Chapter 24:
The Mountain Demon
BY THE START of the third month, new buds had sprouted on the branches, and the chill slowly faded. The charcoal braziers were removed from the palaces. Rain grew more common, falling endlessly, day after day. The sky overhead was painted a heavy gray. It loomed low like a weight pressing down on the world below.
Xiahou Lian’s shoulder stitches had been removed, leaving behind a hideously twisted scar that stretched from his upper shoulder over his shoulder blade. It was a harrowing sight. Shen Jue suggested looking into a scar-removing ointment, but Xiahou Lian refused. For a man, scars were badges of honor; perfectly smooth, flawless skin was effeminate.
Now that Xiahou Lian’s injuries had healed, Shen Jue allowed him to go for occasional strolls, telling the others that Sixi’s smallpox was cured. The older eunuchs praised Shen Jue for his loyalty and kindheartedness. Anyone else would’ve avoided a smallpox-stricken eunuch like the plague he carried—perhaps even covered their nose in disgust. Finding someone willing to care for such a patient day and night would usually just have been wishful thinking.
While Xiahou Lian recuperated, Shen Jue often visited the kitchen to purchase leftover bird’s nest soup to help the other boy regain his strength. The palace was known for lavishness and excess. Although the palace concubines had small appetites, they demanded that exquisite dishes fill their tables daily, leaving each one barely touched. The sharp, resourceful kitchen eunuchs capitalized on this by selling the leftovers to greedy eunuchs and maids; that had turned into a profitable venture.
A few days previously, the kitchen had welcomed a new head eunuch, and the portions in Shen Jue’s meal boxes had suddenly almost doubled. Sometimes they even included delicacies such as abalone or shark fin. Shen Jue accepted the change without comment.
Today, as usual, he picked up his boxed meal from the kitchen and hurried back, holding it in both hands. Eunuchs were servants, dogs raised by their masters. They couldn’t walk with their heads held high; they were to keep their faces down and kneel whenever they met nobles on the road. Over time, Shen Jue had grown accustomed to that humble posture. He could now perform it effortlessly.
He knew that everything required patience. If he wished to stand above tens of thousands one day, he must first grovel in the dust.
Just as he passed Tian Street, someone pounced on him from behind. The meal box Shen Jue was carrying hindered his movements. Soon, he found himself pinned against the palace wall.
Suppressing the murderous urge surging in his heart, he asked coldly, “Liu-gonggong, what are you trying to do?”
The kitchen’s lead eunuch, Liu Deyi, stood a full head taller than Shen Jue. His dark complexion was paired with a constant smile that lent him an air of simple honesty. “I treat you to fine meals every day, and you still can’t take my hints? Do you think you could afford delicacies like abalone and shark fin with what little money you have?” He looked Shen Jue up and down, then sighed regretfully. “I’ve been spoiling you a while now, so why are you still so skinny? It’s uncomfortable to hold you.”
“The kitchens are at their busiest right now. Aren’t you afraid something will go wrong if you’re not there?” Shen Jue kept his head down, obscuring his expression. His voice was calm, as if he didn’t realize his predicament.
Liu Deyi took Shen Jue’s response as acceptance. Secretly pleased, he took things a step further, lowering his hand to rub Shen Jue’s shoulder. “If you behave, I can get back quicker.”
Shen Jue sneered. “Two teapots without spouts—are we ground mirrors or cut-sleeves?”17
Liu Deyi let out a lecherous chuckle, his rough hand sliding down Shen Jue’s arm to cover the young man’s fingers. Shen Jue stared at his own hand. If he’d been carrying a knife, he might’ve been tempted to slice both their hands off then and there.
“What are you talking about?” Liu Deyi asked. “The palace is already an absurd place, isn’t it? The higher someone’s rank, the more scandalously they behave. The emperor indulges in incest, the empress carries on secret affairs, and the princes plot against one another. So what if two men mess around? It’s not a big deal! What’s more, even if others don’t see us as real men, we should still have some self-respect in that regard. In my case, no one mistakes me for a woman even after my castration. But you, well...”
