Chapter 8: a month, a year, a centure, a lifetime II
The ranks of eunuchs are as following:
Trainee Eunuch -> From the age of Zero to the age of 16.
Junior Eunuch -> After finishing the ceremony at 16. Monitoring a yard as an assistant.
Intermediate Eunuch -> After a generational switch. Monitoring a yard.
Senior Eunuch -> After a generational switch. Managing a yard.
Palace Eunuch -> Upon joining a palace permanently and working. Caretaker of a Palace.
Head Eunuch -> Assigned to a certain Position permanently. Responsible for said Position.
High Eunuch -> Unassigned high ranking Official. Flexible Management Official.
Royal Eunuch -> Official directly serving a Royal. Managing affairs of the Royal.
Imperial Eunuch -> Directly serving the Empire. Managing major events only.
From the ranking and their responsibilities, one can see that Eunuchs have a large portion of the managing positions inside the Imperial Palace Complex. Understandably there are also other sorts of such positions assigned to the different ministries, but the Eunuch Palace took upon itself the major position and monopolized the seat next to the emperor. Especially the Imperial Eunuchs, as they only serve during major events or emergencies, but are free to do what they want besides during these times.
Although it is a role that can easily lead to corruption, because of the status of Eunuchs, having no chance of heirs and only possible male partners, which would be even better when these are officials, returning their power back to the imperial family when they are without heir. This is one of the major reasons the Emerald Brilliance supported the same-sex relationships, and even commoners have accepted these after a long time, being happy as long as they had one heir to the family and the others would not contend with them when marrying a male partner.
Of course, there are some against that, and in many cases, there are problems with not having enough heirs and such. Because of that, the average family has three to five children. In some cases, women are prioritised, as they would at least surely produce children to continue their lineage, regardless of whether they had a male partner or not... and how that worked is a different story! At the very least, there have been no issues with that kind of acceptance over the years.
...
Nearly a year has passed since Ji Li joined the trainee's yard. He diligently worked on understanding the language and exploring the yard with Hua Jing as his support. Already speaking a few words, such as Eunuch, which surprised Hua Jing greatly. Once he even said "Father" or what he thought it would mean translated, which made Jing nearly cry, the baby thought he was his parent! Though it wondered him why he was called a mother... until he thought back to Tian Xuan who laughed at him and agreed to Ji Li's assumption. Yes, Jing was the mother and Xuan was the father!
"Hua Xu, hurry up! Tomorrow they are officially joining the trainee's yard, how can they do that without having their purity robe ready? I told you already to prepare it, where is it?!" an upset voice could be heard throughout the whole yard.
"J-Jing! What do you mean! I already gave it to you today in the mo-morning! Did you forget? How c-can I forget to give it to you! Aghh- I think I d-dreamed that! They are in the storage room, I w-will get them!" answered the meekly and stuttering Hua Xu, normally he was a close friend of Jing but he was also the first to be called and scolded when something was missing, this small right hand man was a bit forgetful but he was at least diligent!
"I told you repeatedly not to sleep late! Do you think I don't know that you are talking till late at night with Hua Shu? E-Even I don't spend time with Tian Xuan! It's been two months since the last time he visited, and still, I can finish everything! HUA XU! Where are you running? Do you think I don't know what you are doing with Hua Shu? Look at you, he is clearly older than you, but still keeping you awake at that time!" Complaining and upset, Hua Jing couldn't keep it in, clearly, they were both eunuchs, what did they do in the first place? Clearly, they are just messing around, and that Hua Shu! He is already 20 years old and still messes around with the innocent 17-year-old Hua Xu, when he just barely came of age! Surely, they are at a marriageable age, but who in these days would mess around at such an age, especially considering they both are eunuchs who vowed for abstinence! They vowed physically even, but clearly that wasn't enough.
Before he could think of anything anymore, he heard a quiet voice from his arms, which were holding and shaking a baby "Jing, Jing don't be angry! Xuan papa will come and hug and calm!" Speaking in a baby voice, Ji Li couldn't tease Hua Jing in such a situation, he truly felt grateful to him for bringing him around the Yard and teaching him a few things, even though he clearly knew he was talking with a smart baby, he didn't react differently and gave Ji Li more parental love than he experienced in both his lifetimes! Well, the second just started, so he couldn't say much about it.
But one thing for sure made him curious, looking at the blushing and embarrassed Hua Jing and the Hua Xu using the chance to run away, he thought 'What is happening? Why are they all in a hurry and totally chaotic? Jing is clearly scolding everyone even more these days. I heard that he's going to be promoted to Intermediate Eunuch, was that the name? Shouldn't he be happy? Why does he appear so anxious and in a hurry like that. I really can't understand him. Clearly, he has a young good-looking husband to be, who is working hard, and a mentor that takes care of him even when he himself is going to be promoted soon! What could make him so anx- wait, it's not that... right?'
He cried for a second internal and had an awkward look. Although he calmed himself down these past few months and thought that matter would be over, it clearly wasn't! And additionally, to that, it seemed as though they really take it seriously! 'Will... will it happen? I hope they make it fast and pain less... but he's so anxious, I don't know. Why does it seem like a ceremony that is being prepared? But It's just a simple snipp snapp, right? Please dear lord that reigns over these lands, don't let me end in the hands of these cruel beasts!'
Thinking further, he suddenly came to a frightening thought 'They won't... look, right? They won't make it a show to play when I'm losing my babies, right? Those small little worms don't deserve to be presented for all to see! They are innocent and small cuti-' thinking back to what he did with these small, cute worms in his past life, sending them around his house all the time, he really couldn't comment on others behaviour in this case.
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