The next day, as soon as dawn broke, Zhang Shihao, still groggy with sleep, was woken up by Chun Ying, Empress He's personal maid and a Female Official of Phoenix Carriage.
“Hurry, go wash up! The Emperor summons you!”
Zhang Shihao, still half-asleep, with dark circles under his eyes and feeling utterly listless, was startled awake by the words “the Emperor.” He immediately asked, “Sister Chun Ying, is the Emperor happy or angry?”
Chun Ying did not answer immediately.
Instead, her clear eyes gazed at Zhang Shihao’s handsome, chiseled face. Just as Zhang Shihao began to worry, Chun Ying suddenly chuckled, “Congratulations, Xiao Haozi, the Emperor is overjoyed. After he woke up, the first person he wanted to see was you!”
“It seems Xiao Haozi, you are about to rise in power. Don’t forget your sister in the future~”
“Phew~”
“Sister Chun Ying, you almost scared me to death just now. Don’t worry, if Xiao Haozi makes it big, I definitely won’t forget you.”
Hearing that Liu Hong was overjoyed, Zhang Shihao immediately breathed a sigh of relief, his heart completely at ease. A wider smile spread across his face, and he waved his hand grandly, speaking with an air of generosity.
With a wide grin, Zhang Shihao dared not delay. He quickly washed up and followed Chun Ying to the Main Hall of Changle Palace.
...
“Haha, you’re Xiao Haozi, right? Excellent, excellent, I slept so soundly last night, even more comfortably than ever before.”
“I said I would reward you handsomely. Tell me, what do you want?”
In the Main Hall of Changle Palace, Liu Hong, in his dragon robe, looked refreshed. He was having his breakfast while laughing at Zhang Shihao, who had just arrived.
Liu Hong felt incredibly refreshed.
He truly felt a joy he had never experienced before.
He had a peaceful sleep, free from worries.
When he woke up the next day, he felt completely revitalized.
This put Liu Hong in an unprecedentedly good mood.
Inside the hall, the exquisitely beautiful Empress He sat beside Liu Hong, her face also flushed like a peach blossom.
However, unlike Liu Hong’s happiness, Empress He, He Lian, looked at Zhang Shihao with an incredibly complex gaze.
She, too, had experienced a night of joy.
Then she fell into a deep sleep.
When she woke up, she also felt better than ever before.
In fact, after waking up, she was even praised by Liu Hong.
It’s just that she was different from Liu Hong.
Listening to Liu Hong wanting to reward him handsomely and asking what he desired, Zhang Shihao’s spirits immediately lifted. He instantly thought of asking for a death-exemption token; after all, he had committed the crime of deceiving the Emperor, and he only wanted to save his own life. However, he quickly said, “Your Majesty, making Your Majesty happy is what Xiao Haozi should do. How could Xiao Haozi dare to ask for any reward?”
“Haha, well said! However, I said yesterday that if I was happy, I would reward you handsomely!”
“Speak!”
Liu Hong was very pleased with Zhang Shihao’s attitude and said again.
This time, Zhang Shihao didn’t decline. A flicker of anticipation crossed his eyes as he said, “Your Majesty, Xiao Haozi dares not ask for an official position or a monetary reward. Xiao Haozi only wishes that Your Majesty grant Xiao Haozi a token that allows entry and exit from the imperial palace!”
“Hmm?” Hearing Zhang Shihao’s request, Liu Hong’s eyebrows slightly raised, and his hand, which was eating breakfast, paused.
Empress He, beside him, also couldn’t help but fix her beautiful eyes on Zhang Shihao.
“Why is this? A token to enter and exit the imperial palace is not something anyone can casually possess. I thought you would ask for an official position or silver!”
The happiness in Liu Hong’s tone seemed to dissipate. A faint voice arose, and an imperial majesty instantly spread, startling Zhang Shihao, who was full of anticipation.
Liu Hong was not simple!
