Chapter 105 Empress Dowager, Jiang Si, Young Emperor

Before Jiang Si could explain, Qiu Shuzhi had already carried Yue Guanyi back to the city, leaving Jiang Si far behind.

“I’m sorry.” She carefully placed him on the bed, gently caressing his lower abdomen, thinking about how desperate he must have felt when she couldn’t be by his side during his miscarriage.

Yue Guanyi shook his head slightly: “It’s good that wife-master can come back.”

As long as Qiu Shuzhi could stay by his side, everything he did was worth it. It was only a pity for that unborn child who died at the hands of its own father.

He lowered his long eyelashes, concealing the fleeting sadness in his eyes.

“Now that Jiang Sui is dead, there’s no need for us to stay here anymore. Wife-master, shall we return to the capital?” Yue Guanyi’s slender fingers clung tightly to Qiu Shuzhi’s sleeve like a young child, unwilling to let go.

Jiang Si’s overly intimate actions towards Qiu Shuzhi made him feel uneasy. Now he just wanted to quickly return to the capital, the farther away from Jiang Si the better.

Qiu Shuzhi nodded, about to speak when an excited male voice came from behind.

“No!” Jiang Si burst in from outside, the indigo Miao dress blooming like an orchid at his feet as he moved.

He grabbed Qiu Shuzhi’s hand in front of Yue Guanyi: “Qiu Niang won’t go back with you, she has already promised me.”

Yue Guanyi weakly propped himself up on the edge of the bed, his eyes full of severity: “Jiang Si, I have always tolerated you, but Qiu Niang is my wife-master. I am her lawfully wedded husband. What right do you have to call Qiu Niang wife-master in front of me?”

Jiang Si held Qiu Shuzhi’s hand tightly, his bewitching features bold and vivid: “So what if you’re lawfully wedded? Qiu Niang doesn’t love you at all. She only married you because of your status and position. It’s all because of your shameless pursuit of her, otherwise how could Qiu Niang look at someone like you who came from a brothel?”

Yue Guanyi’s eyes turned red, almost bursting with blood. His distinct knuckles gripped the edge of the bed, his nails scratching sharp, clear marks into the wood, revealing his bone-deep hatred: “So what if I came from a brothel? At least I gave my pure body to Qiu Niang, and never had any intentions of setting her up or harming her. What about you? You’ve been scheming against her from the beginning. The ambush in the gorge, falling into the river, these were all traps you set. Even the child in my belly was killed by you, you poisonous man! Give me back my child’s life!”

“Enough.” Qiu Shuzhi, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up to stop them.

Yue Guanyi looked at Qiu Shuzhi in disbelief, muttering: “Qiu Niang, you’re really on his side?”

The corner of Jiang Si’s eye lifted smugly: “I told you, wife-master doesn’t love you at all, nor does she care about being some prince consort. We’ve already agreed that after quelling the rebellion, wife-master will stay with me in Yunnan and never return to the capital.”

“Impossible, impossible.” Yue Guanyi trembled painfully all over, his hair disheveled, pulling at Qiu Shuzhi’s hand like a madman: “Qiu Niang wouldn’t do that, you won’t abandon me, right?”

Qiu Shuzhi embraced his constantly trembling waist, caressing him lovingly: “Silly, how can you believe whatever others say? How will you manage the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the future like this?”

The reason she had agreed to Jiang Si’s various demands was because of the poison in her body.

How could Yue Guanyi’s brain seem to stop working whenever it came to matters concerning her?

“Qiu Niang……” The redness at the corners of Yue Guanyi’s eyes gradually dispersed.

Qiu Shuzhi raised her eyes to meet Jiang Si’s enchanting and alluring features, saying with a sigh: “Lan’er… no, Jiang Si, I’m sorry I lied to you. I won’t stay with you in Yunnan.”

Jiang Si staggered back a step: “Why? Were all the words you said to me before lies?”

Qiu Shuzhi lowered her eyes: “Yes.”

“Why?” Jiang Si’s blood surged, he cried out heartrendingly, endless tears flowing from his eyes: “Why did you lie to me? I thought I would be different from my father, that I would meet a woman who truly cared for me. I wouldn’t let my life become a joke like my father’s. It turns out my life is even more laughable than my father’s. Why, Qiu Shuzhi, why?”

