Soul of the Revered Banner
Chapter 67: Emperor’s Heart

The palace stood solemn and guarded, its halls ablaze with light.

In the Imperial Study,

A young man, wearing a square flat-topped crown and a crimson dragon robe, was reviewing memorials to the throne.

The glow of the lamp illuminated his handsome face.

Long-faced, with hawk-like eyes, stern even in silence.

This was the new Emperor of Liang.

The Emperor picked up a memorial and waved it slightly, a mocking smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Grand Attendant, do you know who this memorial is impeaching?”

To his right, a pale, beardless eunuch standing in deferential posture suddenly changed expression.

His eyes blanked as he lowered his head, then he dropped to his knees and kowtowed, saying, “Your servant does not know.”

“This memorial is an accusation against the son of the Jing'an Marquis, Wen Yue.”

The Emperor’s words brought no relief to him, only an unnatural tension.

Wen Yue, the son of the Jing'an Marquis, had once served as Deputy Commander of the city Military Affairs, his rise had been partly due to this eunuch’s support.

Now that Wen Yue had fallen from grace, he, too, could not avoid repercussions. And as luck would have it, his longtime rival had seized the opportunity.

Every time he thought about it, his scalp tingled and his back turned cold.

Though His Majesty trusted him, in the palace, once one lost favor, their fate turned grim.

In truth, they were nothing more than household slaves.

Once he was done, another would take his place.

The Emperor smiled faintly and narrowed his eyes. “I heard that the Marquis’s son… injured his legs?”

“Your Majesty, the rumors are true,” came the eunuch’s trembling reply from the floor. His legs were already shaking, and a thin sheen of sweat had formed on his forehead.

None are more ruthless than the royal family. No matter how deep the sentiment, once one lost their usefulness, their status in the Emperor’s eyes would plummet.

“Is it serious?”

“…”

Gao Quan didn’t even know how to respond.

“In that case, I can see you’re tired. Let’s hand over the ceremonial responsibilities of the Internal Rectitude Office to Zheng Zhong.”

“Thank Your Majesty! Your servant would die ten thousand deaths in Your Majesty’s service!”

To the left, a younger eunuch standing half a step behind immediately kowtowed in ecstasy.

The Emperor nodded and waved a hand. “Enough, you may go.”

Gao Quan didn’t even know how he made it out of the Imperial Study.

He stumbled like a man in a fog.

It wasn’t until he stood by the threshold that a gust of cold wind hit him, and he snapped awake.

He slapped himself hard across the face.

Deeply regretful.

How could he have left the Imperial Study?

Leaving the Imperial Study meant leaving the Emperor’s side.

And that would only create an opening for the petty man beside him to exploit.

He suddenly looked up and saw the colleague standing beside the Emperor’s left hand.

The man was watching him go, a cold sneer curling his lips.

Gao Quan wanted to charge back inside. But before his body could move, his reason crushed the impulse.

Right now, the Emperor was merely disappointed in him but hadn’t sentenced him to death.

If he were to charge into the Imperial Study and disturb the sacred presence, the Emperor wouldn’t even need to give the order, he would have to throw himself on a pillar and die on the spot.

Gao Quan’s heart filled with bitterness.

He had served the Emperor for so many years, if not merit, then surely hardship deserved some recognition. And now, even the little eunuch he once mentored had climbed on his head to piss and shit.

Worse, the Emperor had taken the opportunity to kill a chicken to warn the monkey, to serve as a lesson to this newly promoted eunuch.

Today’s scene felt all too familiar.

Just like the day he had first stepped into the Imperial Study, standing at the Emperor’s side, listening humbly to reprimands while watching another once-glorious eunuch fall into disgrace and walk out the same door.

“This old dog… will not sink so easily.”

Gao Quan took a deep breath.

He backed up to the threshold, bowed deeply, and departed with his head lowered.

Only then did Emperor Liang look up at the retreating figure of his Grand Attendant.

The man was loyal, that much was certain but not quick-witted. Sometimes, his mind simply didn’t turn.

But then again, which eunuch wasn’t loyal?

