The Eunuch's Declaration of Loyalty

Chapter 53

Liu Qingtang changed into her wedding dress herself, because she only realized after saying those words that it was just changing an outer skirt, and she didn't have a chance to tease Qin Shu at all. Thinking that it might be more interesting to make him take it off later, Liu Qingtang temporarily let Qin Shu go.

Qin Shu was completely taken aback. She only heard the Empress Dowager first ask if she needed help changing her clothes, then quickly wave her hand to indicate that she should change herself. Without letting him say anything, she went to her room, seemingly quite happy. Qin Shu stood outside for a while, unsure whether she should go in. After all, Tao Ye and Zhui Yi weren't there, and they were usually the ones serving her. Was she really going to let the Empress Dowager change her clothes herself?

"Qin Shu, come in."

As he hesitated, Qin Shu heard the Empress Dowager calling from the inner room, so he put aside his hesitation and went in. He saw that she had already changed into her wedding dress and was sitting in front of the mirror taking off her hair. Hearing the noise, she turned her head and smiled at him.

For some reason, every time Qin Shu saw the Empress Dowager smile at him, he would feel lost in thought. The first thought that came to his mind wasn't that the Empress Dowager's smile was beautiful, but rather that she felt so happy. As long as she was willing to look at him like that and smile at him, Qin Shu would feel content.

"Qin Shu, come and comb my hair." Liu Qingtang sat there with a warm smile on her face and eyes. The candlelight beside her reflected on her face and body, adding a hazy halo to her whole being, like a vivid ancient painting.

Qin Shu tiptoed over, as if afraid of startling her, and took the wooden comb from her hand to smooth her hair. Qin Shu carefully gathered her long, black, and smooth hair together, combing it from head to toe, stroke by stroke. Qin Shu had heard that the day before a bride leaves home, a blessed elder from her family would comb her hair, saying as they did so: "First comb to the end, second comb, white hair reaching the eyebrows, third comb, children and grandchildren all over the ground, fourth comb, four silver bamboo shoots all standing tall..." to express their blessings.

When it came to them, the words didn't quite fit. Qin Shu glanced at Liu Qingtang, who was rummaging through the jewelry box and muttering something, his expression softening. As he combed her hair, he silently recited in his heart, "One comb, wishing her good health; two combs, wishing her carefree life; three combs, wishing her wealth and happiness; four combs, wishing her a long and healthy life." It wasn't very rhyming, but with each comb, he carefully recited a phrase in his heart, repeating it many times.

He didn't ask for their hair to grow old together in harmony; he only wished that the person he deeply loved would be free from any suffering.

“Oh, right, Qin Shu, I saw someone combing a bride’s hair while reciting something like ‘combing from beginning to end.’ Why don’t you recite it too?” Liu Qingtang suddenly thought of this and clapped her hands.

"I've already said that." Qin Shu gathered up the hair that had slipped down because of her constant fidgeting.

"You already said it?" Liu Qingtang blinked, looking at Qin Shu through the not-so-clear bronze mirror. His eyes were lowered, and he seemed somewhat indifferent, but when he looked up and met her gaze, his eyes suddenly filled with a deep light, as if they had come alive. He was dressed impeccably in that red robe that didn't really suit him, the red silk flowers still on, as he lowered his head and gently combed her hair inch by inch. Watching him, Liu Qingtang felt a pang of sadness for some reason.

She picked up a box from the dressing table, inside which were two silver hairpins, a gift from Qin Shu. "Do you know how to style a bride's hair?" Liu Qingtang asked, picking up the two hairpins.

Qin Shu was taken aback, then shook his head, as if he had just realized a problem: who would do the Empress Dowager's makeup?

When Liu Qingtang was still in the Liu family, she knew how to comb hair, but she could only tie a few simple buns. Later, when she came to the palace, she could no longer do so many complicated hairstyles, and the palace maids did her hair. Now she is so rusty that she probably can't tie any simple buns anymore.

The two looked at each other, and Liu Qingtang suddenly smiled. She put down her hairpin, stood up, and then pressed Qin Shu down onto the stool she had been sitting on. She then reached out and loosened his neatly tied bun. "Since neither of us knows how to tie a bun, let's leave our hair down together," she said, picking up a wooden comb and combing his hair just as Qin Shu had done earlier.

This was the first time she had ever seen Qin Shu with his hair down. Whether in her past life or this one, every time she saw him, he was always impeccably groomed and meticulous. His hair was always neatly tied back inside his hat, revealing a rather indifferent face. Now, with his hair down, he no longer looked as stern and aloof as usual, no longer like a taut bow.

