Chapter 7: The Coup Plan
“Little Dragon, not bad at all! I never expected your talent with poetry and couplets to be so formidable. You actually bested the leading scholar of Southern Liang to the point of spitting blood. Do you understand what that means?” Empress Luo Xi’s beautiful eyes fixed on Long Chen, examining him thoroughly, like a wolf sizing up a plump sheep.
Defeating Yu Shinan meant that Long Chen was now the foremost scholar in the world.
“It was just luck. I only know a little,” Long Chen replied, feeling some regret. His performance had been too impressive; now he’d aroused suspicion. After all, a beggar from the street, brought into the palace to be a eunuch—even if he came from a scholarly family—couldn’t possibly defeat the greatest scholar in the land so easily.
“Luck? That’s some extraordinary luck, don’t you think?”
“A little knowledge? Your ‘little’ seems rather much,” Xuan Yi and Qing Yue closed in on Long Chen from either side, both sporting mischievous grins.
Empress Luo Xi’s gaze bore into Long Chen, slowly sliding downward as she let out a cold laugh. “You said… you’re a man, so of course you can!”
Long Chen’s heart skipped a beat. He realized he’d slipped up and hurried to explain, “I was only recently made a eunuch. I haven’t adapted to my new role yet; I’m used to speaking that way.”
Empress Luo Xi rose and walked over to him, her long legs gliding forward until she brushed against him deliberately. Leaning close, her lips at his ear, she asked in a chill whisper, “Oh? Is that so?”
Her breath, carrying a faint fragrance, fell softly on his ear, sending shivers down his spine.
Damn it, this princess is too much!
“Your Highness, I swear it’s true,” Long Chen forced himself to remain composed.
Empress Luo Xi smiled faintly and returned to her couch, reclining gracefully with her beautiful legs exposed beneath her skirt.
Ah… those legs could entertain a man for years.
“Verify his body!” she suddenly ordered coldly.
She didn’t believe him; she would confirm it herself.
Before Long Chen could react, Xuan Yi and Qing Yue had already pinned him down.
After Empress Luo Xi rose from her couch and confirmed his status, she said, somewhat disappointed, “Truly a eunuch? Hmph, boring!”
Long Chen was bewildered. What did this fourth princess mean? Did she wish he were still a man? Was the inner palace truly so lonely?
Xuan Yi and Qing Yue handed him back his clothes, grinning. “Don’t take it to heart. It was the princess’s order. From now on, we’re all on the same side.”
“Little Dragon, you’re now the Chief Eunuch appointed by the Empress. Take good care of us and teach us poetry, won’t you?” Qing Yue added playfully.
Long Chen inwardly scoffed: What kind of people are these?
He dressed himself again and said, “As long as you two aren’t so rough with me in the future, that’s all I ask.”
Qing Yue giggled, “It was the princess’s order. We also suspected you were a fake eunuch.”
Empress Luo Xi lounged lazily on her couch, asking, “Little Dragon, you say you came from a scholarly family in Southern Liang. What was your original name?”
“My surname is Long, given name Cheng’en.”
“Long? In Southern Liang, only the General’s Mansion bears the Long name. Are you related to them?”
“The General is a great man. We wouldn’t dare claim kinship.”
“Long Cheng’en. A fine name, but what a pity—just a eunuch.”
As expected, the fourth princess Empress Luo Xi was intrigued.
“All right. Qing Yue, take Little Dragon to see Shadow Phoenix. He’s the Chief Eunuch appointed by my mother. From now on, you won’t be living with the other junior eunuchs.”
Qing Yue took Long Chen’s hand, smiling. “Chief, please come with me.”
As Long Chen was leaving, a maid entered. “Your Highness, the Emperor requests your presence to discuss the matter of reclaiming Linjiang City.”
Having just won the literary contest, Southern Liang had agreed to return Linjiang City. But they certainly wouldn’t hand it over so easily; in the end, force would be required. Now, at least, there was a justifiable reason to send troops.
Empress Luo Xi quickly dressed and headed for the Phoenix Song Palace.
Qing Yue and Long Chen walked through the rear palace, passing by a host of beautiful palace maids. They all knew Long Chen had triumphed in the contest and been appointed Chief Eunuch; they treated him with great respect, many even flattering him proactively.
“Chief Long, when will you teach me to write poetry?” Qing Yue looked at him like a starstruck devotee.
Long Chen slipped an arm around her waist and grinned, “Come to my room and I’ll teach you.”
