Chapter 70 When Anhe and her voice were close, she felt satisfied.
In the following days, Zhao Liangxu always liked to go to Anhe's study, and Anhe naturally didn't refuse.
As long as she doesn't enter the inner room, Zhao Liangxu can arrange everything in the study.
The teacups were changed to the style that Zhao Liangxu liked, and the snacks on the tatami table were also filled with the fruits that Zhao Liangxu loved. The red sandalwood chair that Anhe usually placed in the center was moved to one side a bit, because Zhao Liangxu also liked to set up a table next to Anhe to read.
He made room for Zhao Liangxu.
As for the soft mattress and cotton pillows on the daybed, Anhe certainly wouldn't send the ones she had used to Zhao Liangxu's bedroom. Instead, she had someone choose new ones and send them over the next day.
"I'm not taking your jokes seriously. We've sent you a new one."
As An He said this, Zhao Liangxu gave him a wistful look: "Actually, I just wanted to use what Eunuch An had used..."
Anhe gently tapped Zhao Liangxu's forehead with the handle of her brush, saying with exasperation, "If you tease me again, I won't let you sit here anymore."
Just a few days ago, the wind was still cold, but now spring has arrived. Zhao Liangxu has been wearing light and thin clothes. Although she is still wearing a long-sleeved undershirt, it is only one layer. She also wears a long sleeveless vest with cloud patterns on top.
These past few days, Zhao Liangxu has been particularly fond of vests, changing them several times without a single one being different. Anhe noticed this and casually remarked, "The material of your vest is too plain. You should pick out a few better materials from the manor's storeroom and have them made into vests. Don't let the people in the manor think we're not treating you well enough. These people are quite well-behaved in our manor, but when you go to the palace to see the Dowager Consort and the others, some tactless palace servants will try to find fault with the fabric. People in the palace are always opportunistic."
He then went on to explain the customs of the palace, which made it seem natural for Zhao Liangxu to accept the fabric.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Liangxu put her arm on the armrest of Anhe's chair and leaned closer, saying, "Eunuch An treats me so well. But actually, Li Ying also gives me a lot of things, which I haven't even used up yet. When I'm almost done using them up, I'll ask Eunuch An for more. If he then gives them to me readily, I'll feel even happier."
An He squinted and moved closer to Zhao Liangxu's face, questioning, "This is our study, and you really have no regard for etiquette at all. Can you just call His Majesty by his name? If others hear this, won't they report it to other court officials? You should be careful that those idiots don't use this to make a fuss and ruin your life."
He didn't criticize Zhao Liangxu too much for overstepping her bounds; his words were more of a reminder to her not to be so careless. Though he didn't mean anything by it, she took it to heart.
Anyway, he would occasionally mention Li Ying's name directly, but he always made sure not to give others any ammunition against him.
“Grandpa An will protect me, right?” Zhao Liangxu said with a smile.
"What if we can't protect our family? You'd better be careful too."
"I know, I know. I only spoke so openly in front of Eunuch An because I felt particularly safe in his study."
An He turned around, raised his chin slightly, and hummed twice. He was pleased by Zhao Liangxu's coaxing.
Zhao Liangxu added, "Actually, if I told Li Ying his name directly, he probably wouldn't be angry." The young emperor had confided in her with tears in his eyes, and in such a nurturing environment, one would naturally choose some people to trust.
"Still not changing how you address me?" An He glanced at Zhao Liangxu. "It's really strange. I'm often by Li Ying's side, so how come he trusts you so much in such a short time? The level of trust and reliance he has is probably even greater than ours."
He was referring to the time a long time ago when Zhao Liangxu and Li Ying talked in the pavilion, and since then Li Ying had trusted Zhao Liangxu completely.
However, when Zhao Liangxu returned to Nanzhou and met Li Ying, Li Ying was so eager to prove his reputation as a tyrant that he went mad in front of Zhao Liangxu.
“Eunuch An, this is a secret,” Zhao Liangxu replied with a hint of mystery.
But the next moment she revealed her true purpose: "If Eunuch An wants to know, can you exchange your secret for it?"
