Chapter 82 Everything He Has Belongs to Qiu Niang, Including Power and Influence
“Young Master, it’s already this late, are you still going to wait?”
In the main hall, Qiu Qiushuang sat upright and nodded. He was dressed properly and elegantly, only his expression showed a slight unnaturalness.
Yu Lian, the servant attending to Qiu Qiushuang, said softly: “Young Master, this slave thinks you’d better not wait anymore. The Family Matriarch and the Master Husband are newlyweds, passionately in love, I’m afraid they won’t come to pay respects.”
The phrase “passionately in love” almost pierced Qiu Qiushuang’s ears, and the clear, moist light in his eyes dimmed.
Yu Lian’s heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly tried to remedy: “What kind of person is His Highness the Crown Prince? He married into our Qiu family, I suppose he won’t follow the etiquette too strictly. Why should you bother with him?”
Qiu Qiushuang looked at the empty main hall outside and gestured: “You’ve all been up early to serve me and must be tired. Go and rest. I’ll wait here a bit longer.”
“But… His Highness the Crown Prince… Why do you need to wait for him anymore?”
“Whether he comes to pay respects or not is his business. At least I should fulfill my duties properly to avoid criticism. It’s just that now that the Crown Prince has entered the household, I fear life won’t be easy for you servants.” His delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, his watery eyes filled with worry and contemplation, a pitiful sight to behold.
Hearing Qiu Qiushuang speak like this, Yu Lian suddenly felt sorry for him: “Young Master, you’re too pitiful. He’s only been married in for a day and already dares to show you attitude!”
Yu Lian was naturally straightforward, and seeing Qiu Qiushuang so aggrieved and accommodating, he couldn’t help but feel indignant for this master who had always been good to him.
“Don’t say such things!” Qiu Qiushuang hurriedly covered his mouth: “You know the Crown Prince’s temper. If he hears this, your life will be forfeit. Even I won’t be able to save you then.”
Yu Lian nodded, but in his heart, he became even more dissatisfied with Yue Guanyi.
He had served Qiu Qiushuang for a long time and knew that Qiu Qiushuang was extremely kind to the servants. The servants all hoped that the future master of the household would be a gentle and kind master husband. Almost everyone in the Qiu household had been certain that the future master husband would undoubtedly be the Young Master, but who knew a Crown Prince would suddenly appear.
It was said that the Crown Prince held great power and was cruel and vicious in his methods. Whoever offended him would be flayed alive, have their tendons pulled out, be dismembered, and have their bones picked clean. He was as ruthless and cruel as a vicious ghost.
Although Yu Lian was a servant, servants had their own small thoughts too. Compared to the cruel Crown Prince who killed for pleasure at the slightest provocation, the entire Qiu household hoped that the Young Master would become the primary husband, if only to keep their lives.
Yu Lian sighed softly. Since the Crown Prince had married in last night, all the servants in the household had been living in fear, afraid that if they offended this living King of Hell in any way, they would die without a burial place.
Just as he was about to leave, a servant from outside suddenly came to report that His Highness the Crown Prince had arrived.
Yu Lian immediately felt his breath catch in his throat. He hurriedly hid behind Qiu Qiushuang, afraid of drawing the attention of that fierce ghost.
Shortly after, Qiu Shuzhi led Yue Guanyi into the main hall.
Yu Lian stood behind Qiu Qiushuang with his head lowered, cautiously glancing at Yue Guanyi.
Rumor had it that although His Highness the Crown Prince was known as the most beautiful person in the capital with his flower-like face and moon-like countenance, he was arrogant and ruthless, with cold eyes and brows, and a terrifying aura of killing intent constantly surrounding him. Just one look would make people’s legs go weak.
But seeing him today shattered his impression of the Crown Prince. He had expected a beautiful but venomous person, but who knew he would be so attractive.
