Chapter 41 His Wife-Master His Wife-Master Should Be Like Qiu Shuzhi…
“Hehe, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, you don’t know how terribly angry Her Majesty was this time! This servant has never seen Her Majesty’s face look so bad before, I estimate she’s probably smashing vases in Qianqing Palace right now!” Yu Zhi ran to Qingning Palace, gleefully recounting Yue Shen’s reaction in detail to Qin Qing.
Qin Qing leisurely fanned himself with a folding fan, his slender fingers picking up the blooming roses by the window. The brilliant flower color reflected on his snow-white jade fingers as he spoke unhurriedly, “I heard this assassination attempt was a false alarm from the Imperial Guard?”
Yu Zhi leaned against his brother Yu Ye’s side and said with a smile, “That’s right, those Imperial Guards are jumpy about everything, making a big fuss over a small matter. I heard they all rushed to capture the assassin in a swarm, neglecting the Emperor’s safety. It was Qiu Daren who rushed up to protect Her Majesty and the Emperor Consort.”
“Qiu Shuzhi? What was she doing there?” The jade fingers suddenly tensed, and Qin Qing’s casual tone instantly became tense.
Concern breeds confusion. Whenever Qiu Daren was mentioned, the Empress Dowager’s usually calm demeanor would change immediately.
“She’s the Deputy Magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture, not an imperial guard. These matters shouldn’t involve her at all. She doesn’t know how to avoid trouble, why does she foolishly rush forward?”
“What about the assassin? Did the assassin hurt her?”
“And the Imperial Guard? Are these people all dead?”
He shouted in a low voice. The thorns broke Qin Qing’s porcelain-like skin, and blood mixed with crushed flower juice slowly seeped out, but he was unaware.
Yu Ye quickly said in a soothing voice, “Please don’t worry, Empress Dowager. It was just a vagrant, not an assassin. Qiu Daren is perfectly fine.”
As he spoke, he handed over a snow-white handkerchief.
“It’s good that she’s alright.” Hearing that Qiu Shuzhi was unharmed, Qin Qing’s worried heart finally relaxed, and he accepted the handkerchief.
Yu Ye smiled slightly, “Qiu Daren’s selfless protection of Her Majesty further proves her passionate loyalty to the court. This is a good thing.”
The thick, brilliant juice, as vibrant as red beans, covered Qin Qing’s fingertips. His eyes darkened, “She doesn’t need to be loyal to the court. She only needs to be loyal to this grieving one.”
Yu Ye was slightly stunned. This sentence revealed too much information, with a chilling possessiveness that made one’s blood run cold.
Yu Zhi, completely oblivious, still smiled and said, “Empress Dowager, you’re right. Qiu Daren must certainly be loyal to you.”
Qin Qing smiled faintly and asked casually, “Was the Emperor Consort frightened?”
“The Emperor Consort, raised in the inner palace, has never seen such a situation. The vagrant’s blood splattered on the imperial carriage’s long curtains, and he was so scared his face turned pale. If it weren’t for Qiu Daren’s comforting, the Emperor Consort would probably have cried.”
Qin Qing’s eyes turned cold, looking at him sinisterly.
Yu Zhi vividly described the day’s events, completely unaware
Yu Ye’s breath caught, terrified half to death. Before Qin Qing could react, he kicked Yu Zhi hard.
Yu Zhi, caught off guard, was kicked to the ground. Just as he was about to coquettishly demand an explanation from his brother, he saw Yu Ye drop to his knees with a thud.
“Please calm your anger, Empress Dowager. Yu Zhi is still young and speaks nonsense.”
Yu Zhi was utterly bewildered and still hadn’t figured out what was happening. Although he didn’t understand, seeing Yu Ye kneeling on the ground in fear and trepidation, he immediately quieted down.
The air stagnated for a while.
The more silent it became, the more fearful Yu Ye felt. His arms trembled involuntarily, and he seemed to feel Qin Qing’s oppressive, captivating gaze on his back.
His younger brother really needed to be taught a lesson. How could he be so insensitive?