He threw himself into Qiu Shuzhi’s arms, pulling at her clothes, pounding on her chest, venting all the resentment and pain in his heart. But the more he vented, the stronger the pain in his heart became. Indescribable agony twisted his heart, and he wept bitterly: “If you didn’t like me, why did you deceive me? Was toying with me so enjoyable? Why?”

“Because of the poison.” Qiu Shuzhi met his sorrowful eyes calmly and said: “Because of the poison you planted in my body.”

Jiang Si suddenly froze, his eyes momentarily lost, then he laughed shrilly: “So you knew all along? You knew all along that I had poisoned you? You also knew I was Jiang Si all along, didn’t you? That’s why you deliberately said those things to me?”

“Yes.”

“Hahahahaha……” Jiang Si threw his head back and laughed, his laughter shrill and mournful. Bitter tears mixed with laughter echoed in the room. It turned out his whole life was a joke.

It turned out everything was his own doing.

The cause he had planted, he had to taste the bitter fruit himself.

No one loved him.

No one.

He collapsed on the ground, his features as beautiful as peach blossoms and plum blossoms now dim and lusterless, as if plunged into an endless night, unable to see a glimmer of light.

“Jiang Si, everything is your own doing.” Yue Guanyi looked at him coldly.

If he hadn’t poisoned Qiu Niang in the first place, none of this would have happened, and Qiu Niang wouldn’t have gone to seduce him.

“Your mother rebelled, you dressed as a woman impersonating a noble lady, and you intended to harm the prince consort. Your numerous crimes are heinous. This prince will take you back to the capital, enough to have you torn to pieces.” Yue Guanyi’s gloomy eyes pierced into him, as if he wanted to flay him alive on the spot.

“Jiang Si was also under duress, some things were not of his own volition. Moreover, Jiang Sui has just died, and the situation in Yunnan is unstable. He is the Holy Child of the Miao, he cannot be killed arbitrarily, otherwise how would the other tribespeople view it?” Qiu Shuzhi reached out her hand to help Jiang Si up.

Jiang Si slowly raised his eyes, looking at Qiu Shuzhi’s gentle features, the same as always. For a moment, he seemed to see the Qiu Shuzhi who once loved him.

If he had known it was all a lie, he wouldn’t have removed the poison so quickly.

He wished this dream could be longer, a little longer.

One year, five years, ten years – let him fall into Qiu Shuzhi’s gentle gaze for a long time, until eternal sleep.

But everything could never go back to the way it was.

The Qiu Shuzhi who had promised to love him for a lifetime was gone forever.

He smiled bitterly: “What, aren’t you afraid I’ll poison you again?”

“You dare!” Yue Guanyi picked up the teacup beside him and smashed it hard against his face. The cup left a red mark on his incomparably bewitching face. He didn’t dodge, but stared straight at Qiu Shuzhi.

As if he was still expecting Qiu Shuzhi to protect him as she had in the past.

But Qiu Shuzhi didn’t. The distant gap between them made him feel a strong fear from the bottom of his heart.

She lightly held his wrist and pulled him up: “I believe that even for the sake of your tribespeople, you wouldn’t do this. Although I deceived you, my promise to the Miao is still valid. The court has already ordered the establishment of Yunnan Prefecture, and the situation of the Miao people has greatly changed. As the Holy Child of the Miao, you can live freely in Yunnan. Why bother to bring trouble upon yourself? It’s not worth it.”

He suddenly grabbed Qiu Shuzhi’s hand as she was about to leave and pulled her into his arms. His other hand cupped the back of her neck, and their lips pressed tightly together. He ravaged her mouth in an almost violent manner, not sparing any corner of her mouth. At that moment, she seemed to hear the fierce, pounding heartbeat bursting from his chest. By the time Qiu Shuzhi reacted and pushed him away, he had already bitten off a piece of skin from the corner of her mouth.

“What are you doing?”

Jiang Si looked at the fresh blood at the corner of her mouth and laughed softly: “Whether it’s worth it or not is for me to decide.”

The Dian King’s rebellion was quelled, and an imperial edict was issued to establish Yunnan Prefecture, stabilizing the hearts of various tribes in Yunnan.

