The Eunuch's Declaration of Loyalty

Chapter 82

"Chief Steward Qin."

Upon seeing the slender figure slowly approaching from the corridor, the young palace maids, who had just been smiling and talking, immediately changed their expressions and stepped aside, lowering their heads to look at their shoes and speaking nervously and respectfully.

Once the figure had walked away and disappeared around the corner, the three palace maids breathed a exaggerated sigh of relief. One of them couldn't help but mutter, "Chief Steward Qin really does look as terrifying as the rumors say. When he walked past us just now, I felt a chill down my spine." As she spoke, she shrank her neck.

"That's right. Chief Eunuch Qin is in charge of the palace prison. It's said that a group of people are executed there every day. They are all palace servants who have made mistakes. The corpses are almost piled up like a mountain. The ground inside the palace prison is red because it is stained with too much blood. That color can't be washed off no matter what." Another palace maid said in a low voice, which made the two palace maids listening next to her cover their mouths in fright and show their fear.

"Sigh, such a... gloomy person, I don't know why the Empress Dowager values ​​her so much. I heard that the Empress Dowager greatly favors Chief Steward Qin."

“I know, I know. Do you see that Chief Eunuch Qin walks a little strangely? He walks with a limp, his left foot is heavier than his right. I heard that it’s because the Empress Dowager was assassinated outside the palace a couple of years ago, and Chief Eunuch Qin almost died trying to save her. After he was saved, he was left with this ailment, and ever since then the Empress Dowager has been very, very good to him.”

The maid who had previously said that the bloodshed in the palace prison was indelible and had frightened the two young maids looked unconvinced. She glanced around and lowered her voice, saying, "You don't know this. Before that, Chief Steward Qin was already highly favored by the Empress Dowager. Otherwise, how could he have risen from a minor steward to deputy chief steward, and then to chief steward? Such a rapid rise is a blessing that others can only dream of. Who doesn't envy Chief Steward Qin's good fortune? I don't know how he won the Empress Dowager's favor."

"So that's how it is. I wonder what Chief Steward Qin did to make the Empress Dowager like him so much," the innocent palace maid exclaimed. Then, seeing the maid who had spoken earlier wearing a smug smile of knowing the truth, she affectionately pulled her hand and said, "You know? Tell me, please, Sister Yunxiang~"

"Ahem, I'm just guessing, so please don't spread this around." The palace maid Yunxiang cleared her throat and whispered her secret to the two of them, "I bet the Empress Dowager and Chief Eunuch Qin are... you know, some of us palace maids form 'couples' with those eunuchs, and I think the Empress Dowager and Chief Eunuch Qin are definitely like that! I once saw the Empress Dowager leaving court, walking with Chief Eunuch Qin, who had come to greet her back to Cining Palace. I saw them talking about something, and then the Empress Dowager smiled very gently. Have you ever seen the Empress Dowager smile at anyone? Isn't she always serious and aloof?"

"You're kidding, right? The Empress Dowager smiles so gently? I've never seen her smile and I can't even imagine it. But I think Chief Eunuch Qin isn't good-looking either, and he's quite frightening. How could the Empress Dowager, who is so beautiful and powerful, possibly... Even if she wanted to, with the power of the Liu family, it wouldn't be impossible for her to secretly keep male concubines in the harem. Who would dare to say anything? Right now, everyone's saying that the Emperor is about to die, and the Empress Dowager might just be the next Empress, and the Southern Dynasty's royal surname will change from Xiao to Liu..." Before the little palace maid could finish speaking, Yunxiang covered her mouth.

She changed her joking expression and became very serious. "This concerns state affairs. How can we presume to discuss it? If those words were heard, all three of us would be imprisoned."

The young palace maid realized she had gone too far and quickly covered her mouth with a fawning smile towards Yunxiang. Speculating about the Empress Dowager's private life in private was fine as long as they didn't spread slanderous rumors; it was much more relaxed than when the situation was tense. However, they really couldn't discuss matters of state like court politics.

"Alright, remember not to get carried away next time. Go on, isn't Consort Yuan still waiting for the balm you have?"

