He pawned all his dowry, saved over seventeen years, and used half of his savings to bribe the eunuchs in the castration chamber, reserving the other half to improve the Empress's living conditions.
That day, he saw that the cold palace had nothing. It was scorching in summer and chilling in winter. She wouldn't be able to endure it herself.
Su Mo was unaware that Qiao Ci was throwing her weight around the palace, having become a veritable overlord. The Emperor, for the sake of face, had not leaked a single word of this to the outside world. His dignity was already gone, but his reputation had to be preserved!
Actually, the main reason was fear of provoking Qiao Ci into directly assassinating the Emperor.
Therefore, Su Mo believed Qiao Ci was still waiting in the cold palace for the Emperor's favor, utterly miserable.
Although he knew she possessed extraordinary martial arts skills, he still worried from time to time that she might be bullied. After all, in this era, she was a woman, a weakling. General Qiao Liang had retired from military service, and she had no backing...
In this era, men were supreme, and women lived dependent on men. The Emperor had his favorite consorts; she was no longer the center of his world.
Would she be sad...
Would she secretly weep...
Although he could not be her support, he was willing to offer her simple companionship...
When Qiao Ci arrived, the old eunuch was sighing, preparing to make the cut.
Qiao Ci glanced at Su Mo, who had his eyes tightly shut, looking as if he were bravely facing his execution. She found it both amusing and exasperating. She made a move and swept the old eunuch's knife aside, saving little Mo Mo, who was trembling.
Her face didn't redden, nor did she breathe heavily as she sneakily took a few more glances.
Hmm... he was quite well-endowed...
The old eunuch originally wanted to scold, but upon seeing Qiao Ci, his legs turned to jelly. How could this formidable figure have come here?
Even the Emperor was beaten by her three times a week and five times a month, and he could only endure it in silence. The old eunuch dared not incur her displeasure and immediately knelt down, shouting, "Your Highness the Empress, may you live a thousand, thousand years!"
"Mm, what's his situation?" Qiao Ci responded indifferently, pointing at Su Mo.
The old eunuch honestly recounted the story.
Listening, Qiao Ci clicked her tongue. This was so dramatic?
No matter how unfavored the Prime Minister's son was, he was still a noble young master. Why would he be so desperate to become a eunuch?
Did Prime Minister Su force him to his death? Clearly, that was unlikely!
Qiao Ci really wanted to pry open his head to see what kind of thought process led him to do something so ludicrous.
Hearing Qiao Ci's voice, Su Mo's deer-like eyes widened, and he tried to twist his body at an impossible angle, attempting to cover his small Mo Mo that was conspicuously exposed to the air. However, it was all in vain.
Su Mo felt a sense of despair.
He felt that all the face he had lost in his two lifetimes was lost at this very moment!
He was the last person he wanted to see him in such a pathetic state.
Qiao Ci, having observed enough, finally noticed his embarrassment and silently took off her cloak, covering him with it.
Then, she gestured for the old eunuch to untie him.
Freed, and using the cloak as cover, Su Mo quickly put on his trousers. He stood there, flustered, his face flushed, his eyes unfocused, but he dared not look at Qiao Ci.
After dismissing the old eunuch, Qiao Ci walked over to a nearby chair and sat down.
Seeing that Su Mo remained silent, Qiao Ci cleared her throat and spoke first, "Did Prime Minister Su abuse you? Is that why you had nowhere else to go but to the palace to become a little eunuch?"
Her tone was light and playful, which somewhat calmed Su Mo's anxious heart, yet it also inexplicably brought forth a hint of grievance and bitterness.
Although it was all his unrequited affection, his private parts had just been seen by her... Right, men were respected here. She should be shy seeing him like that...
But she showed no sign of shyness. Could it be that she hadn't seen?
Su Mo silently numbed himself.
"It has nothing to do with him. I chose to enter the palace of my own accord," Su Mo replied. As she spoke to him, the air around them seemed less awkward. "You saved my life. They say that a life-saving grace should be repaid with one's self... with a gushing spring. I am willing to use my entire life to repay your kindness and serve as your personal little eunuch, attending to you daily, never to betray you."
Although he had not yet been castrated, he had already resolved to stay here. However, the word "servant" was truly shameful to utter, so he used "this one" as a substitute. If... if Your Highness disliked it, he would change it then.
After hearing his reason, Qiao Ci didn't understand, but she was greatly shocked!
What kind of divine little cutie was this?
To repay a kindness, I'll castrate myself?
"Not afraid of the pain?" Qiao Ci scrutinized him.
The young man's tall and slender figure was beginning to show a man's sturdiness, with broad shoulders and narrow hips, and an excellent bearing. His heart was also filled with touching sincerity, but he just lacked a brain, didn't he?
After all, most people wouldn't think of such a method of repaying kindness that would result in a life without offspring.
The young man, whether from shyness or something else, blushed slightly and awkwardly said, "No... not afraid."
If he didn't stammer when he spoke, there might have been a shred of credibility to it.
"Go home. Don't do such foolish things again. I was just acting on impulse then. Even if it were a cat or a dog, I wouldn't stand by and watch without helping. You don't need to take it to heart, nor should you sacrifice yourself like this." Qiao Ci turned to leave. She had heard that foolishness was contagious, especially a pretty little fool, so she should leave quickly.
Su Mo no longer cared about embarrassment or shyness. He hurried forward, grabbed Qiao Ci's sleeve, and said with determination, "I don't consider this a sacrifice. Instead, I see it as an opportunity, a chance to be close to you and care for you. You are an Empress in the palace, so I wish to stay with you in this cold, deep palace. I am doing this willingly and with complete clarity."
"Whether I become a eunuch or not is no longer important to me. I never intended to marry and have children anyway. Please let me stay with you. I can do anything, help you with laundry, cooking, cleaning the rooms, and I can also talk to you, amuse you, and relieve your boredom. Please don't send me away. I... I want to be by your side..."
As he spoke, his voice involuntarily became choked with emotion. His deer-like eyes were glistening, and his expression was one of fear, like the first time they met when his hands subconsciously clutched her sleeve, terrified of being abandoned...
"You... you admire me?" Qiao Ci concluded this from his words and asked the question with a rather clueless expression, likely not expecting that love in this era could be so swift and so reckless.
"I... I do... like you," Su Mo said, having come this far, he decided to go all out.
After saying it, he regretted it a little, fearing that Qiao Ci would find it disrespectful. He quickly explained, "Your Highness, please rest assured, I... this servant would not dare to harbor improper thoughts about you, nor will I cause you any trouble. Simply being a little eunuch by your side is enough. I beg Your Highness not to send this servant away."
He lowered his posture even further, feeling a touch of self-pity, but he genuinely yearned to stay by her side, to care for her and accompany her at all times, to know her cold and her warmth.
Qiao Ci was a bit bewildered. She had never experienced human love, nor did she wish to get involved.
However, the youthful, beautiful face of the young man, his passionate emotions, and his humble demeanor stirred her slightly.
She sighed.
He's still just a child.
A troublesome child, with no facial hair yet, already infatuated with love, wild with love, daring to enter the castration chamber for love.
"You don't need to be so humble."
"I have no intention of engaging in romance and cannot give you any response. Furthermore, I cannot selfishly ruin your life."
"Please return to your manor and do not do such foolish things again."