Chapter 28 Rewards Rewards

“Stripping naked and crawling into bed to offer yourself, This Palace has never seen such a shameless man.” If not for considering that Qiu Shuzhi was still present, he truly wanted to tear apart this cheap hoof on the spot, his tone also extremely suppressed.

Rui Zhu’s tears flowed continuously, hiding behind Qiu Shuzhi and weakly clutching her sleeve: “I, I just admire the lady, want to repay the lady’s kindness to me, even if as a slave or servant, working as an ox or horse, I am willing.”

Yue Guanyi’s eyes burned with boiling fire.

To be a slave or servant, to work as an ox or horse, this was an extravagant hope he didn’t dare to think of, yet it was lightly uttered from this lowly person’s mouth. Qiu Niang was kind and benevolent, but her rear courtyard was not a place where any withered flower or defeated willow could freely enter and exit.

“Kindness?” Qiu Shuzhi asked in confusion.

Rui Zhu placed her hand on his chest: “My lady, have you forgotten? Zhou Hu and the others were all arrested for stealing ore, and I also regained my freedom, all because of you, my lady. You saved me.”

Qiu Shuzhi dared not touch his skin, silently withdrawing her hand: “Since you have regained your freedom, go back and live a good life with your brothers.”

Rui Zhu’s hand, like a snake, once again clung to her arm, as if he couldn’t live without her, tears falling incessantly: “My lady, I am a son sold by my mother, even if I return home I will only be despised, perhaps even sold again. I am a man without any support, my lady, I beg you to be kind, please take in Rui Zhu, Rui Zhu is willing to do anything.”

Yue Guanyi could no longer hold back, stepping forward to swat away his hand, his night-dark official robe standing between them.

He turned his back to Qiu Shuzhi, the sea waves and cloud cliffs embroidered on his back seemingly coming to life with his fierce undulations, his long hair scattered behind him sweeping her empty fingertips, smoother than silk.

“I have never seen a son from a proper family who would cling to a woman and not let go, and even rush to warm someone’s bed.” He bit his root fiercely, his beautiful eyes stabbing at him, not even looking at whether his own broken body was qualified.

Rui Zhu trembled, frightened by the fierce light in his eyes.

“Enough, he is also driven by livelihood, wanting a place to shelter from wind and rain,” Qiu Shuzhi spoke.

In a matriarchal society, a man without the protection of his maternal family, and with his wife-master arrested, had no skills to support himself except selling his body.

Rui Zhu wept with joy, immediately kneeling on the ground: “Thank you for your mercy, my lady.”

As he spoke, he raised his eyes, provocatively challenging Yue Guanyi with a glance.

How could such a man enter the Qiu family’s door? Just as Yue Guanyi was about to intervene, he heard Qiu Shuzhi say: “Don’t rush to thank me, I have no intention of taking you in.”

Rui Zhu’s smile immediately vanished: “Then what do you mean?”

Yue Guanyi’s slender eyes narrowed slightly, instantly understanding the meaning of her words: “There is an embroidery house in the capital that specifically takes in homeless men, teaching them embroidery to master a skill. This Palace could send you there.”

“I don’t……” Rui Zhu’s face immediately turned ugly.

Yue Guanyi dangerously narrowed his eyes: “What? Just now you said you could work as an ox or horse, how come now that you have a chance to be a person you are unwilling? Could it be that you’re used to being an animal?”

Rui Zhu’s tear-filled eyes glared at him: “That’s not what I meant, I just—”

“This official also thinks Your Highness’s suggestion is excellent.” Seeing this person about to cling to her, Qiu Shuzhi quickly followed Yue Guanyi’s words.

“My lady!” Rui Zhu threw himself on the ground, trying to grab her skirt, but Qiu Shuzhi avoided him.

Yue Guanyi gave a faint eye signal, and Chang’an, understanding, came forward and forcibly carried Rui Zhu away, ignoring his pleas.

“Thank you, Your Highness, for helping with Rui Zhu’s matter,” Qiu Shuzhi said. “If Your Highness hadn’t intervened to help, I really wouldn’t have known how to deal with it.”

Yue Guanyi smiled softly: “No need for thanks, leave the rest to me.”

These were things he should do; he dreamed of removing all the flies surrounding her, not leaving a single one.

“He is also a pitiful man, please take good care of him, Your Highness,” she instructed.

“Alright.” Yue Guanyi smiled dryly, his throat feeling as if someone had poured hot coals into it, the more he swallowed, the more fiercely it burned.

Chang’an dragged and pulled Rui Zhu out of the courtyard. Rui Zhu still wanted to resist, but Chang’an raised his hand and gave him a hard slap.

That fawning, innocent, and weak appearance was most likely to arouse women’s pity and love. If it weren’t for Qiu Shuzhi’s presence earlier, he would have laid hands on him long ago. Now that they were in the back courtyard, no matter how loudly he screamed, Qiu Shuzhi wouldn’t hear, so he unleashed his full strength and slapped him hard.

The delicate Rui Zhu was no match for the trained Chang’an. One slap made him see stars, half his face swelling up instantly.

Chang’an finally felt a bit of satisfaction. This was the consequence of competing with his master for a woman.

“Stop.” A clear voice came from behind.

“Your Highness, how do you want to deal with this person?”

Yue Guanyi coldly glanced at the fragile man lying on the ground: “Naturally, send him to the embroidery house.”

