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Little Doggie’s mind was still fuzzy, as if he were in a dream, his whole body bubbling with the fortune of a great stroke of luck. Master Lian was just too good to him, granting him a name and even letting them have roasted chicken!

Xiao Jizi, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, mustered a smile and approached Eunuch Liu with a bow, "I’ve seen Eunuch Liu, you jest. What managing? Just call me Xiao Jizi, it’s more cordial."

They ate up their roasted chicken and even presumptuously called him Steward Feng, as if calling him Chief Steward would make any difference!

Eunuch Liu thought he was being modest, stretched out his hand and gave a thumbs up, praising, "Steward Feng truly is a man brought up by Master Lian, truly unassumingly modest, what a young talent indeed, I admire, I admire."

Xiao Jizi thought, what young talent, just pouring more love potion on him. He was just a young eunuch, what kind of talent could he have? It was simply because his master was favored that he got brownie points, something he had heard too much of these days.

In the palace, one must stay clear-headed, be aware of one’s place.

It’s fine for others to say things, but never take them seriously yourself.

Don’t be like the young eunuch beside him, with a spacey expression as if pies had fallen from the sky, a goofy grin on his face, clueless even if he were to be sold.

He laughed and waved it off, "Not at all, Eunuch Liu is the one who is marvelous and magnanimous, a pillar of the Bureau of Palace Attendants, I’m endlessly in awe. Who in the palace doesn’t speak well of Eunuch Liu, isn’t this the case?"

As he spoke, he also gave a thumbs up.

No matter how dark their private lives may be, palace folks loved their reputations. No matter what, praising them was always right.

As expected, Eunuch Liu laughed heartily, clearly enjoying himself, thinking that Feng Ji really had a way with words, a real smooth talker.

No wonder he had leaped from a rankless, young eunuch to become the managing eunuch of Canglan Court, and was highly regarded by Master Lian, who would personally celebrate for him. The future held boundless possibilities.

Thinking so, his expression grew even more earnest as he looked at Xiao Jizi like family, incessantly singing his praises.

Ah, his mother, that familiar feeling!

Xiao Jizi steadied himself, thinking it must be his illusion. There was no reason for so many people to favor him at once.

He followed suit with the compliments, and the two went back and forth, flattering each other. In just a few words, one started calling the other Younger Brother Feng, and the other Old Brother Liu, both giving face and nailing it.

While he appeared calm and composed on the surface, he was extremely anxious inside.

His roasted chicken! Would he still get to eat it?

Eunuch Liu just wouldn’t stop with his many, closely-packed words.

It was supposed to be just small talk, yet it felt as if he had opened a pandora’s box of chitchat.

Finally, Xiao Jizi found an opportunity to voice his thoughts, "Old Brother Liu, what brings you here?"

Eunuch Liu said, "I just finished handling that matter for you." With that, he gave a knowing look.

Xiao Jizi chuckled, not taking the bait, thinking, what matter of his? All he wanted to know was how much of the roasted chicken the two of them had eaten, if there was any left, and hurriedly looked for a way to change the subject.

Eunuch Liu suddenly remembered something, patting his belly, savoring with full satisfaction, "Younger Brother Feng, our Master Lian is truly a celestial being. I’m thrice fortunate to have been granted a roasted chicken by Master Lian, a delicacy only to be found in heaven, I couldn’t stop eating a whole one.

.. Ah, Younger Brother Feng, where are you going? "

Before he could finish, the man who had been all smiles just a moment ago was dashing into the courtyard like a gust of wind.

Waving his hand at him, he dropped a line, "Old Brother Liu, we’ll catch up another time. I had just stepped out to attend to a matter for the master and must go back to report."

The farther he ran, the sooner he vanished from sight.

Eunuch Liu felt a hint of regret, he hadn’t even finished singing his praises...

When the figure was far away and out of sight, Eunuch Liu turned to the daydreaming Little Doggie and sternly admonished, "Today you’ve received a favor from Master Lian, but don’t get cocky once you’re back with His Majesty. The road ahead is still long."

Lost in reverie, Little Doggie suddenly felt a chill in his heart, and snapping back to reality, he quickly bowed to Eunuch Liu, "Thank you for your guidance, Eunuch. Your great kindness, I will engrave in my heart."

He had been drifting in his own thoughts, but Eunuch Liu’s words had awakened him.

Eunuch Liu "hmm"ed, and had it not been for this lad’s usual obedience, combined with the favor shown to him by Master Lian recently, which loosely connected him to Canglan Court, he wouldn’t have bothered to say these things.

Patting his overfull belly, he added, "Whatever words you heard today, whatever things you saw, let them rot in your stomach."

Otherwise, it would only bring trouble upon oneself, with no benefit whatsoever.

The astonishing remarks from Master Lian, together with some inadvertently revealed secrets, made him even more certain that aligning with Master Lian could do no harm.

Even if he couldn’t gain Master Lian’s support, he mustn’t make an enemy of him, otherwise, he feared it would not be Nanny Qi who would come after him, but His Majesty himself.

Before leaving, Nanny Qi gave him a glance that couldn’t have held a clearer meaning. He understood all too well what one should and shouldn’t listen to in the palace.

Nanny Qi’s affectionate gaze toward Master Lian, and the servants of Star Palace’s accustomed reactions to Master Lian’s behavior, proved that Master Lian was deeply favored by His Majesty, much more so than anyone in the Harem had speculated.

Considering the royal seed within his belly, he harbored a bold guess...

"Yes, I understand, thank you Eunuch Liu," Little Doggie now truly felt gratitude from the bottom of his heart.

Eunuch Liu’s train of thought was interrupted, and he quickly composed himself, looking down at the kneeling young eunuch before him, his heart filled with satisfaction. Little Doggie was someone who knew gratitude and was not an ingrate; otherwise, he would not have considered supporting him.

"Rise, we should head back," he said.

Together, the two of them slowly made their way back toward the Bureau of Palace Attendants...

On Xiao Jizi’s end, hearing that Eunuch Liu had devoured an entire roast chicken, he didn’t care for much else and immediately took off running.

Others were satisfied and full, but with his stomach growling, how could he outtalk them?

He ran all the way back, and just as he burst through the main gate, he encountered two young eunuchs from Star Palace who seemed to have just finished their meal, coming to take over the gate duty, their mouths still greasy. This only made him hurry more.

The two young eunuchs greeted him warmly upon seeing him:

The first young eunuch: "Yo, Brother Xiao Ji is back."

The second young eunuch: "Greetings, Brother Xiao Ji, congratulations..."

The first young eunuch elbowed the second one, who immediately fell silent, his face displaying a strange smile.

He nodded hurriedly, saying "Congratulations to you too" without really listening to what they were saying, whether there was any trickery in their words, and dashed past them like a gust of wind.

The further he ran, the deeper into the palace he got, until halfway, he came across Da Zhuang and Xiao Linzi, each carrying a food box.

Upon seeing him, Xiao Linzi’s eyes lit up and he turned his head shouting, "Brother Xiao Ji is back, he’s back!"

Alas, it was a pity that he was on his way to deliver roasted chicken to Consort Fang Pin, otherwise he would have been able to stay and enjoy the drama.