Outsiders might not know about the Empress Dowager’s feelings for Qiu Daren, but how could the Yu brothers not know?
Whether it was the exceptional promotion of Qiu Shuzhi to Hanlin Academy Scholar or letting her enter Shuntian Prefecture, every sign reflected the Empress Dowager’s favoritism.
Not to mention that day when the Empress Dowager and Qiu Daren were alone.
He stood guard outside, occasionally hearing low conversations from inside.
Yu Ye had followed Qin Qing for so many years, serving the unmarried young master all the way to his current position as the Empress Dowager. He had never heard Qin Qing’s tone as low and seductive as it was that day. That voice was nothing like an Empress Dowager’s; it was clearly that of a man writhing and begging for pleasure beneath a woman.
Yu Zhi clearly knew how special the Empress Dowager’s feelings for Qiu Shuzhi were, yet he had to emphasize how she comforted the Emperor Consort today. Wasn’t this obviously upsetting the Empress Dowager?
When men become jealous, even women have to give way. If the Empress Dowager became angry, not only would insignificant people like them suffer, but even the innocent Emperor Consort would be implicated.
“This grieving one isn’t angry. You servants are always so jumpy.” Qin Qing’s lips curled into a faint smile, his expression unfathomable.
“It’s this servant’s fault, all this servant’s fault.” Yu Ye lowered his head in fear.
Qin Qing waved his hand and said to Yu Zhi, “Go down now. The Emperor is still angry, you’d better hurry to attend to her.”
“Yes.” Yu Zhi left with a worried glance at Yu Ye.
After he left, Qin Qing’s expression suddenly sank, his deep eyes bottomless.
Yu Ye crawled to Qin Qing’s feet: “Empress Dowager, there’s no need to worry. Qiu Daren and the Emperor Consort don’t know each other. It was just a polite exchange of words.”
Qin Qing’s eyes were dark and unclear. After a long while, he finally spoke, “Yu Ye, what do you think of the Emperor Consort?”
Emperor Consort?
The son of Qin Qing’s cousin, raised in the inner palace, pampered and spoiled. His appearance was delicate and charming, his skin fair and translucent, so tender it seemed water would ooze out if pinched. His personality was pure and harmless, with a hint of timid youthfulness.
Good family background, good looks, and an easily manipulated personality – he was exactly what women liked most.
But Yu Ye dared not say this directly.
“The Emperor Consort’s appearance is not outstanding in the palace. It’s only because he’s the Empress Dowager’s nephew that he was able to enter the inner palace, benefiting from the Empress Dowager’s influence.”
Qin Qing remained silent for a long time.
Yes, Qin Zhengya was his nephew, and he was Qin Zhengya’s uncle. He and Qin Zhengya looked somewhat similar, but Qin Zhengya’s appearance was far inferior to his.
Back then, his fame in the capital was even higher than that of Yue Guanyi, who is now known as the capital’s number one beauty.
But that was only back then.
Qin Zhengya had just turned eighteen this year, while he was nearly thirty, approaching middle age.
Which woman wouldn’t prefer a young, beautiful man?
He held a high position and used the power in his hands to help her advance in her official career step by step. Only then could he receive an occasional word of care from her.
If he didn’t summon her actively, Qiu Shuzhi would never have any connection with him.
But Qin Zhengya was different. It seemed he didn’t need to do anything; just looking with those teary eyes made her take care of him attentively.
“This grieving one… has grown old and ugly.” He laughed self-mockingly.
“That’s not true. The Empress Dowager’s beauty is unparalleled in the capital. Although you’re older than the Emperor Consort, you have much more charm than these immature young men. This is something he can never compare to.”
“Really?” His voice was low, with a hint of insecurity.
“Of course it’s true.” Yu Ye said seriously, “If this servant may say something offensive, among the newly entered beauties in the palace, the most outstanding in appearance is none other than Imperial Consort Lan Xuezhao. Even the most beautiful consort in the harem can’t compare to a ten-thousandth of your charm and beauty.”
