After Being Reborn, I Found My Childhood Friend and I Had a Happy Ending

Completed! Any updates shown from now on will be for typo fixes and revisions. Blurb: [Childhood friends: she enters the palace as a consort through the selection, while he enters as a eunuch after his entire clan is executed] The year the late emperor died, everyone said the Great Ning dynasty was already in its twilight years. Qi Yu, the Directorate of Ceremonial's Chief Eunuch, held immense power. The best the orphaned young emperor and empress dowager could hope for was to obediently spend their lives as puppets. But later, Qi Yu welcomed the young emperor to the throne and served under the empress dowager as she ruled from behind the curtain. Before the emperor even came of age, he willingly and decisively relinquished his power. People began to wonder if the demon beneath that humble facade was plotting some new scheme. Only Zhou Shuhe, the empress dowager who had lived another lifetime, knew that this wasn't Qi Yu's scheme. It was her wish. Just as when she wanted to escape the mud, he washed the dirt from her. Later, when she wanted to ascend to the empress's throne, he sent her up the ladder to heaven. * After Zhou Shuhe entered the palace through the selection, she remained the emperor's favorite and soon gave birth to a prince. Qi Yu helped her win more favor and enjoy greater honors. Sometimes he felt ashamed, but then he thought that if this was what she wished for with all her heart, then there was nothing he couldn't bear. * The young emperor: It was another gloomy day like this. I hid behind the curtains and saw Mother and Chief Eunuch Qi embracing... Father is the Son of Heaven! How dare you treat him like this! Honestly, it serves him right! (doge) [Reading Guide] About the leads' relationship history: The heroine isn't a virgin, but the hero is. The heroine isn't a virgin, isn't a virgin, isn't a virgin. This is important, so I'll say it three times! About the hero: He is a real eunuch. About the fictional setting: It borrows a little from the Han, Tang, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The setting is very loosely based on history. It's my own take on ancient times. Other: The hero will suffer, and for a long time his feelings for the heroine will be stronger than hers for him. Theme: When prosperous, work for the good of all; when struggling, keep to yourself.