Killer Queen: Tyrant, prepare to die!

Chapter 16: Formal Apprenticeship! The Shocking Secret of the Empress Dowager's Secret Guard

The vows made under the moonlight still seem to echo in my ears.

Shen Qingci stood in the courtyard for a long time, until the night dew soaked his thin clothes, before turning around and going back into the house.

She didn't sleep.

Instead, he sat cross-legged on the bed and began to practice the "Nourishing Qi" method.

Since the day her perception awakened and she could release her inner energy to shake down leaves, she has practiced her skills even more diligently.

Every day, at midnight, dawn, and dusk, without fail, these three hours are fixed.

Jinshu advised her to rest more, but she just shook her head—time was too tight, and she had to seize every moment to become stronger.

Warm currents circulate in the meridians.

It runs very smoothly.

The fetus's feeding, combined with the mental techniques of "Nourishing Qi," allowed her internal strength to grow at a rate far exceeding that of ordinary people.

Although she is far from being a master, she is at least no longer a weak woman who can't even kill a chicken.

As the fifth week ended, a very faint "click" sound suddenly came from outside the window.

It looked like a tile had been bumped.

Shen Qingci immediately stopped practicing, opened her eyes, and her hand had already touched the thin blade under the pillow.

But when the senses were extended outwards, within a ten-zhang radius... there was only one person.

A hunched figure silently descended into the courtyard.

Eunuch Li.

Shen Qingci breathed a sigh of relief, but then her heart tightened again—what was he doing here so late?

She got up, put on her coat, and walked to the door.

Before she could open the door, it was gently pushed open.

Eunuch Li stood outside the door, without a broom in his hand, and his back didn't seem so hunched anymore.

The moonlight shone on his face, revealing the deep wrinkles, but his eyes... shone with an astonishing brightness in the night.

"Your Majesty," he began, his voice still hoarse, but lacking the deliberate air of age he usually feigned, "this old servant has something to say."

Shen Qingci stepped aside: "Come in and talk."

Eunuch Li walked in and closed the door behind him.

Jinshu was fast asleep in the outer room and was not awakened.

There were no lights on in the room, only moonlight shining in through the broken window, barely enough to make out each other's faces.

"Your Majesty," Eunuch Li looked at her, "these days, this old servant has watched you practice your skills, plan, and endure... You are more resilient than this old servant imagined."

Shen Qingci remained silent, waiting for what was to come.

"Therefore," Eunuch Li said slowly, "this old servant would like to formally ask you: would Your Highness be willing... to take this old servant as your teacher?"

Shen Qingci's pupils contracted slightly.

Becoming an apprentice?

She knew that Eunuch Li was secretly teaching her, but "formally becoming his apprentice" had a completely different meaning.

That is inheritance.

It is a responsibility.

It's also... a deeper bondage.

"Eunuch Li," she began, her voice soft, "why did you choose me?"

Eunuch Li remained silent for a moment.

Then, he walked to the table, took something out of his pocket, and placed it on the table.

It was a black token.

It's about the size of a palm, neither gold nor iron, and cool to the touch. The front is engraved with intricate cloud patterns, with an ancient-looking character for "dark" in the center. On the back, a line of small characters is engraved: "To protect the nation and uphold justice, unwavering even in life and death."

Under the moonlight, the token gleamed with a dim, eerie light.

"This is a token of the late Empress Dowager's secret guards," said Eunuch Li, his fingers gently tracing the patterns on the token. "It is also this old servant's... final identity."

Shen Qingci looked at the token, her heart churning.

The Empress Dowager's secret guard.

really.

"This old servant's real name is Li Dequan," Eunuch Li's voice was filled with reminiscence, "When I was young, I had a nickname in the martial arts world, 'Shadowless.' It wasn't a very nice name; it meant... that when someone kills, their shadow remains, but when they die, the shadow disappears."

He paused, then looked at Shen Qingci: "Your Majesty should have guessed, this old servant used to... be an assassin."

Shen Qingci nodded.

She had sensed it long ago. The murderous aura emanating from Eunuch Li, though extremely restrained, was so similar to that of her past life.

"Later, this old servant took on a job he shouldn't have," Eunuch Li continued, his tone flat, as if recounting someone else's story. "The target was the former Empress Dowager, who was then the Princess. This old servant sneaked into the Prince's residence but was ambushed—not by the Prince's guards, but by another group of people who wanted to kill the Princess. This old servant was seriously injured and fled to the back garden, where he was rescued by the Princess... who later became the Empress Dowager."

For the first time, his voice had warmth.

"The princess didn't ask who this old servant was, nor why he was injured. She simply had him hidden away, summoned a doctor to treat his wounds, and personally delivered medicine to him every day." Eunuch Li closed his eyes, as if recalling that gentle woman. "After he recovered, I asked her why she had saved someone of unknown origin. She said, 'I can tell you're not a bad person. There's a hidden sorrow in your eyes.'"

Shen Qingci listened quietly.

