The Eunuch's Declaration of Loyalty

Chapter 62

Liu Qingtang initially intended to dispose of the incense, but then she had another idea.

The next day, those in the palace who were paying attention discovered that the already heavily guarded Cixi Palace was now completely impenetrable, not even a bird could fly in. Moreover, Taoye, one of the head palace maids, went to the Imperial Hospital in a state of anxiety and summoned the head of the Imperial Hospital.

The palace servants were all speculating about what had happened in Cining Palace, and rumors spread like wildfire that the Empress Dowager had also contracted the plague. Liu Qingtang, however, remained calmly seated in Cining Palace, waiting for the news she suspected to arrive. In her past life, she had contracted the plague, and so had the Emperor, but she hadn't given it much thought. Now, thinking back, she realized that in her past life, she had valued her nephew the Emperor more than herself, protecting him meticulously. How could he have contracted the plague so inexplicably?

There's only one possibility: it was a deliberate rumor spread to avoid suspicion, or to avoid the shock of the Empress Dowager's supposed death from the plague. If she's right, if she didn't contract the plague in her life, the Emperor would be perfectly fine in his Chang'an Palace. But if she did, news of his infection would likely arrive in a couple of days.

After waiting quietly for two days, a panicked eunuch came to Cixi Palace to say that the Emperor had contracted an epidemic. When Zhuiyi came to report this news, Liu Qingtang couldn't help but clutch her chest. Even though she had long seen through Xiao Huaiyu's true colors, the fact that he had plotted to kill her when the Emperor was only fifteen years old in her previous life still made her feel a deep sadness.

When she was first reborn, she still thought that the fault lay with the two prime ministers, and that the emperor's estrangement from her began after the plague that year, instigated by the villains around him. Who knew that after deceiving herself, she would eventually learn the truth, which told her time and time again that she had wasted more than ten years of her life on such a beast, and that all her painstaking efforts and care had resulted in this outcome.

Sitting in the empty hall, Liu Qingtang suddenly missed Qin Shu. In the past, even if she was heartbroken, she would bury it deep inside, then proudly raise her head and make those who had caused her suffering suffer as well. But now, her first thought was to find Qin Shu, to lean against him and listen to him talk for a while.

"Zhuiyi, send a message to the people we planted in Chang'an Palace. I want to know if the Emperor has really contracted the plague." Liu Qingtang stood up, her expression unchanged. With Qin Shu gone, she remained the same woman who had controlled the court for many years, oblivious to sorrow and bitterness.

"Tell my brother that the woman he's keeping on the estate is almost ready to be used. Also, tell Feng Yuanyu to persuade his father, Chief Minister Feng, to send that woman into the palace."

"Taoye, you personally lead men to Chang'an Palace and arrest that woman named Wang Yuexiang. Lock her up in the palace prison along with Ranxiang until Qin Shu returns to deal with her. If the steward of Chang'an Palace tries to stop you, don't hesitate to arrest her on the grounds that Wang Yuexiang has contracted the plague and needs to be quarantined. Since the emperor is currently infected with the 'plague,' I'd like to see if he can stand up for this granddaughter of the chief minister Wang."

Wang Yuexiang, the granddaughter of the Grand Secretary Wang, was sent to the palace at this time. She was the emperor's concubine in her previous life. She had always thought that the emperor favored this Consort Wang, but now she realized that she was just a target. He didn't even care about the entire harem. All those women who fought and schemed in her previous life were just targets he casually set up. Since that was the case, these insignificant people were not worth her attention. She would get rid of Wang Yuexiang to clear a path for the woman she had prepared for her.

The woman she had painstakingly cultivated had to stay by the emperor's side. The emperor couldn't die yet, but he had to die at the time she deemed appropriate.

"Also, I need to leave the palace and go to the Yang residence." No one can change Liu Qingtang's decision. Even though Tao Ye and Zhuiyi were extremely worried, they still followed her instructions and got busy separately.

