Becoming Puppet Emperor of a Paranoid Eunuch - Chapter 102

Until Wu Jing finished his breakfast, Ning Qinghong had not yet returned. The attendants cleared the meal and prepared to take the Emperor to the Yangxin Hall.

 

The palanquin stopped outside the Yueji Palace.

 

When Wu Jing left, he made a special trip to the main hall and noticed that Ning Qinghong had not yet returned. The documents were still piled up, and the attendants didn’t seem to plan on moving them to the Yangxin Hall’s study. They would wait for Ning Qinghong to return and review them.

 

The attendant, Fuchen, who had been serving the Emperor recently, asked kindly, “Your Majesty, are you thinking of the Lord?”

 

Wu Jing was taken aback and quickened his pace to board the palanquin, pretending he had not heard anything.

 

Recently, Fuchen had been assigned to the Emperor’s side instead of following the Lord, both to show importance to outsiders and to reassure the Emperor.

 

He volunteered information about the Lord’s whereabouts, “The Lord hasn’t been attending court recently, and there are many matters piling up in the cabinet awaiting instructions.”

 

“Once the Lord meets with the Left Minister, he will need to return to the Yueji Palace to meet with the cabinet ministers to finalize things. The documents will also be handled then,” Fuchen said. “The Lord is adept at multitasking, so he will review the documents while listening to the cabinet’s debates.”

 

Fuchen then tactfully asked, “I hope Your Majesty doesn’t mind my saying too much.”

 

“Can’t I listen in from the side?”

 

Wu Jing asked instinctively.

 

Previously, if the Emperor had wanted to listen in while the Lord and the cabinet ministers discussed matters, Fuchen might have been shocked, worrying about the Emperor’s feelings and fearing the Lord’s anger. But now, Fuchen seemed numb and carefully replied, “Perhaps the Lord has other arrangements?”

 

Wu Jing rested his chin on his hand as the palanquin moved forward, swaying slightly, listening to Fuchen.

 

Fuchen smiled and said, “The Lord also sent a message, suggesting that Your Majesty rest in the Yangxin Hall and read some books, not to rush.”

 

Wu Jing nodded absentmindedly.

 

Upon arriving at the Yangxin Hall, which he hadn’t returned to for a while, the attendants had been replaced with those from the Imperial Guards, unlike when the Lord was absent. The palace maids had been replaced with eunuchs from the Internal Guards.

 

When Wu Jing got out of the palanquin, a eunuch approached Fuchen to whisper something. Soon after, Fuchen returned with a message, “The Lord said if Your Majesty is rested, you may go to the study to read.”

 

“He also said if Your Majesty doesn’t wish to, then you need not go.”

 

“You need not heed the Lord’s words too strictly.”

 

Wu Jing returned to his chambers, which he hadn’t seen for a while. The furnishings were as they were before, but since he and Ning Qinghong occasionally stayed outside the palace and sometimes returned, many items were still in the Yangxin Hall.

 

For example, among the porcelain items and rattles that Ning Qinghong had given him, only the two cloth tigers he liked the most had been moved to Ning’s residence.

 

Wu Jing had also kept the small stones he collected from the Imperial Garden in Ning Qinghong’s chess box. He picked out some particularly nice ones and put them in his pouch, which held his silver and gold ingots, intending to go to the study to read.

 

Although Ning Qinghong had told him to go if he wanted and not to go if he didn’t, he hadn’t studied for two or three days.

 

He thought of reading some books.

 

As Wu Jing approached the study, the palace attendants bowed and greeted him. He hurriedly pushed open the study’s door.

 

As soon as the door was opened, a loud voice exclaimed, “The old minister greets Your Majesty—”

 

The voice was old but commanding. The kneeling action before the young Emperor was solemn and respectful.

 

Wu Jing was startled and quickly looked around for an escape route. He swallowed hard and looked at the person kneeling on the ground, eventually recognizing that it was the Left Minister who had been helped down earlier.