"Later, this old servant learned that the Princess Consort was in a difficult situation at that time. The late Emperor favored his concubines over his wife, and several other concubines were eyeing her covetously. She was pregnant—with the current Emperor—yet she was repeatedly targeted by assassination attempts." Eunuch Li opened his eyes. "This old servant asked her what she needed from this old servant. The Princess Consort said: 'I don't want you to kill anyone, nor do I want you to repay a debt of gratitude. I only ask you... to protect my child.'"

"So you stayed?" Shen Qingci asked.

"I stayed." Eunuch Li nodded. "This old servant swore to protect the Princess and her bloodline for the rest of my life, until my death. The Princess gave this old servant a new identity—Eunuch Li Dequan—and arranged to stay by her side. Later, the Princess became Empress, and then Empress Dowager. This old servant followed her all the way, watching her raise His Majesty, watching her stabilize the court, watching her... exhaust herself."

His voice lowered.

"Before the late Empress Dowager passed away," Eunuch Li looked at Shen Qingci with a complicated expression, "she held this old servant's hand and said three sentences."

The first sentence: Protect my Ye'er.

The second sentence: Protect the safety of Lady Shen.

"The third sentence..." He paused, then repeated, word by word, "If faced with a dilemma... the nation's interests come first."

Shen Qingci's heart skipped a beat.

If faced with a dilemma, prioritize the stability of the nation.

The late Empress Dowager... actually put the empire before her son and the people she was supposed to protect?

"Your Majesty may not understand," Eunuch Li noticed her confusion and slowly explained, "The late Empress Dowager wasn't unloving of His Majesty, nor was she unconcerned about you. It's just that she experienced too much—the late Emperor was incompetent in his later years, the court was corrupt, the empress's relatives interfered in politics, and the borders were unstable. She witnessed firsthand how this country went from prosperity to decline, and then she personally pulled it back step by step. So she understood better than anyone else: when the country is unstable, the people suffer, and all talk of personal feelings and grudges is meaningless."

He looked at Shen Qingci: "So she asked this old servant to protect Your Majesty in the hope that Your Majesty can become a wise ruler and safeguard this vast land. She asked this old servant to protect you..."

"Is it because of my father?" Shen Qingci asked.

"Yes, but not entirely," said Eunuch Li. "The late Empress Dowager valued Grand Tutor Shen because the Shen family was the last pillar of integrity in the court. But she valued you even more... because she felt that you were the last bit of 'cleanliness' in this deep palace."

Eunuch Li's voice became even softer, as if afraid of disturbing some memory:

"Moreover... the late Empress Dowager and your mother, Madam Shen, were close friends who knew each other before they were married."

The Empress Dowager often said that Madam Shen was the person she had wronged the most in her life... Back then, Madam Shen had a difficult childbirth, and the Empress Dowager was unable to be there in person because of the palace, which she held a grudge over for many years.

The most earnest thing she said while holding the old servant's hand before she died was:

"Dequan, you must protect this only heir left by my sister Lin for my sake."

So that's how the original owner's mother and the Empress Dowager had such a relationship. No wonder.

Let's talk about cleanliness again.

Shen Qingci gave a bitter smile.

Her?

A killer from the 21st century, with blood on his hands and hatred in his heart... is he clean?

"The late Empress Dowager said,"

Eunuch Li's voice became even softer.

"The daughter of the Shen family has clear eyes and a pure heart. It is a blessing for such a girl to enter the palace."

If I could stay with Ye'er, perhaps I could make her... less suspicious and more affectionate.

pity.

Nangong Ye failed to live up to this expectation.

This also betrayed the late Empress Dowager's painstaking efforts.

"So all these years,"

Shen Qingci looked at Eunuch Li,

"You've stayed near the Cold Palace all this time, just to... keep the late Empress Dowager's last wish?"

"Yes." Eunuch Li nodded.

"This old servant watched you being banished to the cold palace, watched you being poisoned, watched you struggle... but this old servant cannot easily take action."

Because once exposed, the secret guard system left by the late Empress Dowager could be completely eradicated.

That was the culmination of her life's work, the last line of defense that this old servant had to protect.

He paused, his voice tinged with weariness:

"This old servant has waited three months for you to stand up on your own."

If you continue down this path of despair, this old servant may... truly only be able to watch you die.

But you stood up.

You rebelled against Wang Fu, you found a way to cure the poison, you began to plot... You gave this old servant hope.

Shen Qingci remained silent.

She remembered the old eunuch who had been secretly observing her when she first arrived.

I remembered the pill that suppressed the poison.

I'm reminded of the "Cultivating Qi" treatise and the iron plaque in the tree hole.

So... he had been waiting all along.

He's waiting for the right moment to make a "formal" move.

"Now,"

Eunuch Li looked at her with a solemn expression. "This old servant will ask you one last time: Your Highness, would you be willing to take this old servant as your teacher?"

It's not just about casually teaching a few moves; it's a true master-disciple inheritance.

The old servant will impart all his knowledge to you—martial arts, hidden weapons, poison, intelligence, court survival… everything the old servant knows will be taught to you.

But you must also grant this old servant one request.

"What is it?" Shen Qingci asked.

"To uphold the late Empress Dowager's last wish for this old servant."

Eunuch Li spoke slowly and deliberately.

