Quan Yu clasped his hands together over his abdomen, following properly behind Zhenming. The moment he stepped into Qinghui Courtyard, he saw Bai Qingyan’s silhouette reflected on the window as she bent her head writing, and his eyes grew warm.

“Please wait a moment, Eunuch. I’ll go in and report to the eldest miss,” Zhenming bowed to Quan Yu.

Quan Yu nodded his thanks and stood rather stiffly in the corridor. Looking down, he saw his disheveled reflection with messy hair and untidy clothes. Thinking he would soon meet Princess Zhenguo, Quan Yu hurriedly examined himself. He straightened his sleeves, brushed the dust from his clothes, and used his hands to comb his hair… There was no comb or water here. Before he could think of a way to make his hair look presentable enough that scattered strands wouldn’t show even in his reflection, he heard Zhenming invite him in.

Quan Yu thanked Zhenming and followed him into the main room with lowered eyes, staring closely at Zhenming’s embroidered shoes. After passing around the screen to reach the soft couch, he immediately knelt and bowed: “Quan Yu pays respects to Princess Zhenguo.”

“Eunuch Quan Yu, no need for excessive courtesy.” Bai Qingyan set down her brush and accepted the refreshing hot tea Zhenguang brought her. “Zhenming… bring a stool for Eunuch Quan Yu.”

Hearing Bai Qingyan’s attitude toward him remain as usual, Quan Yu finally dared to raise his head to look at her: “Thank you, Princess Zhenguo!”

He saw Bai Qingyan, who had grown thinner but remained upright, looking at him with the same gaze as always. Quan Yu’s eyes grew warm, and he couldn’t help asking softly: “How is Princess Zhenguo’s health?”

“Thank you for your concern, Eunuch Quan Yu. With Physician Hong’s care, I’ve recovered quite a bit…” Bai Qingyan spoke as if making casual conversation with Quan Yu. When she saw Zhenming bring over an embroidered stool, she gestured for Quan Yu to sit.

Quan Yu nodded and stood up. Just as he sat down, Zhenguang served him tea. Quan Yu hurriedly stood again to express his thanks, then sat back down and looked at Bai Qingyan: “This servant dares to ask – I heard Princess Zhenguo intends to ascend as emperor. I wonder… is it because Princess Zhenguo believes His Highness the Crown Prince is no longer here, and that’s why you wish to ascend?”

Bai Jinse looked toward her eldest sister, seeing Bai Qingyan regard Quan Yu seriously without any intention of being perfunctory: “It’s not like that. Eunuch Quan Yu has served beside His Highness the Crown Prince for quite some time and should know well that His Highness fears His Majesty deeply. Even such absurd demands as building the Nine-Tiered Platform, he would find ways to fulfill them to please His Majesty! Now His Majesty is not yet dead… If the Crown Prince were to ascend, based on your understanding of the Crown Prince, could those thousand innocent boys and girls escape their fate?”

Quan Yu’s grip on his teacup tightened. Without even needing to struggle with the thought, Quan Yu knew… they could not.

“As for His Highness the Crown Prince’s abilities, if he could listen to capable ministers’ counsel, he could barely manage to be a conserving ruler, but he could never become a wise lord who expands territory… and unifies the realm.”

So Princess Zhenguo truly intended to become emperor…

Quan Yu looked up, his moist eyes gazing at Bai Qingyan: “Then… with the Crown Prince taken hostage by Prince Liang, will Princess Zhenguo not save His Highness? His Highness… has always deeply trusted Princess Zhenguo’s loyalty! Princess Zhenguo, you… cannot stand by and watch him die!”

Quan Yu choked with emotion, unable to speak clearly.

“Prince Liang’s taking the Crown Prince hostage should be heading toward Luohong City, where Qin Shangzhi is presiding over canal construction with troops under his command, loyal to the Crown Prince. If Prince Liang wants to gather strength to resist, he must hold the Crown Prince hostage to command Qin Shangzhi, so the Crown Prince won’t be in danger for now. Moreover… with my grandmother, the Jin dynasty’s Grand Princess there, she won’t let Prince Liang kill the Crown Prince.”

