your body, I truly felt so much regret.”

He tried hard to squeeze out a few tears, but his acting skills were limited, and he could not produce any. He could only sigh long and hard.

“Oh, I see.” Ji Ruxue smiled faintly. “In truth, you were only following His Majesty’s decree to discipline me; it was just a bit too strict. You do not need to blame yourself too much.”

“Your Highness…” Lin Ruoxuan resisted the urge to cringe and forced himself to look moved.

Ji Ruxue paused, looking slightly embarrassed. “I misunderstood you yesterday. In my agitation, I hurt you with the scissors. I hope you will not take offense.”

Lin Ruoxuan was a bit shocked. If he did not have the script and know that the boy was a “Black Lotus,” he would have truly believed that pure, shy act.

Forget it, as long as he could bluff his way through, it was fine. The fact that the brat was willing to eat his food was a huge improvement. They had plenty of time.

Lin Ruoxuan suddenly remembered something. “By the way, it is time to change your dressing.”

At the mention of changing the dressing, Ji Ruxue’s body involuntarily tensed, though his expression remained unchanged. He forced himself to relax. Yesterday, while he was unconscious, this eunuch had stripped him completely to set his bones and apply ointment; he had no idea what disgusting things the eunuch might have done. Now that he was awake, did the eunuch still insist on doing this himself? Could he not just have a servant do it?

Lin Ruoxuan was already undoing his robes. “Please rest assured, Your Highness. It is just a bandage change.”

When those cold, slender fingertips undone his collar, Ji Ruxue trembled uncontrollably, his stomach churning. He endured the urge to vomit and did not pull away. He wanted to see exactly what this eunuch dog intended to do.

Lin Ruoxuan undressed Ji Ruxue’s upper body. As he meticulously applied the ointment, he examined the boy’s thin, small frame, feeling a pang of sorrow.

Perhaps due to long-term malnutrition, Ji Ruxue was severely underdeveloped. A fourteen-year-old boy should have been growing, but he was all skin and bones with no extra flesh. His fingernails and lower eyelids were also pale, indicating severe anemia.

Calcium deficiency, anemia, protein deficiency. No wonder in the original novel, Ji Ruxue remained short and thin as an adult. Combined with a crippled leg, it was no wonder he became psychologically twisted, envying and hating the tall, athletic protagonist to the point of peeling the man’s face off.

But now that he was here—as a doctor with a nutritionist’s certificate—nurturing a child’s body back to health was a piece of cake. As long as his body grew healthy, his mind would also become sunny, and he would grow into a bright, positive young man. The mission would be accomplished easily.

Lin Ruoxuan kneaded the boy’s arms and legs while happily fantasizing about the future. “Your Highness, you are far too thin. You must eat well and nourish yourself from now on.”

“Mm.” Ji Ruxue lowered his eyes, enduring the nausea and letting those cold hands knead his body.

Indeed, no matter how kind he acted or how sweet his words, the eunuch’s ultimate goal was still to do that disgusting thing. Now was not the right time; he must be patient for now. One day, he would peel this eunuch dog’s flesh off, piece by piece, and feed it to the dogs.

Those long, cold hands finished applying the ointment in a circular motion and slowly moved down toward the waistband of his trousers. Ji Ruxue clenched his teeth, his spine stiffening. However, the hands hesitated for a moment and then skipped over the trousers, moving on to change the bandage on his injured leg.

“Your Highness, I am changing the bandage now. Please, do not move.”

Ji Ruxue was startled, and his heart eased. What exactly does this eunuch want?

In reality, Lin Ruoxuan had already seen everything when he changed the dressing yesterday. As a doctor, he viewed the body simply as flesh and blood. But because Lin Wa’er had once tried to molest Ji Ruxue, the boy was understandably vigilant. When his hand had touched the waistband, the boy had clearly tensed up.

Even with such a deep, scheming mind, he is still just a child.

Lin Ruoxuan remembered there was a minor whip wound on the boy’s inner thigh. It was not severe and should heal on its own, so he decided to skip it to avoid any misunderstanding.

