The Eunuch's Declaration of Loyalty

Chapter 76

"Your Majesty, what if the Empress Dowager wasn't tricked into returning? If so, all our efforts will be in vain, and once she returns safely, she will inevitably retaliate... then..."

"She will definitely come back, and she will definitely die on the way." Xiao Huaixu sat on the top floor of the Zhongsui Pavilion, his face pale as he gazed into the unknown distance, and said this with certainty.

No one understood Liu Qingtang better than him. She was always stubborn and self-centered, always thinking that whatever she did was right, and she would never turn back even if she was wrong.

If it were a man, it probably wouldn't be a big deal, but she was a woman, and moreover, the Empress Dowager with powerful relatives behind her, destined to be too strong and easily broken. Over the years, although Xiao Huaixu could never guess why she had grown increasingly disgusted with him, he always knew that she hadn't changed.

Whether it's her extreme concern for family and friends or her extraordinary desire for control over certain matters, these traits have remained unchanged, and have become even more pronounced and intense in recent years. And as long as these two points are grasped, she will definitely return.

Even if she is exceptionally intelligent, even if she is cunning and calculating, no one in this world is smart enough to predict everything forever, and no one is so calm that they never make a mistake. Given her extraordinary concern and care for Liu's father and brothers, Yang Sushu, and Wei Zheng, after hearing his fabricated account of the situation in Yujing and seeing Liu Qingrong's letter urging her not to return, she will surely be shaken and want to come back.

That group of people were indeed from the military, and their demeanor was very similar to that of the Liu family army. Add to that the Liu family army token obtained from their inside man, and the forged letter in Liu Qingrong's own handwriting, and it was enough to set up a crude scheme. No matter how crude or flimsy it might be, it was sufficient at this point. Xiao Huaixu was absolutely certain that Liu Qingtang would return regardless of the consequences.

Moreover, at this point, she would not listen to anyone's obstruction. If that Liu family guard were to speak up and try to stop her again, Liu Qingtang would become even more determined to return to Yujing.

No one could oppose the decisions she made, not even the Duke of Liu back then, nor... Qin Shu now. Xiao Huaixu was well aware of this.

Perhaps Liu Qingtang could sense that something was wrong, but so what? She would still rush back, simply because the most important people in her heart were never herself, but her family and friends.

Even if it might be a trap, she would rush back immediately to confirm their safety; she wouldn't feel at ease until she saw it with her own eyes. This was Liu Qingtang, a woman so devoted and loyal that she shouldn't be in the imperial harem or the court.

Why was he initially drawn to this person? It was precisely because of her uniqueness; she possessed something that others, especially himself, lacked. It seemed that no matter what happened, she would still hold onto the most precious emotions, refusing to harm those important to her for the sake of power or out of necessity. Instead, she stubbornly guarded her bottom line, seemingly never knowing the meaning of compromise. Therefore, she wouldn't lose herself like he had.

Countless times during his childhood, when Xiao Huaixu looked at Liu Qingtang, he would think of his own father. He held a high position, yet he too had many things he was forced to do, but he compromised, hurting his beloved because of unfounded accusations and jealousy. Xiao Huaixu often thought that if it were Liu Qingtang, she would never have done that. He wanted to be like Liu Qingtang, but in the end, he became like the father he hated most—truly laughable.

There was another reason why Xiao Huaixu was certain that Liu Qingtang would return: at this moment, she must have felt that he would not kill her, so she would definitely return without fear, thinking that no matter what the conspiracy was, she would be able to stabilize the situation once she returned.

Unfortunately, she miscalculated this time. He couldn't wait any longer, and he didn't want to wait any longer. He wanted to kill her. Regardless of the fate of the nation or the consequences, all he wanted now was to kill her.

Liu Qingtang will return, then die on the way, waiting for him in hell. Xiao Huaixu told himself again, a strange sense of pleasure rising within him. His increasingly gloomy expression even softened into a gentle smile.

The chief minister, Wang, who was standing to the side, was still uneasy about the fact that the emperor was determined to kill Liu Qingtang. Seeing his expression, he frowned even more and finally stepped forward and asked, "This humble subject dares to ask, after the news of the Empress Dowager's death reaches Yujing, what will Your Majesty do? This humble subject will be able to make preparations in advance."

"I said long ago that the time will tell. Grand Secretary Wang, are you questioning me?" Xiao Huaixu said calmly, his unusually pale face devoid of any expression. After speaking, he saw Grand Secretary Wang kneel down and waved his hand dismissively, saying, "You may leave now. Come back and report when the news arrives."

"...Yes." Chief Minister Wang opened his mouth, but finally sighed, got up from the ground, and left. Once outside, the worry between his brows was no longer concealed. He glanced back at the door and sighed deeply again.

He had always wanted to suppress the maternal relatives and support the young current emperor on behalf of the late emperor, ensuring his stable position in court, all for the sake of legitimacy. As a scholar well-versed in Confucian classics, how could he stand idly by and watch a woman like the Empress Dowager control the government?

Even the Grand Secretary Wang sometimes had to admit that if the Empress Dowager were a man, she would surely be a wise and benevolent ruler. However, she was born a woman and was not a member of the royal family. Her position was illegitimate, so how could she convince the millions of scholars in the world? He had always believed that what he was doing was right, but now, he suddenly began to doubt whether his efforts to uphold orthodoxy were correct.

