Chapter 21

Suo Etu, with a sly smile, walked over to Lin Yi and Wei Xiaobao, and waved his hand. The officials and guards in the room all withdrew.

Lin Yi and Wei Xiaobao both looked at Suo Etu. They heard him laugh and say, "Lord Lin, Lord Gui, it's a great honor for us to be sent by the Emperor to work together. It's a bond of fate."

He paused and continued, "We feel like old friends at first sight. If you two lords respect me, let's become sworn brothers today. What do you think?"

Lin Yi secretly smiled, not surprised by Suo Etu's proposal to form a brotherhood. Suo Etu was a shrewd person, seeing that Lin Yi and Wei Xiaobao were favorites of the young Emperor Kangxi, and wanted to build a relationship with them, regardless of their eunuch status.

This was quite unique; which high-ranking official in the court would form a brotherhood with eunuchs, who were generally looked down upon?

Wei Xiaobao was startled. He had grown up in a brothel, where people called him names like "little beast" and "little turtle" without end. Since gaining the favor of Emperor Kangxi, everyone in the palace treated him with great respect.

As a child of fourteen or fifteen, he had never experienced such respect before.

Seeing Suo Etu's imposing presence in the Aobai residence, where all the officials and military officers trembled in his presence, yet he treated him so kindly, Wei Xiaobao felt greatly flattered and developed a good impression of him.

When Suo Etu proposed forming a brotherhood with him and his "cousin," Wei Xiaobao was somewhat moved.

Wei Xiaobao hesitated and said, "I... I form a brotherhood with you? How... how could I possibly be worthy?"

Suo Etu glanced at Lin Yi, seeing that Lord Lin had not expressed an opinion and might have a similar attitude. He smiled inwardly and said, "Brother Gui, if you keep saying such things, it's clearly an insult to me.

For some reason, I felt a strong connection with you two lords the moment we met.

Let's go to the Buddhist hall and form our brotherhood! From now on, we will be like real brothers. We won't tell anyone, and as long as no one knows, it won't matter."

As he spoke, he grabbed "Lord Lin's" hand with one hand and "Lord Gui's" hand with the other, holding them tightly, his eyes full of enthusiasm.

Suo Etu saw that Aobai had fallen, and the court's power structure would soon change. The Emperor's kind attitude toward him suggested that a promotion was imminent.

To gain favor in the court, one must understand the Emperor's temperament and preferences. These two young eunuchs, who were always with the Emperor, could help him immensely if they spoke well of him to the Emperor.

Even if they didn't speak well of him, just knowing what the Emperor liked, disliked, and wanted to do, and sharing this information, would make his work much easier and more in line with the Emperor's wishes.

Born into an official family, with his father Sony being the chief of the regents, Suo Etu knew that "understanding the Emperor's will" was the only key to becoming a high-ranking official, and it was also the most difficult part.

Now, he saw a great opportunity. If he could win over these two young eunuchs, his rise to power and eventual appointment as a high official would be just around the corner!

Wei Xiaobao, though clever, knew nothing about court politics. He thought this high official truly liked him and felt secretly pleased, saying, "This... this..."

Lin Yi interrupted Wei Xiaobao, smiling, "For some reason, I also felt a strong connection with Brother Suo the moment we met. Let's form our brotherhood!"

Suo Etu was slightly taken aback. "Lord Lin" was not as petty as "Lord Gui" and was a favorite of the Emperor, a person capable of great things!

Suo Etu, holding both their hands, said joyfully, "Come, come, come! Let's go to the Buddhist hall."

The people of the region were devout Buddhists, and every high-ranking official's residence had a Buddhist hall.

The three of them went to the Buddhist hall.

Suo Etu lit the incense, pulled Lin Yi and Wei Xiaobao to kneel before the Buddha statue, and said, "Disciple Suo Etu, today I am forming a brotherhood with... with..."

He paused, turned his head, and asked, "Brother Lin, Brother Gui, what are your full names? I haven't asked, which is quite rude."

Lin Yi smiled and said, "My name is Lin Yi!"

Wei Xiaobao said, "My name is Xiaogui."

Wei Xiaobao inwardly lamented, "Big Brother" was here! What was the real name of this fake "Xiaogui"?

If he got it wrong, wouldn't he be exposed?

Suo Etu smiled and said, "Your surname is Gui? What is your full name?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "I... I... I am Gui Xiaobao."

He thought, "I'll just make something up! If Big Brother asks, I'll find another reason, like I changed my name later!"

Lin Yi, seeing Wei Xiaobao's reaction, secretly laughed. He knew the reason, but he also didn't know "Xiaogui's" real name.

Because his "Big Brother" was also a fake.

Suo Etu laughed, "Good name, good name. Brother Lin's name is natural and free, and Brother Gui is a treasure among men!"

Lin Yi smiled but said nothing. He thought, "Is my name really natural and free? I didn't know that!"

Wei Xiaobao thought, "In Yangzhou, people called me 'Little Treasure the Little Turtle.' What's so good about the name 'Little Treasure'?"

He heard Suo Etu say, "Disciple Suo Etu, today I am forming a brotherhood with Brother Lin Yi and Brother Gui Xiaobao. From now on, we will share happiness and bear hardships together. We do not wish to be born on the same day, but we wish to die on the same day. If I betray this bond, may I be destroyed by heaven and earth, and never have a chance to rise again."

Saying this, he bowed again, and after the bow, said, "Brothers, you should also bow and swear before the Buddha!"

Wei Xiaobao thought, "You are much older than me. If I really die on the same day as you, that would be a great loss."

In a moment, he had an idea. He thought, "I'm not really Gui Xiaobao, so what's the harm in lying?"

He bowed before the Buddha statue and said loudly, "Disciple Gui Xiaobao, I have always been a young eunuch in the Emperor's palace, and everyone calls me Xiaogui. I am forming a brotherhood with my cousin Lin Yi and Lord Suo Etu. We will share happiness and bear hardships together. We do not wish to be born on the same day, but we wish to die on the same day. If Xiaogui betrays this bond, may Xiaogui be destroyed by heaven and earth, and after death, be cast into the eighteenth level of hell, captured by the ox-headed and horse-faced demons, and never be reborn for a thousand or ten thousand years."

Wei Xiaobao thought, "Let 'Xiaogui' bear all the consequences!"

Lin Yi also bowed before the Buddha statue and said calmly, "Disciple Lin Yi, I wish to form a brotherhood with my cousin Xiaobao and Lord Suo Etu. We will share happiness and bear hardships together. We do not wish to be born on the same day, but we wish to die on the same day. If I betray this bond, I will not be tolerated in this world!"

He thought, "If I betray this bond and am not tolerated in this world, I can just buy a time-travel token and go to another world when I have enough gold coins!"

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