The Eunuch's Declaration of Loyalty

Chapter 80

Xiao Huaixu's face turned deathly pale, and he stared blankly at Liu Qingtang's indifferent and unmoved gaze. Suddenly, he forced a stiff smile and asked in a very soft voice, "You... already knew?"

"What do you know, your filthy thoughts?" Liu Qingtang retorted without any politeness, her gaze piercing Xiao Huaixu's heart like a sharp sword.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Huaixu staggered back two steps, his expression complex and disheveled. However, in an instant, his gaze towards Liu Qingtang turned into pure hatred and contempt. "You think I'm filthy? Aren't you filthy yourself? You must be lonely in the deep palace with no other way to relieve your loneliness, so you can only find such a male-female eunuch."

This was the first time Xiao Huaixu had spoken to Liu Qingtang in such a tone. To slander someone he had loved since childhood gave him a morbid sense of pleasure, as if saying such things could truly hurt her. Little did he know, this was the most pathetic and pitiful thing he could do.

"Ha, aren't you just jealous of Qin Shu because I love him, my nephew? And you, I doubt you even understand what love is." Liu Qingtang listened to Xiao Huaixu calling her a slave and eunuch, her eyes filled with undisguised coldness, and said sarcastically, "Besides, even without Qin Shu, I would never have any feelings for you, because you disgust me. I used to think you and your father were different, but later I realized that you and your father in the Xiao family are both equally unreasonable."

Xiao Huaixu's eyes were bloodshot, and he clutched his heaving chest, unable to speak, staring intently at Liu Qingtang. Xiao Yuncheng, his father, was an unresolved knot in his heart, the person he hated most in his life, and Liu Qingtang's words had struck at the darkest spot in his heart.

Completely losing his senses, Xiao Huaixu grabbed the sword that was hanging on the wall as decoration and staggered toward Liu Qingtang, growling as he went: "What right do you have to say that? What right do you have? It's clearly your fault!"

Liu Qingtang stood still, a smile playing on her lips, whether mocking others or self-mockery was unclear. Before Xiao Huaixu could get close, several eunuchs behind Liu Qingtang stepped forward and restrained him. These eunuchs were all skilled in martial arts; with a tap on Xiao Huaixu's wrist, the gleaming sword in his hand clattered to the ground. He was immobilized, and even his mouth was covered.

Liu Qingtang didn't want to look at him any longer and said directly, "Give him the medicine."

As soon as he finished speaking, two palace maids came out with their heads down, carrying two bowls of medicine. They knelt beside Xiao Huaixu, ready to feed him the medicine. Xiao Huaixu immediately struggled violently. He hadn't seen that damned servant die yet, nor had he seen Liu Qingtang's pained and remorseful face. How could he be willing to die?

Seeing this, Liu Qingtang scoffed and said, "This isn't poison. I didn't intend for you to die now. I just want you to never be able to speak or get out of bed again." Compared to the poisoned wine he simply gave her in her previous life, wasn't she incredibly kind-hearted?

Time and again, Xiao Huaixu was testing her limits, attempting to harm Su Shu and Xiao Le'an several times. He even infiltrated the Liu family's personal guards, intending to harm her father and brother. This time, seeing Qin Shu covered in blood and hanging by a thread, Liu Qingtang was no longer willing to tolerate his constant underhanded tactics.

"Pour it down my throat."

The two palace maids immediately quickened their pace. No matter how much Xiao Huaixu struggled, the eunuchs held him firmly in place and quickly forced him to swallow both bowls of medicine.

Liu Qingtang watched coldly, seeing the murderous look in Xiao Huaixu's eyes. Finally, she ordered all the palace servants in Chang'an Palace to be transferred away, completely extinguishing Xiao Huaixu's last hope. She replaced the servants with those trained by Qin Shu over the years and issued an edict forbidding anyone from entering Chang'an Palace. Liu Qingtang turned and left without hesitation, as if she didn't want to stay there any longer.

After leaving Chang'an Palace, Liu Qingtang took a deep breath and walked towards the East Palace Gate with her head held high.

It is said that there are still more than a dozen old ministers kneeling there, saying that they will not rise until Empress Dowager Liu dies.

The palace gates slowly opened, and a woman of noble bearing and stunning beauty stepped out. The old ministers who had been kneeling outside the palace gates for an hour were instantly agitated, as if they had seen their father's killer. One minister even stood up trembling, pointing at Liu Qingtang and shouting, "The Liu family has brought chaos to the country and deserves to be executed! They forced two loyal ministers of the Southern Dynasty to their deaths and attempted to usurp the throne—truly treasonous!"

"You had ulterior motives in supporting the young emperor! For years you have controlled the court, and we could only obey because the emperor is still young. Now, Lady Liu, you have imprisoned the emperor. Your wolfish ambitions are known to all. What do you have to say now?"

"She's definitely not the only one. I think the Liu family, this in-law family, has long harbored rebellious intentions. It's just a pity we didn't see it sooner!"

