"Pffft..." His majesty tried his best not to laugh. His identity is revealed to this beau so he has to maintain his composure. Seeing this, Xu Zhengming caught this and can't help but frown. "The concubines truly believed that you, a mere little eunuch, could seduce me? Ridiculous!" The emperor's voice still has a trace of suppressed laughter.

"Would I be able to seduce his majesty if I am older then?" Xu Zhengming let out a rhetorical question with a displeased tone. Rude as it seems, luckily, the emperor didn't bother to give it much of a thought and changed the subject.

"But what I found more... 'amusing' is that..." He clearly emphasized the word 'amusing'. It's more like the emperor used the word instead of "funny" to spare the little eunuch's face. "You didn't know that your rod will be removed to set your journey to become a eunuch? Pfft... Hahahaha."

The emperor couldn't hold it any further and laughed out loud. Xu Zhengming's face turned red out of embarrassment. Good thing, the dim light in the emperor's talisman can't make it obvious.

"But why is it that there's such rule existed? Can't we do our job with it?" Xu Zhengming asked in an annoyed tone.

Though it was just an offhanded question, still the emperor answered. "Of course, there are numerous royal concubines and consorts in the palace. If you don't know what I mean, you're dumb and stupid."

Xu Zhengming can't help but drown in vast confusion. Just earlier this day, the emperor that he bumped onto looks gentle, poised, and kind. But this one here who is currently holding his wrist is rude, uncollected, and ruthless. Is he bipolar or he is only showing his true colors?

"Your majesty, please spare me. If you let me go, I promise you will never see my face ever again." He pleaded.

"After you harassed me, you'll just flee and will not show yourself again? You won't take responsibility?" The emperor gave him a mischievous smile. His words and his smile made Xu Zhengming's hairs on his nape stand.

Why does he make it sound like he's been taken advantage of?

"This lowly one doesn't mean to be rude nor offend his majesty but..." He hesitated for a while but ended up spilling his thoughts anyway. "Wasn't it his majesty who kissed me first?"

The emperor's eyes turned cold and speaks in a serious manner, "I didn't. My hands were full with your wrists and you won't stop spouting nonsense. What will you do if someone found out I am not in the palace?"

So the emperor sneaks out of his house? Xu Zhengming's lips slowly curve upwards and formed a grin. "If your majesty will let me go, I will not speak of the matter to anyone."

Xu Zhengming knows very well that this is very risky and he's just gambling. However, things went down to this so what's the harm of taking one more risk? His grip on the little eunuch's wrist tightens. Xu Zhengming's lips parted with the pain yet no sound was created.

"I cannot assure that. Be a eunuch who serves directly under me." The emperor looks straight into his eyes. "I'll make sure you won't lose anything. How was that?"

Now that he thinks about it, it wasn't a big deal. He wants to be a eunuch in the first place after all. It's just he doesn't like how the initiation goes.

Of course, Xu Zhengming thought of the possible hindrances regarding the matter. "Wouldn't it raise issues, your majesty?"

The emperor answered with an indifferent tone. "If I said the cow in the field is a goat, then it would be written in the books as a goat. If you don't know what I mean, you're dumb and stupid."

Xu Zhengming somehow finds the last sentence annoying. He actually used it to him twice! But he realized that his majesty seems to trust him. Of all, people, the great Xu Zhengming, a loyal customer to not only one brothel, is trusted to be on the same ground as the royal concubines and consorts without being castrated. This emperor surely trusts strangers easily.

"I believe this matter is settled." The emperor suddenly holds Xu Zhengming in the waist with both hands and lifts him up, carrying him like a sack of rice.

"Y-your majesty!"

"Don't yell, or we will be discovered. Don't move too much. If you fall it isn't my fault anymore." The emperor warned before he hops on the wall then to the eves of the roof.

As they hop from one roof to the other, Xu Zhengming tried to shut his mouth and grabs on the emperor's disguise. This skill that the emperor possessed won't surprise the little eunuch. It was said that in his teenage years, his majesty stayed in a cultivation sect and cultivated as the sect head disciple.

It didn't take them long to arrive at the palace.

The emperor's steps are quiet and literally, no one noticed their presence. They entered the emperor's hall through its huge circular window. The hall is dark and quiet. Only the moonlight served as their light.

"You're late."

The emperor and the little eunuch flinched in surprise when suddenly a low voice that belongs to a woman seems to echo in the entire room.

The lady continues to speak, "Do you have any idea how long did we wait for you?"

"Hahaha... really? I didn't notice how late it is." The emperor faked a laugh.

The lady opened her fan and covered the lower part of the face. Her guards up and ready to sneak an attack any time. She asked, "Who is that person you brought with you?"

"Ah, calm down, Xiulan. This eunuch will be serving directly under me." The emperor let Xu Zhengming down to stand on his feet.

Xu Zhengming heard the emperor called her name. He looks at her eyes. They are similar to the emperor's. So this is her highness the first princess.

Princess Yin Xiulan, the emperor's twin sister and the minister of both Ministry of War and Defense, and Ministry of Justice. The tactician behind the countless victories in wars against the other kingdoms. She's the only female member of the royal family who has such authority and political power. The most powerful woman in the palace next to the grand empress dowager. They often refer to her as the Princess General. The princess general was also once a cultivator. She and the emperor went to the same cultivation sect at the same time, and so, her fighting skills are not inferior to his majesty and not to be underestimated.

"Hmm? I can't recall assigning one to you. Selecting your personal servants isn't included in your scope. By tomorrow, I'll personally select one." She closes her fan and lets her guard relax a little. Her face resembles the emperor so much. If they let their long hairs down, one might get confused about who is who.

"No need. No need. You know what? You think of things too much. This man is good." The emperor taps Xu Zhengming's shoulder.

The princess looked at him for a while with a cold stare before letting out a sigh. "It's already this late, we will discuss tomorrow first thing in the morning." She waved her hand as she walks out of the hall.

"Aiyah, did she just waited here just to nag at me?" The emperor mumbled to himself.

Xu Zhengming, "It seems her highness doesn't want me to be your personal servant, your majesty."

"Psh, she's always like that. It's like her day isn't complete if she won't contradict me. In any case, you can't escape from me just like that." The emperor gestured as if he's giving the other a sign to get the hell out of the hall. "For now, you may go to the servants' quarters."

"..." Xu Zhengming didn't utter a single word. The emperor was about to leave the hall too but he noticed that his eunuch is just standing where he let him down and is quiet.

"Did you hear me? I said you may now go."

"Your majesty, the thing is..." He paused. "Where is the servants' quarter?" He smiled bashfully. Since it's his first day in the palace, he really doesn't know where is where. Though he studied here for years as a scholar, he's only bound to the royal academy which is just nearby the gates. He didn't dare nor bothered to stroll around the palace back then.

This made the emperor's sword-like eyebrows knit. "You don't know?"

"Today is my first day for my job. And... and I run away from the royal infirmary before those eunuchs could orient me about the palace."

"Aish, are you telling me to personally lead you the way?" The emperor's tone has a hint of annoyance.

"His majesty doesn't have to. Just tell me the way."

"Hmm... since you are new here, I guess you don't have a room assigned to you yet." The emperor robs his cheek with his palm. "Consider yourself as fortunate."