After Yunxiang finished speaking, the little palace maid sighed again, "The Emperor is bedridden and unable to speak. Who knows how long he will be alive? We don't know what will become of the concubines and mistresses we serve in the harem. So many concubines of the late Emperor were settled in the imperial mausoleum by the Empress Dowager."

Yunxiang lightly slapped her forehead and said irritably, "Why do you have to worry about so much? You should just take care of yourself. You're such a naive girl."

"Sister Yunxiang will take care of me~ I'll come talk to Sister Yunxiang again next time. I'll be going now~"

After Lianyun left, only Yunxiang and another palace maid, Fangxue, remained. Fangxue and Yunxiang walked together down another road. "Lianyun always seems like he'll never grow up. It's really worrying."

“People like that probably have it much easier living in the palace than we do.” Yunxiang shook her head, her smile fading as she changed the subject. “The palace hasn’t been peaceful for two years, and I reckon something big is about to happen again. That person has been bedridden for so long, I imagine it’s almost time. None of the concubines have children, so they’re all keeping their tails between their legs and behaving themselves, hoping that the Empress Dowager will be pleased and not send them to guard the imperial mausoleum. How can that place compare to the food, clothing, and daily necessities in the palace? Besides, these concubines are all still so young, who would want to go there?”

"My mistress, Consort Xuan, is constantly in tears, living in fear. She's afraid that if the Emperor dies, the Empress Dowager will make them be buried alive with him. Everyone knows that the Empress Dowager and the Emperor are at odds, and it's rumored that the Empress Dowager is so hard-hearted. Who knows what she might do to them? Consort Xuan isn't the only one in the palace who's afraid." Fangxue frowned as she mentioned this. This mistress always gets up and cries in the middle of the night, and none of the palace servants who serve her have had a single night of peaceful sleep.

"Consort Yu didn't cry, but she went to Cixi Palace once a day. The Empress Dowager was impatient to waste time seeing these concubines, and Consort Yu knew that, so she would just kowtow outside the door and say that she would come to pay her respects to her every day. In any case, she made a very good show of it."

After they finished speaking, they fell silent again. In the palace, who wasn't subject to the whims of others? Even the masters they served were in such a precarious situation, let alone the lowly servants like themselves.

Servants have their troubles, and so do masters. Even the Empress Dowager, who is the most authoritative person in the palace, is no exception.

"Qin Shu, you're running around again! I just finished writing a letter to Su Shu and you've disappeared!"

"At Xi Ri Courtyard, Yong'er angered Grand Tutor Ning again. Someone came to inform me, so I went to check on him." Qin Shu grasped Liu Qingtang's hand as she hurried over. His usually indifferent face suddenly became lively with a tender look in his eyes. "Besides, I thought you were still angry, Qingtang."

It would have been better if Qin Shu hadn't brought this up, because once he did, Liu Qingtang remembered the reason for their argument. It wasn't really an argument, but rather she was fuming and talking, while Qin Shu didn't say a word in response, nor was he angry. He just hugged her affectionately, offering words of comfort from time to time, and admitted his mistakes. However, when it came to the things she wanted him to promise, he remained tightly shut and wouldn't budge.

This story begins when they returned to the palace from the Yufo Temple. Qin Shu's injuries had healed to the point where he could walk and ride in a carriage. She suggested letting go of him and going to the Yushui Villa to recuperate, but Qin Shu refused.

Her godson was still young, and Xiao Huaixu was still alive. How could Liu Qingtang be at ease unless she saw her godson ascend the throne? Even if she wanted him to recuperate in a quiet place, Qin Shu felt she would probably worry about the situation in Yujing from time to time. Since that was the case, why not wait until everything was completely stable, instead of rushing for a year or two?

Qin Shu understood, which was why he had never agreed to Liu Qingtang's suggestion to stay at Yushui Villa. He didn't want her to force herself. Although most people would want their loved ones to consider their needs, Qin Shu preferred that Liu Qingtang think more about herself. She cared about the country and her family, and she couldn't bear to leave them to fend for themselves at this time, but she also wanted him to rest and recuperate in a beautiful place.