Qing Yue laughed and scolded, “As if you’d do anything! Naughty.”
They arrived at a suite in the inner eunuch quarters, originally Shadow Phoenix’s room. She managed the entire rear palace.
Upon entering, Long Chen found Shadow Phoenix looking displeased. He’d essentially usurped her authority, so it was only natural.
“I’m here to take over the palace affairs. I’ll be counting on your guidance,” Long Chen said with a friendly smile.
Being new, it was best to keep a low profile.
Though Shadow Phoenix was unhappy, she maintained a polite facade. Long Chen had the Empress’s mandate—she dared not defy it.
“I’ll move out today. All the records and ledgers are here, untouched.”
“Thank you, Shadow Phoenix. To be honest, I’m new to being a eunuch. How about you continue handling affairs for now while I learn the ropes?”
Managing the inner palace was a tedious business. Long Chen wanted only to train and seek vengeance, not get bogged down in trivial matters.
“But this is the Empress’s decree. How could you not comply?”
“I dare not disobey. But I’m new here and unfamiliar with palace affairs. It’s more appropriate for you to oversee things for now.”
“If you insist, I’ll move out at once.”
“No need. You stay here. I’ll find another place to live.”
With that, Long Chen left the courtyard with Qing Yue, leaving Shadow Phoenix bewildered. Why would he so easily give up the power of Chief Eunuch?
“Chief Long, managing the palace is quite lucrative. Why don’t you want it?” asked Qing Yue.
“My ambitions lie elsewhere. Even as a eunuch, I yearn to conquer the world, to achieve both literary and military glory.”
Qing Yue looked at him with awe. “Chief, you have such lofty aspirations.”
Taking advantage, Long Chen pulled Qing Yue closer. She shrank back shyly. “What are you doing, Chief Long?”
He smiled, “Help me find a place to live.”
He was surprised by her lack of protest at his touch. Were the palace women so bold—or was it simply because he was a eunuch?
Qing Yue, blushing, said, “There’s a courtyard next to mine and Xuan Yi’s. Would you like to move in?”
“That’s perfect. Help me tidy it up—I’ll move in tonight.”
Qing Yue hurried off to prepare the room.
With his new title, Long Chen was free to roam the rear palace. He immediately headed out of the West Palace toward the purification room.
There, he ran into Chief Steward Wei Xian.
“Chief Long, you’ve arrived!” Wei Xian greeted him respectfully. “I heard you bested the Southern Liang’s ‘Deadly Scholar’ in front of the Daming Palace. You must be the Literary Star descended from heaven!”
Just the other day, Wei Xian had strutted about, making things difficult for Long Chen and sending him to Empress Luo Xi. Now he was as submissive as a lapdog.
“Leave me—I have matters to attend to,” Long Chen said curtly, entering the purification room where Uncle Wu Jian was cleaning his knives.
“Uncle Wu.”
“Young General, I heard you bested Yu Shinan in a battle of wits at the Daming Palace?”
“It was just luck.”
“When did you learn poetry and couplets? I never knew,” Wu Jian said, surprised. The former owner of this body had been a general, trained only in martial and military strategy, never in poetry.
Long Chen had to invent a story. “While wandering, I met a reclusive sage who taught me.”
“Oh, that explains it. The Young General only ever read books of war.”
Wu Jian put away his knives, checked the door, and spoke in a low voice, “Now that you can move freely, you should leave as soon as possible. If you’re discovered, it could be dangerous.”
Long Chen replied, “Uncle Wu, I’ve mastered a secret art that allows me to conceal myself perfectly. I won’t be exposed.”
“There’s such a technique? You mean you didn’t have to be cut?”
“That’s right, no need at all.”
“Even so, it’s best if you leave sooner rather than later. The task of rebuilding the Dragon Army and avenging the old general falls to you.”
Long Chen sat down with Wu Jian. “Uncle, I can’t leave. Out there, rebuilding an army of a hundred thousand is nearly impossible.”
“But here, I can use Eastern Zhou’s strength to strike back at Southern Liang. Borrowing another’s blade, as they say.”
“You mean to control Eastern Zhou?”
“Why not?”
“But the Empress is a formidable ruler. Seizing control from her is nearly impossible.”
“As long as there’s a sliver of hope, I’ll try. That’s my plan.”
Wu Jian pondered a long while before asking, “But, Young General, how do you intend to do that?”
Long Chen’s eyes gleamed. “I must seize command of Eastern Zhou’s armies!”