003 The Sacrificial Lamb

The man before me wore a mask, revealing only his eyes—eyes as deep and black as ink. Within them, I could find no warmth; when he first looked at me, they were filled with murderous intent.

I would never forget those eyes, for it was the first time I saw one man kill another. The corpse lay there, cold and silent.

The masked man sheathed his sword, and at last, the tension in my heart eased a little.

“If you survive, then let me trust you,” he said. Then, without warning, he pushed over a nearby shelf; the vases atop it crashed to the ground, shattering loudly. The sudden noise startled me, and in the next instant, I saw eunuchs already rushing in at the doorway.

I immediately understood his meaning. When I looked for him again, he was already at the other window, agile as a dragon. He opened it and leapt out, disappearing into the night in a blink.

“Ah! Someone’s dead—dead!” A shrill voice pierced the stillness of the night.

I realized then that all the darkness awaiting me in this palace had only just begun.

It wasn’t long before many eunuchs arrived, followed by guards.

In this inner courtyard, I was the only one present, with nowhere to hide. Two young eunuchs seized me and forced me to kneel before Master He.

Before Master He's corpse.

“It must be this little eunuch who killed Master He. Perhaps they quarreled, and one struck the other dead,” one of the young eunuchs spat, glaring at me. He had seen me lounging comfortably these past few days, doing nothing, and jealousy had grown in his heart.

Though I had already thought of what to say, there was no one here with the authority to resolve this, so my protests would be pointless.

“If you killed Master He, you must pay with your life,” one of the guards said sternly.

I trembled in fear—pay with my life? I was still young and did not wish to die!

Just as I was about to speak, a sharp, high-pitched voice rang out. The eunuchs and guards all bowed in unison, “Greetings to Master Qiu.”

Master Qiu was followed by several other eunuchs, their lips red and teeth white; his eyes were narrowed, his manner delicate yet commanding. I guessed he was the one truly in charge here.

“Oh dear, how did Master He end up dead? Aren’t these Xiao Yun and Xiao Li, who always followed him? What happened? Xiao Qing, what happened?”

“Master Qiu just came back from seeing His Majesty, didn’t he? Please have a seat, and I’ll report everything to you,” said Xiao Qing—the same eunuch who had accused me of murder.

“Very well.” Courting favor was always effective; Master Qiu accepted the gesture and sat down.

“Reporting to Master, the murderer has been caught—it’s this young eunuch,” Xiao Qing pointed directly at me.

Master Qiu raised his brows and looked me over. “This scrawny, monkey-like boy? He could kill Master He? But he looks unfamiliar to me.”

Xiao Qing hurried forward to explain, “He was brought back by Master He when he went out to select palace maidens. Said he was a poor relative, starving at home, so he brought him into the palace for work.”

“So that's it! You, what is your name?” Master Qiu asked me.

“He’s called—”

“Master Qiu is asking me,” I quickly interrupted. If I didn’t seize the chance, Xiao Qing would speak for me, and Master Qiu might not let me speak at all—he’d just have me executed.

“Insolent!” Master Qiu declared calmly, and both Xiao Qing and I dropped to our knees.

“Master Qiu, this little wretch is truly ungrateful,” Xiao Qing hurried to accuse me again.

“Let him speak. I was referring to you, you dog, for your insolence!” Master Qiu retorted.

Xiao Qing was immediately cowed, and stammered, “Yes, yes, I spoke out of turn.”

“What is your name?”

I answered at once, “Your servant is called Xiao Zhi.”

“So, Little Xiao it is. You have some nerve, daring to kill someone in the forbidden palace—worse yet, someone close to the Empress.”

I hadn’t expected Master Qiu to condemn me so swiftly. I could not afford to hesitate, so I said urgently, “Master Qiu, I am innocent. Please see—three people are dead here. Besides, Master He was my relative; without his care in the palace, how could I survive? Why would I be foolish enough to kill him, and then wait here to be caught? The other masters have seen that I’ve been ill since arriving, unable to rise from bed for days. I could not have quarreled with Master He or the others, nor do I have the strength to kill three men in one go.”

Master Qiu regarded me, perhaps noting my pallor and believing some of what I said. Yet I knew they might still find someone to take the blame and settle the matter quietly.

After all, Master Qiu had said Master He was close to the Empress—they would need to give her an explanation.

“You can argue all you want, but with no one to testify for you, who knows how you killed Master He? If not you, then tell us who did,” Xiao Qing insisted.

“Mmm…” Master Qiu drew out the sound, and Xiao Qing promptly fell silent.

Master Qiu turned to me, “Xiao Qing has a point—only you were here. If you didn’t kill them, you must have seen something. If you can say who killed Master He, I won’t make things difficult for you.”

I knew who the killer was—and yet I didn’t. That man’s martial skills were extraordinary; surely, he had powerful backing. If I named him, I’d be doomed.

So I replied, “Your servant was lying in bed at the time, unaware of anything. When thirst woke me, I found the corpses, and in my fright, knocked over a vase, which alerted everyone else. Every word I speak is true, I beg Master Qiu to investigate.”

“If you saw nothing, you cannot prove your innocence. Don’t blame me for not helping you—Master He served the Empress, and if I don’t act, she will demand justice. If I handle it, perhaps you’ll suffer less. Guards, throw Little Xiao into the well.”

I was seized with terror; my life was to be ended without so much as a proper inquiry.

I could not die—I would not die! I wanted to live!

Two eunuchs came to grab me, and I began to struggle, crying out, “Master Qiu, I am truly innocent, truly innocent!”

Smack! Xiao Qing came over and slapped me hard across the face. My body was already weak; the blow left me dizzy and dazed.

“How dare you disturb Master Qiu! Facing death, and still making a scene.”

“Enough, throw him in quickly. If the Empress asks, you know what to say,” Master Qiu said, covering his mouth with a handkerchief, as if disgusted by me.

“Yes, sir,” Xiao Qing replied, fawning like a dog.

“So this is how Master Qiu intends to placate the Empress?” came a woman’s voice. A lady in a blue skirt entered, about forty years old, followed by two young girls.

“So it's Aunt Minghe,” Master Qiu rose immediately, and the eunuchs stopped dragging me.

“Master Qiu, I know you’re busy serving His Majesty and pay little mind to the Empress’s affairs. She won’t blame you for that. But to handle things so carelessly—sometimes, doing a little is worse than doing nothing at all. Who knows how the Empress will react when she hears?”

Her words, soft yet barbed, instantly placed Master Qiu in a difficult position with the Empress.

Master Qiu replied, “Aunt Minghe, what are you saying? Qiu Ronghai may serve His Majesty closely, but the Empress is also my mistress. Of course I care about her affairs. Master He, who served her, has been killed; I have already caught the culprit and am preparing to punish him.”

Aunt Minghe looked at me, “Is this the culprit you speak of? He looks like a girl, so small and frail—could he even crush an ant, let alone kill three men? Master Qiu, are you befuddled by age, or do you simply not care what happens to the Empress?”