“You are a phoenix soaring in the nine heavens. How can those common beauties be mentioned in the same breath as you?”
“Empress Dowager, please don’t belittle yourself. If you consider yourself old and ugly, how can this servant’s old face dare to show itself in public?”
Yu Ye knew that Qin Qing had become insecure and doubtful of himself because of Qiu Shuzhi.
He couldn’t help but resent Qiu Shuzhi. The Emperor Consort was the Empress Dowager’s cousin’s son, and also the Empress Dowager’s son-in-law.
She already had the Empress Dowager, yet she was still unsatisfied and got involved with the Emperor Consort. What kind of behavior was this?
Qin Qing let out a light laugh at Yu Ye’s words.
He unfolded the small portrait he kept by his pillow, tracing Qiu Shuzhi’s brush strokes with his finger, bit by bit.
In the painting, he sat in the mist, his ink-black hair hanging low, a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his lips. The complex light intertwined in his eyes, beautifully perfect.
Qin Qing lowered his eyes slightly. The rich fragrance of roses still lingered on his fingertips.
He carefully put away the painting. “Is Her Majesty still angry?”
“All the porcelain in Qianqing Palace has been smashed. The maids who went in had their heads broken by the porcelain, and some maids had their faces cut by the fragments and ran out covered in blood. The maids are worried about their own appearances and don’t dare to go in anymore.”
“Their faces were disfigured?” He asked, his eyes tilting upwards.
“Yes, Her Majesty seems to be truly furious this time. I’ve never seen her so angry before.”
“What about the Emperor Consort?”
Yu Ye pursed his lips: “The Emperor Consort? Probably still crying in Kunning Palace.”
Qin Qing slowly raised his eyelids: “As the Emperor Consort, he should be comforting the Emperor, not hiding in Kunning Palace crying. What kind of behavior is that? Send him to Qianqing Palace.”
Yu Ye was speechless.
The Empress Dowager must be aware of Her Majesty’s aversion to the Emperor Consort. She was currently in a fit of anger. The Emperor Consort going to comfort her would not only be ineffective but would also add fuel to the fire.
In her extreme anger, who knows what Yue Shen might do. If the Emperor Consort went, what if he ended up disfigured like those maids?
No, that’s not right!
Yu Ye shuddered in fear.
This was exactly what Qin Qing had in mind. He wanted to use Yue Shen’s hand to destroy the Emperor Consort’s appearance, to ruin a man’s most precious asset.
He retreated in horror. A jealous man was indeed terrifying. The usually deeply scheming Empress Dowager would resort to such insidious tricks out of jealousy.
“What? Uncle wants me to go comfort Her Majesty?” Qin Zhengya’s eyes were as red and swollen as a little rabbit’s, his face covered in tears. His delicate appearance was pitiful to behold, yet it didn’t gain even a bit of Yue Shen’s favor.
It was strange. Yue Shen was in the prime of her youth and should have been favoring the consorts in the harem. But apart from Qin Zhengya, she hadn’t touched any of them.
Did Yue Shen really dislike him? If she disliked him, why did she favor only him among all the others?
Yu Ye couldn’t figure it out for a moment.
But he only hoped that Qin Zhengya could weigh things carefully and keep his distance from Qiu Shuzhi, not harboring any inappropriate thoughts towards her.
“Yu Ye Gongzi… could you please tell uncle that I don’t want to go…” Qin Zhengya said with tears in his eyes, his fingers clutching the palace ribbon of the maid behind him, trembling.
Being an Emperor Consort like this was truly one of a kind.
Yu Ye’s expression remained unchanged. If this demeanor was facing a woman, she might have softened her heart long ago, but Yu Ye was a man.
“Emperor Consort, what nonsense are you saying? You are the Emperor Consort. Taking care of Her Majesty is your duty.”
“But…” Qin Zhengya tightly clutched the maid’s clothes, his fingertips turning white with fear.
“There are no buts. Emperor Consort, this is the Empress Dowager’s order. Do you want to defy it?” Yu Ye said firmly.