An He's brows furrowed with displeasure: "You're really bold, aren't you? Coming here to make a deal with us, huh?"
"Do you know that if anyone wanted to spy on our family, we would have made them disappear long ago? But you, you're actually thinking of getting something for nothing?"
Zhao Liangxu wasn't afraid and said, "But to Eunuch An, I'm no stranger either."
She gave a slightly surprised, exaggerated look: "Is Eunuch An going to make me disappear too?"
An He had no such idea. Frowning, he said to Zhao Liangxu in an annoyed tone, "Yes, when no one can find you, you'll regret it."
"Please listen to what I want to ask first, Eunuch An. Then you can consider whether or not to make me disappear."
Zhao Liangxu was very curious and started pestering him as soon as she opened her mouth.
"Heh, go ahead and ask." An He gave a sinister smile, but there wasn't much anger in it; he just wanted to force Zhao Liangxu's question back.
She really has a great interest in everything. Just a few days later, she's already testing my limits again.
Does he sometimes have to pretend to be distant in order to prevent Zhao Liangxu from causing him to have such fluctuating moods?
Zhao Liangxu pretended not to understand An He's meaning and asked directly, "Eunuch An, why is your voice hoarse and dry? It sounds like you injured your voice before."
What she actually wanted to ask was what grudge Anhe held against the Empress Dowager.
But then she thought that although Anhe was very kind and tolerant towards her now, there were still some things he didn't want to show others, such as the soft couch and bedroom.
Zhao Liangxu always considered herself very perceptive, so the dispute with the Empress Dowager was probably not a small matter for Yu Anhe. After hesitating for a moment, she decided not to continue asking and changed to a smaller question.
Waiting is a virtue, isn't it?
An He listened carefully to the question Zhao Liangxu was about to ask, and could tell that Zhao Liangxu had changed the subject and asked a different question, but there was nothing to hide.
However, his curiosity was piqued. What was Zhao Liangxu trying to ask just now?
He suppressed his curiosity and first told Zhao Liangxu what she had asked.
“It’s alright to tell you this,” he said, pouring himself a cup of tea to moisten his throat. But before he could pick it up, Zhao Liangxu beat him to it. An He hissed and glanced over, expressing his doubt with his eyes.
Zhao Liangxu first took a small sip of tea from the cup before offering it to An He, deliberately pointing the part of the cup she had just sipped at An He.
She wasn't thirsty at all; she was clearly just playing pranks on herself all the time.
However... Anhe glanced at Zhao Liangxu's raised eyebrows a few times, but still took the teacup, turning it around a few times before drinking the tea.
Then he received a resentful look from Zhao Liangxu.
Anhe paused for a moment when he was being stared at, but then casually put down his cup. Some things really shouldn't be started, otherwise he would lose control.
Zhao Liangxu is always like this, always stirring up his despicable thoughts.
“Eunuch An, you did this on purpose…” Zhao Liangxu said in a low voice.
"Weren't you doing this on purpose too? Alright, are you going to listen to me or not?" An He pretended not to see Zhao Liangxu's accusing gaze.
"Listen, why aren't you listening?"
An He chuckled and said, "Do you think our voice is unpleasant? Hoarse and raspy?" This prompted Zhao Liangxu to gently push him in frustration.
Zhao Liangxu never meant that.
"You know, eunuchs, their voices don't change much from childhood, they're always high-pitched, our family used to be like that too." He spoke as if he were talking about someone else, not himself.
“In the early years, our family served the late emperor, and we worked our way up to the emperor’s side little by little. At that time, the old emperor was so old that he was trembling and lying in bed waiting for people to serve him. At that time, he didn’t even trust his own concubines and princes. He only believed that everyone wanted his throne. Even though he was paralyzed like that, he still clung to the throne and was reluctant to give it up. Actually, he was right to believe that at that time, everyone naturally wanted to drag this old emperor, who couldn’t even attend court, down from his throne.”
Anhe's words were devoid of any respect and even carried a hint of sarcasm: "But he is really good at enduring, and he can still issue orders in a trembling voice from the dragon bed, while some impatient people have already taken action."
