The Eunuch's Declaration of Loyalty

Chapter 17

Seeing Qin Shu's disheveled and pitiful appearance, Liu Qingtang, who was secretly pleased, reflected on whether she had gone too far in teasing him.

However, she just loved seeing Qin Shu's troubled expression. (For more text, please search "Lewen" on Baidu! [wx.srcg]) After only a brief moment of hesitation, she decisively decided to follow her own heart.

Liu Qingtang was a stubborn and self-satisfied person who liked to shoulder everything herself. As a result, she was quite complacent, feeling that nothing could stump her, and she liked to have everything under her control. However, she happened to have someone like Qin Shu by her side. As her manager, Liu Qingtang admitted that he was very capable and saved her a lot of trouble.

But every time he puts on that "I can handle everything, leave it to me, you don't need to worry, and of course you don't need to worry about it" attitude, Liu Qingtang feels inexplicably annoyed.

He did everything the same way, always focusing on his own task without ever explaining the process. When he came to report, it was always just a simple statement that this task was done or that task was completed. He wouldn't speak unless Liu Qingtang asked, and even then, he would only answer with a few words, barely uttering a few sentences. He stood before her with a stern face, devoid of any other expression, his eyes seemingly oblivious to everyone else.

If it weren't for the fact that he was so easy and convenient to use, Liu Qingtang sometimes really wanted to strangle him with her own belt.

Thinking back carefully, Liu Qingtang had never noticed Qin Shu looking troubled in her previous life. But in this life, Qin Shu had not yet become the Grand Steward he would be three years later, and she also knew about his feelings for her.

Once you get used to him, you'll find that he's actually quite funny.

"You always had that deadpan face in your past life, nothing could ever bother you. Now you know what's difficult!" Liu Qingtang's face didn't show any smile, but she was laughing heartily inside. If she could see Qin Shu being amused by her every day, speechless, with helpless eyes, a troubled expression, and slightly red behind his ears... just thinking about it made her excited.

The seemingly respectable Empress Dowager was actually a beast in her heart, and she bared her gleaming white teeth at Qin Shu, who was still in a dilemma.

"Qin Shu, go back and write down all your grievances against Su Shu, and hand it to me after dinner. Also, you must provide at least ten reasons, otherwise you will kneel in my room all night." Of course, if she was not satisfied, he would also be punished. As for where he would be made to kneel... Liu Qingtang was eager to see him in an even more difficult position.

Qin Shu was forced to leave with the Empress Dowager's question, which clearly made things difficult for him. His back view was very desolate and stiff.

After Qin Shu left, Zhuiyi and Taoye entered the hall. Having spent many years with Liu Qingtang, the two immediately noticed that their master was very happy and couldn't help but smile at each other.

"Master, is there some good news? You look so happy." Zhuiyi served Liu Qingtang tea and asked with a smile.

"I made things difficult for Qin Shu just now, but now I feel quite happy."

She had initially thought her mistress was happy because Physician Yang had come today, but it turned out to be for this reason. It seemed her mistress truly cared about Qin Shu. However, hearing her mistress's tone, Zhuiyi couldn't help but feel sorry for Qin Shu. It had been a long time since she had heard her mistress speak in such a wicked tone.

"However, Qin Shu seems a bit strange today. He seems to have some issues with Su Shu. Do they have some kind of grudge?" Liu Qingtang changed her tone and turned the teacup in her hand with a puzzled look.

Tao Ye burst out laughing, "My good master, do you really want to know why Qin Shu is acting strangely today?"

"So you know about this? Come, tell your master that he will reward you with a bag of gold coins." Liu Qingtang smiled and beckoned to Taoye.

"Hehe~ This servant thanks you for the reward, Master~" Seeing her mistress's curious expression, Taoye coughed and said, "Qin Shu~ He's jealous of Physician Yang~"

"You mean Qin Shu... is jealous?"

Liu Qingtang was initially stunned, but then, as if she had just thought of something, she covered her face with one hand and burst out laughing, and didn't stop for a while.

"Master, what's wrong?" Zhuiyi glared helplessly at her sister, who seemed to thrive on chaos, and stepped forward to ask softly.

Liu Qingtang covered her face and chuckled softly, "It's nothing, I just thought of a good way to punish Qin Shu~" She didn't expect Qin Shu to be jealous. Don't the lovers in those stories always bicker and say sarcastic things when they're jealous? But he was different; he immediately knelt down and begged for forgiveness.

Liu Qingtang had never been jealous before and couldn't quite understand that feeling. But Qin Shu was jealous of her because of Su Shu, and just imagining Qin Shu's expression after he found out Su Shu was a woman made Liu Qingtang want to laugh. It would definitely be very interesting, and she couldn't wait to see it.

With this anticipation, Liu Qingtang finished her dinner and washed up, then nestled in bed waiting for Qin Shu's arrival. She even waved away the strangely looking Zhuiyi and Taoye, who seemed excited about something.

Even if she felt uncomfortable and unwilling, Qin Shu wouldn't keep her waiting for long, and Liu Qingtang didn't know why she was so sure.

