The moment the next two candidates were cleared, making it almost Tang Yuan’s turn, Fatty Tang grew visibly anxious. He swiveled his fat, short neck to survey the room, only to find his gaze locked directly with that of Minister Tang, seated regally upon the grand chair!

Minister Tang was well aware of his son’s reluctance. Thus, he watched his every move this time, determined to prevent any possible escape midway through the proceedings. Seeing his son looking around now, how could he not know what was brewing in that thick skull? He hissed a low warning: “You brat, behave yourself for your old man!”

Fatty Tang retracted his neck with a flinch, muttering something under his breath before reluctantly turning back around. Just then, a sudden, violent churning erupted deep within his gut. With a resounding gurgle, his face went pale. He spun back around, crying out, “I need to…”

“You need to go screw yourself!” Minister Tang exploded in fury, his eyes bulging. “If you fail this assessment today, I’ll break your legs the moment we get home! If you utter one more syllable of nonsense right now, I’ll break them immediately!”

Tang Yuan’s face turned ashen. He clutched his stomach and sat down, only to feel the unsettling sensation slowly subside, bringing him a momentary wave of relief.

He couldn't help but inwardly curse. Didn’t Jun Moxie claim the medicine was only meant to stimulate his Qi? Why did it feel like something entirely different now? He was utterly unaware that Jun Moxie had actually advised him, ‘Absolutely do not eat breakfast!’ whereas Fatty Tang, through some cosmic irony, had rigidly followed the instruction, ‘Absolutely must remember to eat breakfast!’—two diametrically opposed concepts, completely inverted by accident…

Compounding the problem, the massive gulp of cold water he’d just downed, mixing with the pill’s intended effects, served only to add fuel to the fire!

As far as today’s test results were concerned, the outcome might be the same regardless, but the journey to get there…

A wave of hushed whispering drifted from nearby. A youth from the Meng family was conversing with one of the hopefuls from the Song family: “Brother Song, do you happen to know exactly how Old Master Zhu conducts the examination?”

“I—I don’t know. But I heard that after the examination, it’s definitely going to be quite agonizing…” the young man surnamed Song whispered nervously.

“Agonizing how?” Tang Yuan boomed, raising his voice. “It’s not like Murong Qianjun was permanently pigeon-toed for months after his inspection. What’s the big deal? You two can certainly withstand it!” As soon as these words left his mouth, both youths turned deathly pale.

Minister Tang shot him a severe glare, cutting off Tang Yuan’s rambling nonsense. Yet, inwardly, he felt a strange pride; perhaps his son was finally growing up, learning to demoralize the competition. It wasn't a waste of his painstaking effort after all.

Tang Yuan sat comfortably, waiting for his turn. The moment he stopped talking, the churning in his gut returned. He began twisting and turning, feeling as if maggots were writhing beneath his navel, his expression becoming increasingly bizarre. He was fast approaching his breaking point; he cursed Jun Moxie internally, That bastard gave me a laxative and called it a Qi inducer!

Just as he was about to abandon all pretense and sprint off to relieve himself, a voice issued from inside the chamber: “Next up. Tang.”

Tang Yuan gasped, his usually plump face turning a ghastly green. He froze in his seat, refusing to move.

Minister Tang, who had been secretly pleased moments before, now watched his son stage this pathetic scene and nearly exploded with rage. He leaped up, bellowing, “You disgrace! They called your name, why aren’t you going in, you wretch!” He delivered a sharp kick directly to Tang Yuan’s backside. Tang Yuan yelped, flailing his arms and legs as he tumbled inside…

The instant Tang Yuan entered, a junior eunuch led him down a long corridor to a small, isolated room. Upon entry, a chilling coolness enveloped him. Thick curtains blocked the autumnal sunlight, plunging Tang Yuan into an immediate, pervasive chill. Most unsettling was the ancient eunuch opposite him, whose face was as white as snow, his immaculate white robe spotless, right down to his socks—even his eyebrows were stark white. There was no other color on his entire person!

Tang Yuan’s mind instantly conjured images of legendary spectral messengers. He shivered, and miraculously, the intense discomfort in his stomach momentarily eased…

“Grandson of Tang Wanli? Strip,” The name of the old eunuch was the peculiar Zhu Zhuzhu. He regarded the fat man with utterly emotionless eyes, pointing a finger—unblemished and utterly white—towards a sheet of snow-white cloth spread on the floor: “Strip completely and stand upon that.”

If the person before him had been a stunning beauty, Fatty Tang would have stripped faster than anyone. But the issue was that the person before him was decidedly not beautiful. Not only was she not a beauty, but she wasn't even recognizably male! She was an androgynous eunuch…

Fatty Tang immediately suffered a severe psychological block, shuffling his feet and refusing to undress.

Old Eunuch Zhu’s pale eyebrows twitched. He slightly raised his eyelids and let out a deep hum: “Hmm?!” He remained seated and still, yet an overwhelming, oppressive pressure surged forth, instantly plunging Fatty Tang into a sensation akin to falling into an ice cave.

“Esteemed Eunuch—uh, could you perhaps… please… turn around first?” Tang Yuan’s eyes were twitching; his hands gripped his belt.

“Strip!” Old Eunuch Zhu declared with a cold, undeniable flip of his eyelids. He was truly a man of few words!