"He only trusted the old eunuch who had been by his side for decades, but even that old eunuch had been bribed. It's really laughable that he couldn't trust anyone."
Zhao Liangxu listened attentively.
“At that time, our family wasn’t exactly the closest to the old emperor, but that old eunuch was muddle-headed. He took money to do things for people, and served them a bowl of medicine that looked perfectly ordinary. Our wise and mighty late emperor was truly capable. Even though he had drunk the medicine for several days, he seemed to be bewitched and firmly believed that there was something wrong with the medicine from that day.”
An He tapped the table rhythmically, getting into the conversation. Zhao Liangxu then moved her hand over and grasped two of An He's fingers, smiling at him and gesturing for him to continue.
An He let the two fingers remain still in Zhao Liangxu's palm, paused for a moment, and continued, "The princes at that time were not so bold as to kill their fathers or emperors, but they were close. What they brought was a bowl of mute medicine."
By poisoning the old emperor and rendering him mute, he would find it difficult to issue orders.
"The old eunuch spoke so movingly that he almost coaxed the late emperor into drinking the bowl of medicine, so I went over and drank a sip for him."
Anhe exuded a chilling aura, and just thinking about that scene made his tone mocking.
Zhao Liangxu gripped An He's hand tighter, making An He's heart soften.
As he spoke, it was clear that Zhao Liangxu knew she was alright, but she was still a little nervous for herself.
“I knew the source of the medicine, so I only drank a small sip. The mute drug worked very quickly. Before long, I vomited blood, which frightened the old emperor into throwing everything he had at the old eunuch like a madman. He grabbed the old eunuch and cursed him angrily. The old eunuch’s shouts were very powerful. It was the first time I had seen him so energetic since he had been lying in bed for so long. The old emperor cried and roared and dragged the eunuch away and beheaded him.”
“I can still speak. Once my injuries have healed a bit, I can kneel before the old emperor and say a few casual words. He will trust me the most.”
Anhe couldn't help but laugh at the thought of the old emperor entrusting him with such a great responsibility with tears streaming down his face.
"He really trusted an even more vicious person. What kind of treasure does he treat our family like? He promoted us to positions like Secretary and Seal Controller, risking his life to make us his loyal dog."
But in the end, he couldn't believe it; even his dog coveted the throne he so desperately wanted.
She chose a prince who posed no threat, as if picking out clothes, and then used others to force the emperor to abdicate, making everyone else do the work for her.
The emperor at that time was corrupted from head to toe; his eyes were cloudy, and no one wiped away his drool. Upon hearing the commotion of the coup, he died of a fit of rage.
Zhao Liangxu's eyes gleamed brightly, causing An He to turn her head away.
"What bad things are you thinking, looking at our family like that?"
Zhao Liangxu placed her hand on Anhe's neck, pressing it against his barely noticeable Adam's apple. Anhe had been a eunuch since childhood, so his Adam's apple was never like that of others.
The action was too sudden and too intimate, startling Anhe and making her feel bewildered, and she wanted to back away.
"Eunuch An is admirable, but he's taking too much damage to his health."
admire?
An He thought Zhao Liangxu would think he was untrustworthy, cunning, and an unscrupulous villain. Although he wouldn't be angry if those words were used against him, he didn't expect Zhao Liangxu to say she admired him.
“You have a rather unusual thought.” An He tried to pry Zhao Liangxu’s hand away.
She tried a little harder but to no avail, so Anhe went along with Zhao Liangxu's movements: "Are you trying to comfort my throat now that it's already fine? Don't you think I'm a bad person?"
Zhao Liangxu smiled and asked, "So what?"
Anhe still hadn't expected Zhao Liangxu's words. He thought Zhao Liangxu would insist that he wasn't so cunning, but she didn't refute him. Instead, she acted as if nothing had happened and said she didn't care.
She's really likable.
Zhao Liangxu changed her gesture again, extending a finger to rub An He's throat: "Will Eunuch An suffer any aftereffects? Will he feel unwell?"
Now Anhe can stop Zhao Liangxu's little tricks.
Just as Zhao Liangxu had just clenched her own fingers, he restrained Zhao Liangxu's unruly finger.
