PQE Chapter 7

When Fu Chen and his companions arrived, the courtyard was already filled with people, all standing in an orderly manner, holding their breath and lowering their heads.

Influenced by this atmosphere, they joined the queue, and Fu Chen quietly observed through the crowd.

Li Xiangying stood at the forefront. The other chief eunuchs had not yet arrived, and Fu Chen did not see their Master, Mu Ruida. Either he was still on duty or he had tacitly acknowledged Li Xiangying as the main executor for today.

Through the corridor, several soldiers specializing in punishment came, carrying instruments of torture. The crowd made way, creating a sense of disorder.

Fu Chen tore open the inner lining of his chest and took out the silver he had saved, discreetly approaching Li Xiangying.

Wang Fugui, standing beside him, saw Fu Chen’s actions but was too late to stop him.

He knew that this savings was what Fu Chen had accumulated over the past three years for his parents back home.

In the Jin Dynasty, eunuchs without rank received a salary equivalent to that of a fourth-rank eunuch, with a monthly silver of one tael, one dou of rice, and three hundred wen of copper coins. Over the past three years, Fu Chen had saved some money after deducting expenses for filial piety, illness, and various bribes, but today, all of it would be spent.

Li Xiangying did not have a bad impression of the little eunuch who had opened the door for him last night. “What, do you also want to try the taste of bamboo shoots and meat?”

“Master Li, please don’t scare me. I’ve been timid since I was a child.” Fu Chen quickly made an appropriate expression. As a former psychologist, he knew better than most when to make what expression to make the other person accept him more quickly. It was a subtle influence.

Seeing Fu Chen’s pale face and eyes full of fear, Li Xiangying’s expression softened slightly. “Speak, what do you want from me?”

“Master Li, could you show mercy? This is my tribute to you.” Almost as soon as he saw Li Xiangying supervising the punishment, Fu Chen guessed that today’s incident involving Chen Zuoren was designed by this eunuch. It was a bloodless move that not only got him noticed by Concubine Qi but also made the other little eunuchs think that it was Chen Zuoren, who was ordered to deliver lychees, who had harmed them all. After receiving the punishment, the blame would naturally fall on Chen Zuoren. Now, supervising the punishment in front of all the eunuchs further demonstrated who was in charge of the prison courtyard, achieving multiple goals.

Li Xiangying, seeing how perceptive Fu Chen was, smiled and accepted the tribute.

Most eunuchs loved money. They have no roots and no ties, only silver could provide them with enough security, both spiritually and materially.

Originally, among the few little eunuchs who went yesterday, he had not planned to spare Chen Zuoren and Fu Chen, the two leaders. But later, he thought that this little eunuch, Fu Chen, was usually clever, pleasant to look at, and articulate. Most importantly, he had never spoken disrespectfully to him and was always very respectful. Such a sensible and not stupid little eunuch, he had the intention to take him under his wing, so he did not send Fu Chen to Concubine Qi.

“That board…”

“Go back to your place. Is this something you should be asking?” Li Xiangying glanced at Fu Chen. “Do you know why I spared you?”

Fu Chen’s heart skipped a beat. “Please enlighten me, Master Li.”

“I like your unpretentious manner, knowing what to say and what not to say.”

“All thanks to your guidance, Master.”

“Get lost and learn how to speak nicely.”

“Are you crazy? You saved up so hard for your parents!” Wang Fugui scolded in a low voice as Fu Chen returned to the queue.

“Money can be saved again, but life is only once.” Fu Chen knew what he was doing.

But the scene that broke Fu Chen’s heart still happened. The soldiers who carried out the punishment usually judged the severity of the punishment by the supervising eunuch’s foot position.

If the feet were apart, it meant inflicting some flesh wounds, not real hits. If the feet were together, it meant no mercy, hitting to death.

And Li Xiangying had no intention of sparing these people’s lives.

The punishment board was made to ancient specifications, five feet long and six inches wide, made of green bamboo. Chen Zuoren and others were brought up, and in the palace, corporal punishment required the removal of pants, which was more humiliating than the punishment itself. In the previous dynasty, palace people had committed suicide out of shame, leading to the collective punishment of their families outside the palace.

So as long as there were attachments, even suicide was not allowed.

The board came down, and the sound of bamboo hitting flesh made the heart tremble.

Cries of pain filled the air, and the shrill sounds would give everyone here nightmares for months.

They had to shout, “Thank you, master, for the reward. The servant knows his mistake!”

If they didn’t shout this, it meant the punished person was not convinced, and the punishment would be heavier.

If Li Xiangying wanted to achieve a deterrent effect, it worked very well.

Many little eunuchs around could not bear the bloody scene. The screams seemed to reflect their own fate. Fu Chen suddenly felt a warmth in his arms. It was the shivering Ji Ke, a child just over six years old. In modern times, he could have a warm home, act willfully, and be a mischievous child, but here he didn’t even dare to cry out loud.

In this early summer season, the two of them huddled together tightly, as if it could make them warmer.

“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, it’s okay…” Fu Chen whispered, trembling as he covered Ji Ke’s eyes.

It was unclear whether these words were to comfort himself or the child in his arms. This was also the first time Fu Chen felt an unparalleled desire for power.

The punishment ended, but the screams continued to echo in his mind like an illusion.

