Chapter 1

With a “click,” the threshold, long devoured by insects, finally gave way.

Xi Bao looked up to see Mrs. Liu at the door, teetering as if she might fall, much like the egg-shell painted tumbler toys seen at the New Year’s temple fair. It was amusing, yet she couldn’t bring herself to laugh. Her lips drooped heavily as she resolved to finally rid herself of her “dear sister-in-law’s” scheme to sell her off as a concubine to a wealthy family.

In Xi Bao’s view, the matchmakers and pimps of ancient times were all the same, willing to push someone into a kang bed for a bit of profit. It was her misfortune that, upon traveling through time, she found herself without parents, left only with a miserly brother and sister-in-law who seemed to see the world through copper coins.

Her brother, Sun Ergou, was a greedy, gambling street thug, and her sister-in-law, Liu, was naturally lazy. For two years, they had treated her like a beast of burden. Recently, Sun Ergou had become embroiled in a major gambling scandal, and with debt collectors looming, they turned their sights on her.

When Xi Bao first arrived, she was concerned about the original owner’s overly pretty appearance. In a feudal society, being too pretty was not advantageous, especially with such a black-hearted brother and sister-in-law. And now, they were plotting to sell her to pay off gambling debts.

She had lost count of how many matchmakers had come and gone, all chased away by Xi Bao.

Her sister-in-law, Liu, smiled as she stepped forward to support Granny Liu Ma, saying, “Third Aunt, you’re here early.”

Once steady, Mrs. Liu Ma glanced down at the shattered threshold with disdain and remarked, “Once you secure the engagement, you should repair this broken house.” With that, she entered the dimly lit room.

The room was dark. Xi Bao sat on the kang, mending clothes by the light of an oil lamp, not bothering to look up. Initially, she had been respectful to Liu. As the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” No matter how modern a woman she was, in such a society, she had to accept her fate. It wasn’t worth opposing the entire world, right? So she took on all the housework. It wasn’t difficult and was easy to manage. But when Sun Ergou and his wife tried to ruin her life for a bit of money, she couldn’t help but turn against them.

“What do you want as a betrothal gift? Isn’t there a law against selling people in this world?” Xi Bao put down her sewing basket, sat up straight, and looked at Liu.

Liu opened her mouth to curse but remembered her third aunt Liu Ma’s advice: if her sister-in-law truly won the favor of some master, she might file a lawsuit in the future. So she held back, forcing a smile as flat as a pancake: “What nonsense are you talking about? I’ve worked hard to find a way for you to marry into a rich family, and now it seems like I’m selling you out? I advise you not to be stubborn. There are many young and beautiful girls. There are only two wealthy families in our town. Why are you unhappy?”

Seeing Xi Bao remain silent, Liu began to play the victim: “He’s your own brother. Don’t you feel bad when the debt collectors beat him up?”

Feel bad? Xi Bao wished Sun Ergou would be beaten to death. She looked coldly at Liu, who was spitting everywhere, seemingly eager to hear what else the woman had to say.

“Beating your brother is secondary. When the time comes, if our family can’t repay the money, those moneylenders will kidnap you and sell you to brothels…tsk tsk!” Liu looked at Xi Bao meaningfully: “By then, no one will want you as a concubine, and you’ll only be able to stay there to earn some money…” Liu realized her words were too harsh and feared Xi Bao’s anger. Seeing Xi Bao’s furious expression, she wisely shut her mouth.

Xi Bao wasn’t afraid of debt collectors coming to her door. She had endured enough of the miserable life of working like a slave for free, being beaten and scolded. She had already heard that a wealthy family in the capital was recruiting maids. She planned to find a job, save enough money, and buy a small shop. It would be better than staying in this house and being sold.

Liu’s unpleasant talk about making money didn’t hold Xi Bao back: “If you really need money, sister-in-law, clean yourself up and go work as a secret agent! Not only have you squandered all the dowry my parents left for me, but you even dare to think of exchanging me for money? I advise you to give up this idea as soon as possible. If you push me into a corner, I’ll just die, and when I die, I’ll make sure to take my brother and sister-in-law with me to the underworld. As a family, we should be together!”

She was still holding back. If she truly unleashed all her skills to curse someone without resorting to vulgarity, she feared that Liu would be struck down on the spot. After expressing her thoughts, Xi Bao felt a bit lighter, yet a sense of grievance lingered. She thought of her parents, who lived a thousand years later, and the leisurely days she had spent at home. The new drama she was following would conclude in just two episodes, but it was a pity she would never discover the identity of the murderer.

