lt;The misfortune of

He curled his legs, trying to lift himself with his hands, defending the last shred of dignity he had left after death. But then a child appeared out of nowhere, gripping his feet in both hands and swinging him from the beams like a pendulum.,The status of eunuchs was at a low point during the Ming Dynasty's historical trough. Military generals couldn't regain their footing after the Tumu Crisis, and Emperor Jiajing had been staying away from court for over a decade. Now, it was an era dominated by civil officials, providing the best opportunity for commoners to climb the ranks of government.,As for Qu's thoughts, they were purer than ever. His mind was almost filled with the scriptures of saints and sages; even now, he could "recite from memory" hundreds of brilliant articles and flawlessly recite the Four Books and Five Classics backward.。