The Eunuch's Declaration of Loyalty

Chapter

Liu Qingtang hadn't seen Qin Shu for four days. Although she didn't say anything, everyone serving her could see the displeasure on her face. (Updates are coming soon! Just search "Lewen" on Baidu!)

After Liu Qingtang casually tossed another crumpled piece of paper on the ground, Zhuiyi and Taoye in the outer room exchanged a glance, feeling they couldn't let their mistress continue like this. Even when their mistress was angry, she wouldn't vent her anger on others for no reason, but keeping it bottled up inside was even more unbearable.

Whoever started the fire should put it out. So, after discussing it, Zhuiyi and Taoye decided that Taoye would go to find Qin Shu. Firstly, to ease their mistress's longing, and secondly, to rescue the servants in Cining Palace, who had been trembling with fear these past two days, whether they were maids or eunuchs, upon seeing their mistress's displeased expression.

When Tao Ye found Qin Shu, Qin Shu was looking through the various expenditures of Cixi Palace in previous years, as well as the booklets recording the number of servants in various places. He was looking down, turning the pages with one hand, and occasionally making a few strokes on the blank paper with a brush in the other hand. There was already a thick pile of filled booklets next to him.

Several eunuchs surrounded her; they were all minor stewards from Cixi Palace, who had compiled records of their respective duties and handed them to Qin Shu. Tao Ye was a senior palace maid serving the Empress Dowager and was also her confidante. Even the Grand Eunuch in Cixi Palace dared not neglect her. Upon seeing Tao Ye arrive, these minor stewards immediately put down what they were doing.

Tao Ye smiled and told them to continue what they were doing, then gestured for Qin Shu to go outside to talk.

Qin Shu had probably not rested well for several days; he looked tired and his lips were a little pale, but his eyes were very clear, exuding an unyielding coldness. Tao Ye was used to Qin Shu's gloomy demeanor. In any case, except when he was with his master, he would act like a quiet, normal person. As long as he wasn't in front of his master, he always appeared sinister and unapproachable.

"But what are your orders, Your Majesty?" Qin Shu stood under the eaves, his face almost translucent from the sunlight.

Taoye looked him up and down and thought that his haggard appearance was actually quite good. If her master saw him, he would immediately calm down and everything would be fine. Her master was just that kind of person who was incredibly soft-hearted towards the people he cared about.

"My master has had a very difficult time these past two days," Tao Ye said seriously, deliberately putting on a stern face.

As expected, Qin Shu became worried upon hearing this. Although his expression didn't change much, there was already some anxiety in his eyes. He couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong, Your Highness?"

"Her Majesty has been rather listless these past few days, and she hasn't been eating much. We don't know why, and we can't persuade her to eat. So my sister and I discussed having you go and see what's wrong with her. Maybe she'll listen to what you say." Tao Ye deliberately spoke vaguely and exaggerated the matter a bit, then watched Qin Shu leave in a hurry, touched her nose, and smiled.

Liu Qingtang had been angry these past two days because Qin Shu hadn't come to see her, and she was seething with resentment. When she saw Qin Shu again, she instinctively prepared to blurt out, "Qin Shu, you've got guts to not come to see me for four days!" But just as Tao Ye had guessed, when she saw Qin Shu's tired expression and how thin he looked, the words stuck in her throat and she couldn't say them.

After thinking for a moment, she was about to say, "Qin Shu, you're so busy, you don't even have time to come see me?" But then she felt her tone was still a bit harsh, so she swallowed it back. In the end, she pulled him close and said with concern, "Qin Shu, have you been very tired these past few days? It's okay to take things slowly. You can't learn and do things in a day or two. You have to take care of yourself."

"No, I... I'm fine. It's just that Your Majesty, have you been feeling unwell these past few days?" Qin Shu, who had rushed over, was relieved to see the Empress Dowager, whom he had been thinking about for four days, standing before him, seemingly unharmed. Tao Ye's assessment was serious, but in his eyes, it was even more so. All the way there, he had been wondering if the Empress Dowager was unwell, or if she had suddenly become sad and sat alone like she had on New Year's Eve. Although he wasn't very good at comforting her, being there for her was enough.

"It's not that I'm feeling unwell, I just miss you." Liu Qingtang thought it would be difficult to say these words, because she had been troubled by this for two days, but unexpectedly, just looking at Qin Shu looking at her with worry in his eyes, she said it naturally.

