Chapter 53
Looking at how everybody flung their gazes over, Eunuch Sun only felt like thorns were stabbing at his back. This Minister Jing could’ve mentioned the consort selection at any other time, yet he insisted on mentioning it at this moment!
If you keep talking, maybe Third Prince really would misunderstand that he was receiving bribes from people behind his back!
When he thought of this possibility, Eunuch Sun immediately turned to Baili Jia Jue’s direction and looked over, as he ardently used his gaze to express his intent. Your Highness, you
absolutely must believe in me! I really am completely devoted to you, no second thoughts and will even accompany you until death! I’ve never received any minister’s…..cough, cough, even though I did receive some benefits once in awhile, but I also wouldn’t do it in your presence!
Baili Jia Jue only attended to himself drinking tea, and absolutely did not look at Eunuch Sun while casually playing with the porcelain white teacup with his fingertips, as if he understood the general idea.
Eunuch Sun turned around, almost reduced to tears! Boo hoo hoo, he was just given the cold shoulder by His Highness!
Standing next to him, Minister Jing, didn’t understand and furrowed his brows. What’s up with Eunuch Sun today? Ever since they entered the cafeteria, he’s been acting really strange…
Having missed the chance to attack, Helian Wei Wei just simply took the bamboo chopsticks that she was going to use and slowly put them back down. She wasn’t so stupid as to want to make a move in front of Minister Jing. Before entering the academy, the academy president had already stated very clearly. They might make trouble. But they’d better not get caught.
This Minister Jing ordinarily already looked down on students like them from the Inferior Compound, looking down at everyone in disdain.
It’s rare to see him with an affable attitude like today’s. This also makes it all the more clear that the old eunuch following by his side was not simple.
Wei Wei fiddled with the bamboo chopsticks in her hand. Actually, she’d already analyzed everything clearly.
Minister Jing was laughing on this side as he turned towards Helian Jiao Er and pointed with his hand while saying, “Hurry over to greet Eunuch Sun.”
Helian Jiao Er was quite proficient at making connections like this and promptly walked over with footsteps that swayed as delicately as a lotus flower, lightly smiled, and was going to open her mouth.
Eunuch Sun immediately exclaimed, “My goodness, Miss Jiao Er, you shouldn’t be like this. It just overwhelms me. In the matter of His Highness choosing a consort, how can those of us who are servants say anything.”
While he spoke on this side, he averted his gaze and turned towards Baili Jia Jue’s direction again and again to take a look at him.
Baili Jia Jue was just as before and didn’t look back at him. However, he finally changed posture and lazily leaned backwards a bit against the wooded table top.
Eunuch Sun’s heart jumped and couldn’t relax, totally wishing that he could kneel in front of his master at this instant and wrap himself around His Highness’ thigh as he wailed his heart out!
When it’s all said and done, he’s but an eunuch who had groped and crawled and rolled about within the palace for many years. He’s reached the highest level of proficiency in how to weigh somebody’s words and observe their expression. So he knew that if he walked over right now and revealed His Highness’ identity, he would die an even more miserable death compared to now!
Therefore, Eunuch Sun could only brace himself while he continued to deal with the
old one and a young one in front of him.
Helian Jiao Er wouldn’t believe that sort of excuse from him. A long time ago, she’d heard Grandfather say that in fact, these eunuchs within the palace truly did come from lowly backgrounds. However, they also couldn’t be looked down upon, especially this Eunuch Sun in front of her. A lot of the time, his words represented the opinions of the one from above. Clinging to him was the same as directly clinging to that Highness. That’s why she had to maintain a smiling and welcoming face. If not, how would an eunuch who couldn’t help her rise in power deserve this kind of treatment.
“Eunuch Sun is too modest. Within as well as outside of court, who doesn’t know of Eunuch Sun’s capability. A few days ago, I followed my grandfather into the palace and saw Eunuch Sun from afar. Eunuch Sun had been so capable at accompanying Third Prince, taking care of everything in serving him. In the future, if Jiao Er has the chance to enter the palace, I will also need to get eunuch’s advice when there’s something I don’t understand.” Helian Jiao Er spoke these words bashfully, her voice getting softer and softer from beginning to end while her cheeks turned red.
