My eunuch godfather

Chapter 51 A mirage, an empty dream

"you!"

Li Cheng was thoroughly berated by Zhang Kun and, for a moment, didn't know how to retort. He turned to Zhang Ye for help:

"Godfather, I meant well, and this scoundrel treats me like this?!"

Zhang Ye stared blankly at Li Cheng, saying nothing.

Li Cheng felt uneasy under Zhang Ye's gaze, sensing something was wrong, and asked in a trembling voice, "Godfather?"

"Fourth brother... Li Cheng, Kun'er is right."

Zhang Ye's way of addressing Li Cheng had changed; he said coldly:

"I originally thought you were meticulous and calm, which is why I promoted you to the position of Admiral Yongwei."

Unexpectedly, you only care about yourself. When you see your brother getting rich, you only think about how to get a share for yourself!

It's fine to love money, but we can do business together. Unfortunately, you don't understand this principle; you only want to exploit and plunder!

"Godfather, I understand the importance of brothers working together."

After a moment's thought, Li Cheng decided to bow down and submit to Zhang Ye, explaining with a dry smile:

"But this time, Old Sixty-Six's business is really unusual, and it's definitely not something we can handle."

"If it weren't for a powerful backer like the British Duke's mansion..."

"His Majesty has agreed to bring Jin Yun under the imperial control and designate it as the official merchant of Danbagu in Zhili."

Zhang Ye coldly interrupted Li Cheng's explanation and questioned him:

"What? No matter how powerful the Duke of Ying's mansion is, is it more powerful than the Emperor?!"

Upon hearing this, Li Cheng was struck dumb, frozen in place, unable to utter a word.

"You think Kun'er doesn't understand? I don't understand. It's hard to keep such a lucrative business like the Golden Cloud Ship afloat."

Zhang Ye pointed to a stack of documents on the table and reprimanded Li Cheng:

"Kun'er had thought of this several months ago and had suggested taking over the imperial store."

Just a few days after the Jin Yun Hao opened and became a huge success, Kun'er wrote a proposal to take over the imperial store and asked me to submit it to the higher authorities!

These days, it is Kun'er who has taken on the burden, allowing me to free up time to run around the palace!

And you, you scoundrel, all you know is to collude with outsiders and murder your own brothers!

"Godfather, it was my fault!"

Li Cheng's body began to tremble uncontrollably, his knees buckled and he knelt down, crawling to Zhang Ye's feet.

With a sob in her voice, she repeatedly kowtowed to Zhang Ye, stammering as she begged for mercy:

"I was blinded by money, I was jealous of my brother's wealth, I deserve to be punished, I deserve to be punished!"

Please forgive me this time. I promise I will change, I promise I will change!

He then kowtowed to Zhang Kun and said, "Sixty-sixth brother, it was my fault, please forgive me..."

Zhang Ye's eyes were icy, he sighed deeply, reached out to help Li Cheng, who was kneeling on the ground, and said in a gentler tone:

"You are the fourth adopted son I have taken in. You have been with me for so many years, and you have suffered hardships and tribulations. What is there to forgive or not forgive?"

However, the punishment is deserved. Here's what we'll do: send someone to the Imperial Stables to ask for leave and stay here with me for a few days to reflect on your actions.

"Once Kun'er and I have dealt with things at the Duke of England's residence, you can return home after your leave is over."

Li Cheng raised his head, unwilling to agree to the condition, and wanted to plead a few more times.

However, he was horrified to discover that his sworn brothers, the seventh, eleventh, and nineteenth, held high positions of power.

Suddenly, they all appeared in the hall, staring at him with hostile eyes; those who knew martial arts were carrying knives.

Zhang Kun, standing beside him, had already taken a step, his right hand gripping the hilt of his knife tightly, ready to draw it at any moment.

Clearly, if he didn't agree to this condition, he most likely wouldn't be able to leave this hall alive today!

"Your child... Your child will listen to Godfather... Waaah..."

Knowing that his chances of survival were slim, Li Cheng burst into tears and wept uncontrollably.

After climbing upwards for so many years, it has all turned out to be nothing but a mirage.

