“How long has Lord Deng been at the palace gate guard?” Eunuch Chen couldn’t help asking.
Deng Yi said: “Not long.”
Eunuch Chen said: “This old servant is often in the deep palace and has never greeted Lord Deng. How shameful, how shameful.”
Deng Yi said: “No matter. I’ve never entered the deep palace, so you and I had no opportunity to greet each other.”
Never? Eunuch Chen was even more surprised and knew even less of Deng Yi’s background. Tonight his eyes were covered by the night and he could see nothing clearly. He dared ask no more questions and led the way with his head bowed.
Deng Yi looked at the deep palace. This was his first time walking in. The deep palace at this moment was dark and gloomy, permeated with the stench of blood. In the thick darkness, human shadows vaguely overlapped, mixed with crying that seemed real yet illusory, present yet absent, like a realm of ghosts.
But walking into the Emperor’s bedchamber, it felt like returning to the human world.
Inside, the lamps were bright. An old man with his bright yellow robe hanging open sat on the couch eating pastries, seemingly dissatisfied with them, frowning.
“Too sweet.” he said, tossing the pastry back onto the plate. “Nothing like what the Noble Consort made.”
The eunuchs nearby hurriedly offered tea.
The old man impatiently waved his hand, and the eunuchs quickly withdrew.
Eunuch Chen stepped forward and bowed: “Your Majesty, Deng Yi has arrived.”
Deng Yi knelt and bowed: “Your subject Deng Yi pays respects to Your Majesty.”
He kept his head lowered, feeling the old man’s gaze from above fall upon him.
“How old are you?” the Emperor asked.
Deng Yi said: “Your subject will turn thirty-one this coming August.”
The Emperor made a sound of acknowledgment: “At thirty, one establishes ritual propriety.” He asked again, “Have you studied?”
Deng Yi said: “I have. In my youth I went to Lu Commandery to study poetry, but my eldest brother died early and my widowed mother was frail, so after only five years I had no choice but to return home.”
The Emperor made a sound of acknowledgment: “Lu poetry—that’s the lineage of Shen Peigong.” He asked again, “What did you do after that?”
Deng Yi said: “Your subject served as a village head for three years in my hometown, then entered the county office as a clerk for three years, then worked in the prefectural governor’s office as a supervisor for two years, later served as a patrol officer under the Investigating Censor, and last year came to the capital to work at the Commandant’s office. A month ago I was just transferred to the palace gate guard.”
Having listened, the Emperor laughed: “You’ve held quite a few posts. From top to bottom, you’ve done everything.”
Deng Yi said: “Your subject receives the sovereign’s stipend and should work diligently and carefully.”
Listening to this sovereign and subject’s questions and answers, Eunuch Chen on the side was even more surprised. Why did it sound like His Majesty didn’t know this Deng Yi and was inquiring on the spot?
Moreover, this Deng Yi had started as a mere village head—such a lowly background—
What exactly did His Majesty summon Deng Yi for? Surely not because he couldn’t sleep this chaotic night and wanted to find a stranger to chat with?
Eunuch Chen’s mind wandered while he kept his ears pricked to listen to the Emperor speak.
The Emperor asked Deng Yi no more questions and called out: “Someone come.”
Eunuch Chen quickly responded.
“Fetch the court official’s robes and sash.” the Emperor said, pointing at Deng Yi. “Bestow them upon Deng Yi.”
Both Eunuch Chen and Deng Yi looked up in surprise. The difference was that Eunuch Chen stared blankly, while Deng Yi immediately kowtowed again: “Your subject thanks Your Majesty for this grace.”
The Emperor looked at Deng Yi and asked: “Having you become a court official at this time—are you afraid?”
Deng Yi raised his head, his expression calm, his eyes bright: “Previously when your subject was a village head, I did not fear becoming a clerk. Today as your subject serves as a palace gate guard, I likewise do not fear becoming a court official. Your subject only heeds the imperial command—I will bend my back to the utmost until death.”
The Emperor laughed heartily and pointed at the desk.
“Deng Yi, here is my imperial seal, the Imperial City Guard command, and the Capital Garrison tiger tally. Now that the imperial household is in turmoil, I appoint you as Grand Tutor. I entrust the safety of Da Xia to you.”
Deng Yi straightened his body, cupped his fists in salute, then bent down to kowtow.
“Your subject Deng Yi receives this command!”