Chapter Sixty-Four: Beneath the Eaves...

“If someone shows me respect, I will return it tenfold. Honestly, I believe I am quite easy to reason with.”
Xu Boqing held Empress Zhang aloft by her neck with one hand, a smile hovering on his lips as he spoke, “What I fail to understand is this: the Empress clearly has better options, so why choose to threaten me?”
Empress Zhang struggled to breathe, her face flushing crimson as though blood were rushing to her cheeks.
She had never imagined that Xu Boqing would dare such audacity—assaulting the Empress within the palace walls!
Was he not afraid of death?
“Tsk tsk, Your Highness’s schemes ring out loud and clear.”
Xu Boqing clicked his tongue, his tone mocking. “Regrettable, truly, that Your Highness knows so little about me—far too little. Your calculations are too petty, so petty they cannot contain a man like me, a false eunuch.”
He paused, leaning in close to her ear and whispering softly, “Do you think everything lies within your grasp? That I care about my position in the palace? That any of these people here could threaten me?”
Seeing her face begin to turn purple, her strength for struggling nearly spent, he shook his head and released her.
At that moment, Empress Zhang felt as though she had just returned from the gates of hell; her body suddenly relaxed…
Her feet touched solid ground but her head spun and her steps faltered, so much so that she collapsed gracelessly to the floor.
Once she regained her composure, she gasped for breath, patting her chest.
Xu Boqing crouched before her, lifting her chin with a fingertip, forcing her delicately powdered cheeks upward. He smiled, “I thought Your Highness might cry out for help…”
“You!”
Empress Zhang glared at him, humiliated and furious, intending to rebuke this brazen scoundrel. Yet the memory of her brush with death lingered, sending chills through her heart…
She feared provoking him further, lest her life be forfeit for nothing.
Thus, the words died in her throat; she could only raise her chin, her face flushed with anger and humiliation as she glared.
“Me? What did I do?”
Xu Boqing withdrew his hand and leisurely settled back in his chair, saying carelessly, “I am merely teaching Your Highness: when seeking assistance, one must have the proper attitude.”
“You…”
Empress Zhang started to speak, but seeing his mocking gaze, she merely snorted coldly and fell silent.
She knew, too, that events had slipped beyond her control; even her own life now hung upon another’s whim.
“If Your Highness has no further business, please return to your quarters.”
Xu Boqing waved her away as one would dismiss a servant. “And remember to keep your mouth shut. Don’t return to the Palace of Benevolence again; best not to even step through its door.”

Empress Zhang paused, furrowing her delicate brows as she pushed herself from the floor.
She watched the audacious rogue reclining at ease on his chair, untroubled by her presence. The grievance and resentment swelling within her nearly overwhelmed her regal composure…
She drew a deep breath, forced her emotions down, and asked stiffly, “You would just let me leave like this?”
“Does Your Highness wish to linger in the Palace of Benevolence a few nights more?”
Xu Boqing glanced at her, his tone teasing. “I don’t mind, as long as the Dowager consents.”
“You!”
Her expression froze, understanding the implication of his words. Flushed with both shame and anger, she spat, “Lecherous villain!”
“Whether I am a lecher is not for you or me to decide.”
Xu Boqing shook his head and sighed, “You really ought to thank Chief Steward Huang. If not for his request that I care for the Dowager, I would not let you leave so easily.”
Empress Zhang was momentarily stunned, then quickly grasped the meaning and asked coldly, “You fear that killing me would be hard to explain to the Dowager?”
“Very astute.”
“And you’re not afraid I’ll report to His Majesty that you’re a false eunuch?”
“And what if you do?”
Xu Boqing glanced at her dismissively. “You were present during the martial demonstration; the strength I showed then was but a fraction.”
He paused, half in jest, half in earnest, “If I wished, I could turn the whole palace upside down. These few pitiful souls here—what could they do to me?”
Empress Zhang’s breath caught. She was no expert in martial arts, but she knew how formidable this man had appeared in the demonstration.
That was only a tenth of his strength?
“If you possess such power, why serve as a mere chief steward in the Palace of Benevolence?”
“Entrusted by another, I fulfill their wishes.”
Xu Boqing shook his head, growing impatient. “You wouldn’t understand even if I explained. Best you leave before I change my mind.”
Empress Zhang arched her brows, “Why?”
“Why?”
Xu Boqing sneered, “Your Highness is born beautiful, and I, according to your own words, am a lecher who disturbs the harem. Now, alone in this room with you—what do you think?”

“You!”
Her face changed, and with a cold snort, she swept her sleeves and departed.
At first, her steps were hurried.
She watched Xu Boqing warily as she walked, eager to leave this place of danger, yet always anxious that he might reconsider…
But after a few steps, her pace unconsciously slowed…
When she reached the bedroom door, her hand rested on the handle, but she hesitated, not opening it…
Xu Boqing, meanwhile, reclined in his chair, not sparing her a single glance, silently counting in his mind: “Three… Two… One…”
Just as he counted ‘one’…
Empress Zhang seemed to reach a decision. She did not open the door and leave, but turned and returned to stand before Xu Boqing…
Her eyes were rimmed red, her cheeks stripped of their former pride, her silver teeth biting her lip.
“What is it?”
Xu Boqing looked at her quietly, a smile playing about his lips. “Is Your Highness reluctant to leave the Palace of Benevolence?”
She caught the sarcasm in his words, but was not angered. Instead, she lowered her gaze, knelt gracefully, and her voice trembled as she said, “I was ignorant and offended Chief Steward Xu. I have come to beg forgiveness.”
Xu Boqing’s expression was unreadable as he replied, “I prefer to be called Chief Steward Xu rather than Supervisor Xu.”
Her face stiffened. She took a deep breath, lowered her gaze once more, and knelt, “I was ignorant and offended Chief Steward Xu. I beg forgiveness.”
“Your Highness is too gracious…”
Xu Boqing sat up and feigned a smile, “I, too, offended Your Highness earlier. Let us call it even. Please return.”
Empress Zhang sensed the distance in his words.
She had been pampered from childhood, entering the palace in her teens and bearing the Crown Prince before being named Empress. She had always been honored, never treated with such disregard.
Yet thinking of her son, now imprisoned in the Eastern Palace, her eyes reddened as she bit her lip. “I shamelessly beg Chief Steward Xu for mercy—please help me…”
After those words…
A flood of humiliation surged within her like a tidal wave, threatening to drown her reason…