Because grandmother probably still held a thread of hope that she could enthronement the Crown Prince.

“Eunuch Quan Yu, there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask…” Bai Qingyan looked at Quan Yu seriously. “When my fourth sister, Bai Jinzhi, was investigating the military provisions case, she received guidance from Eunuch Quan Yu. Later, upon reflection… I discovered that Eunuch Quan Yu seemed to intentionally give extra care to the Bai family members. I wonder if there’s some reason for this?”

Hearing this, Quan Yu also looked at Bai Qingyan seriously, his eyes reddening: “Guiding Fourth Miss… was because I didn’t want Fourth Miss to act rashly. If she had disturbed the little prince in the Crown Princess’s womb, I feared the Crown Prince would blame Princess Zhenguo. As for… giving extra care to the Bai family members, it was also because of Princess Zhenguo.”

Bai Qingyan quietly watched Quan Yu, quietly waiting for him to continue.

Quan Yu’s throat worked, and after a long while he said hoarsely: “Because… when Princess Zhenguo looked at me, it was like looking at a normal person, not like… looking at a plaything, and not like those people who begged me to handle matters – flattering to my face but calling me a eunuch behind my back! Only when Princess Zhenguo looked at me did I feel… that I was a person.”

Bai Qingyan suddenly understood.

It turned out that the Bai family and she had never given this Eunuch Quan Yu anything – it was merely her lack of disdain… that made Quan Yu willingly care for the Bai family members.

As he spoke, Quan Yu’s tears fell. He hurriedly lowered his head to wipe them with his sleeve, then set aside the hot tea in his hand and properly kowtowed to Bai Qingyan: “This servant dares to beg… please save His Highness the Crown Prince’s life!”

“Rest assured, my second sister has already led troops toward Luohong City.” After Bai Qingyan spoke to Quan Yu, she asked another question: “Quan Yu, would you be willing to stay by my side?”

Quan Yu hadn’t expected Bai Qingyan to ask him to stay and serve her – he was the former dynasty Crown Prince’s eunuch!

Beyond his shock, joy appeared in Quan Yu’s eyes, but that fervent joy quickly cooled again, leaving only sadness. He kowtowed to Bai Qingyan: “I’m deeply grateful for Princess Zhenguo’s favor. Quan Yu… very much wants to serve by Princess Zhenguo’s side, but… Quan Yu cannot abandon the Crown Prince! Quan Yu has followed the Crown Prince since childhood – it was the Crown Prince who gave Quan Yu dignity… who kept Quan Yu from being bullied, who ensured Quan Yu had enough to eat and warm clothes! The Crown Prince’s kindness to Quan Yu is like a second birth! Although… in the Crown Prince’s eyes, Quan Yu is just a servant who can attend to his comfort, this servant cannot forget the Crown Prince’s kindness!”

Quan Yu’s voice was thick with emotion: “Now that the Crown Prince is in trouble, Quan Yu cannot abandon him even more. Currently in the capital, Quan Yu has no one to rely on and no money to buy a horse. I shamelessly beg that Princess Zhenguo might grant Quan Yu horses to let him go to Luohong City.”

Bai Qingyan looked at Quan Yu kowtowing to her, and after a long while said: “Eunuch Quan Yu’s loyalty is admirable. Zhenming… go give instructions to have someone escort Eunuch Quan Yu to Luohong City.”

“Thank you, Princess Zhenguo!” Quan Yu gratefully kowtowed to Bai Qingyan again, then looked up at her: “May Princess Zhenguo in the future have peace and success, health and longevity.”

This was Quan Yu’s most sincere blessing to Bai Qingyan, and also the only thing he could give her now.

Bai Qingyan nodded her thanks to Quan Yu: “Eunuch Quan Yu, take care on your journey.”

Quan Yu’s tears fell like broken pearls. He kowtowed to Bai Qingyan once more, then stood with his hands clasped over his abdomen, bowing as he properly retreated from the main room of Qinghui Courtyard.