Then, almost as soon as she was ready, Qin Shu arrived. Liu Qingtang remained huddled in the blankets, showing no intention of getting up, so Qin Shu had no choice but to bite the bullet and move closer, holding up the "homework" she had assigned so that she could see it clearly.

The note on the paper contained less a statement of dissatisfaction with Su Shu than a description of her virtues. After a long list of praises, it ended with the sentence: "Based on the above, this servant has no dissatisfaction whatsoever with Physician Yang. Please, Your Majesty, consider this carefully."

Liu Qingtang even suspected that Qin Shu had simply copied down the effusive praise from the palace maids after overhearing their conversation. And the fact that he managed to copy it in a way that made it clear he was unwilling was truly remarkable.

Looking at the description of Physician Yang as handsome, elegant, and promising, and even calling her a "good man in a turbid world," and then thinking about her friend's actions and words that were not at all like a girl's, Liu Qingtang felt half amused and half headacheed.

"I'm not satisfied," Liu Qingtang said, shaking the paper and trying to keep a straight face.

Qin Shu was not surprised by these words. Instead, he breathed a sigh of relief and replied in a low voice, "This servant will kneel in the outer room now."

"Wait, did I tell you to kneel somewhere?"

"Please give your orders, Your Majesty." For Qin Shu, as long as he wasn't asked the question he couldn't answer, it didn't matter where he knelt.

But clearly, he had once again been defeated by the Empress Dowager. "Kneel on the bed," Liu Qingtang said, sticking her foot out from under the covers and pointing to the foot of the bed.

"If you're going to keep rambling, I'll just have to drag you up here myself."

After several weak attempts to resist failed and he had given up struggling, Qin Shu carefully took off his shoes and quietly shrank into the corner at the foot of the bed. He straightened his back and pressed it against the carved wall at the foot of the bed, without even touching the brocade quilt covering the Empress Dowager.

"Hey, Qin Shu, I feel like there's a draft around my feet," Liu Qingtang called out lazily to Qin Shu, who was acting like a reserved, timid wife.

Qin Shu, who was calmly looking at his knees, shifted his gaze upwards upon hearing this and reached out to tuck the blanket around the Empress Dowager.

Then, right under his nose, the Empress Dowager kicked her leg, and the quilt was in disarray again.

Qin Shu quietly tucked her in again.

Liu Qingtang kicked off the blanket again, and he tucked it back in. Finally, Liu Qingtang couldn't help but speak first, slapping the blanket loudly, "Don't you understand what I mean? I'm telling you to kneel on the blanket and hold it down for me!" Isn't kneeling on the blanket much softer? Why does he have to shrink into that hard corner? She didn't really want to punish him by making him kneel. How could this man be so oblivious to her feelings? Liu Qingtang secretly pouted.

This time, Qin Shu did not refuse. After tucking the blanket in for her, he knelt down on top of her, covering all the possible gaps that might let in air.

Seeing that he was seriously tucking her in with the blanket, Liu Qingtang felt bored again, so she took out a storybook from under her pillow and threw it to Qin Shu, "Read it, let me see if you can recognize the characters well enough."

Qin Shu had initially thought it would be some kind of historical record, travelogue, poem, or song, but when he saw the title "The Cold-Hearted Prince's Beloved Concubine" on the cover, he realized it was another storybook known as a "forbidden book."

"Oh, I read up to chapter fifteen last time. You can continue reading from there."

Ever since Zhuiyi found her some storybooks to learn about love between men and women, Liu Qingtang has developed a new hobby: reading storybooks.

Some storybooks are alright; although they're unrealistic, they can at least pass the time. But some storybooks make you shudder, and just thinking about the main characters and their dialogue makes you lose your appetite. For example, the one Qin Shu is holding. She specifically found this book so that Qin Shu could share this terrible feeling with her.

"Ah... Your Highness... You're hurting me..."

"...Little vixen, don't move, you're about to snap..."

Qin Shu continued reading without any inflection until this point, when he finally couldn't continue. His hands, which were gripping the book, turned white, and although he opened his mouth slightly, no sound came out.

Liu Qingtang didn't listen to much of the content, but she was constantly observing Qin Shu's changing expressions. From his expressions, she could tell that he was greatly shocked; he wanted to throw the book away several times but silently restrained himself, which Liu Qingtang found quite amusing.

In a good mood, she suggested, "Let's skip this part."

Qin Shu quickly flipped through the page, as if he had seen something dirty.

"Little vixen... why are you so cold, heartless, and unreasonable... those women were just for flings, only you are my true love..."

“I don’t care… You’re not allowed to see those women again… You have to get rid of them.”

"What nonsense are you spouting now?"

"I'm jealous..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Qingtang yawned and mumbled, "Qin Shu, I didn't hear that sentence clearly. Could you repeat it?"

"I...I'm jealous..."

Liu Qingtang waved her hand again: "Didn't hear clearly? Read it again."

"I'm jealous."

"Is he jealous of Su Shu, which is why he looks like he doesn't want to see her?"

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