Li Xiangying went to report to Concubine Qi, and the soldiers who carried out the punishment also left. Only then did Fu Chen and the others seem to come to life. Chen Zuoren, due to the severe pain and shouting, had a bloody mouth, and his lower body was even more unbearable to look at. He rolled off the punishment board onto the ground, crawling towards Fu Chen with his elbows, leaving two trails of blood.

Fu Chen stumbled over, gently holding Chen Zuoren, but even this gentle action made Chen Zuoren suffer immensely.

“Chen, Chen…” Chen Zuoren’s face was ashen, his breath weak, completely devoid of the vitality and curses of the day.

“I’m here!” Tears welled up in Fu Chen’s eyes.

He remembered the first day he entered the palace, meeting Chen Zuoren, who had been sold into the palace by his parents. Unlike Fu Chen, Chen Zuoren cursed and swore all the way, saying he would one day become a person of high status, making those who abandoned him regret it. He wanted to live in a palace, serve noble masters, and after being released by the court, buy two bowls of soy milk for Fu Chen, drink one, and pour one. He would warm Fu Chen when he was frozen in winter, demand medicine from the imperial hospital when Fu Chen was feverish, and sneak some midnight snacks for Fu Chen after fire inspections. This person always had a sharp tongue but a straightforward and soft heart.

“He lied about the time… I was framed…”

“I know…” Tears filled Fu Chen’s eyes, hot tears dripping onto Chen Zuoren’s face.

“Don’t cry… it’s ugly.” He reached out, touching Fu Chen’s face, as if cherishing its warmth.

“It will be okay. I will heal you. Don’t forget you promised to buy me soy milk. We agreed!”

“It’s no use…” Chen Zuoren’s eyes gradually dimmed, lifeless, reflecting no light. He tightly held Fu Chen’s hand. “Promise me, live well for me.”

“…Okay.” Fu Chen’s lips were bitten, the taste of iron filling his mouth, but he felt nothing. He couldn’t even hear the crying around him.

“My silver is at the bottom of the second cabinet, all for you.” Chen Zuoren’s voice grew weaker. 

“Eat candied haws for me… I’ve never seen them, really want to eat…”

“…Okay! Stop talking…”

“I heard the Jin Dynasty is vast, with deserts, mountains, and waterfalls. It must be beautiful… I want to see it…Please do it for me…” Chen Zuoren knew he had to speak now or it would be too late.

“Okay, okay!” Fu Chen’s voice was hoarse, his chest feeling like a thousand-pound stone was pressing on it. His tears flowed more and more, sliding down his face, continuously falling. “I promise everything!”

The hot tears fell on Chen Zuoren’s face and neck. He smiled, blood at the corners of his mouth like red plum blossoms in the snow.

Someone in this world still cares about him. This life was not in vain.

“One last request, Chenzi, give me a quick death, it hurts so much…”

This was Chen Zuoren’s last request. He was in unbearable pain, his lower body almost completely broken, bones and flesh a mess of red and white.

These words were a heavy hammer, shattering Fu Chen’s expression. “I can’t do it…” How could he bear to do it?

His choked voice sounded as if something was stuck in his throat, rough and muffled. He covered his eyes with his hands, and tears seeped through his fingers.

“Please, Chenzi, please…” Wang Fugui gritted his teeth and knocked Chen Zuoren unconscious. Chen Zuoren’s hand slipped weakly from Fu Chen’s grasp.

Fu Chen’s shoulder was gripped by Wang Fugui, but through his tears, there was a hint of determination. “Chenzi, you can’t do this.”

A friend who was about to leave and one who was still alive—naturally, the latter should be saved.

If Fu Chen handled it, he would be implicated as well. Both suicide and homicide were crimes here, and no one would ask for the reasons.

The execution soldiers appeared, and Fu Chen wiped the moisture from his face. “Fugui, do you have any silver on you?”

“You don’t mean to…” Wang Fugui knew from Fu Chen’s expression.

Despite Fu Chen’s usual quiet demeanor, he was the most loyal. Wang Fugui sighed.

“Your nature will be your downfall someday.” He stuffed the silver into Fu Chen’s hand. “I’ll lend it to you.”

“Thanks.” When the soldiers were about to drag Chen Zuoren away, Fu Chen stopped them. 

“Wait, where are you taking him?”

“To the morgue, of course.”

“But he’s not dead yet!” a young eunuch exclaimed.

The soldiers looked impatient. Doing this kind of work every day had long worn away their compassion.

Chen Zuoren had already fainted from the soldiers’ actions, barely breathing.

The soldiers suddenly noticed something unusual behind them. Turning around, they saw a delicate young man kneeling on the ground, his face blurred with tears, but his bright eyes were unmistakable. His calm voice was soothing, “Please, sir, give him his final dignity and let him leave with his body intact.”

Many people knelt down. Fu Chen handed over the silver. “Gentlemen, I hope you will allow me to accompany him.”

The soldier weighed the silver in his hand, satisfied, and smirked. “Strange things happen every year, and we’re not afraid of bad luck.”

Another soldier came down the corridor, and Fu Chen vaguely saw the hem of Li Xiangying’s robe, his heart sinking.

“The Empress is pregnant today, and we must avoid any clashes. He must not die until after midnight.”

This meant that even though he wouldn’t survive the hour, they would do everything to make him last until the designated time, making his final moments worse than death. This was a punishment more terrifying than execution.

Fu Chen felt the world spinning around him.