The Head of the Guard, Xue Yun...
The identities of the remaining two naturally became obvious: Sergeant Luo Jiang and Deputy Sergeant Zhu Hong!
"What are they here for?" Chu Chen felt a sense of foreboding.
"I heard you have a young eunuch here who is skilled in martial arts and is highly favored by the Princess?" Xue Yun said coldly. "Where is he? Call him out for me to see."
Manager Chen, being just a eunuch, dared not disobey Xue Yun's orders. He quickly sent someone to find Chu Chen.
"Manager Chen, you were looking for me?" Chu Chen descended from the third floor.
"I just heard you call my name. Is someone looking for me?"
"You are that little eunuch who has the Princess wrapped around your finger?" Xue Yun immediately leveled a serious accusation at Chu Chen.
"It's just some flashy moves that the Princess enjoys watching. I wouldn't dare say I'm deceiving her," Chu Chen explained, feigning panic.
"You know your place," Xue Yun sneered.
"However, as the Princess's personal guard, I have a duty to ensure that no suspicious individuals are near her." Xue Yun stated calmly, "Without my permission, you are not allowed to approach the Princess anymore."
Chu Chen nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, no problem, sir."
"But the Princess told me that starting tomorrow, I must perform swordplay at Qingming Palace, rain or shine, so..."
Xue Yun paused, then said, "This is the Princess's command. You just need to obey."
Chu Chen's brow twitched, but he remained very respectful, "May I know if you have the Princess's token, sir?"
"Do you dare to suspect me of lying?" Xue Yun roared. "How presumptuous! A mere eunuch dares to speak disrespectfully to me!"
"I dare not," Chu Chen lowered his head, his expression turning colder. "It's just that the Princess has given instructions, and we subordinates must complete them properly."
"Otherwise, if the Princess blames me, I cannot bear the responsibility."
"Just stay put as you're told," Xue Yun said impatiently. "Why so much nonsense?"
"Without the Princess's token, I dare not obey."
Although Chu Chen didn't know what these people were up to, he was certain that Princess Xin Yue had never said he didn't need to go anymore.
Therefore, no matter what, he could not agree.
"A mere eunuch dares to be so presumptuous. I think you're tired of living!"
Xue Yun snorted coldly and, without hesitation, attacked.
It had to be said that as the Head of the Guard, Xue Yun was not without skill.
As the saying goes, an expert's move reveals their depth.
The palm strike Xue Yun casually unleashed carried a faint sound of a tiger's roar, incredibly powerful.
Chu Chen's eyes narrowed. He knew he couldn't meet this blow head-on.
But just as he was about to dodge, he suddenly thought of something. He merely shifted his body slightly and then took the palm strike with his shoulder.
Instantly, Chu Chen was sent flying several meters by Xue Yun's palm. He then collapsed on the ground, motionless.
Xue Yun sneered, "Get up. Stop playing dead on the ground."
Chu Chen feigned exhaustion and took a long time to stand up. "Sir, why did you strike me so viciously?"
"Flashy moves are just flashy moves. They're useless." Xue Yun spat. "Trash!"
"Know your place and keep your distance from the Princess!"
With that, Xue Yun led the two men with him and swaggered away.
After leaving the Imperial Study, Luo Jiang suddenly asked, "Big brother, is it necessary to be so cautious with this person?"
"Yes, he's just a little eunuch who knows a few parlor tricks. Is he worth us personally testing him?" Zhu Hong was also a bit confused.
"If you really wanted to test him, couldn't you just find a couple of guards? You personally intervening..."
Xue Yun shook his head slightly. "Our plan is at a critical juncture. Anyone who rashly approaches the Princess must be thoroughly investigated. We must not be careless."
"You mean, this little eunuch appeared too coincidentally, and you suspect him?" Luo Jiang nodded thoughtfully.
"If others had tested him, I wouldn't be at ease," Xue Yun said coldly. "You know what kind of people those guards are. They wouldn't find anything out."
"Then... based on what you're saying, this little eunuch is not a problem?"
"That's right." Xue Yun nodded. "He's just a little eunuch with a few parlor tricks. I was being overly cautious."
"But that little eunuch belongs to the Princess. Big brother, you injured him today..." Zhu Hong was a little worried.
Xue Yun, however, laughed heartily. "I know what I'm doing. That little eunuch will only be in unbearable pain for one night and will recover the next day without any lingering marks."
"As for the others... who saw me strike that little eunuch?"
Luo Jiang's eyes lit up, and he immediately flattered him, "Big brother is brilliant."
"I'll have someone warn them not to speak carelessly!" Zhu Hong quickly added.
Xue Yun was clearly pleased with Zhu Hong's quick thinking.
The three of them left, laughing.
On the other side, Chu Chen struggled to sit up from the ground. Looking at the little eunuchs around him who didn't even dare to ask a question, Chu Chen lowered his eyelids.
Not long ago, after learning that he had become a sword-bearing eunuch, all of them had wanted to curry favor with him.
But after just a short while, after being disciplined by Xue Yun, they now avoided him as if he were a plague, not even daring to look at him.
Only Manager Chen stepped forward, trying to help Chu Chen up.
"Alas, offending Head Steward Xue, your future days will be difficult," Manager Chen sighed.
"That's enough for today. You should go back and rest. Don't let it delay tomorrow's matters."
Chu Chen nodded slightly, a faint warmth rising in his heart.
As Chu Chen limped away from the Imperial Study, the eunuchs behind him began to chatter.
"See, I told you something would happen to him sooner or later!"
"Serves him right!"
"What a shame..."
Schadenfreude, sympathy, all sorts of human emotions...
But Chu Chen paid no attention to these eunuchs.
In fact, with his foundation in the Intermediate Ancient Martial Realm, Xue Yun's palm strike could not have harmed Chu Chen at all.
If he had wanted to, he could have easily dodged it.
Even after the palm strike landed on him, he realized that Xue Yun had held back.
It wasn't that the other party was merciful, but rather that he didn't want to leave any evidence of his attack.
Originally, there should have been no marks on Chu Chen's body. However, if someone were to lift Chu Chen's clothes, they would discover a dark blue handprint where Xue Yun had struck!
Limping back to his quarters, Chu Chen closed his eyes, preparing to rest well.