When Defu stepped forward again to serve, his master’s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.
"Master, you..."
Defu wanted to ask the physician if his master’s illness was incurable.
But he didn’t have the courage to ask.
He felt very sympathetic; after all, the master was their lord, and a large group of concubines in the palace were waiting eagerly for his favor.
Alas, it’s truly a miserable situation.
If this got out, how could things turn out?
Hmm, only heaven knows, earth knows, my master knows, and I know... No, I don’t know anything either; I’m deaf and blind, and today, I never accompanied the master to see a doctor.
Along the way, Defu tried to minimize his presence.
Although he had served the master for many years, and to outsiders, there seemed to be some bond, everyone knew that there were no family ties in the imperial family. Brothers and sisters wouldn’t hesitate to kill each other, let alone a servant like him.
So, whether he could survive today was really hard to say.
"No one is allowed to speak about leaving the palace."
"Yes, master."
How could he say anything? It’s not like he was tired of living; he wanted to see the sunrise tomorrow.
Returning to the palace, Defu accidentally sprained his back and took two days off.
If there was anything to be done, he left it to his godsons and god-grandsons.
"Godfather, should I ask Doctor Cao to take a look at you? You won’t get better just lying there."
"It’s nothing significant. Doctor Cao attends to the nobility in the palace. We servants must recognize our status and position. We mustn’t seek them out; we shouldn’t make people think we’re conceited because we’re favored," Defu quickly stopped him. "You all need to be observant when serving, don’t upset the master, be cautious and take the long view."
"Yes, godfather."
Having the opportunity to show their abilities in front of the Emperor, they naturally wanted to perform well.
"Let me say it again, don’t speculate about the Emperor’s intentions, don’t offend the imperial authority, or even immortals couldn’t save you."
"Yes, godfather."
Dongzi didn’t think serving the Emperor was that difficult.
Occasionally, his godfather would let him step forward to serve a few times; the Emperor was quite affable.
He knew that the Emperor used to favor the noble consort, and after her incident, he favored Consort Jiang and the master of Qingyun Pavilion.
Serving the Emperor could be simple. As long as these concubines were around, they servants would become invisible.
Dongzi went to the Imperial Study to serve.
Being an Emperor was actually a bitter task.
Look, the thick stack of memorials piled on the Imperial Desk, the Emperor was constantly working hard on them.
The attendants in the inner room were waiting outside the door. Dongzi looked up at the sky; it was indeed time to select a concubine for the night, but the Emperor, busy with state affairs, was still engrossed in reviewing the documents, showing no sign of wanting to favor anyone.
"Sir, what do you think..."
The attendant received favors from Princess Consort De today, saying there was something she needed the Emperor’s help with, which made him anxious to conclude the matter quickly.
"Just wait, aren’t we all waiting here just like you?"
Dongzi glanced at the attendant. Clearly, not everyone received the pointers and teachings from his godfather. How could someone like this serve in front of the Emperor?
Thinking about how he was still young but could serve in front of the Emperor, he stood proudly.
Even the attendant in the inner room could only wait.
Ahem...
In the Imperial Study, the Emperor finally looked up and cleared his throat.
"Your Majesty, please have some tea to soothe your throat."
Dongzi quickly stepped forward to serve the tea, then whispered, "The inner room requests you to choose a concubine, Your Majesty. What do you think?"
"Forget it for today; I’m busy."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The inner attendant was dumbfounded. He could leave, but what about Princess Consort De?
He glanced at Dongzi.
Dongzi glared back at him, deciding he would mention it to Manager Liu later. They shouldn’t let just anyone serve before the Emperor; if anything went wrong, nobody would have peace.
The attendant could only leave reluctantly.
Dongzi kicked in the direction he left.
That night, the Emperor stayed in the Imperial Study reviewing documents until midnight, then returned to Yongle Hall to rest.
After changing shifts, Dongzi returned to report to his godfather about the Emperor’s diligence and care for the people; he was the best Emperor in history.
Only Defu was anxious inside.
The Emperor’s excuse was good, prioritizing state affairs over the harem.
A day or two could be fine, ten days or half a month maybe, but what about three or five months, a year or two?
How could he cover it up?
He worried for the Emperor’s sake.
This was truly a case where the eunuch was more anxious than the Emperor!
For several consecutive days, the Emperor’s daily schedule only included Jinluan Hall, the Imperial Study, and Yongle Hall. Oh, he also went to the Empress’s Kunning Palace.