......

That evening, only Zhang Ye and Zhang Kun were at the table.

Zhang Kun prepared a delicious meal for the Shandong chef whom Zhang Ye was supporting, but Zhang Ye hesitated to touch his chopsticks.

After a long while, Zhang Ye pointed to the pickled cucumber strips in the mixed cold dish and sighed to Zhang Kun:

"I still remember that before I entered the palace, my father would buy some of these at the end of the year and drink them with his sorrows."

After finishing the wine, the leftover pickled cucumber strips were left for my mother and me to mix with plain porridge, which served as our New Year's Eve dinner.

Zhang Kun didn't know how to reply, so he continued listening.

"Now I've made a name for myself, but unfortunately my parents are gone, and they didn't get to enjoy much of the good life I had."

The eunuch godfather's eyes welled up with tears. He picked up a piece of pickled cucumber strip, put it in his mouth, and slowly chewed and swallowed:

"My parents' family was not large, and after several major disasters, I didn't have many relatives left."

Many women in the palace who are not as good as me have younger brothers or nephews, and some even had sons before entering the palace. It's truly enviable!

Yesterday, when His Majesty sent General Lu over, he conveyed a message that the old man's health was deteriorating and he didn't have many years left to live.

They told us old folks to plan ahead for ourselves, so we wouldn't be left with nothing when the time comes.

"It is also thanks to His Majesty's consideration for old men like us that Jin Yun was able to establish itself as a legitimate business."

Although my eunuch godfather is not yet fifty years old, people in this era generally do not live long.

Moreover, people in this era married young, and many men, by the time they reached the age of a eunuch godfather, already had grandchildren or even great-grandchildren.

The eunuch godfather had no younger brothers or nephews to carry on the family line, and the Wanli Emperor, who had personally promoted him, also lamented that his days were numbered.

It's inevitable to feel a little sentimental.

Zhang Kun immediately rose, knelt down, kowtowed to his eunuch godfather, and respectfully said:

"Everything I have now is thanks to my godfather. I will take care of him in his old age and see him to his death!"

Don't worry, Godfather, your money is my money. If anyone dares to steal your money, I will definitely not let them get away with it!

Besides, Godfather, you're not even fifty yet. I'll find a way to help you advance!

You're not Emperor Wanli, who indulged in wine, women, wealth, and power, and lived a life of idleness and complacency, which is why he didn't live past sixty.

"Get up, get up!"

The eunuch godfather patted Zhang Kun on the shoulder and smiled, saying:

"Although you are ruthless in your actions, you are not so ruthless at heart; in fact, you could say you are kind-hearted."

I know quite a bit about how you treat those river workers and those farmers in Xishan.

The others wouldn't treat poor, lowly people with the same kindness you show.

You said you would take care of me in my old age and see me off when I die, and I believed you.

Zhang Ye sighed, picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp, then continued speaking to Zhang Kun:

"But I hope even more that you will have more sons, so that one can be left for me to carry on the family line."

"If I could have a cold meal to eat after I die, I would be content."

Zhang Kun sensed something was off, but he didn't know what the problem was, so he could only agree repeatedly.

"I'm a little tired. You should go back to your room. I'll have someone bring you some food."

After Zhang Kun left, the servants took all the food away.

Zhang Ye looked behind the screen, his smile fading, and commanded, "Come here."

The beautiful woman in the fur robe—Zhang Ye's wife, Madam Cheng Wenqing—walked up from behind the screen.

Seeing that Zhang Ye's expression was off, Cheng Wenqing also gradually stopped smiling.

Snapped!

Zhang Ye suddenly stood up and slapped Cheng Wenqing hard across the face.

Cheng Wenqing bit her lip until it bled, blood trickling down her lips, and glared coldly at Zhang Ye.

"Get out."

Zhang Ye sighed, waved to Cheng Wenqing, and sat back down in his chair.

Cut off his manhood and become a eunuch in the palace.

Even if one becomes wealthy and successful, marries a beautiful wife, and adopts sons and grandsons, in the end, one is still alone in old age.

It's like a mirage, a fleeting illusion.