Lin Ruoxuan replaced the bandage and tied the snow-white cloth into a butterfly knot. He admired his handiwork, very satisfied with his craft. “Your Highness, we are done.”

Ji Ruxue was silent for a moment. “Thank you, Chief Eunuch Lin.”

Lin Ruoxuan waved his hand carelessly. “Do not mention it. However, this room is poorly positioned and gets no sunlight. It affects the absorption of calcium. I mean, it affects how the bone heals. If it does not knit properly, it will be a major problem later.”

Ji Ruxue frowned. “Is that so? Does sunlight affect bone healing?”

“Of course.” Lin Ruoxuan pondered for a moment, then slapped his thigh. “I have it! As long as we have that thing, Your Highness can go outside to get some sun every day.”

“What thing?”

“That is a secret. You will know in a few days.” Lin Ruoxuan smiled cunningly, purposely keeping him in suspense.

Ji Ruxue looked confused, but he did not press the issue.

Lin Ruoxuan thought happily, First a bowl of rice balls, then that thing—slowly closing the distance, winning the child’s trust, educating the young villain, and reaching the pinnacle of life. Ptooey! Completing the system mission.

He reminded him, “I will come to change your dressing every day. The whip wounds should heal in about ten days, but you must be careful with your leg. Do not get out of bed under any circumstances.”

“I understand,” Ji Ruxue nodded.

“Oh, one more thing.” Lin Ruoxuan called out, “Zhang Youde, bring everyone in the Cold Palace here.”

Within moments, Zhang Youde led seven or eight eunuchs into the room. They looked at each other, extremely nervous, wondering what this Eastern Depot chief wanted.

Lin Ruoxuan darkened his face and said coldly, “Listen closely. Regarding the cellar incident, each of you should have received twenty strokes of the cane. We are short-handed right now, so we will postpone the punishment. If anyone dares to show disrespect to His Highness again, do not blame me for being ruthless! Do you understand?”

“I… I understand,” Zhang Youde replied, his legs trembling like a sieve.

“We understand!” the eunuchs answered in unison.

Lin Ruoxuan nodded. “Zhang Youde, His Highness’s constitution is weak. I have found a nutritional recipe. I will dictate it, and you will write it down. Make sure the small kitchen follows it exactly every day. Do not make any mistakes.”

“Yes,” Zhang Youde replied quickly.

“For the first day, breakfast: a bowl of pork blood porridge, a steamed bun, two eggs, and an orange. Lunch: a bowl of rice, a dish of braised ribs, and a dish of stir-fried green vegetables.”

Zhang Youde took notes, his expression quite strange, though he dared not speak.

Lin Ruoxuan frowned. “What is it?”

“Chief Eunuch, we are in the Cold Palace, not like the other quarters. We have so many people, and our monthly allowance is only twelve taels total. This…” Zhang Youde looked distressed.

Lin Ruoxuan was speechless. Twelve taels?

The stack of banknotes he had found in the secret compartment yesterday amounted to nearly six hundred thousand taels. Yet, as the son of the former Empress and the primary charge of eight or nine eunuchs, their monthly allowance was only twelve taels.

It was too tragic.

As a former corporate slave and a penniless medical student, Lin Ruoxuan understood the taste of poverty well. He immediately felt a surge of pity for Ji Ruxue. It does not matter. Big Brother is rich now; I will cover you.

He reached into his waist pouch and pulled out a banknote. “Take this.”

“Chief Eunuch, this… this…” Zhang Youde’s eyes went wide. “Five hundred taels?!”

Sorry, that was the smallest denomination in the stack from yesterday.

Lin Ruoxuan said indifferently, “In the future, organize His Highness’s meals exactly as I dictated; do not compromise on the ingredients. Purchase new clothes, shoes, socks, quilts, and pillows, but keep them simple and warm—nothing too flashy or ostentatious. All of you should buy some new clothes and blankets for yourselves as well; it is an eyesore to look at you all.”

Using a mix of carrots and sticks was the only way to make these eunuchs serve Ji Ruxue properly. Plus, Ji Ruxue’s lifestyle could not be too flashy, or it would draw unwanted attention.