To mediate the quarrel, Ma Po Liu, the matchmaker, interjected, “Why should the relationship between aunt and sister-in-law be damaged? My second niece, you should also be willing to get married.” She believed that if she could explain to Xi Bao how rich and prosperous Mr. Yuan’s life was, Xi Bao, coming from a humble background and having never seen the world, would be tempted. A girl with such a temper needed to be soothed. Ma Po Liu had been in the matchmaking business for decades and was quite experienced in handling such situations.

Mrs. Liu Ma smiled and approached the kang, sitting down next to Xi Bao, scrutinizing her face in the dim yellow light.

“She’s truly beautiful, just… just…” Liu Ma Po struggled to find the right words. Unable to read, she relied on the same phrases to praise the girl’s looks, repeating them endlessly. Most of the time, she didn’t genuinely believe the girl was pretty; matchmakers often praised both sides. She dared not speak of the house and fields, which were too real. Instead, she focused on how lovely and gentle the girl was, and how strong and filial the boy was.

But this girl from the Sun family was indeed a rare beauty. Raised in a poor neighborhood, her skin was whiter and more delicate than that of many daughters from wealthy families. Her features—eyebrows, eyes, nose, and lips—resembled those of fairies in paintings, captivating anyone who looked upon her.

“Third Aunt is one of us; she won’t deceive you like other matchmakers. This Mr. Yuan has many girls from other families fawning over him, asking me to help them get together! But how could Third Aunt allow outsiders to take such a good opportunity? The Yuan family runs a cloth shop with several locations in the county. Moreover, this Mr. Yuan has only 21 concubines and never remarried after his wife passed away. You are young and beautiful, and if you are willing to bear him a healthy son, it’s not impossible for you to become his wife in the future… I heard from your sister-in-law that you excel in everything except for being a bit greedy? You know how fine the food is in the Yuan family, right? They enjoy sweets and snacks every day!”

Xi Bao rolled her eyes. She was indeed greedy, but she wouldn’t sell herself for mere snacks. Not to mention the twenty-first concubine surnamed Yuan, who was old enough to be her great-grandfather. Suddenly, Xi Bao stood up, pointed at the door, and commanded Liu Ma Po, “Get out!”

Not only was Liu scolded, but seeing Xi Bao’s attitude towards her third aunt, Liu felt humiliated and was so enraged that she wanted to confront Xi Bao.

However, Ma Po Liu remained calm. She quickly pulled Liu out the door and whispered, “Who would want her if you scratch her face? Listen to me, first surrender and calm this wild girl down, then set a date with the Yuan family. Knock her unconscious and send her over. Are you really going to wait for her to agree? Such matters cannot be decided by a little girl like her.”

It was already dusk when Liu Fu finished his shift. He lowered his head and hurried out of the Siyuan Bureau. The autumn air was cool, but sweat dripped from his forehead. His hat was soaked, clinging uncomfortably to his head.

After leaving the palace, a carriage halted in front of him. The driver leaned out, smiling, “Sir, where are you going?”

Liu Fu turned his gaze towards the Imperial Household Department, feeling a sudden wave of fear. If he took the right step, a bright future awaited him; if he faltered, he could lose his life.

Seeing that the eunuch didn’t seem ready to leave, the driver cracked his whip, intending to seek other business. However, he hadn’t gone far when he heard the eunuch calling him back, prompting him to stop again.

“Let’s go to Xiangqing Hutong.” Liu Fu climbed into the carriage, wiping the sweat from his face with his sleeve.

He had no way out. After more than ten years in the palace, he was nearing thirty but remained just a small attendant in the Siyuan Bureau. He had no ambition for wealth or power; he merely wished to save enough money to avoid a miserable old age after leaving the palace. The Siyuan Bureau was responsible for purchasing fruits and vegetables, and while it wasn’t a cheap government office without benefits, he struggled to gain any of those benefits. From the eunuch in charge of the seal to the junior eunuchs and the chief eunuch, it was never the turn of the lowest-ranking eunuchs.

As for the lucrative job of delivering fruits and melons to the palace masters, that was even less likely. If they encountered a generous empress, the gifts she bestowed could cover the salaries of palace maids for half a year.