"The aftereffect is that my voice is like this now, but I don't feel any pain," Anhe replied honestly.
Zhao Liangxu withdrew her fingers, but her next move was to sit on his lap and snuggle in his arms.
After thinking about it carefully, she realized that she hadn't done this in a long time.
An He tried to dodge, but he still couldn't resist Zhao Liangxu.
It was just a hug.
Anhe comforted himself in this way.
There's nothing wrong with this kind of behavior; it even makes him feel satisfied.
But when Anhe helped Zhao Liangxu sit up, Zhao Liangxu suddenly pressed her lips close to Anhe's neck.
In this kind of atmosphere, even if things get a little rushed, Anhe probably wouldn't resist, since he's already accepted sitting on his lap.
She had just been saying that waiting was a virtue, but now she really felt that this was the perfect opportunity after waiting.
She gently touched Anhe's chin with her hand, gesturing for him to lift it, and then lightly touched Anhe's barely noticeable Adam's apple with her lips a few times.
Cool lips pressed against Anhe's throat, teasing him like a light veil.
Anhe froze for a moment, taking a forced breath.
He felt numb all over, the itchy and tingling sensation spreading from his neck to his limbs and covering his entire body.
Anhe entered the palace at a young age and grew up as a eunuch, so he had almost no desires like ordinary people.
But if you insist on provoking it, you can still get it going.
Anhe really liked Zhao Liangxu; he was truly infatuated with her.
Leaving aside the desires of ordinary people, he was delighted and fascinated by the mere touch of Zhao Liangxu's body. It wasn't the kind of desire that wanted to bring him pleasure, but rather the kind of fascination that made him want to hold Zhao Liangxu tightly in his arms and never let go.
But the more he touched Zhao Liangxu, such a vibrant person, and such a body that was completely different from that of eunuchs and men, the more he realized his own pathetic state.
I also feel ashamed of those dark thoughts in my heart.
He wanted to use his useless body to make Zhao Liangxu his.
He wanted to leave some mark on Zhao Liangxu.
Zhao Liangxu pressed her fingers against An He's chin, feeling the smooth and delicate texture beneath her skin, and said softly, "I'll find any voice of Eunuch An pleasant to hear."
She chuckled softly at An He's stiffness: "What is Eunuch An always hiding? What's wrong with being a little domineering and a little foolish?"
Look, she knows nothing, she's unaware of her own despicable heart, and she even thinks she's an overly restrained and polite person.
Anhe felt increasingly awful.
But Zhao Liangxu always did these actions that fascinated and tormented him, seducing him.
She knew perfectly well that she was a eunuch with few desires.
It turns out that bad people attract each other.
He was a eunuch who had committed many evil deeds at a young age, and she was a wicked girl who fell in love with a eunuch.
An He was slightly annoyed by Zhao Liangxu's words. He reached out and pinched Zhao Liangxu's chin. His infatuation made him unconsciously use a little more force, making her look up at him.
Zhao Liangxu was still wrapped around him, and she didn't resist when Anhe pinched her face like that. She just tilted her head back a little as he pulled her back.
She was still smiling.
An He tried his best to restrain himself from hurting Zhao Liangxu or pinching her too hard, then his face showed some displeasure that concealed his dirty thoughts: "You're always like this, but our family is a eunuch."
He wanted to tell Zhao Liangxu not to touch him so inappropriately, because she didn't understand his turbulent feelings.
“But Eunuch An is also someone I like, and I want to spend more time with him.”
Zhao Liangxu unrestrainedly expressed her desire for Anhe.
Anhe is the person she likes, so she hopes to understand Anhe better and become thoroughly familiar with him.
She also hoped to hold hands, hug, and kiss Anhe; she wanted to do everything that would allow her to get close to Anhe.
What's this?
Zhao Liangxu thought that she genuinely enjoyed being around Anhe. Watching Anhe helplessly but obediently take her hand in return and place it on her shoulder, she felt a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.
Even though Anhe was a eunuch.
An He's desire grew even stronger upon hearing Zhao Liangxu's reply. He cupped Zhao Liangxu's face in his hand and rubbed his thumb under her eyes.
