The Eunuch's Declaration of Loyalty

Chapter 51

The Imperial Water Villa, reserved for the royal family, is the largest and best summer resort on the outskirts of Yujing City. Elevated above the water, its unique terrain and environment make it exceptionally cool during the sweltering summer. (For more details, please search on Baidu.) It is also very close to the three ice cellars supplying Yujing, making ice access extremely convenient.

If it weren't for the fact that this place is still quite far from Yujing, and that Liu Qingtang in her previous life was wholeheartedly concerned with national affairs and her nephew the emperor, feeling that she needed Yujing to be in charge, she would definitely come here to enjoy herself every year.

Even so, Liu Qingtang had made a point of visiting the Imperial Water Villa several times in her previous life, but the most recent time was several years ago. Her impression of the villa was somewhat vague, though she could only vaguely recall vast expanses of lotus leaves and blossoms reflecting the sun, intricately designed bridges and corridors, layered and well-arranged painted pavilions and palaces, a unique and ingenious water garden, and countless painted boats and small vessels... It was indeed a very beautiful place.

Liu Qingtang sat sprawled on a bamboo platform overlooking the water, casually picking up a grape from a jade plate beside a wide mat and popping it into her mouth. She stared rather boredly at the rustling green bamboo groves in the distance. The Imperial Water Villa was built on the shore of a lake, with most of its palaces situated on the water. This lake itself was surrounded by mountains on three sides, the surrounding hills covered in lush green bamboo, reflecting the verdant hues of the entire lake.

The scenery was indeed beautiful, and she liked it very much. However, her original intention in coming here was for Qin Shu, but even after arriving here, Qin Shu was still busy, and she hadn't been able to see him at all. Liu Qingtang shifted her gaze from the green waves of bamboo forest in the mountains and stared blankly at the bamboo curtain gently swaying on the bamboo platform and the golden bell that made a clear, ringing sound.

Having been reborn, why does she suddenly feel so idle? After thinking about it carefully, Liu Qingtang realized that she might have brought this upon herself in her previous life.

At first, she didn't say anything, but even after Qin Shu helped her, she was still very busy because she didn't trust him. Or rather, apart from Tao Ye Zhuiyi, who she had grown up with since childhood, and her favored imperial nephew, she didn't truly trust anyone in the palace. Back then, she always suspected Qin Shu's dedication had ulterior motives. She always checked and verified everything he did afterward, and how could she not be busy with such suspicion? Now, she's completely gone to the other extreme compared to her previous life. She lets Qin Shu do everything, becoming a hands-off manager, without any suspicion whatsoever.

Given Qin Shu's personality, if she delegates authority to him like this, he'll insist on doing everything perfectly. It's no wonder she'll be constantly busy. Conversely, Qin Shu becomes very busy. What good is it for her to be idle? Why can't Qin Shu understand this? That stubborn guy is only thinking about doing things for her and sharing the burden. I doubt he'll understand her meaning unless she explains it clearly to him.

Thinking of this, Liu Qingtang felt she couldn't continue like this and abruptly sat up. But halfway up, she remembered the time she had Qin Shuyi supervise her. It seemed that even if she told him some things, he had the ability to go against her thoughts without making her angry, since he always put her first.

So Liu Qingtang slumped down and smoothed her hair, then slowly went back to sleep. Amidst the tinkling of the golden bells under the eaves, Liu Qingtang tossed and turned in distress, finally unable to help but mutter under her breath, "That guy probably won't be finished tomorrow, will he? If he dares not show up for his birthday, let's see how I deal with him."

Lost in thought, Liu Qingtang couldn't shake off her resentment and shouted at the lake, "Idiot!"

The echoes from the mountains reverberated back, the word "idiot" reverberating in her ears. Hearing this, Liu Qingtang felt much more at ease, picked up a jade plate, and focused intently on eating the grapes inside.

A palace maid guarding the outside came in tremblingly to ask her what was wrong. Liu Qingtang waved her hand indifferently, showing no trace of her previous annoyance and irritation. "I have nothing to say. You may leave. You don't need to come in unless summoned."

"Yes...yes." The little palace maid retreated without daring to raise her head, afraid of incurring the wrath of the Empress Dowager, who seemed somewhat capricious.

Qin Shu, who was sitting in a palace not far away, also heard the word "idiot." He listened carefully and said, "It's... the master's voice. Who made her angry? Why don't we go and see?"

The embroiderer, who was busy embroidering a red dress, refused him without looking up, saying, "It's nothing. My mistress is probably just shouting for fun out of boredom. Even if she had offended someone, she wouldn't have shouted like that."

Tao Ye also took a corner of the red dress to embroider, and deliberately looked up and glanced at Qin Shu, who was sitting restlessly looking outside, with a half-smile, and said incisively: "I guess the 'idiot' that Master is talking about is Qin Shu."

"?" Qin Shu was taken aback, then stood up as if remembering something and said, "I haven't paid my respects to the master today, now..."

“Master’s anger couldn’t be for this reason. You should stay here obediently. You can wear those clothes to see Master tonight.” Zhuiyi was older than Liu Qingtang and usually looked very composed. Now, she ruthlessly suppressed Qin Shu.

Strangely enough, the two sisters initially thought Qin Shu was gloomy and difficult to get along with, but later, seeing how much he did and how hard he worked for his master, they gradually realized that he was quite good, and became more and more sincere in their concern for him and their master.