“What about me?” Shen Jue asked.
Liu Deyi jabbed Shen Jue’s cheek. “Just look at you—so alluring, a natural seductress. I’d say you were born in the wrong body. And a woman’s destiny is a woman’s destiny, so in the end, you couldn’t avoid having your unnecessary parts removed.”
Shen Jue let out a low, humorless laugh. The shadows in his eyes deepened, turning bottomless. “Is that so?” he asked quietly. “This is my destiny?”
“Ah—Sixi mentioned earlier that he had feelings for you. At first, I thought you had a fiery temper, and since I prefer consent over coercion, I didn’t plan to push you. I never guessed that cur Sixi would actually succeed, but look at you two now, so sweet and inseparable.” Liu Deyi stroked his chin and added, “If I’d made my move, there’s no way that shameless fool could’ve competed with me. Sixi has no prospects. Why don’t you join up with me instead? Just nod, and I’ll get you out of the Fourth Qianxi Courtyard.”
Shen Jue slowly lifted his head, a sinister smile playing on his lips. Liu Deyi gazed down into Shen Jue’s eyes, so shadowed and brooding, as though a demon lurked within their depths. Suddenly uneasy, Liu Deyi couldn’t help but wonder why the boy’s stare was so chilling.
“Then do you know,” Shen Jue said, stressing each word, “that being with me comes at a cost?” His every syllable sent a ripple of disquiet through Liu Deyi.
Liu Deyi was from a family of hunters and had spent his childhood in the mountains and forests. His mother had raised him on tales of mountain demons that feasted on humans under the cover of night. In the cold, damp woods, solitary travelers had to be wary not only of the wild animals that could pounce unexpectedly but also of the mountain demons concealed in the shadows. Behind trees, beneath leaves, or below rocks—wherever darkness lingered, mountain demons might be waiting.
His mother’s stories had often scared him sleepless, but he never actually saw a mountain demon. Over time, he realized such stories were just his mother’s way of teasing him. But in this moment, he felt as if he was staring into the cold, menacing eyes of such a demon watching him intently, fangs bared and slavering for blood.
Though his heart trembled, he forced a smile to try to hold on to his pride. “What’s your price? Tell me.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, a heavy punch slammed into the side of his face, accompanied by a thunderous roar. “You blind mutt! How dare you lay a hand on my brother?!”
Liu Deyi was still reeling, stunned by the punch, as he was seized by the collar and kicked hard in the chest and stomach. He collapsed against the wall, vomiting bile. Before he could steady himself, Xiahou Lian delivered a sharp hook to his face, sending him sprawling to the ground. The blows didn’t stop—a relentless barrage of kicks followed, buffeting his body without pause. Liu Deyi howled in agony, pleading for mercy.
“You son of a bitch! What filthy scum dares to lay a hand on my brother?! I’ll beat you until you’re crawling on the ground, or my name isn’t Xiahou...” His attacker coughed. “Sixi!”
Shen Jue stood frozen, stunned. Xiahou Lian had appeared out of nowhere. Shen Jue had planned to deal with Liu-gonggong himself, but in the blink of an eye, Xiahou Lian had reduced the man to a whimpering mess.
“Sixi!” Liu Deyi screamed upon hearing the name. “You selfish bastard! You can touch him, but I can’t?!”
“Touch him, my ass! I’ll make you sorry right now!” Xiahou Lian was seething with rage, his vision blurred. He yanked up his robe and straddled Liu Deyi’s waist, slapping his face left and right. “How do you like this? I said, how do you like this?!”
Liu Deyi’s face was a mess of snot, tears, and drool. He couldn’t even spit out curses between the volley of slaps. Xiahou Lian’s blows felt like being struck with iron. Before long, Liu Deyi’s head and face were swollen beyond recognition, resembling a bloated pig’s.