Chapter 10: Open Strife and Hidden Intrigue

Faced with Chief Li’s threat, Ye Cheng’s anger flared, his expression turning cold. Chief Li actually had the audacity to complain before the Crown Princess. It was he who had instigated the trouble in the first place.

Before Ye Cheng could speak, Chief Li knelt before Ling Xiaoyue, knocking his head to the floor as if pounding garlic, tears streaming down his face, and cried out before the Crown Princess, “Your Highness, you must stand up for this old servant! Ye Cheng, that wretch, refuses to obey discipline and has even assaulted Eunuch Xu and others in public. He’s turned everything upside down!”

Watching Chief Li’s performance, Ye Cheng was astonished. Those tears, that expression—if he didn’t receive an Oscar for best actor, it would be a grave injustice.

“Ye Cheng? Worthless servant, what trouble have you caused now?” Ling Xiaoyue arched her delicate brow, her cold gaze sweeping toward him. She was feeling irritable and had no patience for the squabbling of eunuchs. Still, Chief Li was a long-standing member of the Crown Princess’s household, having accompanied her for over a decade; she felt obliged to show him some respect.

Ye Cheng’s heart sank; hearing the Crown Princess’s tone, he feared he would not escape a harsh punishment today. He could tell Ling Xiaoyue was troubled, perhaps because of the four Buddha statues before her.

Instead of answering directly, Ye Cheng asked, “Is Your Highness’s vexation related to these four Buddha statues?”

“Oh? Even you noticed? The envoys from Jin presented me with this dilemma,” Ling Xiaoyue replied with a bitter smile. Her father, the emperor, was unwell, so she acted as regent, handling state affairs. At court earlier that day, the Jin envoys posed a difficult question, and not a single official could answer it, bringing shame upon Great Zhou. She brought the statues back to the palace, intending to ponder the riddle overnight. Yet, the four statues were identical—how could one determine which was the most revered?

Ye Cheng smiled, “Your Highness might as well explain the problem; perhaps I can help.”

Chief Li sneered twice, immediately mocking, “This is a question from the Jin envoys—none of the court scholars could solve it, and you, a mere eunuch, claim you can?”

“How would you know unless you let me try?” Ye Cheng retorted.

“If you solve it, I’ll cut off my head and give it to you as a stool,” Chief Li said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Ling Xiaoyue’s eyes brightened inexplicably. “Since you claim to have a solution, try it. The Jin envoys’ question is: Without breaking open the statues, which one among the four is the most precious?”

“That’s all?” Ye Cheng smiled. In his previous life, he lived in an age of information explosion—such a problem was hardly difficult for him. Moreover, the Jin envoy’s stipulation about not breaking the statues was meant to mislead, making people think there might be treasures hidden inside.

“You think it’s easy?” Ling Xiaoyue bit her lip and glared at Ye Cheng, clearly doubting his ability to solve the riddle.

“If Your Highness provides me with a branch, I can solve the puzzle immediately,” Ye Cheng replied.

“Quick, fetch him a branch. I want to see how he solves this,” Ling Xiaoyue instructed the eunuchs at her side.

Moments later, a eunuch returned with a willow twig. Ye Cheng took it and walked to the four Buddha statues. Upon entering, he had noticed small holes on the statues. By passing the twig through these holes, the riddle could be solved.

Ye Cheng approached the first statue, inserted the twig into the hole in its left ear, and it emerged from the hole in its right ear. “This Buddha receives words through one ear and lets them out the other, treating others’ words as mere whisperings—clearly not the most precious,” Ye Cheng remarked calmly.

Ling Xiaoyue was startled, her thoughts suddenly illuminated. Her clear eyes brimmed with surprise.

Ye Cheng moved to the second statue, again passing the twig through the left ear, but this time it emerged from the statue’s mouth. “This Buddha hears something and immediately repeats it. How can such a person be trusted? Thus, it is not the most precious,” Ye Cheng continued.

Ling Xiaoyue’s cherry lips parted in astonishment. Such a simple problem—why hadn’t she thought of it?

Ye Cheng approached the third statue, which, unlike the others, had no holes. He tapped its belly, producing hollow sounds—its stomach was empty. He smiled and said, “This Buddha feigns deafness and muteness, its belly empty, clearly lacking knowledge—the embodiment of an empty-headed fool, only able to pretend.”

Ling Xiaoyue was thoroughly convinced, nodding in agreement.

Finally, Ye Cheng arrived at the last statue, inserting the twig into its left ear, which passed through to the belly. “This Buddha represents those who keep what they hear to themselves, never revealing secrets. Comparatively, this statue is the most precious.”

Ling Xiaoyue was stunned, completely won over by Ye Cheng’s explanation.

She was utterly amazed. Not a single court scholar had solved the riddle, and yet the little eunuch beside her had done so. Now, as Ling Xiaoyue reflected, she realized how simple the puzzle was. Before Ye Cheng had pointed the way, she had been in the dark, unable to see the truth. His explanation had parted the clouds, bringing clarity.

“Brilliant! Truly brilliant! None of the officials could solve it, yet you, a mere eunuch, managed to crack it!” Ling Xiaoyue clapped her hands and laughed.

“I dare not take credit, Your Highness. What little wisdom I have, I learned from following you,” Ye Cheng replied modestly, immediately flattering the Crown Princess. Years of experience in the workplace had taught him never to claim credit in such moments—always let the leader receive the praise.

Ling Xiaoyue nodded in satisfaction, laughing. “By the way, what were you arguing about just now?”

“Your Highness, you must stand up for this old servant! That little eunuch abused his position, beat Eunuch Xu so badly he may be bedridden for months. It’s heartbreaking to witness,” Chief Li complained persistently.

“I am aware of the matter. Since Eunuch Xu is unable to continue his duties, Ye Cheng shall assume the position of deputy chief,” Ling Xiaoyue responded. She knew the eunuchs schemed and fought behind the scenes; she had no patience for their squabbles. But Ye Cheng had rendered meritorious service, so he deserved a reward.

Chief Li was so shocked by this pronouncement that his eyes nearly fell from their sockets. He had come to complain about Ye Cheng, hoping to ruin him, but instead Ye Cheng was promoted to deputy chief, just one rank below himself.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Ye Cheng replied with a smile, casting a cold glance at Chief Li. That old fox would never have dreamed he would rise to deputy chief of the Crown Princess’s household.

“Additionally, I grant you one thousand taels of silver,” Ling Xiaoyue added, her mood much improved and generous with her rewards.

The news of Ye Cheng’s appointment as deputy chief quickly swept through the entire household.

Lin Yaoxue, upon hearing the news, was taken aback. “Ye Cheng actually became deputy chief?”