Even though Su Shu told her last time that she should be honest if she missed Qin Shu, it seems that since clarifying their relationship, she's become even more hesitant than before. For the past two days, she'd been thinking that even if she missed Qin Shu, she wouldn't be able to say it, and she was preparing to imitate the ancient practice of sending letters on paper—writing those words on paper would be easier. However, no matter how she wrote, it didn't feel right, and she wrote many bad ones. Unexpectedly, today, she said it so easily.

"I also want to... Qingtang." Qin Shu was still a little awkward, but Liu Qingtang could see that he was very happy, so Liu Qingtang instantly felt all her gloom disappear and a smile appeared on her face. The two, one a majestic empress dowager and the other a newly appointed, decisive deputy chief steward, looked at each other happily for a while, each not knowing why.

In the end, Liu Qingtang felt that the two of them were being too silly, so she pulled Qin Shu outside to bask in the sun. The sun wasn't too strong at this time of year, and it felt warm and cozy on the skin, making it easy to feel sleepy. "Don't be busy today. You can rest with me for a while. I still need you to go to Prince Chun's residence this afternoon."

In the backyard, Zhuiyi had already cleared out a quiet spot and taken away several of the palace servants. Liu Qingtang let Qin Shu sleep in her usual rocking chair, while she sat beside him.

"Don't look at me, close your eyes and go to sleep," Liu Qingtang said, glancing at Qin Shu. Qin Shu reluctantly withdrew his gaze from her and obediently closed his eyes.

Liu Qingtang rested her chin on her hand and stared at Qin Shu's sleeping face for a while. Suddenly, she reached out and placed her hand on the back of Qin Shu's hand, which he then gently grasped in return.

"Not asleep yet?"

"...Hmm." Qin Shu opened his eyes, but did not let go of the hand he was holding. He looked at the hairpin on the Empress Dowager's head, which was far inferior to the other hairpins. He hesitated for a moment, but finally asked, "Your Majesty, don't you dislike the hairpin I gave you?"

If she didn't like it, why did she wear it every day? Liu Qingtang immediately realized the problem lay in the note she had given her last time, which read "acceptable." Judging from Qin Shu's reaction, could it be that he had been concerned about it all these past few days?

Does this man even understand a young woman's feelings? Isn't it normal for a young woman to say one thing and mean another? Liu Qingtang touched the hairpin in her hair and pinched Qin Shu's hand slightly. "Are you stupid? Just because I said 'okay' doesn't mean I don't like it."

Qin Shu's expression remained unchanged, only his eyes looked at her with unwavering trust, and he said, "Whatever Your Majesty says, I will believe."

Liu Qingtang was stunned for a moment, then turned her head and said, "It's not just acceptable, it's very much liked, so this is fine."

After saying that, she urged, "Okay, okay, stop talking and go to sleep. If you keep looking at me like that, I'll kiss you in broad daylight."

Upon hearing this, Qin Shu instinctively closed his eyes, but then immediately opened them again, continuing to look at Liu Qingtang. Liu Qingtang blinked and raised an eyebrow, "Are you trying to make me kiss you?"

Qin Shu didn't speak, just looked at her. Liu Qingtang couldn't help but burst out laughing, saying mischievously, "If you want me to kiss you, just say so yourself. How am I supposed to know if you don't tell me?" Qin Shu was ultimately no match for the Empress Dowager's shrewdness. Embarrassed by these words, all the courage he had mustered vanished. After glancing at Liu Qingtang a few times, unsure of what to do, he simply closed his eyes again.

Liu Qingtang didn't want to tease him any further; she just wanted him to rest a little longer, so she leaned down and kissed Qin Shu on the cheek.

"have a good rest."

Qin Shu's eyelids twitched twice, then returned to calm, and the two of them clasped hands even tighter.

In the afternoon, Qin Shu led a large group of people to the Chun Prince's Mansion.

The servants of Prince Chun's mansion truly disregarded their masters. There wasn't a single person guarding the entrance. It wasn't until Qin Shu led his men inside and they were almost at the main hall that a servant heard the noise and hurriedly ran out.

Qin Shu didn't even glance at him, walking straight into the noisy hall. There, he saw a dozen servants gambling together, with melon rinds and fruit peels scattered all over the floor. Qin Shu turned to a eunuch with a grim expression and said, "Steward Liu, is this how the servants sent by the Imperial Household Department serve their masters? Even if such servants who deceive their masters are beaten to death, it's not a big deal. It's just that Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is merciful and willing to give them another chance."