Seeing that Qin Shu was obviously nervous about what was going to happen that night, Tao Ye kindly comforted him, "After you send all the servants away tonight, just wear that outfit and wait for Master on the bridge. Don't worry, trust that you're right. Even if Master is really angry, when he sees that outfit, all his anger will disappear, and he won't be angry at all."

Sometimes Tao Ye really felt that her master and Qin Shu might be a match made in heaven, because the roguish way her master acted in front of others and the dignified way she acted in front of others were very similar to the docile way Qin Shu acted in front of her master and the gloomy and indifferent way he acted in front of others.

As Qin Shu became increasingly adept at managing Cining Palace, and the palace prison gradually became a nightmare for the palace servants, more and more people in the palace grew afraid of this young but decisive and ruthless chief eunuch. However, Tao Ye and the others, who were by their mistress's side, found Qin Shu's completely different behavior towards her rather amusing, and instead of finding it terrifying, they began to understand why their mistress had taken a liking to him.

As dusk fell, Tao Ye and Zhui Yi stopped what they were doing, unfolded the red dress in their hands, examined it, and then, satisfied, neatly folded it up and placed it on the tray.

"You all go prepare dinner for our mistress first. After she finishes dinner, you will dismiss all the servants and take her there. Just wait there, and you'll see everything." Zhuiyi handed the dress to Qin Shu and reiterated to him again.

Tao Ye saw that he was usually so reserved and never showed off his abilities unless in front of his master. Now, he nervously tugged at his red clothes, took a deep breath, and took the red dress that they had just altered for their master. She couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"The mistress will definitely be happy, isn't that her wish? Qin Shu, put your mind at ease and show the usual imposing manner of Chief Steward Qin when you don't see the mistress." Although she said this, Tao Ye's face was full of undisguised anticipation for a good show, and she even added at the end: "Eat something while you wait, otherwise... you won't have the strength to do some things later."

On the surface, Qin Shu remained relatively calm, but inside he was panicking and didn't know what to do. He nodded, but in fact, he hadn't heard what his family said at all.

Tao Yezhui left, and Qin Shu, dressed in red and holding the newly completed red skirt in her hands, seemed rather at a loss. It took her a while to carefully place the things in her hands on the table, sit down on the chair next to her, look at the sky outside, and nervously clench her hands tightly.

Meanwhile, Liu Qingtang hadn't seen Qin Shu by dinner time. Thinking that tomorrow was her birthday, she figured she could let it go without him asking, but now that he was nowhere to be seen, she still asked, "Zhuiyi, is Qin Shu still busy?"

When it comes to lying and making excuses, Zhuiyi is no match for Taoye, and Liu Qingtang naturally knows this, which is why she asked her. But seeing that Zhuiyi only nodded and said yes, while Taoye immediately stepped forward and cheerfully took over the conversation, Liu Qingtang immediately sensed something different; they must be hiding something from her.

Taoye then said in a serious tone, "Master, some of the officials from the imperial court who live in the nearby summer resorts know that you are here, so they sent a lot of fruits and melons from their own estates. Steward Qin personally went to receive them and is now taking stock and preparing some gifts in return."

Listening to Tao Ye's words, Liu Qingtang showed no sign of suspicion, but in her heart, she wondered what they were hiding from her. Actually, it wasn't hard to guess. Tomorrow was her birthday, and whatever they planned to do would probably be related to it. With that in mind, it was easy to figure out why Qin Shu had been so busy these past few days. She just didn't know what Qin Shu had been tricked into doing.

With a clearer understanding of the situation, Liu Qingtang calmed down and decided to play along, pretending not to know anything, waiting to see what unexpected gift they had prepared for her. To be honest, their secrecy was actually quite intriguing.

After dinner, the two suggested going to admire the moon. Liu Qingtang had thought this surprise would be at her birthday party tomorrow, but seeing how deliberately they emphasized moon-viewing, she immediately realized that they had probably already prepared it tonight. So, with anticipation, she readily agreed to go to admire the moon without asking any questions, and was then led by them to the entrance of a long corridor.

There was already one standing there.

"Please forgive us, Master. We will take our leave now."

There were no servants around anymore. After Tao Ye Zhuiyi withdrew, only Liu Qingtang and Qin Shu, who was waiting not far away, remained.

Liu Qingtang stared at Qin Shu standing there for a moment, then suddenly walked over, leaned on his shoulder, and laughed, "Qin Shu, that big red silk flower you're wearing looks really... silly~"

Author's Note: [Let me make it clear first, there won't be any explicit content. The situation is dire, and I'm not going to risk my life~ But they're finally together~ The next two or three chapters will probably be full of sweet, romantic scenes for the two of them~ The Empress Dowager and the Chief Eunuch are giving their all on their sweet and innocent journey~]

Panda Ice Cube threw a grenade

Gao, not calm, threw a landmine.

Butterfly Love Flower threw a landmine x5

Jiu Niang threw a landmine

Pickled cucumbers threw two landmines.

The magnificent Doraemon threw a landmine

Mingming threw a landmine

Qianmo_Qingge threw a landmine

Summer-Wenxia threw a landmine

14665383 threw a landmine

Rock Sugar and Snow Pear threw two landmines.

The Ming Dynasty threw a landmine x2

Canghai Yueming threw a landmine

[Another long list of thank-you notes, enough to circle Fu Huazi twice (don't be silly). Okay, thank you for your love, girls~ You've gone to so much trouble. Actually, if you're going to throw some, just one is enough, you don't need to keep throwing them~]