Held in the Lonely Castle Chapter 02

 Eunuch

After half a year of mastering palace etiquette, we were dispersed to various eunuch departments to learn new skills.

The Song Dynasty eunuchs were divided into two bureaus: the Inner Eunuch Bureau and the Outer Eunuch Bureau. The Inner Eunuch Bureau served directly within the inner palace, managing affairs of the imperial harem, also known as the Rear Bureau or Northern Office. The Outer Eunuch Bureau handled court供奉 and menial tasks like sweeping, also known as the Front Bureau or Southern Branch.

I was assigned to the Hanlin Academy's Calligraphy Bureau under the Outer Eunuch Bureau. Since we would later handle calligraphy-related duties, erudite and skilled eunuchs instructed us. Aside from menial tasks like sweeping, which all young eunuchs had to perform, my remaining time was spent reading poetry and practicing seal, clerical, running, grass, draft cursive, and flying white scripts.

I loved the serene atmosphere of the academy and this tranquil life, but Zhang Chengzhao felt otherwise, often complaining.

Zhang Chengzhao was my companion in the Calligraphy Bureau. Two months my junior, he had entered the palace a year earlier and loved playing the elder to newcomers, often lecturing us on palace affairs in a didactic tone. Others disliked his manner, but since I listened quietly, we eventually became friends.

He longed to transfer to the Inner Eunuch Bureau, and through him, I learned the two bureaus were not equal in status.

One day, we were tasked with delivering transcribed documents to the Secretariat-Chancellery. The chancellor demanded haste, so we ran, rounding a corner and colliding with two eunuchs. They were taller, only stumbling slightly, while we fell to the ground, documents scattering.

"Blind brats!" they cursed.

Ignoring them, I scrambled to gather the documents, checking for damage. Zhang Chengzhao, initially angry, prepared to retort but deflated upon seeing their attire, forcing a smile. "Our fault for blocking your path. Forgive us!"

He even slapped himself lightly, bowing repeatedly in apology. The two eunuchs glared before sauntering off.

"Why such deference?" I asked.

Zhang Chengzhao made a show of punching the air behind their backs, then spat. "First, they're ranked eunuchs. Second, they're from the Inner Eunuch Bureau."

I knew we were merely unranked young eunuchs, and ranked eunuchs outranked us, but didn't grasp why Inner Eunuch Bureau eunuchs deserved special respect.

"They serve the emperor, empress, and princesses! A word from them, and we're in trouble," Zhang Chengzhao grumbled. "I slacked off during etiquette training, so I wasn't assigned to the Inner Bureau."

Upon returning, Zhang Chengzhao elaborated on the Inner Bureau's importance: "Those serving directly in the emperor's chambers or the empress's, consorts', and princesses' quarters are all from the Rear Bureau.

Other Rear Bureau departments are also significant: the Imperial Pharmacy oversees medical prescriptions and preparations, highly respected, with only meritorious eunuchs appointed as its head; the Inner East Gate Office controls entry and exit, able to restrict movement and report suspicious items directly to the Imperial City Department or the Secretariat-Chancellery—even the emperor hesitates to bestow gifts without their oversight;

the Contract Voucher Office handles imperial requisitions, listing items for the imperial treasury to dispense—who would dare offend them? The Dragon Diagram, Yu Chang, and Treasure Archives safeguard ancestral writings, rare books, and treasures, making their eunuchs uniquely esteemed."

"Doesn't the Outer Bureau also serve the emperor? Why the hierarchy?" I asked.

"Big difference, clear hierarchy!" Zhang Chengzhao insisted. "Look at the Front Bureau's tasks: the Diplomatic Correspondence Office manages envoys from Liao, but since it's unrelated to the palace, no one curries favor; the Rear Garden Office oversees imperial gardens and ponds, essentially gardeners; the Manufacturing Office produces utensils for the palace and imperial weddings—manual labor; the Military Audience Office escorts guards for imperial audiences—mere guides; our Hanlin Academy's Astronomy, Calligraphy, Painting, and Medicine Bureaus handle celestial observations, writing, painting, and medicine—better, but at best, we copy texts under scholars, never nearing the inner palace..."

I fell silent as he sighed. "Even salaries differ. A Front Bureau供奉官 earns ten thousand cash monthly, five bolts of silk in spring and winter, plus twenty taels of winter cotton, while a Rear Bureau供奉官 gets twelve thousand, five spring silk bolts, seven winter bolts, and thirty taels of cotton... When a Rear Bureau post opens, a Front Bureau promotion fills it, and the appointee grins ear to ear... See how well-dressed Rear Bureau eunuchs are..."

"Not all," I recalled. "The Inner East Gate's Master Zhang dresses modestly."

Zhang Chengzhao paused, scratching his head. "Perhaps he's saving money."

Mentioning Zhang reminded him of something. "Did you know? Rumor has it your assignment to the Hanlin Academy was his suggestion. Odd—he favored you, even renamed you. Why not send you to the Rear Bureau?"

I smiled slightly. "Perhaps he thought this suited me better. I agree."

He shook his head disdainfully, his look clearly saying, "Hopeless."

A year later, we were both promoted to ranked eunuchs. Zhang Chengzhao was zealous about advancement, often counting the ranks ahead: "Ranked Eunuch, High Rank, High Grade, Palace Chief, Western供奉官, Eastern供奉官, Vice Commander, Deputy Chief, Chief, Grand Chief... Grand Chief of Both Bureaus..." At "Grand Chief of Both Bureaus," he'd smile as if the title were already his, amusing me.

Once, I asked, "Why aim so high?"

"Money!" he blurted. "A Grand Chief's monthly salary is fifty thousand cash—fifty times ours."

I didn't understand his obsession. "What use is money to us? We can't buy land, marry, or pass it on."

Stumped, he finally said, "Forget money. As Grand Chief, only the emperor and empress could scold me—I'd scold others... After toiling in the palace, shouldn't we aspire to something? If not advancement, what do you seek?"

I had no answer. At the time, my days passed blandly, without aim or hope.

(To be continued)

CHAPTER 03