How could Eunuch Sun not understand her intention? Within this period of time, the Su family had presented to him no small amount of gifts. However, after all, he also was not an eunuch who just recently entered the palace. Which gifts could be accepted and which gifts should not be accepted, he did know clearly in his heart.
This Helian family’s second miss actually had pretty good looks. Her background and facial features were good enough, especially that pair of eyes which seemed to be brimming with tears.
If he polished her up maybe His Highness would like her style. He should just put in a bit of effort.
After all, who would be favored, or who wouldn’t be favored in the future was hard to say.
He refused those gifts nonstop, yet still accepted them in the end, to save himself from that time when he won’t be favored by anyone in the harem.
Of course, his doing these things had also always been done with his master in mind. If it was someone ugly, or who had a poor background, he wouldn’t even mention her to His Highness.
However!
These were all his thoughts prior to coming to the mess hall!
Right now, he only prayed that His Highness could consider and give credit to his many years of thoughtful and conscientious service, and have mercy on his old life!
Eunuch Sun’s hands trembled. He again turned towards Baili Jia Jue and glanced in his direction.
Helian Jiao Er saw that he didn’t talk, so she was a bit unhappy in her heart. She had already lowered herself so much to give this old thing face, and this old thing didn’t even open his mouth. What was the meaning of this!
“Eunuch Sun? What are you looking at?” Helian Jiao Er’s patience seemingly had run out. Seeing the old one focusing his attention at the table where Wei Wei’s group sat, her shapely eyebrows twisted, “Do you know that young man?”
“No! Not at all!” Eunuch Sun saw His Highness’ eyes instantly turn cold. The eunuch’s heart and liver trembled and he quickly gathered up a laugh, “It’s only that I felt as if I saw someone familiar, but after looking carefully, I then discovered that I’ve been mistaken. Oh my, this old pair of eyes has been getting blurrier and blurrier!”
Helian Jiao Er saw that the atmosphere had improved, so she also smiled in response,
“Precisely. You couldn’t possibly be acquainted with this young man. I also don’t know what’s going on with the academy this year, expending so much effort to recruit common people. Your eyes being mistaken here is normal.”
Eunuch Sun, after hearing these words, smiled even more unnaturally. This time, he didn’t even have anymore courage to glance at one of the ‘common people’. His palms overflowed with layer upon layers of sweat.
“Let us also go for a stroll around other places, it’s too noisy here.” Minister Jing’s pure white long sleeves moved as a smile was contained in the sound of his voice, “Please, Eunuch Sun.”
“Good!” Eunuch Sun immediately nodded his head, his appearance of wishing he could leave as early as possible made the others very puzzled.
How could they know, if they had continued talking, he’d probably really die without any trace of his remains!
Minister Jing also didn’t linger any longer, and only opened his mouth to call Helian Jiao Er, to have her accompany them.
After the honored guest left, the cafeteria then resumed its usual atmosphere.
Helian Mei coldly took a glance at Wei Wei, “There are some people, jeez, who always fail to estimate their own strength and preposterously want to compete with Second Sister. They don’t properly look at themselves in the mirror, thinking other people were like them, who only had eyes for Lord Murong. It’s fine now, Second Sister will become the Consort to Third Prince. A certain person can only become second hand goods after cancelling her engagement.” After speaking, she was busy covering her mouth, then raised her hand and lightly patted it twice, “Look at this mouth of mine. Oldest Sister, the one I talked about may not be you. However, as your younger sister, I still offer some words to sober you up. Even if no one wanted you, you still shouldn’t find a poor and pedantic young man to make do for yourself. Rather than that, it would be better for you to say a few soft words to Lord Murong. In any case, you’ve already said many things to him in the past anyways. It’s possible that Lord’s heart may soften, and will still forgive you. What do the rest of you think?”