“But—” Chang’an exclaimed in shock: “This man just tried to climb into Qiu Shuzhi’s bed, are you letting him off just like that?”

Returning kindness for enmity? This wasn’t Yue Guanyi’s style. Not flaying Rui Zhu’s skin was already considered merciful.

Yue Guanyi’s eyes lowered, tinged with a layer of hazy sorrow.

His Qiu Niang was still so kind, even carefully planning for the future livelihood of a man who attempted to climb into her bed.

Just like many years ago, when he was about to lose his virginity after being sold to a brothel for fifty taels of silver by a slave trader, she pawned the bracelet on her hand to buy him out, preserving his purity.

“He is also a pitiful man, please take good care of him, Your Highness.” The gentle words kept repeating in his ears, the tinnitus piercing his eardrums, screaming and boiling in his cochlea.

He was unwilling, he was unwilling.

A fierce fire choked and burned in his throat, every breath tearing him to pieces. He didn’t want to hear any man’s name from her mouth, didn’t want to see her pity for any man.

When she said those words, he wanted to kneel at her feet, kiss her toes, cry and beg like Rui Zhu, wagging his tail.

Qiu Niang, don’t pity him, look at me, look at me!

His admiration for her had seeped into his bones, like the pain of cutting flesh and scraping bone. The more painful, the deeper it became, and the more intense his hatred for Rui Zhu grew.

The veins on his forehead bulged as he exerted all his strength to resist the urge to trample Rui Zhu’s face, his eyes emitting a cold light as sharp as knife blades: “Take him away tonight, and never let Qiu Shuzhi see him again.”

He had promised Qiu Niang not to mistreat him. Even though his heart was filled with a sea of jealousy and towering waves, he would not do anything to harm Rui Zhu.

He didn’t have Gu Zheng’s ability to deceive superiors and subordinates. He was an evil slave at Qiu Niang’s beck and call, and a loyal dog prostrating at her feet. Even if he committed all kinds of evil deeds, he would never disobey her in the slightest.

The next day, Qiu Shuzhi returned to the capital with the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s team. This time she went to Yanshun County and successfully managed a long-standing problem in Shuntian Prefecture. Her political achievements were significant, and those officials in the court who had been criticizing her for serving with her looks no longer dared to look down on her. They were all speculating how high Qiu Shuzhi would climb after this meritorious service was rewarded.

Only Gu Zheng’s attitude towards her remained cold, not mentioning this matter even in the memorial he submitted.

When Qin Qing was reviewing and marking the memorials in red, he didn’t see Gu Zheng’s memorial mention Qiu Shuzhi at all, deepening his resentment towards her.

“Go and call Her Majesty here,” he said, putting down the pile of memorials in front of him.

Soon after, Yue Shen rushed over from the Imperial Study: “Child greets Father Empress.”

Qin Qing smiled, his expression indescribably gentle: “No need for formalities, rise.”

He arranged for Yue Shen to sit beside him, with memorials covering the table around them, the Dian King’s memorial being the most conspicuous.

“May I ask why Father Empress has summoned me?”

Qin Qing sighed lightly, handing the Dian King’s memorial to her.

Yue Shen looked at the memorial, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper until she burst out in anger: “This Jiang Sui actually disregards the imperial court’s orders, delaying the tribute matter again and again, and even detaining Qin Shu in the Dian King’s mansion. Does she want to drag down the Great Qi Empire?”

Qin Qing’s lips curled slightly, concealing a deep meaning: “Your Majesty, don’t be hasty. The Dian King relies on Dian’s remote distance from the capital to dare be so arrogant, but our Great Qi won’t perish without those tributes.”

Yue Shen was confused: “Didn’t the Ministry of Revenue say the national treasury was depleted? If this continues, what will we use for disaster relief during this year’s drought?”

“Does Your Majesty still remember Qiu Shuzhi?”

At the mention of her, Yue Shen’s face darkened even more: “Why bring her up out of the blue?”

Qin Qing smiled, his slender fingers lightly tapping on the sandalwood table: “She was previously sent to Yanshun County to deal with the rampant ore theft that had persisted for years. Now, all the ore thieves in the area have been completely cleared out, which can greatly alleviate the pressure on the national treasury. It’s truly a great merit.”

Yue Shen exclaimed in delight: “Really? If that’s the case, she indeed deserves a great reward.”

“Of course it’s true. How could what I say be false?” Qin Qing picked up a nearby silk fan and smiled lightly.

“Father Empress usually uses a black-boned fan made of rare metal. Why are you using a silk fan today?” Yue Shen looked at the round fan in his hand, knowing that he had broken the fan in a fit of anger that night, but still asked knowingly.

“I grew tired of that fan after using it for so long, so I changed it.” Qin Qing casually found an excuse to dismiss it, then continued to ask: “How does Your Majesty wish to reward Qiu Shuzhi?”

“This……” Yue Shen put on a troubled expression, as if just casually mentioning it.

“I heard that Qiu Shuzhi comes from a humble background. Although she holds the fifth rank, she still rents a house in the capital. She has solved an urgent problem for Great Qi, Your Majesty should also solve her difficulties,” Qin Qing leaned back in his chair, his gentle features carrying a hint of hidden forcefulness.

“What does Father Empress mean?”

Qin Qing said unhurriedly: “I think we should grant her an official residence.”