Liu Qingtang looked away and cleared her throat, saying, "I didn't hear what you said earlier. Since that's the case, I'll say it again." She combed her hair in a very professional manner, speaking softly, "First comb to the end, second comb the white hair to the eyebrows, third comb..." She paused, then continued with a smile, "Third comb the white hair to the eyebrows, fourth comb the white hair to the eyebrows."

Meeting Qin Shu's gaze, she smiled freely, "This is enough." She didn't want anything else, just white hair reaching her eyebrows. She only hoped that when she grew old, this person would still be by her side.

After saying that, she deftly picked out a strand of hair from Qin Shu's head, and then pinched a strand from her own head and shoulder, combining the two strands into one and tying a tight knot at the end.

"We'll be husband and wife now." Liu Qingtang let go, letting the knotted hair slide down her shoulder and sway between their bodies. "The steps seem a bit messed up. Never mind, let's go do the wedding ceremony now." Liu Qingtang lifted the hem of her skirt with one hand and grabbed the somewhat stunned Qin Shu with the other, leading him out.

Qin Shu was pulled along by Liu Qingtang, gazing intently at her hair fluttering in the night breeze and her red skirt billowing in the wind.

The winding waterside corridor had a palace lantern every few steps, casting halos of light on the water's surface and reflecting the lotus flowers, some about to bloom, among the overlapping lotus leaves. Liu Qingtang leaned against the railing and reached out to touch it, almost falling halfway over the edge. Qin Shu, who was beside her, hurriedly caught her around the waist and pulled her back.

"Qingtang, this is dangerous."

Liu Qingtang, still unwilling to give up, waved her hands a couple of times before casually placing them on his shoulder, tilting her head and smiling, "But I want lotus flowers, what should I do?"

"I'll go pick them," Qin Shu said immediately.

Upon hearing this, Liu Qingtang smiled and pulled up the strand of hair that the two of them were tied together. "But look, we're connected now. I can't take it off by myself, and neither can you."

In the end, the two picked the lotus flowers together. Qin Shu held Liu Qingtang's left hand, while she held the lotus bud to her nose with her right hand. She said in a good mood, "Qin Shu, actually, 'tying the knot' means that no matter what happens, you don't have to do it alone anymore. Just like picking lotus flowers, do you understand?"

Qin Shu suddenly stopped and stared blankly at Liu Qingtang's smiling yet earnest eyes.

"I understand," he suddenly whispered, leaning forward to kiss Liu Qingtang's exceptionally bright eyes.

There were no grand halls, no overflowing guests, no melodious music; it was an extremely simple wedding. Only two people dressed in red, hand in hand, devoutly bowed to heaven and earth in the quiet night, praying for a lifetime of companionship, engraving this marriage, belonging only to the two of them, in their hearts. And witnessing all this were only the vast, unchanging sky and the gentle breeze that brushed against the red silk curtains in the pavilion.

A gentle breeze and a bright moon, the fragrance of lotus blossoms and the rustling of bamboo, palace lanterns and still water, plus a loving couple, make for a beautiful and auspicious occasion.

Once married, one naturally enters the bridal chamber.

"Qin Shu, do you... know how?"

Qin Shu first shook his head, then nodded, but his eyes remained fixed on the side, never daring to look at Liu Qingtang, looking flustered and restless.

Although Liu Qingtang lived for thirty years, she devoted most of her attention to court politics. As the Empress Dowager, she had never been interested in anyone and naturally had no interest in such matters. No one dared to discuss these things with her, so she was truly a blank slate in this regard. Because she had no experience with such things, Liu Qingtang was actually quite uncertain about herself.

If Qin Shu dared to look at her expression, he would have noticed that the Empress Dowager, who usually amused him, now had a rare look of embarrassment and helplessness on her face. The smile she had put on to relieve her nervousness was so stiff that it looked ridiculous.

However, Liu Qingtang's shyness and embarrassment didn't last long. Her initial trepidation vanished almost instantly upon seeing Qin Shu's obvious nervousness, which made her feel like she couldn't breathe. Instead, she felt an irresistible urge to tease him. Why did liking someone make her want to tease him, to see him embarrassed and helpless? Liu Qingtang had pondered this many times, but each time she remained puzzled, and this time was no exception.

Seeing Qin Shu still looking around with a wandering gaze, and then suddenly blushing behind his ears as if thinking of something, Liu Qingtang immediately put the question out of her mind, leaned over and said with a smile, "Qin Shu, do you even know what to do? Tell me."

"This..." Qin Shu quickly turned his head and glanced at the Empress Dowager's seemingly playful expression, his hands clenching nervously. "N-no, it's hard to say."