Qiu Shuzhi and Yue Guanyi could finally return to the capital.

The caravan traveled along the winding official road.

On a small hill not far away, a figure in red stood.

The few short months spent with Qiu Shuzhi seemed like a beautiful dream to Jiang Si.

Later, he searched all the grass and trees in the mountains and forests, but could no longer find leaves that could blow bubbles, just as there was no longer any possibility between him and Qiu Shuzhi.

Poisoning Qiu Shuzhi was a desperate move he had to use to save his life at the time, but it ultimately hurt her body.

Yue Guanyi was right, he was a poisonous man.

He deserved to be unhappy.

After his mother died, his father followed suit.

He had always resented his father before, for sacrificing everything for an illusory love, only to end up with nothing, and instead letting himself fall from the high and mighty Holy Child into the mud.

But at this moment, he finally understood.

Love that penetrates to the bone cannot be severed.

Even if the other party only uses you, you willingly dedicate everything.

So he planted poison in her body again, only this time, the mother bug was in her body, and the child bug was buried in his body. This way, even if they were thousands of miles apart, he could still sense her existence, her heartbeat.

“Holy Child, Madam Qiu has gone far away, let’s go back.”

Jiang Si gazed lovingly into the distance, where the carriages had become small and blurry.

“Let me look a little longer.”

From now on, over mountains and rivers, wife-master, I will never see you again.

Qiu Shuzhi quelled the Dian King’s rebellion and returned triumphantly, shocking the court and the people.

The young Emperor was overjoyed and immediately promoted her to the cabinet.

There were few people in the history of the Great Qi who could enter the cabinet at her age.

However, this was also reasonable. During the time Qiu Shuzhi was away from the capital, many things had happened.

Qin Zheng died, Gu Zheng and Qin Qing confronted each other, and being at a disadvantage, were transferred to the frontier. The young Emperor seized the opportunity to gather the power of the clan and aristocratic forces. With the help of Qiu Shuzhi and Yue Guanyi, imperial power was further consolidated.

“Qiu Niang, now that Gu Zheng’s forces have been dealt with and the Qin clan is tottering, should we completely uproot the Qin clan?”

Yue Shen had her jet-black hair tied up, adorned with a golden dangling hairpin. With each step she took, the hairpin would gently sway with her movements, but it didn’t make the young Emperor appear unstable. Instead, it made her seem more graceful and dignified.

“Your Majesty, it’s easy to purge the Qin clan, but it’s difficult to purge the entire Great Qi. From the court to the common people, interests are intertwined from top to bottom, pulling one hair moves the whole body. The Qin clan cannot be eliminated in a short time, it’s better to proceed gradually. Especially since we have just pacified Yunnan, it’s not advisable to make big moves now. The Blue Consort also needs your favor, to let the Miao know that you value them.”

Yue Shen smiled faintly: “I understand. Qiu Niang always thinks thoroughly. I was too hasty. I will visit the Blue Consort more often.”

Qiu Shuzhi smiled: “There is one thing Your Majesty should indeed hurry with.”

Yue Shen raised an eyebrow slightly.

“In the past, Your Majesty was constrained and didn’t dare to let the harem concubines conceive royal heirs easily. But now no one in the court dares to say no to you, you should indeed extend your lineage.” Qiu Shuzhi said softly.

Yue Shen lowered her head and revealed a bitter smile: “Qiu Niang, I stopped taking that medicine long ago, and have tried to repeatedly favor several obedient and modest concubines from average backgrounds, but there has been no movement… I think it must be because the medicine I took back then was too strong and damaged my body… Qiu Niang, I might never be able to have my own children.”

Qiu Shuzhi was shocked and immediately knelt down: “Please forgive this subject, Your Majesty. It’s all this subject’s fault. This subject should never have given you those medicines in the first place.”

“Qiu Niang, what are you doing?” Yue Shen immediately helped her up: “I was the one who asked you to find the medicine, and I was the one who willingly took it. I knew what the consequences would be when I took those medicines. It’s not your fault, you don’t need to blame yourself.”

Even though Yue Shen said this, Qiu Shuzhi still felt deeply guilty.

