Eunuch's Declaration of Loyalty

Chapter 24

Opening her eyes again, Liu Qingtang could no longer see the ferocious look on her face before.Seeing a vague shadow shaking outside the door, Liu Qingtang supported her forehead and said in a hoarse voice: "Qin Shu?"

Qin Shu, who was waiting outside anxiously, heard the sound, immediately pushed open the door, and walked in with a little haste.The empress dowager who was sitting there turned her face to look at him, and after seeing the expression on her face at this moment, Qin Shu felt unspeakably uncomfortable.

He had never seen the empress dowager like this before, and what he saw most before was her indifferent expression.What I can often see now is her smile, a hearty smile, a malicious smile, a gentle smile, and a shallow smile, no matter which expression fascinates him.

But now, she is sitting casually on the footrest beside the bed, the corners of her eyes are red, her expression is tired and weak, a strand of hair on her temples hangs down on her forehead, and the light makeup that has been taken away makes it easy for people to see that she has cried , looking quite embarrassed.

It was the first time he saw such an empress dowager, but no matter what, he didn't want to see her show this expression for the second time.But what can he do?
Qin Shu noticed the uneasiness and anxiety in her eyes that had not yet disappeared in the future, and felt more and more useless.When we get along occasionally, he can find out what troubles the empress dowager, but he is not qualified to ask, because he can't solve those troubles for her.

He wanted to do something for her more and more. If he could do what the empress dowager wished by giving up his life, he would sacrifice without hesitation, and only begged her not to have these worries.

"Come here and let me lean on you." Liu Qingtang didn't know what Qin Shu was thinking, so she raised her hand feebly and said.

When she raised her hand to reveal the tooth marks and blood stains on her arm that she had bitten out just now, Qin Shu's heart skipped a beat when she saw it.He took a few steps forward and held her hand up, looking at the deep tooth marks in bewilderment, not daring to touch them.

Liu Qingtang didn't care that he was holding her hand all the time, so she leaned on Qin Shu's body, let go of the carved bedside with her free hand, and put it around Qin Shu's neck.

"Your Majesty, no matter how uncomfortable you are, don't hurt yourself. The servant is here to let you vent your anger." Qin Shu's voice was normal, as if he was not saying that the Empress Dowager could beat and scold him if she was angry. Deciding what to do.This was also the first time he spoke to Liu Qingtang in such a normal tone without a trace of humility.

Hearing this, Liu Qingtang rubbed against his chest, and hugged his neck tighter, with a slight smile on his face, he let out a sigh of relief and said, "Then next time I get angry, you will stay with me." Beside, I will bully you when I feel uncomfortable."

"Okay." Qin Shu looked at the tooth marks and answered without any hesitation.

When Zhuiyi and Taoye came back to see that their master had returned to normal, they both heaved a sigh of relief, hurriedly treated the wound on her arm, fixed her hair, and wanted to put on her makeup again.Liu Qingtang shook her head to indicate that she didn't need it, she just put on some ointment and got up and walked to Mingguang Hall.She had been delayed so long that the party was almost too late.And those hatred and self-blame are temporarily buried in the bottom of her heart, one day, she will let those people experience the pain like she used to.

Liu Qingtang raised her head with a cold expression.

In the Mingguang Hall, the emperor sat at the top, and Liu Qingtang sat on a slightly lower position on the left.On the right side is the stupid second prince Xiao Huaiyu. No matter how he is neglected or regarded as a disgrace to the royal family, Xiao Huaiyu is still the son of the late emperor just like the current emperor. He must be present at such a grand banquet. s position.As for Concubine Lian, she was sitting with him, her face was a little stiff, and she was holding her son's sleeves tightly, for fear that he would suddenly do something inappropriate.

As in previous years, the little emperor first praised all the ministers for their hard work this year, and then encouraged them.This is to be drafted by himself. He has done his homework before and read it meticulously like an endorsement.After finishing speaking, he looked at Liu Qingtang, waiting for her evaluation of this "classwork".

Liu Qingtang nodded slightly, and smiled lightly, making her look more relaxed.

The little emperor also smiled, and looked at her happily, admiringly.

During the whole banquet, Liu Qingtang seldom made a sound, and tried her best not to look at her father who was looking down. She just sat in her seat and drank a sip of wine from time to time.Seeing that she had drunk too much, Sui Yi standing behind her hurriedly stepped forward to remind her in a low voice, Liu Qingtang had no choice but to put down the glass again.

Qin Shu, who had been staring at her since she drank her third glass, finally breathed a sigh of relief when she put down the glass.Just now the Empress Dowager lost her composure, he was really afraid that she would not be able to calm down now, besides, she only had a few cakes and a little porridge that day, drinking like this would hurt her health.

Liu Qingtang stopped touching the wine on the table, looked up at the positions of the two chief assistants below, and met one of them.That Feng Shoufu whose "only" son was beheaded by her.Of course, that was his only son on the surface, but Liu Qingtang knew that he had an illegitimate son of a singing girl who was living outside. He himself had been clinging to the power of his wife's natal family back then, so why would he recognize the illegitimate son, so he drove him out of Yujing , now it's not in a hurry to find it.If it wasn't for the existence of that illegitimate child, he wouldn't be so calm.