 

He paused, surveying the surroundings.

 

Inside the study, there were palace attendants waiting, with some lifting curtains, others holding basins, and eunuchs standing by the screens, all with their heads bowed in silence.

 

Wu Jing felt a bit more at ease, realizing these were Ning Qinghong’s people, so he wasn’t as afraid.

 

He crouched down to help the old man up, asking, “Why are you here?” Then he hesitated and asked, “Is your health alright?”

 

The Left Minister cupped his hands and bowed, “Thank you for Your Majesty’s concern.” He said, “I came here on the command of—” pausing with a hint of humiliation and helplessness, sighing, “the Lord.”

 

“To impart the ways of an emperor to Your Majesty.”

 

Wu Jing didn’t immediately understand, “What?”

 

The Left Minister spoke earnestly, “Does Your Majesty wish to?”

 

Wu Jing was puzzled, especially since the Left Minister mentioned it was the Lord’s instruction, making it even less believable. He was confused and instinctively looked towards Fuchen, asking groggily, “Is this true?”

 

Fuchen replied honestly, “I also just learned that the Left Minister has been waiting in the study for a long time.”

 

Wu Jing felt slightly reassured but still skeptical. He looked at the attending palace servants and pointed to a gatekeeper eunuch, clumsily instructing, “You explain.”

 

The eunuch immediately knelt and replied, “Reporting to Your Majesty, the Left Minister arrived at the study in a palanquin about fifteen minutes ago. The attendants who came with him are indeed those serving the Lord. They said they were sent by the Lord’s command, and we did not dare question it, so we allowed them in.”

 

Wu Jing was still bewildered, “Is it really what he said?”

 

The Left Minister bowed again, “The old minister would not dare to deceive Your Majesty or speak falsely before you.” He spoke with sincerity, “I have ordered for past examination questions from the imperial examinations to be brought over. Using these questions as examples, along with my experiences in various reforms, changes in officials, and even changes in dynasties, I will teach Your Majesty the ways of ruling the country.”

 

“The court is complex and divided into two factions, but I will not withhold anything and will stand behind Your Majesty, teaching you the art of governance.”

 

“While the National Academy can teach the Four Books and Five Classics, which are meant for ministers, the art of ruling and balancing power is different. I have served as a tutor for the three princes during the previous emperor’s reign and have some knowledge of it.”

 

The Left Minister spoke at length, but Wu Jing was so dazed that he could be sure that if Ning Qinghong had truly sent the Left Minister, it certainly wasn’t with the intention of having someone else teach him these things.

 

Ning Qinghong could teach him these things himself.

 

Moreover, Wu Jing knew he wasn’t suited for learning this. Ning Qinghong wanted him to meet with ministers and get involved in court affairs as a form of preparation.

 

It was like when Ning Qinghong had asked him what he would do if one day Ning Qinghong was no longer around.

 

Ning Qinghong didn’t want him to become overly dependent on anyone, yet his actions continuously encouraged Wu Jing to rely on him with complete trust.

 

Perhaps Ning Qinghong wanted him to be more capable, but it wasn’t something that needed immediate urgency or forced learning.

 

So, it was even less likely that Ning Qinghong would suddenly send the Left Minister to teach him.

 

Wu Jing couldn’t make sense of what Ning Qinghong was thinking and didn’t understand what had been said between Ning Qinghong and the Left Minister. The Left Minister, who had previously cursed at the Lord, now humbly referred to him as “the Lord” and seemed to focus solely on this matter, diligently advising him.

 

His mind was in chaos. When he came back to his senses, he realized that everyone in the room had been so shocked by the Left Minister’s words that they had knelt down, including Fuchen.

 

The Left Minister continued to bow deeply, maintaining the posture, unmoving despite his old age.

 

Wu Jing held his breath, taking a few steps back in fear, wanting to escape and find Ning Qinghong, and hid behind someone.

 

But now, he had to face this head-on, swallowing hard, taking deep breaths, and helping the Left Minister up, “Please, sit down and speak.”