Looking at these righteous and fearless officials, Liu Qingtang smiled instead. They put it nicely, but ultimately, weren't they just doing this to maintain their own positions?

These people used to follow Chief Minister Wang. Now that Chief Minister Wang has fallen, they might have to be replaced as well. Liu Qingtang had long felt that they were an eyesore, and they themselves knew this, so they thought of striking first and trying to threaten her with public opinion and reputation.

Hmph, do they really think she can be threatened? To Liu Qingtang, her desperate struggle was nothing more than a laughable charade.

As for her reputation, she has never had a good one. She has never cared about what the rumors say about her. Even if they hate her to the core and want to bring her down, they can only say a few words, and there is nothing they can do.

"Your concern for the Southern Dynasty's fate is truly moving. Since you repeatedly say you've failed the Southern Dynasty and the late Emperor's trust, then I will grant your wish." Liu Qingtang's cold eyes swept over their faces as she spoke.

"Since you do not wish to see me, and are unwilling to bow down and submit to me in court, then you will never need to see me again, nor will you need to call yourselves subjects again. From today onwards, all of you may return home. How about leaving your positions to younger and more capable ministers? Also, regarding the drought in Yunzhou, I am sure you will all be happy to give away your wealth to share the burden of the country."

These words made the old ministers' faces even uglier. Some cursed even more vehemently, while others fainted, creating a chaotic scene. Just then, Wei Zheng walked over with a troop of personal guards. Ignoring the old ministers' angry curses, Liu Qingtang repeated what she had just said, and finally, as the old ministers' faces turned ashen, she turned and went back into the palace gates.

Watching helplessly as the vermilion palace gates closed before them, the veteran officials suddenly realized that the Empress Dowager had always been like this—unyielding to threats and unwilling to compromise for anything. This time, they truly had no way to escape. Whether they fought or not, their fate was the same.

Regardless of whether those pedantic and stubborn old scholars and officials would continue to smear her, Liu Qingtang didn't care anymore. She glanced at the sky and rushed back to Cixi Palace as quickly as possible.

"Is Qin Shu still not awake?" As soon as Liu Qingtang entered the room, her aloof and indifferent expression changed to a calm and gentle one. Especially when she saw Qin Shu lying on the bed with his eyes closed, she was filled with affection.

Just as Zhuiyi was about to answer her, Taoye tugged at her sleeve and said, "She's not awake yet. She'll probably sleep for a while longer. We won't disturb her any longer. We'll go prepare some food for our mistress." With that, she pulled Zhuiyi out and gently closed the door behind her.

Outside the door, Zhuiyi asked with some doubt, "Didn't Qin Shu just wake up? He even asked if Master was seriously injured. He's not asleep yet, he's just resting with his eyes closed."

“Sister, you still don’t understand this kind of thing after all these years.” Tao Ye shook her head helplessly and pulled her towards the small kitchen. “Now that the master is alright, he probably wants to have some private conversations. Let’s leave for now.”

Liu Qingtang sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Qin Shu's body covered in bandaged wounds, unsure of what to do. She wanted to be closer to him, preferably nestled in his arms, but he was so badly injured that she was afraid even leaning against him would cause him pain. So, she could only pitifully reach out and grab one of Qin Shu's intact fingers, while the others were covered in medicine.

Liu Qingtang stared blankly at Qin Shu's sleeping face for a long while, not daring to make a move. The memory of Qin Shu covered in blood was too deep for her, making her feel uneasy even if she held his hand slightly now. Even though she desperately wanted to see Qin Shu open his eyes, she didn't dare to call out to him, afraid that no one would answer and she would recall the silent fear she felt on the way back to the palace when she called his name.

Liu Qingtang never imagined she would be so vulnerable. Even now, recalling that feeling, though it's all in the past, still fills her with a suffocating fear. Qin Shu was so close, so very close, to death.

"It's all my fault, Qin Shu. I won't do it again."

"But you were wrong too. How could you think of me abandoning you when we were in danger? Are the vows you made to each other just empty words?"

"However, I forgive you now. And then you forgive me too, okay?"

Liu Qingtang muttered to herself softly. In the end, she couldn't help but put down Qin Shu's finger and instead placed it on his body, lightly touching his pale, thin lips with her own.

Before she could back away, the person beneath her suddenly opened his eyes. Those eyes, which had closed with lingering affection, reopened, still brimming with undeniable love. He silently gazed at Liu Qingtang, who was so close to him, then suddenly raised his scarred hand, cupped her cheek, and pulled her close to his, pressing his lips to hers once more.

Gently and slowly, simply rubbing against each other's lips, like a dragonfly skimming the water, it is full of a leisurely and slow tenderness, wishing one could immerse oneself in this slightly intoxicating world and never wake up.

Author's Note: [Thanks to all the girls who threw in the "grenade" (a Chinese internet slang term for "throwing out" or "throwing out"). They're all familiar faces, I'm so glad everyone's still here! There doesn't seem to be much more to come, just lots of sweet and saccharine chapters. I think it'll be finished after a few more sweet chapters~]

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