The highest in the country, yet to be childless for life. The Yue clan only had Yue Shen left as the sole descendant. How would the royal bloodline continue? Who would inherit the throne?

Just as Qiu Shuzhi was struggling with these thoughts, Yue Shen’s voice sounded in her ear: “Qiu Niang, I will never have my own children in this life, but Great Qi cannot be without an heir. My elder brother is also of Yue bloodline. If he could have a daughter, and bring her up to adulthood, I want to establish her as the heir.”

Qiu Shuzhi looked at her in shock.

When an emperor has no offspring, adopting a child from a collateral line under their own name to raise would be most suitable.

But Yue Shen only spoke of establishing her child as the heir, without mentioning adopting the child under her own name. This would be announcing to the world that the child of the imperial brother and prince consort is the heir, while the emperor has no offspring.

“I know this is difficult for you. If you’re unwilling, it’s alright.” Yue Shen spoke up when she saw her not saying anything.

“This subject is willing.”

How could she be unwilling? Yue Shen’s inability to have children was more or less related to her.

Moreover, the young Emperor had made such a big concession. In the eyes of outsiders, she had practically picked up a huge bargain.

“That’s good then. Qiu Niang’s child will surely be as gentle and steady as you in the future, more suitable to be the ruler of a country than me.” Yue Shen smiled softly, her gentle almond eyes melting into a pool of water.

Yue Shen leaned on her shoulder, the corner of her mouth carrying a trace of melancholy: “Qiu Niang, actually, sitting in this position, I haven’t had a single day of true happiness. Every day I have to deal with the Qin clan and everyone else, being insincere and ingratiating. Qiu Niang, I’m very tired. Let me lean on you for a while.”

“Your Majesty……”

She pulled out the golden dangling hairpin constraining her long hair, and her ink-black hair fell down like a waterfall. Her almond eyes lowered slightly. If counting her age, the young Emperor was only sixteen years old this year.

Born during the struggle for succession, enthroned at five years old under the coercion of the Qin clan, for over ten years she wore a mask every day, bowing and scraping to deal with the Qin clan, quelling the Dian King’s rebellion, weakening the Qin clan, demoting Gu Zheng, consolidating the precarious Yue clan’s imperial power. And she was only sixteen years old. In her previous life, she would have only been in her first or second year of high school.

Even in history, she could leave a brilliant page.

The price was her body, her life confined to a city, the four corners of the sky.

When she walked out of the imperial study, the sky had turned gloomy, looking like it was about to rain.

As she was hurrying out, she saw Yu Ye coming towards her with an umbrella: “Madam Qiu, the Empress Dowager requests your presence.”

Qiu Shuzhi frowned slightly, but still followed Yu Ye to Qingning Palace.

On the way, she encountered Lan Xuezhao appreciating flowers in the imperial garden. He was dressed in blue, his beauty standing among the flowers like an immortal. But his brow no longer showed the former willfulness and boldness, only traces of sorrow remained.

When Lan Xuezhao saw Qiu Shuzhi, there was a flicker in his eyes.

Qiu Shuzhi nodded in acknowledgment and walked past him.

When they arrived at Qingning Palace, it was time for the evening meal. Dishes were being presented to Qin Qing by servants one after another like a flowing stream.

Not having seen him for a long time, Qin Qing’s charm had become even more graceful. Though wearing the darkest black clothes, on his body they delicately outlined every part of his figure, alluring but not frivolous, languid but not fawning.

He lazily propped up his chin, holding jade chopsticks in his hand, his gaze even more scattered, picking and choosing from the dishes presented by the servants.

“Daughter-in-law greets Father……” Before Qiu Shuzhi could finish speaking, she was silenced by Qin Qing’s fingertip on her lips.

His gentle eyes showed rare anger: “Qiu Shuzhi, don’t you have a name? You are not allowed to call yourself daughter-in-law in front of this Dowager, and this Dowager is not your Father Empress Dowager!”

After the young Emperor’s successful seizure of power, Qin Qing had also become more restrained, but his former arrogant and cold manner remained unchanged, his residual authority still present.

“You are Yue’er’s Father Empress Dowager, naturally you are also Shuzhi’s Father Empress Dowager.” Qiu Shuzhi smiled lightly.

