The Eunuch's Declaration of Loyalty

Chapter 47

Liu Qingtang didn't ask about the palace maid named Yingcai again, and Qin Shu didn't bring it up either. This incident was like a pebble thrown into the sea, creating a small ripple but quickly disappearing without a trace. It truly made him understand that life was the cheapest thing in the palace.

The sudden appearance of a 'palace prison' within the palace alerted those ordinary palace servants who were unaware of Ying Cai's situation, making them sense something unusual. As a result, the palace servants became even more cautious and obedient, fearing that one day they might unknowingly end up inside and lose their lives.

Everyone knows that the person in charge of the palace prison is Qin Shu, the Grand Steward of Cixi Palace, who is favored by the Empress Dowager. And he doesn't look like someone easy to deal with. There are also rumors from the Imperial Household Department that Qin Shu is ruthless and doesn't hesitate to kill. This makes the palace staff not dare to look directly at Qin Shu's gloomy face when they see him.

No matter how others viewed him, Qin Shu didn't care. His only fear was that the Empress Dowager wouldn't like his ruthless methods. Regardless, even if he really was what they described, he wanted to show only tenderness and not a trace of bloodshed in front of the Empress Dowager, the one he loved.

Liu Qingtang didn't react to the rumor, but Qin Shu, though he didn't show anything, was still worried.

May of that year was not a peaceful May. Four days after the incident with the emperor, Liu Qingtang received news that Consort Lian, who lived outside the palace, had passed away.

Starting three months later, Liu Qingtang attended court every three days, except for matters of great importance. On this particular day, she was exempt from court and had nothing important to attend to. Qin Shu's work had also come to an end, so she planned to take him for a good rest. Soft couches, fruits, and tea sets were all prepared. Liu Qingtang basked in the sun, eating fruit and enthusiastically teaching Qin Shu how to brew tea. But just then, she received news from Yang Sushu that the Dowager Consort Lian had passed away.

"Looks like I can't rest anymore." Liu Qingtang flicked the letter in her hand.

Because Prince Chun, Xiao Huaiyu, was so mentally unstable, the Prince Chun's residence fell into chaos after the Dowager Consort's death. The residence originally lacked any capable servants who could handle the situation, much like the Dowager Consort. Ultimately, it was Yang Sushu who stepped forward to resolve the series of events. However, the day before she sent a messenger to the Imperial Household Department to report the death, the department only sent a few people to help with the arrangements, saying they were short-staffed. Having no other option, Yang Sushu had to send the message directly to her.

Liu Qingtang skimmed through the letter, shaking her head and sighing inwardly. Even the Dowager Consort Lian hadn't lived much longer after all. Putting down the letter, she tapped her slender fingers on the table a few times, saying, "This mere Imperial Household Department is already challenging us. Not only did they neglect to report the Dowager Consort Lian's passing, but their attitude was also perfunctory. It seems those servants have been living in peace for too long, truly forgetting who's in charge in this palace now."

Liu Qingtang spoke such treasonous words without a second thought. She had already made up her mind to sideline the young emperor, letting him live a peaceful life as an 'emperor' who could eat and drink well without having to think about anything, and would not give him any power that could harm the Liu family.

Qin Shu acted as if he hadn't heard these words at all. It was likely that even if Liu Qingtang said she wanted to be the emperor herself, he would only help her seize the throne.

After speaking, Liu Qingtang took the tea Qin Shu offered and sipped it. Even if a deceased imperial concubine was past her prime, she was still a mistress; such disrespect was unacceptable. It was only because the Imperial Household Department had grown increasingly arrogant due to its long-standing influence within the Southern Dynasty's imperial palace that they believed she wouldn't easily shake its foundations. But could she truly be restrained? Or perhaps, those who sensed the threat posed by her recent actions were so anxious they'd lost their minds. Unable to discern her intentions, the Imperial Household Department would either have its power reduced, or it would be forced to assume leadership.

"Master?" Qin Shu had also seen the message from Yang Sushu, and upon hearing her dissatisfaction with the Imperial Household Department, he immediately stood up and asked without waiting for Liu Qingtang's instructions. He had just learned how to brew tea from the Empress Dowager, and his hands were still fragrant with tea, but in a moment, they might be overwhelmed by the smell of blood.

