Chapter 81 The Little Tricks of a Newly Married Husband

She wiped away the glistening moisture from the corner of his eye, her fingertip stained with a hint of remaining red from his eye’s edge, and smeared it on his lips, as vivid as a lush camellia in full bloom.

Her fingertips reflected a rouge color, sliding from his neck to his chest and collarbone, causing his soul to tremble wherever they touched, like desire and addiction.

She leaned forward, sealing his lips, the air filled with the sound of a long, lingering kiss. Two silhouettes behind the gently swaying bed curtains concealed the impending release of spring’s sensuality.

The red candle flickered, its faint light illuminating Yue Guanyi’s smooth body. The engraving on his chest appeared even more alluringly beautiful at this moment, burning like a fierce flame on his snow-white skin.

Yue Guanyi’s eyes welled up with a hazy mist. He had been waiting for this moment for far too long… An inexplicable fire ignited in his chest, flowing and surging through his blood, transmitting the fervent and passionate excitement of this moment throughout his body, to every corner.

He lay beneath her, her long hair falling from her shoulders, brushing across his flushed face. The ends of her hair fell onto his body, the soft strands lingering seemingly imperceptibly on his skin.

His clothes had long been shed, but Qiu Shuzhi’s attire remained intact. The sash at her waist had been clumsily tied into a dead knot by him, impossible to untie. Only her neckline was slightly open, revealing glimpses of snow-white flesh beneath the red garment. Her typically cold eyes were now tinged with tenderness, dotted with his currently embarrassing reflection.

Yue Guanyi bit his lip, suddenly feeling a strange sense of shame amidst the dreamy, numbing sensation as if floating in the clouds.

At this moment, Qiu Niang was like a sacred deity. Even in the act of intimacy, he still felt that Qiu Niang was separated from him by clouds, mist, mountains, and seas – so close yet forever out of reach.

Her gaze was clear, her clothes intact, with only a hint of tenderness in her eyes like scattered stars, and her disheveled hair – which he had messed up earlier during his shameless plea for affection.

He was completely naked, shamefully exposed under her gaze. At this moment, he was no different from those young male prostitutes he had seen in brothels during his youth – fawning and ingratiating, lowly pleasing and accommodating. If he hadn’t been biting his lip so hard, the sounds escaping his mouth would have been even more seductive than those of a brothel’s most prized courtesan.

He clenched his hands tightly, his whole body trembling with tension. At this moment, he felt even more unworthy of someone as good as Qiu Niang.

Moonlight shining into a dark gutter was his salvation in the sewer, but to the moonlight, it was filth. He was that filth.

“What are you thinking about? Not focused even at this time?” Qiu Shuzhi wrapped her arm around his waist and gently bit his soft earlobe.

The tingling sensation from his earlobe was intoxicating, like a ray of light penetrating his confused and unclear world. The gray, hazy world was easily dispelled by her light.

“Thinking of Qiu Niang-” He gazed at Qiu Niang with infatuation, his lower lip bitten so hard it left a deep wound, the blood stain moistening his thin lips, the iron-rust taste of blood spreading in his mouth.

Qiu Shuzhi chuckled softly: “Am I not right here?”

Yue Guanyi shook his head, his black hair in disarray, the infatuation in his eyes growing deeper.

He looked at the softness so close at hand, his fingertips twitching slightly, a sinful thought flashing in his eyes – pain, entanglement, and finally landing on the lotus pattern embroidered on her clothes. For him, in the gutter, being able to touch the hem of her garment was already an honor.

Qiu Shuzhi leaned forward slightly, using her lips to gently remove the blood from the corner of his mouth, her hand tenderly caressing his thin, bony back: “Why did you bite yourself until you bled? Just let it out, why hold back?”

Her voice was excessively gentle, making him feel as if he was being lavishly loved by her, even though he knew he was such a lowly person. He had repeatedly warned himself thousands of times in his heart not to be arrogant with favor, lest Qiu Niang develop an aversion to him.

But he was a worm in the darkness who had never glimpsed the light.

If he could see even an inch of sunshine, he only wanted to grasp it tightly, even if this ray of light couldn’t be held firmly.

He bit the soft flesh inside his mouth hard, his crumbling rationality intertwining with constantly growing desire, fusing into a distorted and strange demon in his heart.

He tightly embraced her waist, the cool jade pendant at her waist becoming scorching hot from his body temperature. His eyes gathered a dark intensity as he nestled against her shoulder, his voice soft and sticky, very much like whining: “Qiu Niang, the palace servant instructor said that one shouldn’t make sounds during intimacy, otherwise it’s licentious and will make the wife-master dislike it.”

Qiu Shuzhi laughed, speechless. Isn’t this just like that humiliation from her previous life? She didn’t care about these things. However, speaking of which, she was quite curious about what a man’s moans sounded like, whether they were as exquisite and passionate as those of women in her previous life.

She gently patted his back: “No need to mind that. Do whatever you want, I like it all.”