He was exasperated and deliberately picked a plate of fish with the most bones from the servant’s hands. In the past, Qin Qing would only eat the most tender piece of meat under the fish’s face, but angered by Qiu Shuzhi, he placed the entire plate in front of her.

“Fine, since you’re so eager to be this Dowager’s daughter-in-law, this Dowager will give you a chance to show filial piety. This Dowager wants to eat fish now. You remove every single bone from the fish meat. If you leave even one tiny bone that scratches this Dowager’s throat, this Dowager will punish you!”

Qiu Shuzhi smiled softly: “Alright.”

She carefully picked out the bones one by one with chopsticks. The faint yellow lamplight shining on the fish meat made the transparent tiny fish bones even harder to distinguish. Before long, her eyes began to feel uncomfortable.

“All of you, leave.” Qin Qing ordered coldly, dismissing the attending palace servants.

He never intended to torment Qiu Shuzhi, but Qiu Shuzhi insisted on hitting his sore spot, knowing full well that he hated their father-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship the most, yet she deliberately brought it up.

Separated for so long, he was trapped in the palace without any news of her, anxious every day. Finally, when he had eagerly awaited her return, before he could say a few soft words, she hit him where he felt most insecure. How could he not be angry?

He watched as Qiu Shuzhi uncomfortably rubbed her eyes, and the anger in his heart dissipated.

“This Dowager suddenly doesn’t want to eat fish anymore. Pick up a piece of bamboo shoot for this Dowager.”

Qiu Shuzhi put down her chopsticks: “Empress Dowager, I came this time to return something to you.”

She took out the handkerchief embroidered with his name that he had once stuffed into her collar.

Qin Qing suddenly stood up: “Qiu Shuzhi, what do you mean? Now that you’ve achieved success, you want to abandon me?”

“It’s not abandonment.” Qiu Shuzhi said calmly: “What the relationship between the Empress Dowager and me truly is, you should be clear in your heart. I have never expressed to the Empress Dowager that I have even the slightest improper thoughts.”

Qin Qing laughed softly, the corner of his eye flashing with a hint of fine, bright moisture: “You mean to say it was all my own delusion, that I debased myself to seduce you?”

“In Shuzhi’s heart, the Empress Dowager will always be the Empress Dowager. Shuzhi respects and reveres you, but only to that extent.”

She placed the handkerchief on the table. The embroidered words on it were nothing short of a devastating blow to Qin Qing. Before, he could deceive himself, fooling himself that Qiu Shuzhi had him in her heart. But now he realized that everything from before was a joke.

His eyes turned red as he approached Qiu Shuzhi step by step, until there was no distance between them.

He asked hoarsely, in an almost torn voice: “Qiu Shuzhi, haven’t you ever, not even for a moment, had feelings for me? Am I not better than that lowborn Yue Guanyi? Why can he, but I can’t? All I ask for… I’ve never dared to hope to marry you openly. I just want… I just want you to cherish me a little, to cherish me like you cherish Yue Guanyi!”

Outside the eaves, rain pattered softly. The heavy rain mixed with his tearing voice, telling of a heart’s secret untold to others.

At this moment, he was no longer the high and mighty Empress Dowager, but just an ordinary man, pouring out his long-suppressed feelings to the person he loved.

Qiu Shuzhi’s eyes trembled, and she remained silent for a long while.

Long enough to give him a glimmer of hope.

But what followed was Qiu Shuzhi’s cold reply: “From the first time Shuzhi met the Empress Dowager, I only had respect for you. Besides respect, there were never any other thoughts.”

Having said this, she left promptly and decisively.

Leaving Qin Qing alone, watching her departing figure.

His form unsteady, his thin and fragile body leaning on the table, he almost couldn’t stand.

For a long time, he smiled foolishly, like a madman stuffing the handkerchief into his mouth, torturing himself with physical pain. The foreign object constantly pushed into his throat almost suffocated him at this moment, as if the air in his lungs could neither be inhaled nor exhaled, all congealing into a motionless gel, silent and deathly still, congested in his chest, blocking his throat, choking his heartbeat. His body involuntarily convulsed, curled up, and bent.

Only the waves of pain coming one after another reminded him over and over again how absurd his life had been.