Yang Sushu was now about seven months pregnant, and the sight of her protruding belly made Liu Qingtang's heart skip a beat. Moreover, her face was somewhat pale, and judging from the mess of medical books and herbs on the table, she hadn't rested for a long time. Xiao Huaiyu stood beside her, holding a bowl of chicken soup.

"Sushu, how is the prescription?" If she could, Liu Qingtang really didn't want to urge her friend under these circumstances, but if she didn't hurry, more people would die. Even if she mobilized the army, she wouldn't be able to suppress it for long. Moreover, Yujing couldn't continue to isolate itself without any regard for the situation. If it went on any longer, rumors would start circulating outside, and if they reached other countries, it might cause another conflict.

Yang Sushu stopped what she was doing, took the bowl from Xiao Huaiyu's hand, took a sip, and then said, "We're starting to see some progress. I'll give you a new prescription in a few days; have the people in the Imperial Hospital try it." As she spoke, Xiao Huaiyu stood behind her, gently massaging her shoulders. These past few days had been chaotic not only in the palace but also in Yang Sushu's household. Perhaps due to the many experiences she had gone through, after not seeing him for over a month, Liu Qingtang felt that Xiao Huaiyu seemed a little better than before, though not by much.

“Qingtang, I feel like you already know many things. You told those people in the Imperial Hospital that the reason they knew it was a plague from the very beginning was because I told you. I don’t remember ever saying such a thing. And why are you so certain that I can develop a cure for this plague?” Yang Sushu looked at Liu Qingtang very seriously, her eyes clearly showing her determination to get to the bottom of things. Her stubbornness was hidden beneath her gentle and aloof demeanor, but it was no less than that of her friend Liu Qingtang. “I think you should know that I consider you a confidant I could entrust my life to.”

Liu Qingtang gave a wry smile and finally said, "Your condition is already too tiring, and you can't handle any stress. I'll tell you after this plague is over and you give birth to the child."

Yang Sushu shook her head, and finally said helplessly, "Okay, I'll wait."

"Sushu, don't push yourself too hard. Take care of your health. What if my godson blames me later?"

"If you could stop making me so anxious and make wild guesses, I would be very happy," Yang Sushu said, finishing the soup in her bowl.

Liu Qingtang chatted with her for a few more minutes, but seeing her dive back into the piles of books, he could only stand up helplessly and say, "I'm going back."

However, she had only just reached the door when she saw Qin Shu, who should have been far away in Ling County, appear outside. He was covered in dust, and his dark blue robe was almost unrecognizable. He was holding a riding whip in his hand. When he saw her, he threw down the riding whip and strode over to hug her.

"You're alright." His tone was somewhat fearful, yet it was as if he had received a lost treasure and was unwilling to let go.

Liu Qingtang felt his bones seemed even more sharp now, and her heart ached so much she didn't know what to say. A mix of longing, worry, and joy welled up inside her, and in the end, she could only hug him and say, "Why are you back?"

"I heard that Yujing is surrounded by heavy troops, and news of a plague breaking out inside is gradually spreading. I was afraid something might happen to you, so I came back," Qin Shu murmured, still somewhat unable to believe that the person he had thought of for so long was in his arms. He had been so anxious these past few days that he was almost going crazy; those few days felt like years had passed.

They had just arrived in Ling County when Qin Shu, accompanied by a painter, went to paint a beautiful bamboo garden. Unexpectedly, he overheard some tourists talking about Yujing. Among them were merchants returning from Yujing who said it was heavily guarded and no one was allowed to enter or leave. Qin Shu was immediately shocked. He promptly sent men to investigate and, at the same time, revised his original plan, ordering his men to unexpectedly subdue and imprison the Ling County governor. As for the list he possessed, Qin Shu no longer cared. Regardless of any roundabout methods, he had no intention of staying in Ling County and dealing with the governor.