"Go ahead. You need to cut away the rotten flesh. It won't be okay if it doesn't hurt or bleed. But they can handle this little bit of injury. Their value is far less than they imagine." Liu Qingtang smiled at Qin Shu, her expression calm, but her words carried a hint of murderous intent.

"Yes." Qin Shu was about to turn around and leave when his hand was grabbed.

Liu Qingtang took his hand and said with a smile, "Qin Shu, I wonder if your hands are covered in blood. Rumors say you are ruthless, but there were also rumors that you are cruel and tyrannical. You two are a demon and a fierce monster, aren't you a match made in heaven?" As she spoke, her beautiful eyes curved into an arc.

Qin Shu's wavering heart instantly settled, but he was momentarily stunned by the unreserved smile before him. He unconsciously shifted his gaze slightly, fixing it on the two extremely ordinary silver hairpins adorning her hair. "Does Master know...?"

Liu Qingtang knew perfectly well that Qin Shu should go and take care of the important matters, but seeing his awkward expression, she couldn't bear to let go. So she simply pulled him back and made him sit next to her, leaning very close to his shoulder and saying, "I've known for a long time that I was worried about this, but I just didn't say anything, waiting for someone to ask me. But all I did was keep it to myself and then make wild guesses." As she spoke, she noticed that his ears had turned slightly red, and compared to his expressionless face, she found Qin Shu truly adorable, and couldn't help but nibble on his ear.

Then it became even redder there.

"Master?" Qin Shu's heart suddenly stopped, then started beating fast and wildly. He wanted to hug the person next to him, but he had been suppressing his feelings for a long time and couldn't reach out his hand. He could only stammer out "Master".

As expected, Liu Qingtang immediately hugged him upon hearing this, leaning on his shoulder with some annoyance, and said, "Qin Shu, what should I do? I don't want to leave now. We finally have some time to rest, why can't we enjoy it for a while?" She sounded like a girl who was distressed about having to part ways with someone she had just met, and couldn't help but whine at the moment of parting.

Qin Shu hesitated for a moment, then reached out and put his hand on her shoulder, pulling her into his arms. The Empress didn't want him to leave, but he also needed to finish his work at the Imperial Household Department quickly. What should he do? Should he let the Empress go with him? No, the scene would be bloody; how could he let the Empress witness that? Should he stay here with her and ignore the other side? That wouldn't work either; he had to complete the Empress's orders.

When Liu Qingtang looked up, she saw that Qin Shu was really starting to struggle with this issue, and she chuckled. She always liked to laugh when the two of them were together, and sometimes she would unconsciously put on a smile when she saw him, she didn't know why, she looked so silly.

"You just said it offhand, and you actually started thinking about it? How silly and stupid. Okay, okay, stop fooling around, let's go."

That's what she said, but when Qin Shu stood up to leave, she reached out to pull him back. Qin Shu sat back down and hugged her again, just like before.

Liu Qingtang sighed, feeling somewhat decadent. If things continued like this, they could spend the whole morning just cuddling and wouldn't get anything else done. So she pulled Qin Shu's hand down and put it in hers to finish what she wanted to say, "Those were all for the sake of killing. When you die and go to the underworld, they will all be considered sins."

In both her past and present lives, she has taken many lives, and she has long understood the enormity of her sins. She hopes to live this life well with her family and friends, and that being reborn as an animal next time would be justified. She only hopes that Qin Shu will be reborn into a good family in his next life, free from all suffering. Also, she hopes that he will not fall in love with a foolish woman like her in her past life, lest he waste his life in vain.

Qin Shu paused for a moment, then shook his head and simply said, "Together."

"Hmm? If we were together, we could only be a pair of butterflies, a pair of sparrows, or a pair of mosquitoes in our next life..." Liu Qingtang actually started counting with great seriousness.

Qin Shu looked at her with extremely gentle eyes, and after she finished counting, he nodded and said, "Okay."

By the time Qin Shu was finally able to leave, it was almost noon. Liu Qingtang sighed at her own lack of self-control in the face of such beauty, stared longingly in the direction he had left for a while, and then picked up the letter again.

