When he was sixteen, his father, a general fighting against invaders, suffered a devastating defeat. His father neither died in battle nor committed suicide. Although military failure was typically a capital offense, it rarely affected the family. However, when the report reached the emperor, he decided to make an example and punish severely. As a result, his mother was imprisoned and died, and he, as the only son of the Gu family, was sent to the palace to be castrated.
For a man who practiced martial arts, this outcome was worse than death. He had thought about dying, but there were still relatives in the Gu family he needed to protect.
Gradually, he climbed from the bottom, serving beside the emperor who had killed his parents and stripped away his dignity. Using his mind and martial skills, he became someone who could decide others’ life and death.
But how could that feeling of living worse than death be erased?
Gu Lianchang suddenly put down Ruan Ning and retrieved silver needles from a cabinet. She was terrified of pain, so he would make her hurt.
The fire starter sparked to life, and in the flickering light, Ruan Ning saw his grotesque face and the cold gleam of the silver needle. Panic consumed her. She and Gu Lianchang were far apart in age and had never interacted. How had she offended him? If it happened during the original timeline, the system would have provided a hint. Perhaps it was during her youth—but surely he wouldn’t hold a grudge for that?
“No, if I wronged you, I’m sorry. It was unintentional. I was young and didn’t understand. I can’t remember past events, but I didn’t mean to…” she stammered.
“I guess you don’t remember; how would a lowly eunuch like me be memorable to you?” Gu Lianchang lit a candle and let a bright red drop of wax fall onto Ruan Ning’s snow-white abdomen.
Though not very hot, the feeling of terror overwhelmed her, and Ruan Ning screamed.
Gu Lianchang gagged Ruan Ning with a corner of the bed curtain, placed a red candle by the bedside, spread her legs, and pricked her in a sensitive area with a silver needle.
Held down at her waist, Ruan Ning struggled desperately and tried to scream, tears flowing rapidly. The flickering candlelight cast shadows as she shook her head and made muffled sounds, her tears dampening the light moon-white bedding.
Gu Lianchang felt his heart weighed down by her tears. The second needle descended slowly. Gripping her ankle, he gritted his teeth: “Since you’ve forgotten, let me remind you. When you were seven or eight, you entered the palace. Outside the imperial kitchen, I bumped into you.”
Her father had worked in the Imperial Foodstuffs Department, which allowed her visits to the palace. She had been beautiful like a porcelain doll, while he was the lowest-ranking eunuch. While carrying firewood, he accidentally brushed against her. The spoiled child cursed him as a “dead eunuch” and ordered people to pull down his pants in public. Although her father intervened at the last moment, the humiliation and feeling of powerlessness haunted him.
Seven or eight years old?
How could a young child cause such harm? Could he really hold a grudge until now? Ruan Ning shook her head desperately, trying to speak. Gu Lianchang noticed and removed the cloth from her mouth. She panicked and said: “Did I hit you or scold you? I apologize. Please, master, have mercy. Forgive my ignorance.”
Gu Lianchang coldly laughed: “You not only hit and scolded me but also had someone try to publicly pull down my pants.”
Now Ruan Ning understood his hatred. For a man who had been castrated, this was an extreme humiliation. But that was done by the original owner; she was just a child. Surely, it could be forgiven?
She tried to touch his face, hoping to evoke his pity. Gu Lianchang avoided her, and she could only touch his neck, quickly saying: “I was too young and didn’t know I was doing something wrong. Please, have mercy?”
“Hmph, if I hadn’t been merciful, you would have died many times over,” Gu Lianchang said coldly.
Though he resented her, he had never seriously considered revenge—until he heard her name from Wei Shu, and the emperor ordered him to investigate and confirm if she was as beautiful as rumored. Leaving the palace, he matched her to the spoiled little girl in his memory; she was even more beautiful than the rumors.
This beauty intensified his hatred for his own incompleteness. He decided to send her to the palace to accompany the lustful emperor, planning for her to be buried alive after his death as revenge.
However, once she entered the palace, events took an unexpected turn.
Fortunately, she scolded him today, preventing him from becoming truly confused about his intentions.
Thinking of this, Gu Lianchang’s heart hardened more. He pushed her hand away and said coldly, “Being young isn’t an excuse. The humiliation you gave me will be repaid.”
“Repay? You wouldn’t strip me naked and throw me outside, would you?” Ruan Ning exclaimed. “If you do that, I’d rather die!”
Gu Lianchang was stunned. How foolish could she be to think he would expose her? What nonsense filled her mind?
He observed her biting her lip, both panicked and defiant, and lost his anger. More than a decade ago, she was a spoiled child; now, she had grown into someone with strange thoughts. Why argue with her? That would only make him a fool too.
Ruan Ning, not receiving a response, feared she had guessed correctly, her eyes reddening with anxiety.
Damn it, despite her strong psychological resilience, this was an ancient text. If it really happened, she would be drowned in saliva, and people like Wei Shu would humiliate her even more. She must not let this eunuch do this!
Taking advantage of his wavering expression, she lunged to hug him, kissing him anxiously and pleading, “Master, please forgive me. I’ll do anything you want, just don’t do that, I beg you.”
Her soft body wrapped around him, igniting small sparks. Gu Lianchang quickly pushed her away, asking coldly, “Anything?”
Noticing a gleam of pleasure in his eyes, Ruan Ning realized she had probably said the wrong thing. He grabbed her shoulders and flipped her over, tracing his cold fingers down her spine, stopping near her waist. He said coldly, “Let me tattoo a character here, and the past incident will be considered settled.”
A tattoo? A character? Who does he think he is, her mother-in-law?
With a tearful face, Ruan Ning pleaded, “Can we choose something else? It’ll hurt so much.”
“I don’t mind tattooing a picture,” Gu Lianchang replied, his gaze lingering on her trembling eyelashes.
At least a character would have fewer strokes and a smaller area, so it might hurt for a shorter time?
She looked at him with teary eyes and pleaded, “Then let’s go with a character. Master, please be gentle. Choose a simple character to show that you’re the best martial artist in the world.”
Gu Lianchang remained silent for a while, suppressing his laughter, and finally replied coldly, “I’ll still tattoo a picture.”
“No!” Ruan Ning scrambled up, grabbing his hand. “Please, no picture. It’ll hurt too much.”
“Do you think you get to decide?” Gu Lianchang snorted, fetching paint and tools, then flipping her over again.
Ruan Ning tensed, thinking, Who said this was a Mary Sue story? This is clearly a BL smut story, and she’s been forced into the M role!
The cool pen tip landed below her waist. Gu Lianchang moved slowly, and Ruan Ning’s mind was in chaos. She tried to look back but couldn’t see if he was drawing or writing, only feeling the fine pen tip moving in various directions. Ruan Ning’s heart sank—he was drawing.
Damn this eunuch, so petty. He’d take revenge even for a mischievous child!