For several years, he had felt that although the emperor was young, he was a promising talent, and that with his assistance, he would surely become a qualified emperor in the future. Later, he inadvertently discovered the emperor's illicit feelings for the empress dowager. At that time, he became even more convinced that the empress dowager was bound to disrupt the court and that he would have to eliminate her and the Liu family in the future.

But only recently did Chief Minister Wang realize that he might not have truly understood the emperor he had resolved to serve. The emperor's recent indifference towards the court and the people alarmed Chief Minister Wang. Could an emperor who disregarded the well-being of the people and the state of affairs truly be the good emperor he envisioned? Was Xiao Huaixu really someone he needed to protect?

Only now did he see the emperor's inherent coldness and madness, but it was too late. Now, no one had a way out. His only wish was that after Liu Qingtang's death, the emperor could revert to the intelligent and cunning ruler he once was. However, the Grand Secretary suddenly remembered the doctor's prediction that the emperor wouldn't live more than three years. His steps faltered, his face now filled with an unconcealed bewilderment. It seemed that no matter what he did, it was wrong. Was he truly wrong?

The somewhat hunched old man asked himself, "Was I wrong?"

That's right, upholding orthodoxy is the right thing to do. Allowing a woman to meddle in court will only hasten the demise of the Southern Dynasty. The emperor is currently only bewitched by Liu Qingtang. Once she dies, the emperor will refocus his attention on the court, take good care of his health, and everything will proceed smoothly. He finally convinced himself, straightened his back, and walked out of the palace step by step.

Xiao Huaixu, who was looking down at the entire palace from the Zhongsui Pavilion, saw the loyal chief minister Wang walk away and suddenly sneered.

How would he explain when news of Liu Qingtang's death arrived? He hadn't even considered such a thing. Ideally, this incident would cause turmoil throughout the Southern Dynasty, leading to its destruction or chaos. That would be best.

He never had any intention of being a diligent and benevolent emperor. What he hated most was the Southern Dynasty and its millions of ordinary people. These mediocre, ignorant, and powerless ants were utterly despicable. What merit did they possess to make those he cared about blind to everyone else and everything else for their sake?

It's best to destroy what you don't like. He'll wait here for news of Liu Qingtang's death, then watch as flames of war ignite this city, shattering the current jarring peace. He'll feel incredibly relieved then. Why suppress himself? Isn't this good enough for him? What he can't have, no one else can have either.

At this moment, Liu Qingtang and Qin Shu, looking disheveled, hid among the rocks.

Under the protection of the remaining guards, they were quickly cornered by the so-called Liu family guards. Seeing that they had killed the guards and were about to attack them, Qin Shu decisively used the guards' cover to carry Liu Qingtang and roll down the steep cliff beside the mountain path.

The mountain path was surrounded by cliffs on one side. Although it had a slope, it was covered with sharp rocks and was very high. Those people never expected that Qin Shu would roll down the path without even thinking, protecting Liu Qingtang in his arms.

They still valued their lives, and none of them dared to be as reckless as Qin Shu. They could only look for a way down to catch up with them. As a result, Qin Shu and Liu Qingtang rolled all the way to the foot of the mountain. While those people were still looking for a way out, it gave Qin Shu and Liu Qingtang time to catch their breath and escape.

However, Qin Shu and Liu Qingtang were also in dire straits. Liu Qingtang was alright, as Qin Shu protected her well and she was mostly unharmed. Qin Shu, on the other hand, had gritted his teeth and used his body to cushion any unavoidable falls along the way, just to minimize Liu Qingtang's suffering. By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, his arms were bleeding profusely from sharp rocks. To make matters worse, during the fall, he had used his foot to brace himself against a protruding boulder, and in that moment, his right foot seemed to be broken; any movement caused him excruciating pain.

His back was also being pierced by sharp stones. Even though Qin Shu couldn't see, he could sense the severity of his injuries through the pain emanating from various parts of his body. Not only was he dizzy and lightheaded, but his chest was also throbbing with intense pain.

It's a miracle she didn't die after falling from there, let alone the fact that Qin Shu used her as a human cushion during the fall, shielding her from several dangerous situations. How could she not be seriously injured?

Most people wouldn't be able to move after such severe injuries, but Qin Shu, driven by sheer willpower, sat up and immediately looked at Liu Qingtang to check if she was injured. Fortunately, she seemed to be in much better condition than him; at least she could walk. Even if something happened, she would have a better chance of survival. Qin Shu almost immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Liu Qingtang's back and legs were also scratched by sharp stones, but when Qin Shu asked her, she just shook her head and said she was fine, and got up to check on Qin Shu's injuries.

How could she not know how much Qin Shu had shielded her from? Listening to the sounds of impacts in his arms and Qin Shu's muffled groans, she was going crazy with anxiety.

Qin Shu reached out and stopped her. He glanced at the people who had already started climbing down the rocks and quickly said, "Qing Tang, run into the woods and hide. Every little bit helps."

Liu Qingtang was taken aback, then silently bent down to help him up. "You're wrong. We hid in the woods together."

Qin Shu knew that he was probably in a bad situation. He wanted to buy her some time or not be a burden to her, but seeing her resolute expression, he knew that she would not leave him here alone. At that moment, he felt both helpless and tender.

No longer wanting to waste precious time arguing about such things, Qin Shu gritted his teeth, endured the pain all over his body, and struggled to stand up. With Liu Qingtang's help, he stumbled into the woods.