Dressed in an elegant snow-cyan robe, his skin was snow-white and delicate. His thick black hair was tied up with a white jade crown, the rest lazily draped behind him. His long phoenix eyes were deep and rippling with emotion, yet also carried a hint of cold aloofness that kept others from daring to approach. Only when facing the Family Matriarch Qiu Shuzhi did his thin lips slightly curve into a smile.
Such a beauty walking into the main hall made one feel as if dazzling light was shining on people. Qiu Qiushuang appeared dim in comparison.
“Cousin, we’re late. Did we keep you waiting long?” Qiu Shuzhi came forward and said.
Qiu Qiushuang hid the grievance in his eyes and forced a smile, gesturing: “Not long, I just arrived as well.”
Seeing Qiu Qiushuang say this, Yu Lian felt even more sorry for him in his heart and couldn’t help but say: “In response to the Family Matriarch, the Young Master has been sitting here since the Mao hour (5-7 am), he has been waiting in vain for two hours.”
Qiu Qiushuang nervously pulled Yu Lian back, signaling him not to speak out of turn. But in his heart, he was very satisfied. What he valued about Yu Lian was his simple-mindedness and straightforwardness. Some things he couldn’t say himself, Yu Lian could say on his behalf.
He had deliberately acted aggrieved and magnanimous in front of Yu Lian earlier, making Yu Lian feel sympathy for him. He had also subtly mentioned that Yue Guanyi was cruel and vicious, and that the servants’ lives would be difficult in the future, in order to win Yu Lian over. Now, Yu Lian’s every action was within his calculations.
“Two hours?” Qiu Shuzhi was somewhat surprised.
“Cousin’s husband Yue Guanyi pays respects to Cousin. It was my laziness today, dragging Qiu Niang along, that caused us to be late in paying respects. Please don’t blame us, Cousin.” Yue Guanyi bent his knees and performed a grand curtsy to Qiu Qiushuang.
He was of noble birth, and Qiu Qiushuang was not Qiu Shuzhi’s parent. Just bending his knees in a curtsy was already a great honor for Qiu Qiushuang.
His action appeared very sincere, which surprised Yu Lian somewhat.
“Cousin, this matter is not his fault. It was I who kept him in bed before we got up to eat.” Qiu Shuzhi, unwilling to let Yue Guanyi take all the blame onto himself, hurriedly explained.
Qiu Qiushuang’s hand hidden in his sleeve clenched tightly, his eyes dark with intense emotion. Yue Guanyi’s actions had disrupted his plans, and he had to maintain a proper smile.
“You are newlyweds, it’s normal to be a bit late. Your Highness, please rise. You are of noble birth, Qiushuang is just a commoner. You are overwhelming me with your courtesy.”
Saying this, Qiu Qiushuang gently helped him up.
Yue Guanyi smiled faintly: “There’s no need to talk about overwhelming or not. Although I am a prince, once I entered the Qiu family’s door, I am just Qiu Niang’s husband. It is only right for me to pay respects to you. Cousin, please don’t be concerned because of my status.”
Just then, a servant brought tea to Yue Guanyi. He took the teacup and offered it to Qiu Qiushuang.
“Cousin, please have some tea. In the future, please take care of your younger sister’s husband.”
The words ‘younger sister’s husband’ were emphasized particularly heavily, yet Yue Guanyi’s gentle and calm tone was so proper and appropriate that one could not find any fault with it. Qiu Qiushuang looked at his ‘good brother-in-law’ with gritted teeth. He drank the hot tea in one gulp, his mouth filled with bitterness.
Qiu Shuzhi looked at the scene before her with satisfaction.
Her husband was gentle and virtuous, her cousin was kind and tolerant. Although she had been somewhat dissatisfied with Yue Guanyi’s past in the brothels earlier, she had quickly accepted it.
She had originally thought there might be some estrangement between them, but now it seemed she had worried unnecessarily. The back courtyard would be harmonious in the future.
After paying respects with tea, Qiu Shuzhi took Yue Guanyi back to the bedroom. The messy bedding had already been tidied up by the servants, the burnt-out red candles had been removed, but the red bed curtains and the ‘double happiness’ characters pasted on the windows still showed yesterday’s festive atmosphere.