"You're so nervous you're stuttering?" Liu Qingtang's eyes narrowed into slits with laughter. She deliberately moved closer, holding his hands in hers, and whispered in his ear, "I've heard that a woman's first time is very painful and she bleeds. Did you know that?"

Qin Shu nodded haphazardly. His sharp chin made him look handsome, and his tightened jawline gave his face a somewhat sharp look. However, the panic he couldn't hide in his eyes softened this impression, making him look strangely a mix of youthful naiveté and manly experience. He was truly captivating.

"Then, I'm afraid of pain, Qin Shu, what do you suggest we do?" Liu Qingtang ran her fingers across his face, reached out and tucked a strand of hair that fell beside his cheek, then leaned closer to his ear, speaking in a soft, almost torturous voice. Not content with just saying that, she breathed on his neck, as if Qin Shu wasn't panicking enough.

Sure enough, Qin Shu still had the same expression, but his ears were incredibly red, clearly visible even in the dim light. It was always difficult to discern anything from his face; only by looking into his eyes and ears could one find the hidden thoughts within him.

If one only looked at his blank face, they might misunderstand him as indifferent. However, Liu Qingtang understood him better and easily knew that he was simply flustered and didn't know what to do, so he subconsciously put on this expression. It was just like how he clearly liked her in his past life but always had a blank face in front of her. It was awkward enough, but she didn't know if it was because she loved her so much, but no matter how she looked at him, she liked him.

Liu Qingtang leaned against Qin Shu's shoulder, her fingertips deliberately tracing his cheek slowly, down to his chin and neck. She could clearly feel the body she was leaning against stiffen. So she urged him softly, "Qin Shu, you haven't answered me yet. What if I'm afraid of getting hurt?"

Qin Shu finally reacted, opening his mouth to say, "Then... I'll be gentler, maybe it won't hurt?" He stiffly moved his neck as if wanting to look at her, but then froze, instead looking down at his knees.

How could something being gentler not hurt? Liu Qingtang finally understood. It turned out Qin Shu only had a superficial understanding; perhaps he didn't even know why there was bleeding, even less knowledgeable than her. She suppressed a laugh, tugged at his hair, and asked, "Did you read that in a book?"

Liu Qingtang didn't deliberately touch him, and Qin Shu breathed a sigh of relief. He could no longer speak haltingly and could now speak in complete sentences smoothly. "The picture book was given by Tao Ye, and she also gave me some tools that she said might be useful."

He had carefully flipped through the picture book, but whenever he thought about the parts that required him to do things to the Empress Dowager, he felt completely at a loss for what to do with his hands and feet. It had been like that just now; whenever he was asked about it, he couldn't help but think of those things, and he felt like he was defiling the person beside him. He desperately wanted to get away from her, to put an end to these shameful thoughts in his head. But… he couldn't bear to back away, couldn't bear to avoid her touch, so he could only endure this torment as she did as she pleased.

There were also tools. He didn't know how Tao Ye got those things. He understood some of them, but he couldn't figure out the purpose of others, which he found quite strange.

"The picture book, and the tools? Where can I see them?" Liu Qingtang sat up straight with interest, urging Qin Shu to get them. To be honest, she had never seen the legendary erotic picture book before; she had to take this opportunity to see it for herself!

Then, just when things should have progressed from the ambiguous atmosphere to undressing and other unspeakable matters, Liu Qingtang pulled Qin Shu to curiously admire the legendary erotic paintings and began to explore the uses of a box of strangely shaped tools.

Author's Note: Fat Cat threw a landmine.

You Jinyu threw a landmine x6

The little bee threw a landmine

The Ming Dynasty threw a landmine x3

Halfway through, a landmine was thrown.

Panda Ice Cube threw a landmine

The spoon threw a landmine

A green character threw four landmines.

Li Suo. He threw a landmine.

Ago threw a landmine

The flowers in full bloom threw a landmine.

A truly lazy person threw a landmine.

Dreamy Silver Crystal threw two landmines.

Lazybones threw a landmine

xxxymmia threw two landmines.

The Cloud Palace threw a landmine.

Ling Motu threw a landmine

Meat, meat, meat. Throw away two landmines.

[Thank you to all the girls who threw in the "grenades" (a Chinese internet slang term for expressing affection), as expected, the most heartwarming girls are the ones who offer comfort and healing, sob sob _(:3∠)_ I just can't help but want to act cute~ Um, also thank you to the girls who left comments and those who, even if they didn't leave comments, just quietly watched, you are all my motivation~ Hugs and kisses~]