In the end, she still made the decision to leave everything behind and stay with him at Yushui Manor permanently. How could Qin Shu not be moved? As long as she had thought of it, that was enough, Qin Shu thought, and chose for her to stay in Yujing City. Worried that she would be overworked, he started helping her as soon as his injuries had almost healed.

Over the past two years, the situation in Yujing has gradually stabilized, and there has been almost no opposition. Xiao Le'an's studies in the palace have also gotten on track, so Liu Qingtang has started to bring up the old topic of going to Yushui Villa again. Qin Shu, however, still disagrees. He thinks that rather than letting Liu Qingtang think about it every day, it's better to wait until this matter is resolved before making any plans.

Liu Qingtang longed to see her godson ascend the throne before retiring herself. But Qin Shu was such a worry! He had just recovered from a serious illness, leaving him weak and prone to illness, and he also suffered from headaches from time to time.

Two days ago, as autumn approached, he started coughing again, but he wouldn't even take his medicine on time. He was busy running around and wouldn't stop. Liu Qingtang told him countless times not to worry about it and that it was okay to take it slow, but he wouldn't listen.

There's also the palace prison, a damp and cold place that's not good for you to stay in for too long. Yet Qin Shu often spends two or three hours there at a time, and he even stays up late working, showing no regard for his health. How could Liu Qingtang feel at ease letting him stay in the palace like this? Naturally, she was eager to go to the Imperial Water Villa. There, she wouldn't have to do anything but watch him drink his medicine and rest, and she wouldn't let him waste his energy on these things anymore.

This morning, she touched his forehead and felt it was a little feverish. She reminded him to rest more, not to get up until he was well-rested, and to remember to take his medicine after getting up. Who knew that when she went to take care of something and turned around, the person who should have been resting was gone. The servants brought him his medicine, but they couldn't find him either.

Qin Shu understood why Liu Qingtang was angry; she wanted him to rest more and not do so much. But he thought that if he finished these things quickly, they could go to Yushui Manor sooner and avoid putting Qingtang in a difficult position. Once everything was almost done, they could leave.

Qin Shu thought this way, but he never said it, only focusing on his work. How could Liu Qingtang not be angry? After getting angry, she couldn't do anything about it, and in the end, she was the one who felt sorry for herself.

When Liu Qingrong, her brother from the Liu family, came to the palace to see her, he repeatedly marveled, saying that she had been a troublemaker since childhood and had remained arrogant all her life, yet she was completely under Qin Shu's thumb—a case of one thing always having its nemesis. He showed no intention of comforting his sister's troubles, instead boasting about how he was about to win the heart of a beauty, his face full of schadenfreude. This infuriated Liu Qingtang, who immediately waved him away.

However, when Qin Shu heard her mention this matter that night, although he didn't show any reaction at the time, the next day he had someone compile a list of all the families who had come to the palace to propose marriage to Liu Qingrong years ago and sent it to General Xi Lan. For more than half a month afterward, Liu Qingtang could see her brother's miserable face every time she went to court. Under General Xi Lan's cold gaze, he wouldn't even look at her directly, and even the court officials didn't dare to glance at him.

Qin Shu is good in every way, except he's too good. Liu Qingtang's expression didn't stay tough for long because she walked a little faster in a fit of anger. Qin Shu had to keep up with her pace, and his right foot, which he had injured before, was limping a bit, making it seem a little difficult for him. He carefully pulled her along, explaining that he was worried something might have happened to Yong'er. Her anger immediately vanished completely.

"I'm not angry, but you, you didn't have breakfast again this morning? You didn't even take your medicine? Why are you always like this? If you do this again next time, I'll get angry, really angry." Liu Qingtang said, slowing down and taking his arm, walking slowly with him as if taking a stroll.

Qin Shu hummed in response, and after thinking for a moment, explained, "I was thinking of having dinner together after you finished dealing with those matters this morning, but the eunuch below told me that Yong'er had made Grand Tutor Ning faint, so I went to check on him. I didn't expect it to take so long."