"To protect His Majesty's safety and to safeguard the stability of this empire."

If one day Your Majesty truly becomes a tyrant, endangering the nation... you must, on behalf of the late Empress Dowager, cleanse the family of this scourge.

He spoke the last four words very softly.

Yet it weighs as much as a thousand pounds.

Shen Qingci was deeply shaken.

Clean house...

Does that mean that if Nangong Ye is truly beyond redemption, she could... kill him?

"Your Majesty need not answer now."

Li Gonggong said,

"This old servant will give you three days to consider."

Three days later, at midnight, if you wish, light a lamp in the courtyard.

If you are unwilling... then pretend this old servant never came tonight.

After speaking, he turned to leave.

"Wait a minute," Shen Qingci called out to him.

Eunuch Li stopped abruptly.

Shen Qingci walked to the table, looked at the black token, and then at Eunuch Li's hunched but upright back.

Then, she did something that stunned even Eunuch Li—

She picked up the bowl of cold water from the table, walked to Eunuch Li, and knelt down on both knees.

"Master, please accept my bow," she said, raising the bowl above her head with both hands.

Eunuch Li was stunned.

He looked at the woman kneeling before him, at her pale face, her clear eyes, and her unwavering resolve.

After a long while, he slowly reached out and took the bowl of water.

I didn't drink it.

Instead, it was gently placed on the table.

Then, he helped Shen Qingci up.

"Your Majesty," his voice was somewhat hoarse, "have you thought this through? This path... is very difficult."

"I know," Shen Qingci said, looking at him, "but I'm not afraid."

"I might die."

"A person who has died once," Shen Qingci smirked, "is not afraid to die again."

Eunuch Li stared at her for a long time.

Then, he took a deep breath, picked up the black token again, and solemnly placed it in Shen Qingci's palm.

"From this day forward, you are the third-generation successor of the late Empress Dowager's secret guards."

Shen Qingci gripped the token tightly.

The cool touch came from my palm, but it felt like a fire burning into my heart.

"Master," she asked, "how many of the Empress Dowager's secret guards... are left?"

After a moment of silence, Eunuch Li said, "Those who are in the public eye have all dispersed."

There are seventeen more people operating in secret. They are scattered throughout the imperial court, the martial arts world, and even the frontier.

They only recognize the token, not the person. Your Majesty can use the token to mobilize them if needed in the future.

Seventeen people.

not much.

But they are all elites.

That's our trump card.

"Master," Shen Qingci asked again, "you just said you would teach me everything you know... including the use of poison?"

Eunuch Li nodded: "Included. But this old servant has one condition: poison can only be used for self-defense or to punish the wicked. It cannot be used to indiscriminately kill the innocent."

"I agree," Shen Qingci said without hesitation.

She wasn't a bloodthirsty person to begin with.

In my past life, I killed people for missions and for survival.

In this life... she only kills those who deserve to die.

"Alright." Eunuch Li finally revealed a very faint smile. "Then starting tomorrow night, this old servant will formally teach you the 'Eternal Spring Technique'."

The Secret of Everlasting Spring.

Shen Qingci's eyes lit up.

This must be Eunuch Li's true specialty, right?

"Tonight," said Eunuch Li, "Your Majesty should rest first. Also..."

He paused, then looked at Shen Qingci's lower abdomen: "I know you are pregnant."

Be careful to exercise in moderation and avoid harming the fetus.

This old servant will prepare some milder medicine to help strengthen your body and replenish your vital energy.

"Thank you, Master," Shen Qingci said sincerely.

Eunuch Li shook his head, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

The door closed.

The room fell silent again.

Shen Qingci held the black token, sat on the edge of the bed, and remained motionless for a long time.

A complex mix of emotions welled up inside me.

I've become an apprentice.

I have officially embarked on this path.

He also formally... took over the late Empress Dowager's last wish.

How can we ensure Nangong Ye's safety?

She remembered the man's cold face, the ruthlessness with which he deposed her as empress, and the torment of the past three years...

The hatred in my heart still burns.

but……

She looked down at the token in her hand.

The late Empress Dowager said: If faced with a dilemma, the stability of the country should take precedence.

That old man dedicated his entire life to protecting this country.

And now that she has accepted the token and the inheritance, she must also accept this responsibility.

Hatred must be avenged.

The grudge must be avenged.

But the fate of the nation and the safety of the people... cannot be ignored.

It's hard.

But Shen Qingci was not afraid.

She survived gunfire in her past life, and in this life, she can also carve out a bloody path through this cannibalistic harem.

Just then, Jinshu's groggy voice came from outside: "Your Majesty...you're not asleep yet?"

"I'm going to sleep now," Shen Qingci replied, putting away the token and lying down.

Even with my eyes closed, my mind is still racing.

The story of Eunuch Li.

The late Empress Dowager's last wish.

The legacy of the secret guards.

And... Nangong Ye.

Did that man know that his mother had left him such a "safety net"?

Did he know that his abandoned wife had taken on the heavy responsibility of protecting him and his empire?

If I knew...

What kind of expression will he have?

Shen Qingci suddenly felt a sense of anticipation.