Upon hearing the report that there seemed to be a plague outbreak in Yujing, Qin Shu was nearly frantic. He left the affairs of Ling County to the accompanying officials to handle, while he himself, along with a few Liu family guards, rushed back from Ling County without stopping. He didn't know how to ride a horse, but it was the only way he could get back as quickly as possible, so after only half a day of learning, he couldn't wait to mount his horse and head back.

He almost fell off his horse along the way because he was unfamiliar with the movements. The road was bumpy, and he was rushing, so his thighs were chafed and bleeding. If he wasn't afraid of fainting, he would have almost never slept. Even when he stopped to rest, he couldn't close his eyes all night because of his worries and anxiety.

Even the few Liu family guards who had seen battle were struggling to keep going, but Qin Shu didn't utter a single word, acting as if his life depended on it, fearing that if he was even a moment late, he would never see the Empress Dowager again. After a month-long carriage journey, he rode his horse at breakneck speed, arriving back in Yujing in just a few days. Originally, Qin Shu intended to return directly to the palace, but for some reason, he inexplicably turned his horse around and glanced at the gates of the Liu and Yang residences. Sure enough, he spotted the inconspicuous carriage parked at the back gate of the Yang residence.

Ever since he learned of Yujing's situation while still in Ling County, Qin Shu had been thinking every day about what he would do if something really happened to Qing Tang. He truly would rather die than have anything happen to her. Countless times, he regretted why he had left her side at this crucial moment. If he had been by her side, at least, at least someone would be there to protect her in any danger.

Even if she was safe, Qin Shu was worried she might be scared. In his heart, Liu Qingtang wasn't the omnipotent Empress Dowager in other people's eyes, nor was she the indestructible Empress Dowager he initially thought she was. She could also feel sadness and fear, so he had to stay by her side.

This anxious feeling finally subsided when he saw her standing there safe and sound. In that instant, just stepping forward to hug her took all his strength, and he had almost no strength left to support himself.

“I shouldn’t have left Yujing at a time like this. I should have stayed by your side, Qingtang.”

Qin Shu was unaware that this was a deliberate arrangement by Liu Qingtang, intended for his own good. However, seeing his haggard appearance, and wondering how long he had been tormenting himself, Liu Qingtang was filled with regret. Her father and Su Shu had both told her that she was good in every way, except that she was sometimes too self-centered and arrogant. She had always dismissed these comments, but now she realized that perhaps they were right.

"I'm sorry to have worried you. I'm perfectly fine. Now that you're back, come back to the palace with me and get some rest. You really look like a beggar." Liu Qingtang gently lifted Qin Shu's face and gave him a comforting kiss on the cheek. Perhaps she should get used to not placing herself in the position of protector, doing everything according to what she thought was right, but instead listening more to the other person's opinions.

As Qin Shu sat stiffly in the carriage, Liu Qingtang noticed that his thighs were badly chafed from riding for so long, with large patches of blood sticking to his clothes. She was speechless. Ultimately, it was her own fault, and Liu Qingtang couldn't bring herself to say anything, only secretly resolving never to do such a thing again. Just once, and Qin Shu had gotten himself into this state; she couldn't bear it if it happened again.

Fortunately, Su Shu said that the prescription was progressing well, so there was no need to worry too much about Qin Shu's return at this time. She had already done her best regarding this plague.

Her rebirth wasn't just about revenge and changing her fate; it was also about cherishing family and loved ones, and using her past life's experiences to save more people. These were the meanings of her rebirth. These days, Liu Qingtang often thought about these things.

Author's Note: Dreamy Silver Crystal threw a landmine.

The seaweed threw a landmine

A truly lazy person threw a landmine.

[Thanks for the landmine~ To that lazy guy who always complains that I don't reply to comments, hmph, I know you don't love me anymore, you heartless bastard! My love is so silent, can't my dear girls feel it? Come and see through my heart! See through the burning heart buried beneath my iceberg [wait, the style is off today, I must be so sleepy I can't even keep my eyes open, I have no idea what embarrassing things I said.]