Zhang Youde clutched the banknote tightly and fell to his knees. “I thank the Chief Eunuch!”

All the eunuchs prostrated themselves. “We thank the Chief Eunuch!”

Tsk, tsk. Being a sugar daddy feels pretty good.

After indulging in the sugar daddy experience, Lin Ruoxuan looked back at Ji Ruxue and said softly, “If you ever need anything else, be it food or supplies, just tell them to get it for you.”

Ji Ruxue examined Lin Ruoxuan with pitch-black eyes, full of thick suspicion, but he quickly lowered his gaze and nodded lightly. “You are very thoughtful, Chief Eunuch Lin.”

Truly the ultimate villain. Look at that demeanor, that acting. He is destined for big things! Lin Ruoxuan mused. He gave a few more instructions, and seeing that it was getting late, he took his leave.

In the evening, at the Manufacturing Bureau in Jingshui Alley.

“Clang!” The hammer hit the nail with a crisp sound.

Several young craftsmen stood outside the door, stealing glances and whispering.

“Chief Eunuch Lin has been here in person every day for the past few days. What does he want?”

“Who knows what the Eastern Depot is up to?”

“It seems he is having Master Li build something?”

“Is it a wheelchair? But it does not quite look like one.”

Master Li wiped his sweat and gave an honest smile. “Chief Eunuch Lin, do you think this works?”

Lin Ruoxuan rubbed his aching temples. “Master Li, there is still a problem. Let me explain, the wheels of this wheelchair.”

Master Li listened, looking confused, while Lin Ruoxuan explained until his throat was dry. To build a wheelchair that met modern ergonomic standards, he had to change Ji Ruxue’s dressing every afternoon and then work overtime here every evening. It was not easy!

Just then, a surprised voice called out, “Chief Eunuch Lin?”

Lin Ruoxuan looked up to see a young man in his twenties. He was dressed in magnificent robes and was quite handsome, but his pale complexion and the dark circles under his eyes hinted at excessive debauchery.

System alert: Lu Heng, the Crown Prince’s study companion and son of the Minister of Rites.

Oh, a spoiled rich kid.

Lin Ruoxuan muttered internally and cupped his hands. “Young Master Lu.”

Lu Heng smiled. “How do you have the time to come here, Chief Eunuch?”

Before Lin Ruoxuan could answer, Master Li explained, “Young Master Lu, Chief Eunuch Lin is teaching me how to build a wheelchair for the Fourth Prince.”

“A wheelchair? Ji Ruxue… is the Fourth Prince crippled? Oh, haha!” Lu Heng gloated.

Lin Ruoxuan felt a wave of disgust. “It is just a fracture; he will recover after some rest.”

Lu Heng raised an eyebrow, not lingering on the topic, and turned to Master Li. “How is that cage I ordered?”

“It is finished,” Master Li said.

He walked into the back room and laboriously pushed out a huge, pitch-black iron cage, standing half the height of a man.

Lu Heng walked up and tapped it gently. “Is it sturdy? The Crown Prince’s ‘Black General’ has already eaten two people this month. If the cage fails, be careful, or the Crown Prince might throw you inside instead.”

Master Li patted his chest. “Guaranteed sturdy!”

Lin Ruoxuan looked at the giant iron cage, slightly puzzled. “What ‘Black General’?”

Lu Heng smiled and patted the cage. “You haven’t seen the Crown Prince’s ‘Black General’ yet, Chief Eunuch? It is a Tibetan Mastiff given as tribute by the King of Northern Tibet. His Majesty loves the Crown Prince and bestowed it upon the Eastern Palace. That Mastiff is fierce; it has already eaten two servants, but the Crown Prince likes it very much.”

Lin Ruoxuan frowned. “Such a vicious dog should be killed.”

“Hehe,” Lu Heng chuckled, clearly disagreeing.

Then, his eyes darted around, and he lowered his voice. “Chief Eunuch Lin, the Crown Prince has always admired you. He is hosting a ‘General’s Feast’ at the Eastern Palace on the fifteenth of this month. Are you free to attend?”