#ImperialEunuch

Ji Li agreed and was happy everything could be arranged so well. So, he took a breather, then let go of his nice smile and looked his uncle deadly in the eyes as he asked “So, who is that girl?”

Tian Xuan also looked coldly and replied “She is one of the few that grew with me in the military, we started together in a team and climbed the ladder. She and others were still captains when I became a Lieutenant, so I decided to gather them together into my team. They might not be the most special or strong, but their loyalty was… or is very steadfast, they also knew how to follow my commands properly and behave accordingly.

I never talked about Jing’er when I was just new to the military. We were already together, but it was too early, and in some cases, I might have been promoted just for my connections. If I wanted that, I might as well have mentioned that I once worked for the prince, but I wanted to properly climb in the military and find comrades I can trust my back to.

When I came back a few years prior after staying a long time in the capital. I revealed that Hua Jing, who had often visited us, was in fact my husband. I told them that I didn’t want any drama and that we were still young, but with the marriage, I didn’t want to keep it to myself any longer. This came as quite a shocker in the beginning, but they soon accepted it and said that they should have known, as eunuchs would occasionally join the military, but Hua Jing did it very frequently and freely, other eunuchs also never acted so closely.

She was the one that reacted the most, but she was also very friendly with Jing’er, so I assumed she felt betrayed he didn’t tell her. He also thought so, that was why he ignored it when she became distant towards him. He mentioned to me that he was happy at least her relationship with me wasn’t ruined, which was weird, because all the other comrades accepted it and were quite happy they’d have a definitive eunuch that would visit them in times of need.”

Ji Li listened and didn’t comment on anything, he just wanted to know the thoughts of his uncle. He didn’t doubt for a second that his uncle was fully loyal to his mentor, but this matter stank too strong, he had to be sure about the happenings around the military if he was going to stay.

Tian Xuan took a break as his frown intensified and continued “She confessed her feelings a few weeks ago, when the outpost was under attack all the time. I was recuperating in the camp and so was she, when Jing’er went to the forefront after replenishing his essence enough, she took it upon herself to talk with me. She asked me a lot of things, such as whether this would be our last battle and whether we could survive it.

That seemed weird to me, because we had experienced worse waves of monsters, I just took it that she had taken many wounds and needed more time to heal. At that point I was already somewhat ready to go to the front. I wouldn’t be able to enter directly, but at least I could support the people, as I had already awakened my talent. I didn’t want to leave Jing’er on the front without me for long.

As I was about to leave, she grabbed my arm and seemed to want to say anything, I didn’t have time, so I told her to just talk to me what she wanted. She then confessed about her feelings and began to cry, apologizing that she knew it wasn’t her right but that she couldn’t stop her feelings… I was very confused at that point.”

Then Tian Xuan looked with an even more disgusted face as he said “She offered to be… my concubine! A CONCUBINE!” he yelled somewhat “She said she knew I had a _wife_, and that she was happy with just being a concubine! She would be fine with attending to me in the military while Hua Jing would be my full wife, she would only be my concubine to _relief my_ stress when he wasn’t present!”

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Tian Xuan was fuming as he continued “I was about to tell her off, when I heard a sound outside. I went out and saw that a soldier had just stepped up, he told me that Jing’er told him to inform me about the situation up front, which apparently became a bit dire. The situation didn’t allow any talks, so I had no time and went to the front.

The next days she spent mostly avoiding me, and when Hua Jing went away, she appeared again as if nothing happened. Then, she told me boldly that this would be how she wen on, and how she was fine with not being taken as a concubine for now and let me try out her ideas. I told her off and that if she mentioned it even once again, I would cripple her and send her to the front! From then on, she would always act like just now, embarrassed and never mention it, but quite a few saw how she behaved and talked about it when they thought I wouldn’t hear!”

Ji Li was also fuming by now, but he quickly calmed down and sighed “Tian Xuan, tell me, would mentor really tell a soldier to inform you about something being dire? Tell me, with mentors’ talent, he didn’t need to be directly present on the walls, so why would he be there the whole time? If the situation was dire, he wouldn’t tell someone to call you, would he?”

Tian Xuan thought about it and was shocked “He would… come to me and tell me about it, while checking on me whether I was fine to go to the front…”

“He probably heard the part where she confessed and you let her continue talk, I don’t need to say how that will seem. Even if that wasn’t the case, with her acting like that in the camp, tell me, how would the other soldiers think of her? They would think and say ‘Ahh the captain is in love with the lieutenant, maybe we will get a mistress!’ Especially the newly recruited soldiers would say so, but even the captains will think that.

They might even know your intentions and position regarding marriage, but living in the empire and still being pretty young, won’t they think that it wouldn’t be weird to have a concubine? You only have one partner, they would think, so it was fine to take a second. Additionally, they all grew up in the military together, so some might even think more amiably about her than about mentor. Of course, most will say that it’s nonsense and mentor was present at every important time in your military career, but who is to say that some people aren’t biased?

Marriage between men isn’t too common, most of them are concubines, rarely are their single men to men relationships. Your soldiers and some captains surely come from the countryside, it might be new to them, so they would be somewhat averse, while those coming from large cities would think you are destroying your lineage with that.

So many things that are wrong with the situation, but what about mentor? Tell me, in all honesty, why do you think Hua Jing left he military?”

Tian Xuan was confused and said, “He had a ceremony and he also heard of you getting yours, the situation in the outpost calmed down a lot, so he wanted to go back.”

Ji Li shook his head “And why would he stay even after everything is finished? Aren’t you also currently stabilising your foundation here? Why would he need to do so back in the capital? Uncle, I know you aren’t good with romantical matters, but this is Hua Jing’s way of giving you space to think about the proposal. He knows you position the best, but with how sensible he is, do you think he fully wants to deny you the chance to have children? No matter the other means, female and male relationships are the easiest way to get children.”

Shaking his head strongly, Tian Xuan answered “It doesn’t matter! Even if I don’t have children! I married Jing’er knowing everything… why would he!”

“Why would he not give you space, when you clearly act as if you need it?” Ji Li asked furiously “You didn’t properly talk to that wretch even after the attack calmed down! Here you are fuming to me, but why don’t you tell her to her face? Why don’t you send her away to another department? Tian Xuan, if I was you, I would have sent her to the front lines to fight till she dies! Don’t call me cold, I don’t have any intention to have a romantical relationship, but even I can see that Hua Jing would feel bad with the way you act!

How can you be so intentionally oblivious about the state things are? You are hurting more and more people with your action that you understand! This is not something that gets fixed by itself over time, you are not comprehending your situation!”