With this thought in his mind, Zhang Shihao ignored everything else and quickly recited his pre-prepared explanation: “Your Majesty, it’s not that Xiao Haozi wishes to leave the palace, but rather that the materials required for producing the sleep-aid incense are extremely special. Some of these things even require Xiao Haozi to personally identify them. The proportions of production materials, temperature, and humidity conditions are all very stringent. Considering that Your Majesty will still need the sleep-aid incense to aid in sleep in the future, Xiao Haozi wishes to request a token to facilitate the creation of the sleep-aid incense for Your Majesty!”
Hearing that Zhang Shihao wanted the token to continue making the sleep-aid incense for him, Liu Hong’s face immediately broke into a smile. He looked at Zhang Shihao with friendly eyes and nodded repeatedly: “Hmm, excellent. Since you are doing it to make the sleep-aid incense for me, then I grant you this token for entering and exiting the imperial palace!”
“Furthermore, not only that, but all the materials you need to purchase for making the sleep-aid incense and the money spent will be allocated from the imperial treasury.”
Zhang Shihao’s spirits lifted, and his eyes instantly sparkled with intense joy. With the token for entering and exiting the imperial palace in hand, he quickly thanked Liu Hong, saying, “Thank you, Your Majesty!”
【Ding! Congratulations to the host for gaining Emperor Liu Hong’s favor. Please continue to strive to gain the Empress’s favor!】
The notification sound made Zhang Shihao even happier.
However, before Zhang Shihao could rejoice for long, the Empress beside him spoke.
“Since His Majesty is pleased and has granted a token to leave the palace, I, too, cannot show nothing. I heard that Xiao Haozi is a respectable young man named Zhang from Hongnong Commandery, who entered the palace only because his family fell into decline, his relatives ignored him, and his parents starved to death, all to survive.”
“Since Xiao Haozi is a person within Changle Palace and has greatly pleased His Majesty, he should no longer suffer the disdainful glances of his relatives. Lian’er wishes to appoint Xiao Haozi as a Yellow Gate Attendant, responsible for all Eunuchs in Changle Palace, and to announce this to his hometown. What does His Majesty think?”
The Empress’s voice, like a nightingale emerging from a valley, rang out. Zhang Shihao’s gaze instantly turned to Empress He, He Lian, only to see her beautiful eyes smiling at him.
And hearing Empress He mention Zhang Shihao’s family background, Liu Hong’s eyes lit up slightly, and a meaningful smile appeared on his face as he said, “Oh, Xiao Haozi’s family is so tragic. Since the Empress has spoken, I naturally have no objection!”
“This… Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Empress!”
Being granted another title, and even that of Yellow Gate Attendant, to be announced to his hometown, Zhang Shihao didn’t feel much about it.
The original owner was indeed a respectable young man from Hongnong Commandery, and his family was indeed very miserable, otherwise he wouldn’t have entered the palace to become a Eunuch. In his memories, the original owner was even skin and bones before coming to the palace.
However, these were experiences of the original owner, which Zhang Shihao viewed as just a movie.
The only thing that made Zhang Shihao feel strange was that despite being heavily rewarded by the Empress, he did not receive a system prompt indicating he had gained the Empress’s favor.
What made Zhang Shihao even more puzzled and surprised was that this dignified Empress He, ever since she saw him today, had been looking at him with a captivating smile in her beautiful eyes.
After receiving a series of rewards and becoming a Yellow Gate Attendant, Zhang Shihao’s status instantly soared.
The Yellow Gate Attendant, also known as the Yellow Gate Attendant of the Retainers, typically served as a guard, directly guarding the palace gates, with a salary of six hundred shi.
Just as Zhang Shihao was delightedly receiving the golden token for entering and exiting the imperial palace and putting on the Yellow Gate Attendant’s attire, amidst the flattery of a group of Little Eunuchs and palace maids, his seat wasn’t even warm yet.
Chun Ying, the Female Official of Phoenix Carriage, arrived beside him in a rush, bringing a waft of fragrance, and anxiously said, “Xiao Haozi, hurry, something has happened with the First Prince! The Empress wants to leave the palace and go to Daoist Shi in Hongnong Commandery. Quickly pick a few clever Little Eunuchs to go with her!”
“Ah, leave the palace? Good, I’ll go prepare right away.”
Hearing that they were leaving the palace, Zhang Shihao’s eyes instantly lit up, and he quickly responded.