Liu Fu hadn’t been promoted in over ten years, not due to incompetence, but because he lacked connections. The old eunuch who had taken him under his wing made a grave mistake and was beaten to death shortly after Liu Fu entered the palace. He was fortunate not to be implicated, but he never established any other connections. Although eunuchs were cut off from descendants, they valued inheritance above all. The few jobs that became available were treated as hereditary. Without connections, one could only wait to remain a lowly eunuch until death.

In no time, they reached Xiangqing Hutong. Liu Fu handed the driver several times the fare, instructing him to forget about today’s events. He also ordered a crispy duck and two taels of Cang wine at the teahouse at the entrance of the hutong. He had always been frugal, so today was a rare indulgence. After savoring his meal, he made his way to the mansion deep within the hutong—the private residence of Meng Delai, the head of the East Factory.

“Please inform the two of you that Liu Fu from the Siyuan Bureau wishes to see the factory manager,” Liu Fu bowed to the gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper recognized his rank by his attire and didn’t even glance at him, responding sarcastically, “If there’s anything wrong, you should call the person in charge of your garden department. The factory manager is very busy. Does he need to personally see every little person who comes to the door?”

If such words were directed at an ordinary person, they would surely feel humiliated. However, a man who entered the palace and became a eunuch had already taken the most shameful path and had heard the most unpleasant remarks.

Liu Fu smiled, pulling out all his savings from his sleeves and handing them to the gatekeeper. “This is a serious matter; we cannot delay any longer.”

The gatekeeper felt a twinge of anxiety, fearing he would delay the factory master’s work, and also worried that the young eunuch would disturb the factory master for a trivial matter and face punishment. He hesitated to pass the message when a man in a brown official uniform and a small pointed hat emerged, seemingly aware of someone’s arrival. He appeared to be in his thirties. Liu Fu recognized him as a guard from the East Factory and hurriedly saluted.

“Follow me!” The man gestured for Liu Fu to follow, leading the way while Liu Fu walked behind, his head bowed and trembling.

Liu Fu had served in the palace for over ten years. Although he had not enjoyed many luxuries, he had witnessed many grand occasions. Even so, he was still awestruck by the layout and furnishings of Menggong’s private residence. The stone slabs in the garden were crafted from top-grade jade, polished to a mirror-like sheen.

“Wait here.” The East Factory man instructed Liu Fu to wait in the corridor. After a while, they returned to escort him. The two walked for what felt like an eternity, and Liu Fu nearly forgot the way out. Finally, the East Factory man brought him to a door and said, “Go in!”

With no way to retreat, Liu Fu felt a surge of courage, shaking off his earlier timidity. He licked his dry lips and stepped into the dimly lit room.

A strange fragrance filled the air. Liu Fu dared not look around; instead, he knelt on the ground and announced, “I am Liu Fu, the slave, and I greet the factory master.”

“I hear you have something to report in person?” Meng Delai’s voice came from behind a glass screen.

“Yao Xian, the son of Lord Yao, the Left Censor-in-Chief, died shortly after castration…” Liu Fu’s heart raced, and he broke into a sweat. He shouldn’t have known about this; he was merely a small eunuch in the Siyuan Bureau and had no connection to the cleansing room. However, while delivering something to the cleansing room that day, he had seen Yao Xian bleeding profusely, and the young man had died in less than half an incense stick of time.

Liu Fu was aware of the enmity between Lord Yao and the factory owner. Lord Yao had reported the factory owner’s son, Meng Guangshen, for embezzling military pay, leading to Meng Guangshen’s imprisonment. At that time, the factory owner was merely a thousand households of the East Factory, but his reputation for ruthlessness was well-known. The East Factory had no reach into the Ministry of Justice, and many prisoners suffered under its torture. Consequently, Meng Guangshen died under suspicious circumstances shortly after his imprisonment.

The factory master harbored a deep grudge against Yao Hezheng, the Left Censor-in-Chief, because Meng Guangshen was his only son before he was castrated and entered the palace. No matter how many adopted sons he had later, they could never replace his own blood. After gaining power, the factory master accused the Yao family of serious crimes. The emperor, considering the Yao family’s long history of service, only ordered their exile to southern Xinjiang.