This Feng Shoufu came to court the day after she beheaded his son, acting as if nothing had happened.Even if she saw her later, Liu Qingtang had never seen him show hatred, and couldn't help but sigh that he was really a forbearing old fox.Compared with him, she is still too young, but she has the memory of her previous life, and this alone can take the lead.

She sent someone to look for that man early on, and found out that his mother died of a serious illness when she was kicked out of Yujing, so he hated Feng Shoufu, his father, to the bone.It will be interesting when Feng Shoufu picks up his real and only son and lets him inherit his mantle.

Liu Qingtang thought about it, and subconsciously reached out to stroke the rim of the wine glass on the table, and then she felt a certain gaze behind her.Turning his head, he saw Qin Shu staring at her hand holding the wine glass with burning eyes.Liu Qingtang let go of her hand subconsciously, and found it interesting after realizing it.So she sat there with a serious face, but moved the glass of wine with her hand from time to time, and smiled secretly when she saw Qin Shu's eyes.

After many times, Qin Shu also felt that the Queen Mother was teasing him, knowing that she had a sense of proportion, so he just buried his head and didn't look at her.At a banquet with so many people, it would be troublesome for the empress dowager if someone with a heart saw something.

Seeing that Qin Shu didn't cooperate anymore, Liu Qingtang felt bored and began to think about her own plan in her heart.At least choose a time in the next year to go back to Liu's house.Even if she didn't dare, she still had to face her father and brother. There were many things that she wouldn't feel at ease if she didn't tell them personally.

At Feng Shoufu's place, she has planted the seeds early, and it will be effective in time; at the little emperor's place, he is only 12 years old, but next year it is time to select someone to enter the harem, and this time she plans to arrange his harem in a lively manner , at least to share the emperor's heart, so that he would not have to think about how to bring down the Liu family all day long.

Because of this matter, let people go to the next election. Now, it will be useful next year. Whether it is for next year's small election or preparing for the plague in the seventh year of Yuanning, she must get the little emperor as early as possible. Control is in your hands.Could it be that she wouldn't do what Wang Shoufu would do in the previous life?

As for the old fox Wang Shoufu who had a higher rank than Feng Shoufu, she had no choice but to take one step at a time.In his previous life, he was always hiding behind the scenes as a good old man, but many things were decided by him secretly. During that plague, he was so ruthless that he sent his concubine granddaughter to the palace as a little maid to take care of the emperor. Crown Harem.His concubine's granddaughter's previous life was one of the reasons why her relationship with the emperor became worse.

The loved ones whispered in their ears intentionally or unintentionally that the Liu family had ambitions. The emperor was already suspicious, and the two chief assistants reminded him to be careful of the monopoly of his relatives, and the emperor gradually believed that.But she blindly believed that the child she had watched growing up would not do that kind of thing to outsiders, and ended up reaping the consequences.

Thinking of Wang Shoufu's concubine who looked weak and kind like a lotus flower, Liu Qingtang suddenly smiled.She was really curious what he would do if Wang Shoufu's trump card was cut off early this time.

"Why is the queen mother smiling so happily?" The little emperor noticed Liu Qingtang's smile and asked jokingly.

Liu Qingtang glanced at Xiao Huai and Concubine Helian who were opposite, suddenly remembered something, and smiled to the emperor: "It's just that I feel relieved when I think that the second prince has also reached the age to leave the palace and build a mansion."

"Speaking of which, it's not good to call him the second prince all the time. Since he has left the palace to build a mansion, he should be named a prince according to the usual practice. What name does the emperor think he should give?"

Hearing Liu Qingtang's question, the little emperor glanced at his nominal brother who was stupefied, with a trace of disapproval in his eyes.Ever since he was born, those palace people had only talked about him as the prince, no one had mentioned the second prince at all, and he didn't want to have such an elder brother.But when Liu Qingtang asked, he couldn't show it, so he just thought about it and said, "Why don't you just use the word 'pure' for the title?"

"Pure... pure and innocent, that's not bad." Liu Qingtang glanced at Xiao Huaiyu who was immersed in her own world, and nodded to Xiao Huaiyu, who seemed to be deaf to everything around her, and said, "According to the emperor's wishes." .”

Concubine Lian, who had been listening to the two of them talking, hastily thanked Xiao Huai and Xiao Huai at this moment, the excited expression on her face was unsure whether it was true or not, and she was the only one who knew whether she was really happy or not.

"Speaking of which, the second prince is eighteen, and it's time to marry the concubine. I was delayed in the palace for so long before. Let's take a look at the concubine first. If there is a girl who likes to come and talk to the Ai family, it will be good for the Ai family Give Chunwang a good marriage."

Concubine Lian thanked her again, and this time the joy on her face was truly revealed.

Liu Qingtang didn't care too much about Concubine Lian and Xiao Huaiyu, it was just because of a little regret in her previous life, now she put their affairs aside after saying this, and then discussed with the emperor: "The difference between the emperor and the second prince He's only six years old, and by this time next year, the emperor's harem will almost be full of people."

(End of this chapter)