Loyalty… was far too cheap a currency.

Gao Quan hurried back to the Internal Rectitude Office.

“Grandfather, news from outside the palace!”

Upon seeing him return, a young eunuch rushed over and lowered his voice.

“Which line?”

“‘An.’”

Hearing the single word from the young eunuch’s lips, Gao Quan abruptly halted.

Instead of delight, suspicion surged in his heart.

The whole world knew that Wen Yue was finished.

The Deputy Commander of the Military Affairs Office had already been taken by Zheng Zhong’s men, that was the reason he’d lost his ceremonial post.

Now this line was reaching out again? Could it be a trap?

“Give it here. Let me take a look.”

He snatched the sealed wax pellet from the young eunuch’s hand.

He rubbed it open.

Unrolled the slip of paper and took a close look.

The weighty look on his face immediately dissolved.

A grin broke out.

“Hahaha!”

Gao Quan burst into hearty laughter.

All the frustration in his chest vanished, replaced by a savage glint on his face.

“Excellent.”

“Let’s see how you dare fight me now!”

The young eunuch stared at his nose, his nose stared at his heart, saying nothing.

He didn’t know what had made his grandfather so gleeful, but he knew what should and should not be known.

This was the time to play deaf and dumb.

Once he had calmed down, Gao Quan cast a glance at the respectful young eunuch beside him. “Speak. What reward do you want?”

“Grandson only wishes to remain at Grandfather’s side.”

“You’re a clever one. But those without desire, this old dog doesn’t dare keep.”

“No desire means your ambitions are great indeed.”

“And I wouldn’t know how to motivate you.”

Gao Quan’s eyes flickered, his voice clear and deep, not shrill like most eunuchs, but rather resonant and full.

“Then… grandson would like a change of clothes.”

“Very good.”

Gao Quan’s drooping eyelids lifted slightly, and he nodded with satisfaction.

He removed the jade thumb ring from his finger and tossed it to the young eunuch. “Take it. Go get yourself a proper set of robes from the Internal Rectitude Office.”

Late autumn was settling in. The wind grew ever colder.

In the days that followed, the palace sent three or four waves of inquiries.

All of them were probing whether Wen Yue had truly become a Grandmaster.

The anxiety of the palace’s Chief Eunuch was palpable.

Yet Wen Yue did not mock him. He, too, had once been that anxious, nervous, lost, and unsure.

It felt like…

He was surrounded by cliffs on all sides, without a single glimpse of hope.

Back then, he would have clutched at any straw.

Fortunately, he had encountered a chance.

The Soul Banner had allowed him to rise again.

And now, looking back, he could find no reason to think the Soul Banner meant him harm.

Rather, he was increasingly grateful to have met such a good teacher.

Wen Yue believed this was fate.

Of course, not all palace intelligence was about him. Some of it was highly valuable.

And Wen Yue had especially asked that person to watch for specific developments.

Though that eunuch had lost one official post, he was still the highest-ranking eunuch within the palace.

There was no doubt about the accuracy of the information.

Upon receiving the latest reports, Wen Yue rose to his feet, ready to visit his father.

Some matters were due to be laid bare.

Time had passed, and the Old Marquis’s old wounds had healed somewhat.

Perhaps it was age.

The Old Marquis often sighed to himself. His health was in decline by the day.

He worried about the future, who in the vast household could still shoulder the weight?

Wen Yue had once been outstanding alone, a son he never had to worry about.

Now that Wen Yue had fallen, and the second branch had perished, the remaining children were still young, either in swaddling clothes or just learning to walk.

He didn’t even know if he’d live long enough to see them grow.

“Must we truly pick a crippled Marquis?”

The Old Marquis felt he had shamed his ancestors, his family mocked, his name scorned.

“Marquis, joyous news!”

The old steward came rushing in, tripping over the threshold in his haste.

He stumbled and crawled forward, an absolute mess.

The Old Marquis, deep in gloomy thoughts, could only sigh.

What joyous news could there possibly be now?

Still, he did not blame the old steward for interrupting his reverie. “What is it? Why such panic?”

(Chapter End)