Qin Zhengya lowered his head, his beautiful clear eyes brimming with tears: “No… This servant will go now.”
“Young Master!” The personal servant Cai Er frantically grabbed Qin Zhengya’s hand.
“It’s alright.” Qin Zhengya wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and forced a smile: “I’ll be back soon.”
On the way to Qianqing Palace, Qin Zhengya was terrified. He had never felt this path so difficult before. As they got closer and closer to Qianqing Palace, the sound of things being smashed became louder and louder.
The palace servants gathered outside automatically made way for him. Qin Zhengya bit his lip and stiffly opened the door.
Broken porcelain and torn silk were scattered all over the floor, making it a mess with nowhere to step.
Yue Shen sat dejectedly on the ground with her back to him, her long hair disheveled, her crown carelessly thrown on the ground as if someone had viciously stepped on it, mockingly highlighting her incompetence.
“Your Majesty-” Qin Zhengya trembled as he approached her.
Yue Shen turned around coldly, her eyes as fierce as a hungry wolf, viciously gripping his neck: “What are you doing here? Have you come to laugh at me too?”
Qin Zhengya struggled to speak: “This servant just… wanted to show concern for Your Majesty-”
“Concern? Would someone from your Qin family be so kind-hearted?” Her voice was filled with sarcastic laughter.
“Oh, what’s the matter with Your Majesty?” The crisp sound of silver bells came from afar, and Lan Xuezhao arrived leisurely in silver attire.
“What are you doing here?” Yue Shen made no effort to hide the disgust in her eyes for these men.
“I heard Your Majesty encountered danger outside the palace. This servant was worried about Your Majesty and came to check on you. Why is the hall in such a mess? Where are those servants? They’re truly blind!” Lan Xuezhao’s body emitted a faint fragrance, indescribable yet pleasant.
“You go back. I don’t need outsiders to serve me,” she said coldly.
Lan Xuezhao smiled slightly, his bewitching eyes tilting upwards like light smoke: “Once in the palace, this servant is Your Majesty’s man.”
“Brother, how can you be so careless? There are fragments all over the ground. Be careful not to hurt yourself.” Lan Xuezhao helped Qin Zhengya up from the ground: “Your Majesty, this younger brother will serve you here. You should return to Kunning Palace first.”
Qin Zhengya had been forced to come in the first place. Being able to escape from Yue Shen, this woman with a penchant for abuse, was exactly what he wanted. He left without looking back, not even wondering why Lan Xuezhao, who was supposed to be an enemy, would speak up for him.
He had just returned to the palace, and the evening meal hadn’t even been served when news came from Qianqing Palace.
Imperial Consort had served in the bedchamber.
He sat rigidly at the table, motionless. Ling Sha, the servant sent by Qin Qing to serve him, thought he was depressed because Imperial Consort had served in the bedchamber and shared the imperial favor. So she advised, “Emperor Consort need not worry. Imperial Consort serving in the bedchamber is just a stroke of luck. As long as we seize the opportunity, we can still regain the Emperor’s favor.”
Qin Zhengya pursed his lips, stirring the chicken soup in his bowl: “I understand.”
He appeared depressed, but in his heart, he felt fortunate that he didn’t have to serve that vicious and brutal woman.
Having survived the ordeal, he touched the bruises still lingering on his wrist. Even now, a light touch sent a sharp pain through him. All the grievances of the past few days overflowed, and tears fell into his bowl.
People say that Her Majesty dislikes and despises him, but how could Qin Zhengya not feel the same?
He was disgusted by Yue Shen, afraid of Yue Shen, and terrified of Yue Shen. She had shattered all his expectations for marriage. Every night, he would wake up from nightmares, his pillow soaked through.
His wife-master shouldn’t be like this.
This wasn’t how it was described in the story books. His wife-master should be a gentle and polite woman, renowned throughout the capital for her talent and beauty. She wouldn’t hit him or torture him. If he cried, she would comfort him in a soft voice, cherishing him as if he were a treasure in her palm, just like… He suddenly felt warm, and Qiu Shuzhi’s image floated into his mind.