She clutched the letter in her hand but didn't look at it again, muttering to herself, "Is Su Shu really planning to take responsibility for Xiao Huaiyu?" Before, she had deliberately mentioned Xiao Huaiyu to Su Shu, partly out of a desire to find Su Shu an easy target to live with, but mostly as a joke. She never expected that this matter would become increasingly likely.

Liu Qingtang recalled the news about Su Shu that had been sent to her desk, saying that she went to the Prince Chun's residence almost every day. Didn't she know what kind of person Su Shu was? Although kind, she wasn't someone who would be kind to just anyone she saw; at least, she had never seen Su Shu be so responsible towards a patient she had no connection with.

It seems her words have come true; Su Shu might end up with Xiao Huaiyu. She narrowed her eyes and called for Zhui Yi to come in, wrote a letter to Yang Su Shu, and then summoned the Minister of Rites to an audience.

"With the passing of Consort Lian, all matters shall be handled by the Ministry of Rites."

The Minister of Rites, upon hearing this, wisely refrained from questioning why a task that should have been handled by the Imperial Household Department had fallen to their purview. Anyone with a modicum of sense would realize that this man seemed intent on targeting the Imperial Household Department. Instead, he used the opportunity to plead poverty and inadequacy, expressing concern about his lack of experience and fear of incurring the Empress Dowager's wrath, as well as worrying about wronging the deceased Consort Lian. In short, he sought personal gain without taking responsibility for any potential mistakes.

Since her rebirth, Liu Qingtang has become increasingly direct, her methods shifting from the roundabout approach of her previous life to a simpler, more brutal one. While sometimes appearing violent, this approach undeniably brings her a sense of relief. With the Liu and Su families behind her, she controls almost all the military officials in the court and has cultivated numerous civil officials. Under these circumstances, she no longer needs to worry about what her nephew, the emperor, thinks, as she did before. She feels more relaxed than ever before, as if she has shed a shackle.

After the Minister of Rites finished speaking, Liu Qingtang casually told him that if he needed money, he should discuss it with the Ministry of Revenue; if he needed to borrow funds from the Ministry of War, he could retire and hand over his power to younger officials if he didn't perform well. The Minister of Rites left with a bitter face, slinking away. He felt that although the Empress Dowager no longer attended court every day as before, there was always something to do when she went, and she truly seemed to enjoy exploiting them, her ministers, more and more.

As for Qin Shu, seeing that the Empress Dowager wanted to establish her authority and cleanse the Imperial Household Department, he was even more straightforward and brutal. He directly arrested a group of stewards from the Imperial Household Department, ignoring their threats or flattery, and with a wave of his hand, these stewards, who had previously acted arrogantly and domineeringly inside and outside the palace, became the first victims of the newly established 'Palace Prison,' marking the prison's name with their blood.

Qin Shu and Liu Qingtang were both efficient and decisive. By the time Emperor Xiao Huaixu learned that the Imperial Household Department was in turmoil and was filled with fear, the Ministry of Rites had already presented him with the funeral arrangements for Consort Lian.

"I was truly willing to assist her as my aunt, but I never expected her to develop ulterior motives so quickly. It's clear she loves the country." Xiao Huaixu sat alone in the hall, a smile on his face, but his eyes were deep and unreadable.

Author's Note: I noticed some readers misunderstood, so I'd like to clarify. While this story does include elements like rebirth and revenge, those are just side plots. The main focus is on romance. I'm just a terrible writer who only knows how to write sweet stories, and the saccharine romance scenes take up a large portion of the text… After all, what's the point of a romance story if it doesn't have romance? _(:3∠)_

Even though I told them not to throw grenades, the girls were still so enthusiastic! Do you guys really love me that much? _(:3∠)_

The little bee threw a landmine

Feng Fengzheng threw a landmine

Nanako threw a landmine

Nanako threw a landmine

Yao Rong Dingding threw a landmine

Cangzhen Brigade threw a landmine

Cangzhen Brigade threw a landmine

Cangzhen Brigade threw a landmine

Julian threw a landmine

A green guy threw a landmine

A green guy threw a landmine

A grenade was thrown from an old passenger ship.

Thank you so much, you lovely girls spent so much!

[The Hive has reopened, so I'm running two accounts now. I feel like I'm committing suicide _(:3∠)_]