Naturally, Meng Delai was dissatisfied with this outcome. He ordered his men to secretly capture Yao Hezheng’s only son, Yao Xian, before the Yao family departed. He intended to bring Yao Xian to the palace, both to avenge his son’s death by eliminating the Yao family’s lineage and to keep Yao Xian for future use.

Meng Delai had anticipated that Yao Xian’s frail body would not withstand torture, so he had no intention of allowing Yao Xian to live. He believed that once Yao Xian died, he could find a boy to take his place in the palace.

“It’s a relief for him that he died so quickly,” Meng Delai remarked, his voice as dark and strange as ever. After a moment, he emerged from behind the screen, donned in an outer robe, and sat in a chair in the outer room. He addressed Liu Fu, “How did you come to know about this? Do you know Yao Xian?” No matter how powerful he was, he would not dare to bring Yao Xian into the palace openly. How could this lowly eunuch know the identity of the deceased?

“I encountered him by chance while on duty. It was a coincidence that the emperor gifted the Yao family some items two years ago, including a box of seasonal fruits from the southeast. While carrying the gifts, I happened to see Master Yao,” Liu Fu explained honestly.

He felt a strange sense of fate. When he had met Master Yao years ago, he could never have imagined that this handsome young man would become his ally in rising through the ranks. If he hadn’t delivered those items to the Yao Mansion, if Master Yao hadn’t been so unforgettable, if he hadn’t gone to the cleansing room that day… Any one of those circumstances could have altered his fate.

“Why are you the only one speaking? Where are the others from the cleansing room?”

“The person who knew about it in the cleansing room fled, fearing accountability. I dared not speak out and came to report to the factory manager after my shift ended.”

“You are quite clever, unlike those useless ones.” Meng Delai recognized the young eunuch’s intelligence and continued, “Is Yao Xian still in the cleansing room?”

“I was afraid others would see, so I took it upon myself to bury the body in the backyard of the cleansing room.” Liu Fu gradually calmed down. The arrow had already been shot; he could not predict whether he would rise to wealth and power or meet his demise.

“Hmm~ you are quite courageous.” Meng Delai stood and quietly approached the desk, retrieving a piece of silk cloth and tossing it to Liu Fu, who remained kneeling. “Find a boy of similar age and appearance according to Yao Xian’s portrait to take his place! Do not use a knife, or he will die again.”

Meng Delai saw the appearance of this young eunuch as a golden opportunity. The East Factory could easily distance itself from this incident. Even if the emperor learned of it, they could blame it on this young eunuch named Liu Fu. They would simply claim that he sought to curry favor with the East Factory and acted recklessly. After all, the deep-seated animosity between him and Yao Hezheng was well-known throughout the capital.

As for the boy who would replace Yao Xian in the palace, it would be reasonable for him to have changed his appearance over the years. Meng Delai only wanted Yao Xian’s identity; it mattered little who bore that identity.

No surgery? Wouldn’t that mean he was a fake eunuch? Liu Fu felt a pang of worry but dared not voice his concerns. Instead, he replied, “I obey your order.”

Though Liu Fu accepted the order, he remained kneeling, hesitant. After a moment, he summoned the courage to say, “But I am only a sixth-rank attendant, and I lack funds. I fear it will be difficult to find someone…”

“You are quite courageous,” Meng Delai reiterated, his interest in the young eunuch growing. Now was the time to hire people, but unfortunately, most eunuchs had lost their ambitions. Those who were ambitious and brave were exceedingly rare. “After you leave, go to the warehouse to collect the silver. As for your promotion… return to ask for your reward after you complete the task. If you fail, do not expect to be promoted or to earn money. Just end it yourself!”

“Yes.” Liu Fu breathed a sigh of relief. Regardless of whether he could achieve promotion, at least his life was temporarily spared, and he would receive the money. Yet, he faced another dilemma. The factory owner had given him only three days. Where could he find someone to replace Yao Xian? He couldn’t make this public; if he dared to utter a word, the East Factory guards would come to his home and kill him without hesitation.

Liu Fu picked up the portrait and tucked it into his arms, then hunched over and made his way out.

With only one day left in the three-day deadline, Liu Fu, who had yet to find a replacement, regretted getting involved in this mess. Not only had he lost hope of promotion or wealth, but he also risked his life. In desperation, Liu Fu requested half a day off from the head of the Siyuan Bureau and went to the West Courtyard to find his old lover, seeking solace in drink.

