The Eunuch's Declaration of Loyalty

Chapter 78

"Qin Shu, can you still stand up?" Liu Qingtang was initially delighted to see Qin Shu wake up, but her expression suddenly froze. After a long while, she managed a weak smile and asked. She suddenly wondered if Qin Shu's sudden return to energy was just... a final burst of energy before death.

Seeing Qin Shu use the tree to support himself as he stood up, Liu Qingtang said again, "Qingtang, quick, we need to get back to the pile of rocks." Her smile was a mixture of laughter and tears. Just moments ago, Qin Shu couldn't move at all, but now he had the strength to stand. This meant either he was recovering or experiencing a final burst of energy before death. But recovery was impossible under these circumstances. Liu Qingtang silently helped Qin Shu walk outside, her eyes glancing at the back of his clothes, where a patch of blood had been spilling, dripping onto the ground.

Qin Shu also noticed the conspicuous bloodstains on the ground. He looked back at the woods and then forward at the pile of rocks, finally stopping and calling out, "Qing Tang."

Liu Qingtang knew what he wanted to say. If he stayed with her like this, the conspicuous and thick stench of blood would expose their location. Therefore, he wanted her to leave him.

"Let me go, Qingtang."

Liu Qingtang answered resolutely, "Impossible." She then tried to pull Qin Shu away by his arm, but Qin Shu refused. He looked intently at Liu Qingtang, his eyes shining brightly, as if burning with the last of his life force. "Listen to me," she said, "I'll go alone to the foot of that mountain and hide there. That will buy time and disrupt their search. You come with me in the opposite direction, further away, and hide until reinforcements arrive."

“You can’t die here. You still have so much to do, don’t you? Qingtang has always been so strong, surpassing many men. She will definitely make it to the end. I will wait for you to come find me after you’re gone.”

Seeing that Liu Qingtang kept her head down and didn't answer, Qin Shu became a little anxious. He knew that those people would realize something was wrong and turn back. Once they came out, they would still be standing in this unprotected place and would be seen immediately. At that time, Qingtang would really have no way to escape.

Qin Shu was about to say something when he suddenly saw Liu Qingtang look up into his eyes and ask, word by word, "Why?" Why should she be strong? Why should they assume she wouldn't be afraid or upset just because she is Liu Qingtang?

She had been strong her whole life, died and came back to life, and was still being strong now. But at this moment, she didn't want to be Liu Qingtang anymore, bearing all her pain alone. She wanted to be selfish. Dying here was fine too. She didn't want to live alone, like her father, spending every day in endless longing. That would be too painful.

Since meeting Qin Shu, Liu Qingtang has never been the same Liu Qingtang again.

"Qingtang, listen to me this time, okay?" Qin Shu staggered a bit and pleaded, holding onto her shoulder.

Liu Qingtang slowly hugged him, refusing to move an inch, burying herself in his arms just like he had protected her when she rolled down. "No, I never listen to others, Qin Shu, you know that."

It was a blessing from heaven that she had so many wonderful years of memories, and that taught her how to love someone. Now, being able to die with Qin Shu is a fulfillment of her wish, fulfilling the vow they made on the day they tied their hair together: "We only wish to die on the same day, in the same month, in the same year."

Fortunately, she had already clipped Xiao Huaixu's wings. Once she died, Xiao Huaixu's last bargaining chip and threat to the Liu family would disappear, and he would no longer be able to control them. The Liu family was no longer what it used to be, and she still had her brother. She had helped him establish his authority and rise in the court, and this time, her brother would definitely protect their father and Su Shu in her place. That was enough. Whether she was there or not didn't matter much.

Before coming here, on the carriage, she had said that she wanted to resolve these matters as soon as possible and retire with Qin Shu. Now, it can be said that she has fulfilled this promise ahead of schedule.

"Qingtang, Qingtang." Qin Shu murmured a couple of times, as if he had suddenly lost all his strength and sat down. Liu Qingtang helped him sit down on the spot, her expression calm and even with a detached smile. She held his hand, kissed the corner of his mouth, and then said softly and gently, "We will die together. I am your wife, and I will always be with you."