“Hurry up!” There was not an ounce of courtesy shown to the eldest son of the Minister of Revenue. “Oh.” The fat man shuddered violently. The turmoil in his stomach began raging anew. As soon as he unbuckled his belt, he turned around with a grimace: “Eunuch, may I first just…” By now, Tang Yuan had completely given up; let it happen, he was about to soil himself…

“Hmph!” Old Eunuch Zhu clearly detested conversation. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and his finger slowly extended. Suddenly, a flash of azure light sparked at his fingertip. With a series of sharp chih-chih sounds, several swords of blue light shot forth. Tang Yuan’s voluminous robes fluttered away like scattered butterflies, instantly revealing a mass of cumbersome, sagging flesh, his massive stomach nearly resting upon his knees.

Tang Yuan shrieked, instinctively trying to shield his backside with his hands, but his hands merely slapped against his belly. It wasn’t that the fatty’s arms were too short; it was simply that his stomach was so immense it concealed the target completely.

Zhu Zhuzhu stood with his hands behind his back, his face cold. He rose and drifted down from his seat. His snow-white figure floated gracefully as he circled Tang Yuan’s naked body once, his sharp gaze scanning every exposed inch of the fatty’s skin.

“Raise your left arm, expose your armpit!” Zhu Zhuzhu commanded coldly. Tang Yuan complied immediately. Although it was already autumn, the temperature in this room was quite warm; even naked, he shouldn't have felt cold. Yet, as the old eunuch approached, the fat man felt a genuine, bone-deep chill—a coldness so penetrating that it forcibly suppressed even the previously raging turmoil in his gut.

Zhu Zhuzhu stopped three feet away, his gaze sharp as cold lightning, issuing continuous orders: “Raise your right arm!”

“Use your hands to cup your stomach, expose what’s beneath!”

“Lower them. Spread your legs, wide stance!”

“…”

Perhaps it was due to a gradual acclimatization to the old eunuch’s imposing aura, but the effect of the chilling pressure began to wane. Tang Yuan’s complexion grew increasingly waxy yellow; beads of sweat the size of mung beans dripped down his face. His legs trembled; he was truly at the edge of losing control.

Zhu Zhuzhu, dressed in pristine white, showed absolutely no change in expression. He nodded once, floated forward two steps, and stated coldly: “Bend over, present your backside!”

It’s coming, it’s finally coming! Tang Yuan wailed internally: I don’t want to walk pigeon-toed, woe is me! I didn't think this old pervert would actually— This young master couldn't escape his clutches after all…

“Quicker!” Zhu Zhuzhu urged coldly, hands clasped behind his back.

Tang Yuan hesitated, slowly bending over, but doing so only made his control weaker, nearly causing an immediate, catastrophic eruption. He knew if things truly burst forth, the consequences would be disastrous, so he hastily straightened up, managing to hold back. He tried this several times in succession but found himself unable to bend further; any more bending and he wouldn't be able to hold on at all.

Old Eunuch Zhu became enraged, assuming the fat man was deliberately acting out. He shot upward, stepping directly onto the fat man’s bulging neck. He pressed down forcefully, causing Tang Yuan to bend over abruptly to a ninety-degree angle. Immediately following this, Zhu Zhuzhu wedged two wooden slats into the opening, gently prying them apart. He then leaned down slightly, frowning, and brought his face close, concentrating his power into his eyes, peering intently…

At that precise moment, Tang Yuan finally reached his absolute limit. His body spasmed violently, and a cry of agonizing pain tore from his throat. A distinct PFFFFT~ sound echoed, and the disaster struck suddenly.

A torrent of golden-colored matter erupted violently and surged from the fissure between the fatty’s ripe, rounded cheeks… And Old Master Zhu was directly at arm’s length, having never, in his entire life, imagined experiencing such a thing, leaving no time to dodge…

Outside, Minister Tang sat peacefully. Being a man of his stature, an attendant had already brought him fine tea, a tribute from the Imperial Palace. He sipped slowly, blowing the froth off the surface, completely confident in awaiting news of his son.

He knew that every youth who came here, though subjected to some ‘conditioning’ by Old Eunuch Zhu, would inevitably pass the physical inspection. The real contest was purely about the financial resources, material backing, and political connections each family possessed within the Inner Court. And surely, no one could compete with him, the Minister of Revenue, in those aspects!

Several other officials who had brought their nephews for inspection were talking to him awkwardly, offering strained smiles. It was clear to everyone that the Tang family was absolutely determined to secure this post of Commander of the Imperial Guard. Their own descendants were likely just along for the ride this time.

Minister Tang snorted disdainfully. These people thought they could contest with this old Tang? Heh, what a joke!

Just then—

Suddenly, an enraged roar erupted from the inner chamber! That roar was saturated with the torment of wishing for death, extreme regret, and boundless hatred! It was as if a lifetime of staunch adherence had instantly dissolved into a scream of desolate agony! A shriek tearing at the soul!

It was the voice of Old Eunuch Zhu.

Followed by a voice driven to the absolute peak of fury: “Get out! Unqualified!” Those four words exploded over Tianxiang City like four rolling thunderclaps, instantaneously reaching well over ten million ears. Every person who heard it could discern the profound, vicious hatred laced within that sound!

Even Jun Moxie, far away at the Jun residence, heard that piercing, unique shout. He immediately broke into a wide grin, lifting his teapot and taking a deep gulp from the spout. He slapped his thigh, executed a half-turn pivot, and exclaimed: “Tang Fatty! I never thought you’d actually pull it off! You truly are my future partner, Jun Moxie, commendable! That’s what I expected! When has any trick played by yours truly ever gone awry!”

He paused, then couldn't help but burst into loud laughter: “I really want to see the expression on that old eunuch’s face right now—just how exquisite can it be?” Young Master Jun remained unaware that the level of exquisite astonishment currently gripping Old Eunuch Zhu’s face would surpass his wildest imaginings by a thousandfold…