I like it all.

These words struck Yue Guanyi’s hidden, suppressed point of excitement. He desperately hugged and kissed her, his toes curling in spasms. He wanted to belong completely and thoroughly to Qiu Niang alone, to have his body branded with marks bestowed by Qiu Niang, to be imbued with Qiu Niang’s scent.

Qiu Niang was his deity, and he was the pet offered to the deity for play. As long as Qiu Niang liked it, he was willing to do anything.

A night of passion, deep affection.

Early the next morning, when Yue Guanyi opened his eyes, the first thing he did was look beside him.

Qiu Shuzhi was still in deep sleep, her sleeping face defenseless before him, her features even more gentle and soft.

The red candles had burned out, their tears filling the candlesticks. The soft red curtains in the room were in disarray, and the double-petaled lotus flowers on the candlesticks were blooming beautifully under a rosy hue.

Thinking about how he had boldly used all his skills to seduce Qiu Niang to love him yesterday, like a male prostitute trying to keep a customer, using all the techniques taught by the most prized courtesans to please Qiu Niang, he felt his face burning hot with shame.

He pinched the soft flesh on the inside of his hand hard, using the pain to wake himself up. He couldn’t allow himself to continue thinking like this.

He was a new husband, just married into Qiu Niang’s family. On the first day of their marriage, he must perform well in front of everyone.

He knew how much humiliation Qiu Niang had endured to marry him, because of his cruel and fierce reputation and his position second only to one person. Both in the streets and at court, people believed he was abusing his power, forcing the noble and virtuous Qiu Niang to marry him using his high official position.

Yue Guanyi slowly smiled as he caressed the engraving on his chest. Actually, what they said wasn’t wrong.

He indeed only barely caught Qiu Niang’s eye because of his status, but he would never dominate over Qiu Niang at home or act tyrannically over his wife-master as the rumors outside suggested.

If not for the political situation forcing him, he would have long ago not wanted to mingle in those places crowded with women. He only wanted to stay obediently in the rear palace, bear children for Qiu Niang, and take care of Qiu Niang’s daily needs meticulously like a slave, letting Qiu Niang know he was a qualified principal husband.

He gently lifted the red curtain and looked at the sky outside the carved window. It seemed to be just about the hour of Mao (5-7 am).

He carefully got up, afraid his movements would wake the sleeping Qiu Niang, but last night’s uninhibited indulgence had left a trace of soreness on his body, with red marks still remaining on his knees from the previous night.

Yue Guanyi pressed his lips tightly together, enduring the soreness in his knees as he stepped barefoot onto the floor. Only this way could he avoid making any sound that might disturb Qiu Niang’s rest.

He changed into a plain, clean set of clothes and sat at the dressing table to apply some light makeup. In the flower-shaped mirror, his complexion was still as pale as before, but his phoenix eyes were full of spring light, rippling like spring water. He looked like he had been well-nourished by a woman, not needing makeup to have the appearance of spring blossoms.

Yue Guanyi put down the eyebrow pencil in his hand and stroked his slightly reddened face. All of this was the grace bestowed upon him by Qiu Niang.

He was about to stand up when he suddenly remembered that a new husband should pay respects to his in-laws after the wedding. But Qiu Niang’s parents had passed away early, so today he could only pay respects to her cousin.

That bastard Qiu Qiushuang, last time he almost fell for his trap, nearly becoming Qiu Niang’s male concubine.

Yue Guanyi picked up the eyebrow pencil he had just put down. Since he was going to see Qiu Qiushuang, he definitely couldn’t lose to that mute.

In terms of family background, he couldn’t compare to himself, and in terms of appearance, he was even more mediocre. The only reason Qiu Niang was good to him was because he was her only relative.

Qiu Qiushuang relied on this relationship, monopolizing Qiu Niang for so many years, even taking care of all of Qiu Niang’s daily needs.

Yue Guanyi’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. Now that he had married into the family, he was Qiu Niang’s principal husband. It should be his duty to serve and attend to Qiu Niang, not needing to go through that bastard’s dirty hands.

The light makeup was finished.

Yue Guanyi wore a snow-cyan colored robe, elegant but not dull. His fair skin was like frost on white dew, his eyebrows like distant mountains veiled in mist, and his phoenix eyes were even more glistening and rippling. The beauty that had always been suppressed under the gloomy official robes finally fully displayed the charm of the capital’s number one beauty.

He pressed his lips together, looking at Qiu Shuzhi’s silhouette inside the red curtain… hoping that Qiu Niang would like it when she woke up.

After he finished dressing, the sky was still gray, with quite a while before full daybreak.

He directly knelt beside the bed, waiting to serve Qiu Niang when she woke up to wash and dress.

After kneeling for about half an hour, Yue Guanyi’s knees began to ache sharply. Having held a high position for years, except for putting on a show of kneeling before the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, this was the first time he had knelt for so long.

But just thinking that all of this was to serve Qiu Niang filled his heart with joy.