Faint voices drifted from the woods; the people seemed to be turning back. Hearing the sounds and seeing the calm expression on Liu Qingtang's face so close to his, Qin Shu couldn't help but feel a mixture of sorrow and tenderness. He hated himself for not being able to save his beloved, yet he couldn't suppress the joy that welled up within him because of her decisive action. In the end, Qin Shu sighed and gave up trying to persuade Liu Qingtang, instead gazing longingly at his lover.

Liu Qingtang kissed Qin Shu's eyes because she had just seen that same look in his eyes when he died in her past life. Back then, she didn't quite understand it, finding it incredibly complex and difficult to comprehend. Now, however, it seemed quite simple: that look simply meant "I love you."

The sudden neighing of a horse startled the two people quietly embracing, causing them to look up at the cliff they had tumbled down from. The indistinct figure above seemed somewhat familiar to Liu Qingtang, who then blurted out a name in surprise: "Xi Lan?" Why would her future sister-in-law suddenly appear at this moment?

Before Liu Qingtang could think it through, the sound of horses neighing and Taoye's shouts came from the other side of the high cliff.

However, at this moment, those who claimed to be Liu family guards also came out from the woods behind Liu Qingtang and Qin Shu.

Seeing that Xi Lan and the others on the high cliff had spotted Liu Qingtang and Qin Shu and were preparing to come down, the group on this side was almost upon them. Qin Shu anxiously grabbed Liu Qingtang's hand, "Run, Qingtang!"

"Shh." Liu Qingtang placed a hand on his lips, preventing him from wasting any more energy. Their reinforcements had arrived, and there was a 50% chance they could be rescued. Therefore, her current task, besides stalling for time, was to protect Qin Shu from further aggravating his injuries; perhaps then he could be saved.

Liu Qingtang calmed down instantly, silently standing in front of Qin Shu, and raised her voice to the group of people running towards her: "Do you know that your master sent you here to die? Whether I live or die, your master will be punished by the Liu family. They will die, and even if you can kill me, you will still die. It's not because they want to silence me, but because of the Liu family's wrath."

“If I were you, I would run away now. Yujing will soon be in chaos, and then it will be too late for you to escape.”

The man facing imminent death hesitated upon hearing this, slowing his pace. Clearly, he had considered the matter as well. Those following him were even more hesitant. They weren't stupid; they probably guessed their fate. Who wants to die? In a life-or-death situation, people naturally become more self-serving.

So, seeing Xi Lan and his group getting closer and closer, and noticing that their leader was hesitating, two people couldn't hold back and turned to run into the woods.

This seemed to become a signal, and another group of people turned and ran. The man in the lead then realized the consequences of his hesitation, but it was too late; several of his men had already fled.

The leading man's expression changed several times, but he still took a step towards Liu Qingtang. Liu Qingtang's heart pounded twice, but her face remained calm and composed, as if victory was assured. As the man took his first step, she said again, "If you still insist on killing me now, you won't have time to escape after you've done it. Are you sure you want to risk your life for your master? You should know that your master is already in dire straits."

"If you lose your life, you lose everything."

The man's face turned grim. Hearing Xi Lan and her group shouting, he turned and fled into the woods without hesitation.

Just as Liu Qingtang finally relaxed her breath, she heard Qin Shu collapse to the ground behind her. In just a moment, the ground beneath him was stained red, and his eyes, which had been looking at her with reluctance just moments before, quietly closed.

Liu Qingtang doesn't remember how she got back to the palace. She only knows that she held Qin Shu tightly the whole way and refused to let go. She called his name countless times but no one responded. In the end, she cried until tears streamed down her face.

She rushed back to the palace as quickly as possible, summoning the entire Imperial Medical Academy. The physicians, seeing Qin Shu covered in blood and his face ashen, were at a loss as to what to do. Two of them, noticing the Empress Dowager was also covered in blood and in a terrible state, couldn't help but ask, "Does the Empress Dowager also need treatment…?"

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Liu Qingtang's hoarse voice, "Enough! I told you to do everything in your power to save Qin Shu. Don't waste any more time, go save him!"

