Chapter 35 The Empress Dowager Gets Jealous The Empress Dowager Gets Jealous

Qiu Shuzhi hurriedly closed his lapels, covering the carved characters on his body.

She instinctively glanced towards the door, where Chang’an was dozing while leaning against the doorframe. She immediately let out a sigh of relief, pretending she hadn’t seen anything.

But that character kept appearing in her mind, refusing to go away. The character ‘Shu’ was carved extremely deep, stroke by stroke, the knife’s path fierce. Just looking at the scars on his body, one could imagine how much determination he had at that time.

In the dim, hazy lamplight, Qiu Shuzhi slightly lowered her head, her long hair falling and covering his body, looking at Yue Guanyi immersed in a beautiful dream with an inquisitive gaze.

The next morning, Yue Guanyi’s fever finally broke.

However, before Yue Guanyi could exchange a few words with her, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing issued an imperial edict, urgently summoning both of them to the palace.

Yue Guanyi, being the eldest prince, had already been prepared an extremely luxurious carriage by the palace attendants who announced the edict. Even after entering the Forbidden City, he had a palanquin for transportation, with layers upon layers of silk gauze as curtains, thin as cicada wings yet able to block the wind.

Qiu Shuzhi, as an outside official, could only walk to Qingning Palace.

Entering the familiar palace again, Qin Qing sat in the main seat, unlike his usual casual and leisurely demeanor, his eyes were cold and indifferent. The lingering smoke of agarwood incense scattered around his black gold-embroidered robes, the ink-colored clothes almost merging with the dim light behind him, his eyes indifferent and full of oppression.

“This subject knows her crime, please punish me, Empress Dowager.” As soon as she entered, Qiu Shuzhi knelt on the ground, her forehead touching the cold tiles on the floor, her respectful and humble attitude beyond reproach.

Qin Qing’s hand tightened slightly on the folding fan, the apricot blossoms painted on the fan face almost crushed in his hand. He stepped forward, his clothes as black as thick ink falling beside her lowered hand, like a bottomless abyss suddenly overturning.

“You say you have committed a crime, then tell me, what crime have you committed?”

“This subject did not take good care of His Highness the Crown Prince, causing him to fall into the water and develop a high fever that almost cost him his life.” She answered methodically.

“That’s not what I’m asking!” His voice was hoarse, his gaze piercing.

Qiu Shuzhi raised her head in surprise, meeting his aggressive eyes.

Qin Qing’s eyes gradually turned cold, far from his usual gentle and leisurely appearance. Perhaps this was his true face.

“I ask you, when the Crown Prince fell into the water, why didn’t you send him back? Why did you keep him in your mansion?” The dense black of his pupils crashed straight into the bottom of her eyes, stirring up everything in her gaze.

“Because the doctor said His Highness should avoid the wind after falling into the water. This subject intended to let him rest in the guest room first, and after His Highness’s condition stabilized in the afternoon, send him back and then beg for your punishment.”

Qin Qing stared intently at her eyes, unwilling to miss even the slightest emotion in them: “Is there nothing else?”

After Yue Guanyi fell into the water, he stayed in her residence for a whole night. They were both unmarried, and staying under the same roof, rumors had already spread in the palace, and he couldn’t help but worry, fearing those rumors might come true.

He had been maneuvering through the treacherous court for over ten years without fear, but this time, the rumors made him experience the taste of panic for the first time.

Qiu Shuzhi raised her eyes: “This subject doesn’t know what else the Empress Dowager is referring to. When His Highness fell into the water, this subject knew she had committed a great offense and was prepared to be punished by the Empress Dowager. Even if thrown into Zhao Prison, this subject would willingly accept it.”

The emotions in Qiu Shuzhi’s eyes were completely visible to him. The pure, unadulterated feeling in her eyes, transparent to the bottom at a glance, immediately put Qin Qing at ease.

It was good that she hadn’t developed feelings for him.

As the tense nerves suddenly relaxed, a sense of languid fatigue washed over him, and the sharp look in his eyes receded like the tide, returning to his original calm and indolent demeanor.

“When did I say I was going to punish you?” His tone softened slightly, smiling carelessly: “And you presumptuously want to enter Zhao Prison, is that place somewhere you can stay?”

“But this subject has indeed offended His Highness.”

Qin Qing’s fingertip lifted her chin, his finger pad rubbing the soft flesh, his eyes showing some interest: “But the Crown Prince personally said it was he who fell into the water and had nothing to do with you. Secretary Qiu, don’t take all the blame upon yourself, it’s not worth it. Do you know how the court officials are discussing you now?”

Qiu Shuzhi’s eyes froze for a moment before she replied: “This subject does not know?”

Qin Qing smiled lazily, the scent of agarwood surrounding her, enveloping her tightly: “Flattering, pursuing power and profit, serving with beauty.”

Qiu Shuzhi’s eyes sank: “These rumors and slanders, this subject has heard them before. A straight body fears no crooked shadow. Let them say what they will. This subject doesn’t deign to argue.”

“Then do you know, when this matter reached Her Majesty’s ears, she threatened to kill you.” He looked at her with composed interest.

Qiu Shuzhi remained neither servile nor overbearing: “If the ruler wants the subject to die, the subject shall offer her life!”

“Your temperament!” Qin Qing’s smile was lazy but without a trace of impatience, instead his interest seemed to deepen.

Every moment with Qiu Shuzhi could make him genuinely happy and relaxed. He smiled, half of his body leaning against her side, his ink-colored robe casually piled on the ground, and he handed her several memorials: “These are the memorials sent this morning, take a look at what they say.”