Qiu Niang’s breathing was steady inside the red curtain. Yue Guanyi gathered his courage and lifted the bed curtain.

Her slender jade fingers appeared glistening in the faint light, lying amidst a sea of bright red, like a beautiful piece of jade, making one’s heart yearn to peek.

Yue Guanyi pressed his lips together, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

He carefully observed Qiu Shuzhi for a while, then quickly placed a light, moist kiss on her beautiful fingertips.

The beautiful fingers moved slightly, inadvertently brushing against a red date that had fallen beside her hand. Yue Guanyi stood up straight, afraid that his presumptuous action had woken Qiu Niang.

But fortunately, she only moved a little and didn’t wake up.

Yue Guanyi breathed a sigh of relief. Even though she was already his wife-master, he still felt like he was having an illicit affair, afraid of being discovered.

The red date that Qiu Shuzhi had touched rolled to the edge of the bed, lying quietly in front of Yue Guanyi.

A red date touched by Qiu Niang… Yue Guanyi’s expression became slightly intoxicated. He seemed to uncontrollably pick up that red date and put it in his mouth, biting open the fruit flesh between his teeth.

Yue Guanyi touched his flat lower abdomen, his face flushing red as if pricked by needles. He must bear children for Qiu Niang as soon as possible.

Qiu Shuzhi had a good night’s sleep and turned over, finding the pillow beside her empty.

She opened her drowsy eyes and propped herself up.

Through the bed curtains gently swaying in the cool breeze, in the remaining glow of the red candles, she saw the beautiful silhouette of a person kneeling silently outside, arousing pity.

Qiu Shuzhi became half awake and lifted the bed curtain: “What are you kneeling outside for?”

Yue Guanyi raised his head, his lips bearing the gentlest smile: “This husband is waiting for the wife-master to wake up. It is the duty of a husband to rise early and serve the wife-master.”

Although his reputation was not chaste, he had memorized “Male Virtues” and “Male Instructions” by heart, knowing that this was the responsibility of being a good husband.

Qiu Shuzhi looked at the sky outside. It wasn’t fully light yet, probably around 5 o’clock. Even though ancient people were used to rising early, doing this day after day at such an hour was truly exhausting, especially since Yue Guanyi was also responsible for the affairs of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and was already overworked.

She suddenly felt like a cruel and tyrannical feudal landlord, and Yue Guanyi was the pitiful concubine she had forcibly bought. Her heart was full of guilt, but oddly enough, Yue Guanyi didn’t seem to feel this way, and instead appeared to relish it.

She took his hand and pulled him up from the ground to sit on the bed: “From now on, you don’t need to wake up so early to serve me.”

She thought Yue Guanyi would be happy to hear this, but to her surprise, he became flustered.

“Qiu Niang, did I do something wrong?” His voice was as taut as a kite string.

If Qiu Niang doesn’t want him to serve her, then who does she want to serve her? Qiu Qiushuang? A flash of jealousy and hatred passed through Yue Guanyi’s eyes.

Qiu Shuzhi cupped his face and lightly tapped his forehead: “Yue’er is very good, I just can’t bear to make you get up so early.”

Can’t bear?

Yue Guanyi was so excited he almost tore the corner of his clothes. Was Qiu Niang worried about him?

Qiu Shuzhi yawned lightly. Yesterday’s wedding had kept her busy all day without rest, and then they had been up until late at night. She had only slept for two or three hours and hadn’t fully woken up. She thought Yue Guanyi must be in the same state.

She wrapped her arm around his soft waist and exerted a little force, causing both of them to fall onto the bed.

“It’s still early, let me sleep a bit more with you.”

Yue Guanyi leaned into her embrace, feeling the soft touch before him, his face flushing red.

He also wanted to continue serving Qiu Niang in bed like this, but…

“But, Qiu Niang, according to custom, I should go pay respects to your cousin early this morning, greet him and offer tea.”

Qiu Shuzhi pinched his willow-like waist, thinking of how pliable his waist had been yesterday, as if it could be snapped in two, and smiled slightly: “Don’t worry, our family is not like other grand households with numerous rules. You don’t need to get up so early to pay respects to my elder brother.”

Moreover, she had specifically told her cousin yesterday that they would be getting up later today.

Our family… Yue Guanyi trembled all over at her casual words, his lips quivering for a long time unable to speak. This would be their home from now on, his and Qiu Niang’s home.

He took a deep breath, drawing warmth from Qiu Shuzhi’s disheveled clothes. After a long while, he slowly raised his head.

“But I’ve just married into the family. If I’m late in paying respects, won’t your cousin be angry? Will he be displeased with me?”

Qiu Shuzhi smiled: “Don’t worry, my cousin isn’t that kind of person.”

“That’s good.” Yue Guanyi seemed to relax and nestled in Qiu Shuzhi’s embrace. Hidden within, the corners of his phoenix eyes lifted slightly, and the corners of his lips curled up in satisfaction.