The imperial physicians were taken aback by the Empress Dowager's appearance. None of them had ever seen the usually dignified and proud Empress Dowager so disheveled, fierce, and anxious. Thinking about who had caused the Empress Dowager's loss of composure, the physicians lowered their heads in fear, no longer daring to speak, and began examining Qin Shu's injuries.

However, one after another, they came out with troubled expressions and knelt down without saying a word. How could Liu Qingtang not understand their meaning? She slumped onto the stool, looking at Qin Shu, whose wounds were being bandaged by several imperial physicians, with a confused expression.

"Go and summon Wei Zheng to the palace, and have troops surround the palace, forbidding anyone from leaving."

"The emperor is in poor health and needs to stay in Chang'an Palace to recuperate. He will no longer need to attend court."

"By imperial decree, the Grand Secretary Wang is plotting a rebellion and attempting to assassinate the Empress Dowager. His entire family will be executed."

After a moment of silence, Liu Qingtang suddenly spoke expressionlessly. The hall fell silent, and everyone involuntarily lowered their heads, not daring to breathe.

Qin Shu lay there, his wounds bandaged, eyes closed and still unconscious. The imperial physician said he could die at any moment. Perhaps in the next instant, his weak, almost nonexistent breaths would cease completely, and he would be gone forever. Liu Qingtang sat by the bed, her blood-stained clothes untouched, her wounds unbandaged, looking utterly disheveled.

Tao Ye turned her head away, unable to bear it any longer, her eyes glistening with tears. Zhui Yi wiped away her tears and stepped forward, choking back sobs, and said softly, "Master, please bandage your wounds and change your clothes first."

"Zhuiyi, did you hear that? They said Qin Shu is going to die, maybe in the next instant. What if I walk away now and come back to find that he has quietly died without me seeing him?" Liu Qingtang didn't cry, but she looked more sorrowful than if she were crying.

A flurry of footsteps sounded, and Liu Qingrong strode in, disregarding palace etiquette at this moment. Chaos had erupted outside due to Liu Qingtang's two imperial edicts. After receiving the edict, Grand Secretary Wang shouted that Empress Dowager Liu, a powerful relative of the emperor, would destroy the Southern Dynasty, and then he smashed his head against the table and died. Many witnessed this, and rumors spread that just as the favored concubine of Yan had brought about the downfall of the state, Empress Dowager Liu was now destroying a dynasty.

When the civil officials, whom he had not yet fully taken over, heard the news and learned that the emperor was under de facto house arrest, they all knelt outside the palace gates.

Many pedantic people even brought up the fact that Liu Qingtang killed Xiao Nan and the prince a few years ago, saying that she was interfering in politics by holding the emperor hostage in order to change the imperial surname from Xiao to Liu. They condemned her for being a mere woman who dared to dream of becoming emperor and disrupting the court, saying that she deserved to die to appease public anger.

Liu Qingrong was frantically giving orders, first to temporarily stabilize the officials in the court, and then to prevent the various prefectures and counties from becoming chaotic because of this matter. He dispatched a large number of Liu family soldiers to arrest the scholars who were spreading rumors before finally entering the palace. Before entering the palace, he had planned to persuade his sister to prioritize the overall situation and not act impulsively, but seeing her despondent expression, Liu Qingrong suddenly found himself speechless.

"Qingtang, Qin Shu, he..."

Liu Qingtang turned her head and saw her brother's face full of worry and concern, his eyes still blank. She murmured, "Brother, Qin Shu is going to die. What will I do if he dies?"

“It’s all my fault. I was too arrogant and thought I could predict everything. I thought nothing would happen. I’m the one who ruined him.”

"I know I was wrong, brother, but he's going to die."

"What should I do? He promised he wouldn't die before me, how could he go back on his word?"

"Why isn't he awake yet? Doesn't he want to see me again?"

Liu Qingtang was incoherent, holding Qin Shu's hand and burying her face in his palm. Finally, she couldn't hold back her tears and burst into sobs.

Author's Note: Scarlet Sakura threw a landmine! [Thanks for the landmine, muah!~]