Before Liu, the eunuch sent by the Imperial Household Department to investigate the situation, could speak, he said to the group of inner court guards behind him, "Take all these servants outside and give them fifty strokes of the cane. The rest of you, search the outer courtyard and give fifty strokes of the cane to any servants you find who are also neglecting their duties."

The group of people in the hall then realized that someone had come to punish them. They had initially thought it was just a foolish prince and a dying concubine who no one cared about, so they didn't pay much attention. After all, it was normal for servants to bully their masters when they were weak. Who knew that these two masters still had someone protecting them? Realizing their fate, the hall was filled with wailing and pleading for forgiveness.

But soon these people were dragged out by the guards, and the crying and commotion faded into the distance.

The eunuch Liu from the Imperial Household Department didn't look too pleased. After all, the servants of Prince Chun's residence were all appointed by the Imperial Household Department. Although they knew about this situation, it was standard practice. Many of the servants sent here were related to some people in the Imperial Household Department, so they turned a blind eye. He hadn't expected that someone as busy as the Empress Dowager would have the interest to meddle in the affairs of Prince Chun and Consort Lian.

“Deputy Chief Steward Qin, it might not be right to just send these servants away like this. After all, one has to consider the master before disciplining servants, and now even the Dowager Consort and Prince Chun are not here…”

"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is kind enough to discipline the servants on behalf of the Consort and the Prince, and I'm sure both masters are grateful," Qin Shu interrupted him calmly. "Besides, these servants have all been spared the death penalty. Eunuch Liu and the others can take them back after they've finished their fifty strokes of the cane. But we must send the new servants quickly. If they're still so ignorant next time, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager will probably blame us for not handling things properly."

That's what they said, but both of them knew that fifty strokes of the cane were practically a death sentence; out of a dozen people, not one might survive. Eunuch Liu thought that all he'd be taking back later would be a pile of corpses. He couldn't help but think that this Deputy Chief Eunuch Qin was truly a ruthless person. However, he couldn't say anything to this favorite of the Empress Dowager, so he could only force a smile and say, "Deputy Chief Eunuch Qin is right. Although the Empress Dowager is kind and spared these servants' lives, the Imperial Household Department will not tolerate such situations. These servants will be properly disciplined once they're taken back."

After Liu Gonggong finished speaking, he looked at Qin Shu, but he couldn't discern his emotions. He only felt that the man standing there with a calm expression was quite terrifying. There were at least a hundred servants in this mansion, and he was beaten to death without batting an eye.

"I also need to visit Consort Lian on behalf of the Empress Dowager. Would Eunuch Liu like to come along?"

After Eunuch Liu forced a smile and said he wanted to go see the servants who had been flogged and make a record, Qin Shu didn't insist and led a few people towards the inner courtyard. Fortunately, two or three servants hadn't abandoned their posts and were cautiously leading the way.

Passing by the place where the caning was carried out, most of the people who had been crying and shouting were now silent, and blood dripped from the benches onto the ground, staining a large area of ​​bluestone slabs red.

Qin Shu didn't even blink. He had someone help the terrified servant who was leading the way, and walked briskly towards the courtyard where Consort Lian was.

Upon reaching the courtyard, Qin Shu first smelled a medicinal odor. But upon entering, he was surprised to find Yang Sushu inside. She was sitting on a small stool under the eaves, gently fanning the medicine stove in front of her, while Prince Chun squatted beside her, looking bewildered.

Author's Note: [I woke up this morning thinking I'd treat myself to a nice meal on my day off each week, so I bought pork and made braised pork. After a whole morning of work, it still turned out awful. I finally admit I'm a terrible cook. I followed the steps exactly, but where's the delicious-looking braised pork in the picture at the end?!]

A landmine was thrown into a shallow well. [Just because I wrote it wrong doesn't mean it, come and hit me, hahaha~]

Season 12 threw a landmine

Season 12 threw a landmine

Ada threw a landmine

Erchunchun threw a landmine

[Thanks for the landmines~ Every time I think of a thank-you message, I struggle here with whether to be silly or cute, whether to choose a serious or quirky style, but now I realize that no matter what, I'm just so adorable (looks in the mirror) Wait, where's the thank-you message I was supposed to say?!]