"But you should know that there's nothing we can do. What you're doing is an insult to our family."
That's not what he meant. He really liked Zhao Liangxu's closeness. Perhaps he did feel that such behavior was an insinuation and insult about his identity, but that was just his sensitive and thoughtful mind unable to control his thoughts. It wasn't that he thought Zhao Liangxu meant that.
Rather than seeing it as an insult, he viewed this intimacy as a form of charity and a reward.
He cherishes and treasures these things.
Zhao Liangxu squinted as she felt An He's fingers sliding across her face. This was one of the rare times he took the initiative, and she didn't care about any sense of coercion. All Zhao Liangxu could feel was the softness and smoothness of An He's thumb.
“Eunuch An knows that’s not what I meant. Perhaps if Eunuch An could take more initiative like this, it would make me happy.”
She knew that Anhe's statement that he "couldn't do anything" was just a deliberate attempt to expose the bloody truth about his own identity.
Insecure people often use self-deprecation to defend themselves against attacks from others. It seems that belittling themselves before others does so is less offensive than hearing it from others.
But there is something he can actually do.
After all, Anhe had said before when he applied the pine resin to her that he had a way.
She wasn't some naive child; of course she knew what Anhe's so-called methods were.
It's just a matter of using some tools and such.
He can do anything.
She understood all of this long ago, but never hesitated to contact Anhe.
An He felt Zhao Liangxu's body temperature under his palm, and he could even feel the fluttering of her eyelashes when she slightly closed her eyes.
She's really a bit wicked.
Not only did it not slap away its own hand, but it also coveted its own palm, happily enjoying its own touch.
An Hezhen felt there was no other way.
His original intention was to scare Zhao Liangxu with this behavior and to make her stop always treating An He and him as a normal partner, but she didn't realize it at all and even had to take more initiative herself.
She was truly a pitiful girl whose values had been distorted.
Anhe lowered his hand, stretched out his finger and tapped Zhao Liangxu, causing her head to sway slightly.
"You've really gone astray."
He still wouldn't listen to Zhao Liangxu's suggestion of "taking the initiative." He said, "Get up. You eat so little all day, you're so thin you're like a stick, and your bones are hurting us."
"I've already told you the whole story. Now tell me, how did you manage to win His Majesty's trust so completely?"
Zhao Liangxu stood up, tugged at her dress which had been wrinkled in An He's arms, and said, "Eunuch An, guess for yourself?"
"You said you were trying to get something for nothing, and you actually did it! We told you a story, and now you want us to guess what you're doing?" Anhe was astonished by Zhao Liangxu's audacity.
"Why don't you guess first, Eunuch An? You've planned so many things, you're a very clever person, maybe you can figure it out?"
Anhe's eyes were filled with dissatisfaction: "You have no conscience, you're still siding with Li Ying."
"Aside from the fact that you saved him from the assassins, what did he say to you in the pavilion that made him rely on you to some extent? What could he have to say to you that I cannot know?"
As Zhao Liangxu listened to An He's analysis, adhering to the principle that she wouldn't say anything if An He couldn't guess her answer, she asked, "If Eunuch An doesn't think Li Ying is good enough, will he choose someone else?"
Replace them with other prince puppets.
She felt that Li Ying was good at hiding his talents. If he had been born in a prosperous era, he might have been able to make a name for himself and become a prince with a good reputation.
An He gave Zhao Liangxu a meaningful look: "You're quite interested in court politics."
But he didn't find Zhao Liangxu offensive; he just said through gritted teeth, "Li Ying is truly useless. We tell him to listen to his studies, but he's becoming increasingly muddleheaded. Did he really have a heart-to-heart talk with you, giving us a good scolding?" An He changed the subject, "If he's truly useless..."
As he said this, he saw Zhao Liangxu's surprised look.
Why are you staring at us like that?
Was she scared? Was she surprised by her own overstepping of etiquette?
But it doesn't seem like it.
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Author's Note: Everyone is so enthusiastic; seeing the comments warms my heart~ I really enjoy writing about Eunuch An's psychology.
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