The Eunuch's Declaration of Loyalty

chapter eight

Liu Qingtang stepped back, but still clung to Qin Shu's lapel, panting as she asked, "I'll ask you again, are you willing or not?" (For more text, please search on Baidu.)

Qin Shu knelt on the ground, his already askew black hat rolling off the ground due to the Empress Dowager's sudden movement, revealing his meticulously combed hair.

His thin lips parted slightly as he looked blankly and helplessly at the Empress Dowager who was standing so close to him. Upon hearing the question, he subconsciously lowered his head to avoid her penetrating eyes, but instead saw the Empress Dowager's bare, snow-white feet.

"Your Majesty, you are still ill. You will catch a cold if you do this..." Qin Shu was really worried that the Empress Dowager's illness would worsen if she moved around like this. She wanted to get her back to bed but couldn't think of a way to persuade her. She just stood there looking at her pleadingly.

Meeting his gaze, Liu Qingtang suddenly felt all her anger vanish, replaced by a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "Alright, at a time like this, all you can think about is my illness."

Under Qin Shu's pleading gaze, Liu Qingtang turned and walked towards the bedside, but after Qin Shu showed a relieved look, she suddenly stopped and turned to look down at Qin Shu, saying, "You haven't answered my question yet."

"If you don't hear a satisfactory answer from me..." Liu Qingtang paused here, looking at Qin Shu with a cold gaze, the threat in her eyes was obvious.

This time, he had probably really angered the Empress Dowager. Qin Shu smiled bitterly to himself, waiting for her next words to send him to hell. But to his utter surprise, the Empress Dowager suddenly changed her tone, adopting a rogue-like expression, and continued, "If I don't hear a satisfactory answer, I'll stand here until you satisfy me, then I'll go back to bed to rest."

"Well, Qin Shu, how will you answer me now?" Liu Qingtang, dressed in a thin undergarment, crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him, a confident smile playing on her lips.

This guy is absolutely infuriating! Liu Qingtang smiled through her teeth as she realized she was once again unable to control her shameless, coquettish behavior. He clearly adored her, clearly wanted to be by her side, but his mind was always wandering, and he just had to argue with her. Qin Shu was truly utterly annoying! Utterly annoying!

Liu Qingtang was completely unaware of how much she resembled a temperamental girl, a far cry from the noble and dignified empress dowager she had deliberately cultivated for so many years.

If you meet someone who makes you feel at ease, you will likely unconsciously reveal your truest self, and that is exactly what Liu Qingtang is doing right now.

Liu Qingtang didn't notice, but Qin Shu did. After a brief moment of stunned silence, his eyes unconsciously filled with infatuation. The Empress Dowager's appearance only made her more and more attractive to him. How wonderful it would be if he could be the only one to see the Empress Dowager like this in the future.

Qin Shu didn't keep Liu Qingtang waiting long; he made his decision almost without thinking. He didn't really have a choice, because he absolutely couldn't bear to see the Empress Dowager's body harmed in the slightest, so this action precisely struck at his weakness. If the Empress Dowager wanted to punish him, he wouldn't be afraid even of whipping her. But the Empress Dowager was intelligent and… cunning, and wouldn't allow him to refuse.

Qin Shu bowed deeply to the Empress Dowager and said in a low voice, "This servant dares not fail Your Majesty's kindness and will obey Your Majesty's orders."

If this matter were to be discovered in the future as he feared, he would risk his life to clear the Empress's name. No matter what, he would not allow the Empress to be stigmatized. Qin Shu solemnly kowtowed, making his decision in secret.

"Why didn't you just agree to my request earlier?" Liu Qingtang smiled, and without Qin Shu urging her, she went back to bed and covered herself with the quilt.

"It's this servant's fault for being ungrateful and causing Your Majesty so much trouble. This servant deserves to die." Qin Shu said, while watching the Empress Dowager's every move. He felt that whether the Empress Dowager was noble and dignified or cunning and generous, she was incredibly attractive to him. It should be said that whenever it was her, every frown, smile, movement, and gesture made him restless.

At this moment, Qin Shu thought about how the Empress Dowager would be as close to him as she was today, and his heart softened like water. A gentle, unending flow coursed through his body, making him want to shower the person before him with all his tenderness and love.

Even if it would be a short time, and perhaps the Empress Dowager would tire of him by tomorrow, he would have no complaints or regrets. These two kisses today were something he couldn't even imagine in his dreams, let alone what the Empress Dowager had said about the future.

"Qin Shu, what are you standing there for? Come here and give me a massage. Your antics have given me a headache." The Empress Dowager's expression was dignified, but her movements were not very steady. She smoothed her long, flowing hair with her hand and then patted the brocade quilt beside her.

Qin Shu stood up, his knees sore and numb that he could barely lift his feet, but after only a moment, he walked toward the Empress Dowager as if nothing was wrong, showing no signs of distress.

He was having a beautiful and wonderful dream that he didn't want to wake up from. In the dream, all pain and sound were far away from him. All he could feel was his heart beating rapidly, and all he could hear was the voice of the person in front of him.

He carefully sat on the edge of the bed, letting the Empress Dowager rest her head on his lap. He gently pressed his hands on both sides of the Empress Dowager's forehead, constantly watching her expression, afraid that she might do something wrong.

