Wei Xiaobao's Three Kingdoms Adventure

Chapter 37: Spring comes out of dead trees
Empress He was so frightened by the big head that suddenly appeared behind the bed curtain that she took two steps back. She was about to cry for help but held it back. She felt that the voice sounded familiar.

After seeing the person clearly in the dim light in the room, Empress He's shock turned to surprise. It was like entering the palace and meeting the late emperor. The terrified girl was suddenly protected and loved, and the butcher's daughter was suddenly overwhelmed. Empress He's mouth fell open, and it took a moment for her to react. The fear on her face was replaced by a smile. She said, "When did you come in? I was so scared, but I didn't expect it to be you."

Empress He was startled by her own tone and voice, and thought to herself, "In all these years, except for the late emperor, I have never spoken so gently to anyone."

Wei Xiaobao was also frightened by the delicate Empress He, and cursed in his heart: "Oh my god, you don't look like the Queen Mother at all. You are even more wanton than Princess Jianning when she is being wanton. It's like the girls in Lichunyuan meeting their patron, the boss."

Wei Xiaobao jumped off the bed, sat on the edge of the bed with his legs crossed, and said, "I came a long time ago. I heard everything you said to He Jin."

Empress He was shocked: "He came and went freely in the palace and was not noticed. Could he really be a god?"

The palace was busy with the late emperor's wake, and the Ten Attendants were busy protecting themselves. Who would care about Wei Xiaobao, a small eunuch? In the Forbidden City during the Qing Dynasty, the many patrols every morning and evening were no match for the loach-like Wei Xiaobao, let alone the Eastern Han Dynasty's imperial palace.

Empress He said, "You just heard it too. My brother has taken the imperial seal away. I've tried so hard to get it back, but he won't give it to me."

Wei Xiaobao said, "You plan to get rid of Empress Dowager Dong, is it also to get the imperial seal back?"

Empress He said, "That's right. I was afraid you'd wait too long and resort to this desperate measure."

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "Even without the Imperial Seal, you'd still want to get rid of Empress Dowager Dong. Although you're ruthless, from what I just heard you talking to He Jin, it's true that you were trying to get the Imperial Seal back."

Wei Xiaobao asked, "Did Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and the others come to ask you for help?"

Empress He said, "The Ten Attendants not only came to beg me, but also to beg my mother and my second brother. I don't know what you promised them, so I only agreed to plead with my brother and not kill them. The Ten Attendants were able to help my son ascend the throne, and I haven't thanked you yet."

After Empress He finished speaking, she placed her hands on her hips and bowed.

Wei Xiaobao said, "You are now the Queen Mother, how can you bow to me?"

Empress He said, "We are an orphan and a widow, helpless in this harem. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid we would be plotting against by Empress Dowager Dong right now. I have nothing to offer in return, but I only hope to fulfill my promise."

Wei Xiaobao said, "The Queen Mother is too kind. Since she still remembers her promise and the imperial seal is in He Jin's hands, there's no point in me getting anxious."

Empress He said, "You don't have to call me Empress Dowager like they do. From now on, just call me Lingsi."

Wei Xiaobao laughed inwardly: "I just helped your son become the emperor. You don't really want me to be your son's father, do you?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "He Lingsi, this name sounds quite nice."

After saying this, Wei Xiaobao stood up and walked towards the window. Empress He knew that Wei Xiaobao was about to jump out the window again like last time, so she reached out to stop him and asked, "What's your name? When will you come again?"

Wei Xiaobao had already climbed out of the window and said without turning his head, "My name is Wei Xiaobao."

He Lingsi entered the imperial palace at the age of thirteen. Though a young woman in her prime, she navigated a perilous journey, navigating the complexities of court life in pursuit of the emperor's favor. After meticulous planning, she finally eliminated Empress Song and Concubine Wang, hoping to secure exclusive favor. Then, the Yellow Turban Rebellion erupted, and the emperor's preoccupation with suppressing it became paramount. As her son grew older, He Lingsi, secluded in the harem, yearned ever more for the emperor's time. However, her hopes were met with only news of the emperor's grave illness.

The emperor's death left them, an orphan and a widow, and the throne to Concubine Wang's son, Liu Xie. He Lingsi already hated the emperor to the core. That day, she first encountered Wei Xiaobao in the palace, and after his mischief, He Lingsi felt like a dead tree reborn. Later, the Ten Eunuchs betrayed the empress dowager, not only aiding He Lingsi's son, Liu Bian, to ascend the throne but also swearing allegiance to the He clan. This only strengthened He Lingsi's belief that Wei Xiaobao was a savior sent by heaven.

When she suddenly saw Wei Xiaobao again today, a bunch of emotions such as gratitude, admiration and longing had already become a mess in her heart, but she had never experienced love before and didn't know what it felt like.

He Lingsi stood at the window, staring blankly at Wei Xiaobao's back. Remembering that she had actually told him her maiden name, her face flushed with shame. She gently closed the window, leaned against the window frame, and said, "This man came for the imperial seal, and left for it. He clearly stated everything he wanted, unlike the other people in the palace who all had their own agendas. He's really interesting."

Wei Xiaobao suddenly sneezed twice, rubbed his nose and said, "I must have caught a cold last night. I don't want to stay in this shabby place any longer. When I get back to the Viscount's Mansion, I'm going to stay in bed for ten days or half a month to treat myself well."

Wei Xiaobao walked while talking, and had already arrived outside the small house where Zhang Rang and others usually gathered.

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "The teahouse master said that He Jin was killed by these eunuchs. So if I go and instigate them to kill He Jin now, it won't be considered a bad thing."

Having made up his mind, Wei Xiaobao listened attentively and after making sure that no one was in the room, he used a dagger to pry open the window and sneaked into the room.

Wei Xiaobao reclined on the couch, thinking, "These old eunuchs all look like they're about to die. If I let them kill He Jin, wouldn't they be courting death? It's a shame I didn't bring my knockout drug with me. Otherwise, I could have He Lingsi invite her brother over for dinner. The knockout drug would have ensured I was full. By then, not only would I have killed these old eunuchs, but even a seven or eight-year-old kid like Zhang Jue would have been able to pull it off."

Wei Xiaobao heard footsteps in the corridor outside and shouted, "Who is that outside? Come in, I have something to tell you."

The eunuch in the corridor heard someone talking in the room and stopped, not daring to come in. He just replied from outside, "Without Master Zhang Rang's permission, I dare not go in."

Wei Xiaobao cursed in his heart, "Zhang Rang, that old turtle, is as tyrannical as Eunuch Hai. If I weren't in a hurry to get back, I would have killed you like Eunuch Hai by my hands sooner or later. But you haven't harmed me, so I'll spare your life."

Wei Xiaobao shouted outside, "Go find Zhang Rang and tell him I want to see him."

The man asked, "I wonder which lord is inside. Please go and see Lord Zhang in person."

Wei Xiaobao cursed angrily, "Damn it! Someone wants to chop off his head. If you don't go, your head will be chopped off too."

There was a thud outside the door. Wei Xiaobao knew that the man had been frightened and had fallen to his knees. Then he begged for mercy: "I deserve to die, I deserve to die. I will go and get Master Zhang Rang right away."

(End of this chapter)