When he was a little drunk, Liufu told the prostitute he was dating about this difficult matter, but he still had some rationality. He only said that he wanted to find a young man but couldn’t find one, but he didn’t say who he was.

The prostitute was also a little drunk. She leaned softly on Liufu’s shoulder and said with a smile, “Sixth Master, you are really confused. When it comes to finding people, the best matchmakers in the whole capital are those who do it. Especially those who have some qualifications. They have been walking the streets for decades. They can find out how many people there are in each family just by asking them.”

Liufu suddenly perked up, but as a eunuch, he had never dealt with matchmakers, so he could only ask his lover again: “Do you know anyone?”

The prostitute propped up her head and yawned lazily: “There is a woman named Liu Ma in Liushu Alley to the left of the West Courtyard. She knows everything about not only the capital, but also the surrounding villages.”

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Xibao secretly packed her bag while Liu was asleep, fearing that debt collectors might come to her house at any time, and she was afraid that she would be arrested and used to pay off her debts as Liu said. She had secretly saved some money in the past few years, less than two taels, but enough to pay for the trip to Beijing to find a job.

It was too dangerous to travel at night, and the government office had a curfew, prohibiting people from going out after the second watch. Xi Bao could only wait until dawn and leave quietly.

As a result, her bastard brother Sun Ergou, who had gone out to avoid debt, came back before dawn. Xibao heard the sound of someone frying pots and pans in the kitchen. After a while, a disgusting voice came from the kitchen: “Lazy woman! Get up quickly and cook some porridge for me.” This was calling Liu. Xibao hid the bag under the quilt, hid in her own small compartment and fell asleep uneasily.

I can’t leave for now. Xibao closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but her eyelids were twitching violently, as if something bad was about to happen.

After sleeping for a long time, Xi Bao found herself lying on a clean blue bed when she woke up. She was no longer in the cramped little room of the Sun family, but in a palace with carved beams and painted rafters. Her hands and feet felt like they had been tied up and just loosened, and she felt a little sore.

Liufu, who had just been promoted to the position of Supervisor, sat on a stool in front of the bed, blew the floating leaves in the teacup in his hand, chuckled and said, “Just be at ease in the palace in the future! I bought you into the palace to fill someone else’s position, and your little baby is still here. If this matter gets out, it will not be good for us. Remember it?” Liufu felt that his good luck had come. Not only did he find the person the factory owner wanted, but according to the Sun family, Sun Xibao was also a disabled person. Liufu observed through his clothes and found that what the Sun family said was true. What’s more rare is that Sun Xibao looks very similar to the son of the Yao family, both of them are beautiful.

Xi Bao opened her mouth and was speechless…Has she traveled through time again?

Seeing Xibao staring at him blankly with an idiotic look, Liufu said worriedly, “Maybe the medicine given by Mrs. Liu was too strong and made her stupid?” As Liufu spoke, he reached out to touch Xibao’s forehead. Xibao dodged as if he had been electrocuted and jumped back, avoiding Liufu’s hand and slamming heavily against the bed board behind him.

“Don’t be afraid.” Liu Fu was in a good mood after being promoted, and he was also very patient. “Your brother and sister-in-law sold you to the palace for two hundred taels, and from now on you will be called Yao Xi. However, all the eunuchs in the twelve prisons, four departments and eight bureaus were stabbed, and only you were not. Even though you are disabled, you should be careful when you act.”

Xi Bao barely understood. She was sold out by that bastard couple, and was sent to the palace to be a eunuch! ! ! !

The couple disguised her as a man and fooled the buyer, but if she was found to be a woman in the palace, she would die! ! ! ! Xi Bao only hated herself for being soft-hearted and not poisoning Sun Ergou and his wife with rat poison when she was working as a laborer in the kitchen.

“You should pretend to rest for a few days, and then report to the Siyuan Bureau. Someone has already taken care of the formalities.” Liufu was promoted to the Internal Affairs Bureau. He followed Meng Delai’s instructions and did not recognize Yao Xi as his godson. No matter how innocent this kid is, he is still Yao Xian’s skin, and his end will not be good. Meng Gonggong’s people got the news and would not accept Yao Xi, but he was handsome, and Zheng Dayun, the godson of Tang Gonggong, the seal holder of the Sili Bureau, was a lecher and would definitely fall for him.

It was only at this time that Liu Fu understood the purpose of Eunuch Meng’s efforts.