The room was warm and cozy, with the sound of an underfloor heater and a faint scent of incense. Qin Shu watched as the Empress Dowager slowly lowered her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering gently, like the wings of a butterfly that had settled on his heart, stirring a tingling sensation within him.

Liu Qingtang moved her head, and a wisp of black hair slid down Qin Shu's knee. Slowly stopping, Qin Shu reached out to catch the wisp of hair, but just as he grasped the cool, smooth long hair in his hand, it slipped away from his grasp due to the hair's owner's movement.

Liu Qingtang pulled her hair and shook it, her expression as if she had caught Qin Shu by the hair. "I'm not asleep."

"This servant had no intention of offending Her Majesty the Empress Dowager." Qin Shuming only wanted to fix the Empress Dowager's hair, but for some reason, seeing her expression made him subconsciously panic, as if he had actually done something that had been discovered.

The Empress Dowager, who was becoming increasingly capricious, twirled her hair and smiled without saying a word. Only after Qin Shu felt uneasy under her gaze did she slowly ask, "Qin Shu, do you have that kind of experience?"

"...Is that what the Empress Dowager is saying?" Qin Shu's heart skipped a beat, and he gripped his wrist.

"It's what I just did to you, what else could it be?" Liu Qingtang asked in surprise, her expression extremely serious.

The Empress Dowager was referring to a kiss. Realizing this, Qin Shu's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, suddenly calmed down. She should have felt relieved, since the Empress Dowager hadn't asked about something so embarrassing, but for some reason, she also felt a slight sense of regret.

He released his wrist and composed himself, saying, "This servant has no... such experience." He entered the palace at a young age, and due to constant abuse and his status as a eunuch, he extremely disliked anyone getting close to him. Even fellow eunuchs were people he abhorred touching; perhaps only the Empress Dowager was special to him.

Liu Qingtang felt a little better. If they were both inexperienced, then her little mistake just now was nothing. "Qin Shu, you bit my lip just now, do you know your crime?"

Even though Qin Shu knew perfectly well that when the Empress Dowager kissed him haphazardly just now, her clumsy movements not only bumped his teeth but also bit his lip, he still followed the Empress Dowager's words without any hesitation and said, "This servant knows his crime."

"You've hurt my tongue too, do you know your crime?" Liu Qingtang continued, satisfied, her expression as serious as when she reprimanded the ministers at the morning court.

Qin Shu's ears flushed uncontrollably. The Empress Dowager's words easily reminded him of what had just happened. She had angrily rubbed her lips against his, seemingly unsure how to vent her frustration, and then, seemingly out of curiosity, she had slipped her tongue into his slightly open mouth, where it met his. After that, the Empress Dowager retreated, looking even more displeased…

Qin Shu didn't try to recall them, but those memories just crawled into his mind on their own. He could suppress them temporarily because of the Empress Dowager's questioning, but now that the matter was resolved, he couldn't suppress them anymore. Even pinching his thigh so hard couldn't shake off the scenes that were entangled in his mind.

"This servant is guilty," he said with difficulty, his breathing rapid.

Seeing Qin Shu's shifty eyes and slightly reddened ears, Liu Qingtang was satisfied. After all, she had lived for thirty years, and compared to Qin Shu, who hadn't yet become the future Grand Steward Qin, she was naturally superior. Even Qin Shu would be punished for not accepting her kindness and making her unhappy. Just like now, watching him fidget and be restless was quite amusing.

"Since you know your crime, then I will give you a chance to atone for your sins." Liu Qingtang had no intention of letting him go at all; she was determined to see more expressions on his face that she had never seen before.

Qin Shu was a smart man, so he guessed the Empress Dowager's thoughts, but he couldn't refuse her. He could only follow her lead step by step and willingly let her tease him.

Following the Empress Dowager's instructions for a so-called "redemption through meritorious service," he had to make her feel comfortable, at least to prevent a repeat of the previous situation. But putting aside whether he could actually do it, the mere thought of having to kiss the Empress Dowager made him breathless, and he worried that if he lost control, things would end up... incredibly awkward.

"Qin Shu, I'm waiting for you," Liu Qingtang urged, having finally unearthed her long-buried true nature. Since Qin Shu had seen so many of her hidden sides, and it was just the two of them here, she was determined to see him blush.

Meeting Liu Qingtang's relentless gaze, Qin Shu sighed and gave in.

"Your Majesty, this servant has been disrespectful." No matter how hard he tried to suppress it, Qin Shu's voice still betrayed something amiss. He gripped his sleeve with one hand and leaned slowly towards the Empress Dowager, supporting himself with the other against the brocade quilt.

Author's Note: Ada threw a landmine.

It wasn't netizens, it was justwe! They threw a landmine.

A truly lazy person threw a landmine.

Hyori threw a rocket launcher

The Ming Dynasty threw a landmine

Please don't be careless, Mr. Sa, go ahead and throw a landmine.

Fat Cat threw a landmine

Fat Cat threw a landmine

sunflower. A landmine was thrown.

Karismas threw a landmine

My second uncle threw a landmine.

Xiao Xuanzi threw a landmine

[Another long string of thank-you notes I can't think of anything special anymore (bites mouse)]

The Empress Dowager is getting more and more depraved... I don't know why this chapter took five hours to finish qaq [Fu Hua Zi's health bar is about to be depleted. Leave a comment to revive her, and then you will get a recharged (?) Fu Hua Zi that you can use for another night~\(≧▽≦)/~lalala]