 

“You all may rise now. Please, stand up.”

 

Wu Jing and the Left Minister sat on opposite sides of the desk. After some hesitation, Wu Jing instructed Fuchen to dismiss everyone but kept him around for support, since he knew nothing about the Left Minister, but trusted Fuchen, who was Ning Qinghong’s man.

 

Wu Jing tentatively asked, “May I ask why you…” He searched for the right words, “are willing to…”

 

He couldn’t finish his question, not knowing how to continue or what to ask.

 

It was truly frustrating.

 

It was just like the last time he had been summoned to meet with court officials—sudden and without warning. This time was no different. Wu Jing complained silently, almost dazed.

 

Only when the Left Minister spoke did he somewhat regain his composure.

 

“Your Majesty may not know, but when the edict for appointing examiners was issued, I received it, but I had to appoint that Ning—” The Left Minister paused, “to take control of the Great Zhou.”

 

“I am already old. If I can prevent the imperial examination from being tainted by the influential families and select a group of capable people for the court before I die, it would fulfill my life’s work without regrets.”

 

“But now that Your Majesty has recovered, I cannot continue to watch you being constrained.”

 

The Left Minister’s words were filled with loyalty, clearly prepared to endure humiliation, teach Wu Jing the ways of an emperor, secretly hold power, and then deal with the treacherous eunuchs.

 

Wu Jing could see the Left Minister’s restrained expression. He was still confused and asked, “Then… why would he agree to let you come?”

 

The Left Minister hesitated, “It is indeed strange.” He continued, “That Ning—”

 

He swallowed the word “thief.”

 

The Left Minister added, “Gave me the opportunity to contact Your Majesty and has issued another edict to replace the chief examiner for next spring’s examination.” He spoke quietly, “This person is cautious and calculating. Your Majesty should be careful and not trust him easily.”

 

Although he didn’t curse, his hostility remained.

 

The edict indicated that the Left Minister’s faction was not to be pushed out to confront the influential families but was to be retained.

 

Wu Jing was bewildered and said, “I—I need to think about it.”

 

But Fuchen understood clearly. He was alarmed but maintained his composure in official matters, while privately reflecting.

 

After the Left Minister performed a prolonged bow and left, Fuchen immediately knelt down, “Your Majesty—”

 

Wu Jing was startled and carefully avoided the direction Fuchen was kneeling in. He asked, “W-what’s wrong?”

 

Fuchen said, “The Lord has sacrificed the lives of those in the Left Minister’s faction for Your Majesty.” He worried, “Your Majesty must not be swayed by these outsiders’ words and divide your focus from the Lord.”

 

“The Lord fears that if he becomes gravely ill, his own people might rebel, but the Left Minister’s faction can still protect you in the court.”

 

“To secure your position on the throne.”

 

This was quite absurd.

 

As long as Ning Qinghong was alive, his subordinates would not dare to disobey him. The real fear was… Fuchen didn’t dare to say more, especially about what might happen if Ning Qinghong’s own mental state became unpredictable.

 

The Emperor’s nature was simple, and he didn’t understand the schemes behind the scenes. Fuchen had to reveal this, “The Lord wants to keep the Left Minister so you can make use of his people.”

 

“Your Majesty must not disappoint the Lord’s earnest intentions and be easily swayed by others.”

 

“Though the Left Minister remains, he is a lingering threat. If he frequently whispers slander and disparages the Lord in Your Majesty’s ear, Your Majesty must be cautious…”

 

“Your Majesty—”

 

“Your Majesty…?”

 

Fuchen was still talking.

 

But Wu Jing couldn’t process any more. He was already unfamiliar with court matters and didn’t believe that Ning Qinghong would do such things.

 

He felt as if he were still dreaming, with each word sounding absurd and incredible.

 

But it was indeed real.

 

And it made him doubt endlessly,

 

Was it true?

 

Is it possible that—

 

There are sincere people other than just himself?