Yue Guanyi looked at the empty table, his eyes slightly dimmed.
“What’s wrong?” Qiu Shuzhi gently embraced him from behind, her hands clasped around his waist.
Feeling the softness pressed against his back, Yue Guanyi’s spine instantly stiffened.
Warm breath came from the back of his neck, gently stirring the hair behind his ear. The tingling sensation made him bite his lip involuntarily.
“Your Highness.” A soft voice came.
Qiu Shuzhi quickly withdrew her hands, pretending as if nothing had happened. Yue Guanyi turned away even more shyly, his ears as red as cooked shrimp.
She looked towards the source of the voice. A man in red clothes had entered. His thick black hair was adorned with a silk peony flower pinned at an angle, and the intense red clothes made his skin appear fair and flawless. The color, which should have been seductive and gorgeous, seemed to suit him perfectly naturally, his beautiful face dazzlingly lovely.
Qiu Shuzhi looked at him, feeling a sudden sense of familiarity, and asked: “What’s your name? How come I’ve never seen you before?”
Hearing Qiu Shuzhi ask about Jiang Si’s name with interest, Yue Guanyi couldn’t help but turn his head, the warm feeling in his heart instantly doused by half.
In the past, Jiang Si had always appeared in women’s clothing, but his beauty was even more stunning in men’s attire. His own looks were restrained and plain, unlike Jiang Si’s intense and vibrant beauty, with a pair of eyes that could bewitch a woman’s soul.
Had Qiu Niang taken an interest in him?
Yue Guanyi’s fingertips turned red from clenching.
“In response to the Princess Consort, this servant is named Lan Er, and is His Highness’s dowry servant,” Lan Er smiled slightly, his beautiful eyes like a stirred spring scene.
“I see.” Qiu Shuzhi murmured.
Lan Er’s appearance was not at all like a servant’s, but more like that of a young master from a noble family, or a brothel’s most prized courtesan. The moment she saw him, Jiang Si’s incomparably beautiful face surfaced in her mind.
Such a rare beauty… what a pity.
“Barging in so rudely, if you have something to say, say it quickly!” Yue Guanyi gritted his teeth, jealousy surging in his heart.
Just now, when Jiang Si was talking to Qiu Niang, he looked even more seductive than Cool Spring. He truly feared that Qiu Niang might fall for Jiang Si.
“In response to Your Highness, these are confidential documents delivered today by the Imperial Bodyguard,” Lan Er said, his slender fingers holding a stack of sealed documents bearing the Imperial Bodyguard’s seal.
Because of the grand wedding, the young Emperor had granted her and Yue Guanyi three days of leave, but the Imperial Bodyguard’s affairs were numerous and complex, involving hundreds of court officials. There was not a day they could be idle, so the Imperial Bodyguard’s memorials had floated from Phoenix Yang Palace to the Qiu residence.
“The weather is nice today, I’ll go for a walk,” Qiu Shuzhi said.
The Imperial Bodyguard’s informants were spread throughout the country, and the confidential documents were highly classified.
Although she had married Yue Guanyi, official business was official business, and private matters were private matters. She could still distinguish between the two, so she simply made an excuse to go out and enjoy the scenery, allowing Yue Guanyi to review the confidential documents in peace.
“Qiu Niang, don’t!” Yue Guanyi grabbed the hem of her clothes.
He naturally understood that Qiu Niang was being considerate and deliberately avoiding involvement, but he had taken the position of Commander of the Imperial Bodyguard and woven a vast net across Da Qi for the sole purpose of being able to help Qiu Niang one day.
He still remembered, in his childhood, the last time Qiu Niang came to see him at the brothel. At that time, the Qiu family had already fallen from grace, and she told him that she would enter officialdom in the future.
It was precisely because of her words that year that he had struggled in the court for over a decade, enduring years of humiliation and abuse, to reach a position second only to one person and above ten thousand others.
His body was hers, and the power in his hands was also hers. He wanted to offer everything he had to her without reservation.