Qiu Shuzhi opened the memorial and looked, a chill immediately spread from her tailbone to her entire body.

“What does Secretary Qiu think?” Qin Qing’s eyes were lazy, the corner of his lips slightly curved, extremely close to her, his voice low and alluring: “Marrying the current Crown Prince, the most noble man in Da Qi besides me, the entire Jinyiwei would be his dowry to you, a blessing that many desire but cannot obtain.”

Qiu Shuzhi’s forehead was covered in cold sweat. Asking her to marry Yue Guanyi, she must be tired of living.

Although she had seen the carved characters on Yue Guanyi’s chest last night and was clear about Yue Guanyi’s feelings for her, hearing these words from Qin Qing’s mouth always felt like a snake tempting one to commit a crime, with a bottomless trap behind.

She hid the thoughtful look in her eyes and hurriedly said in panic: “Empress Dowager, this subject has never had such presumptuous thoughts. This subject and His Highness the Crown Prince are pure and innocent, heaven be my witness!”

Qin Qing chuckled: “Look at you, I’m just showing you the memorials from other officials, and you’re already scared like this.”

“This subject just doesn’t want to be misunderstood, and even more doesn’t want His Highness’s pure reputation to be insulted.”

Qin Qing’s body softly leaned against her side, using his sleeve as a handkerchief to wipe the thin sweat on her forehead: “I know you are kind and benevolent, I’ve already suppressed this matter for you, you don’t need to panic.”

“But rest assured, the Crown Prince’s reputation may not be as pure as you imagine, marrying him might instead tarnish your reputation.” His eyes showed a hint of arrogance and contempt from above.

The suggestive words invisibly degraded Yue Guanyi’s image, making him appear increasingly base in Qiu Shuzhi’s eyes. Only in this way would Qiu Shuzhi, who had studied Confucianism from a young age and valued male virtue, not have any good feelings towards him.

Qiu Shuzhi thought to herself, there really isn’t a bit of human warmth in the Forbidden City. Yue Guanyi is after all the son of Qin Qing’s elder brother, yet he has to be belittled like this by his own uncle (stepfather). No wonder Yue Shen, at such a young age, has already seen the coldness of the world.

Even though she thought this, her eyes still pretended to show a look of confusion and incomprehension.

Qin Qing lowered his brows and smiled, slowly saying: “In any case, stay away from the Crown Prince in the future, it’s good for you.”

“This subject understands, thank you for your guidance, Empress Dowager. Then about the Crown Prince’s illness……”

Qin Qing raised an eyebrow, smiling ambiguously with a hint of jealousy in his voice: “What, still thinking about the Crown Prince while by my side? Since Secretary Qiu is so concerned about him, why don’t I give you permission to visit Fengyang Pavilion now?”

“This subject didn’t mean that, it’s just that His Highness’s incident happened in this subject’s residence, and this subject has been feeling deeply guilty.”

Qin Qing helped her up from the ground, dusting off the dirt on her sleeve, his voice low and murmuring: “Let this matter pass. With me in charge, no one in the court can say anything against you. You don’t need to feel guilty either, he fell into the water himself. You not blaming him for causing you such trouble is already a great kindness. In the future, except for official business, you are not allowed to have any extra interactions with him.”

Every moment Yue Guanyi spent by Qiu Shuzhi’s side was another moment of threat to Qin Qing.

Men naturally harbor hostility towards another young and handsome man, instinctively eliminating all threats, and even someone as noble as Qin Qing was no exception. He didn’t care whether Yue Guanyi was his elder brother’s blood or not. Growing up in a big family, he was indifferent and cold towards blood relations and family affection, having little feeling even for his elder brother.

In Qin Qing’s eyes, everyone in the world fell into three categories: those who could be used, those who couldn’t be used, and lastly, Qiu Shuzhi.

Regardless of whether these rumors were true or false, Qin Qing had become wary of Yue Guanyi. If Yue Guanyi truly had those kinds of thoughts towards Qiu Shuzhi…… His eyes narrowed, filled with danger and oppression.

Coming out of Qingning Palace, Qiu Shuzhi was still immersed in Qin Qing’s dangerous eyes, his warning still ringing in her ears. It seemed she must keep her distance from Yue Guanyi, otherwise it would be extremely unfavorable for Yue Guanyi’s position as well.

Suddenly, a force pulled her entire body into a nearby alley. Qiu Shuzhi reacted extremely quickly, immediately grabbing the other person’s collar and turning the tables, her five fingers tightly gripping their neck. However, when she met the other person’s round eyes, she withdrew her hand as if scalded by boiling water.

“This humble servant greets Your Majesty.” Qiu Shuzhi knelt on one knee and cupped her hands.

“No need for formalities.” Yue Shen rubbed her slightly sore neck, her round eyes showing no annoyance at being hurt, but instead smiling: “I didn’t expect Secretary Qiu’s martial arts to be so good.”

“Your Majesty flatters me.”

When the Qiu family was wealthy, they had specially invited a master to teach her martial arts. Even after the family fell on hard times, she never neglected her practice for a single day.

“Since you were promoted to Shuntian Prefecture, I haven’t seen you. You’ve become thinner than before. Has the Empress Dowager been giving you a hard time?” Yue Shen’s slightly chubby face was soft and tender, her tone gentle and unlike that of an emperor, more like a caring younger sister concerned about her elder sister.

Qiu Shuzhi silently shook her head: “Does Your Majesty have any instructions for suddenly seeking me out?”

Yue Shen’s baby face instantly darkened: “Secretary Qiu, I want you to do something for me.”