Chapter 5 Promotion and Salary Increase, The Self-Deprecating Male Lead

Qin Qing smiled carelessly, the corners of his lips slightly raised as he changed the subject: “I wonder what plans Your Majesty has for the Qin Shu case?”

“Qin Shu is the legitimate daughter of the Qin family, she could have any man she wanted, how could she possibly force a flower boy? She must have been framed and is unable to prove her innocence. I suggest sending Qin Shu as an envoy to Baiyue to atone for her crimes through meritorious service.”

Yue Shen immediately glared at Qiu Shuzhi kneeling on the ground, then showed a troubled expression: “Being framed is just Qin Shu’s excuse to escape punishment. Her actions at the Zuixin Lou were witnessed by so many people. Making her an envoy would probably fail to appease public anger.”

Qin Qing curled his lips in a smile, his expression light and slightly mocking: “Qin Shu is the legitimate daughter of a high official and an important minister of the state. Her every move affects the fate of the country. That person was merely a brothel courtesan, it doesn’t matter if he died.”

Yue Shen’s face stiffened, not because of his belittling of the flower boy, but because of his phrase ‘affects the fate of the country’. This country had long become the Qin family’s country, how could she tolerate these ambitious wolves?

“If that’s the case, then let’s follow Father Empress’s words.” She said through gritted teeth, her gaze like an icy blade viciously cutting into Qiu Shuzhi’s flesh.

Qin Qing closed the black-boned gold-painted fan in his hand, tapping the tip lightly in his palm. His gaze finally fell languidly on Qiu Shuzhi: “The Four Books and Five Classics are the words of the sages. What Official Qiu taught was not wrong. As the Son of Heaven, Your Majesty should study the ancient sages well and set a good example for your subjects.”

He gave Yu Ye a look, and Yu Ye, quick-eyed and deft-handed, immediately stepped forward to help Qiu Shuzhi up.

Qiu Shuzhi had been kneeling on the ground for too long, and when she stood up, her knees were unsteady and she nearly fell.

Qin Qing’s hand gripping the fan bones tightened: “Careful!”

Yu Ye hurriedly wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her.

“Thank you,” Qiu Shuzhi said softly to Yu Ye.

Yu Ye released his hand and retreated to Qin Qing’s side, his delicate face flushed red.

Seeing Qin Qing’s earlier reaction, Yue Shen’s smile turned cold: “Father Empress seems to favor Official Qiu greatly.”

Qin Qing smiled carelessly, the corners of his lips slightly raised: “I naturally want to cherish talent for Your Majesty.”

“Cherish talent?” Yue Shen’s tone was low and unclear.

“I believe Official Qiu’s scholarship and character are first-rate. It’s really a waste for her to be just a lecturer scholar. Why not promote her to Hanlin Academy Scholar?” he said slowly.

Hanlin Academy Scholar, an official position of the fifth rank.

Unlike the previous Hanlin Academy Companion, the Hanlin Academy Scholar was responsible for drafting imperial edicts for the emperor. Although now most of the power was in the hands of the cabinet, compared to the previous powerless position of lecturer scholar, the position of Hanlin Academy Scholar not only promoted her official rank but also essentially put power into her hands.

“I am lacking in talent and learning, I cannot take on such an important task,” said Qiu Shuzhi. She understood that Qin Qing was returning the favor, but she had only been in office for a few days and was already being promoted one rank.

She did not want to advance so quickly, as rapid promotion in officialdom would only make others envious.

Yue Shen smiled, almost writing the word ‘contempt’ on her face: “Since Father Empress recommends you, then let you be the Hanlin Academy Scholar.”

“Official Qiu need not be so modest, this position can only be filled by you.”

Qin Qing looked at the cold and aloof Qiu Shuzhi before him. Originally, he had intended to bring her into his camp now, but since her attitude was not yet clear, he let her remain in the Hanlin Academy, leaving her in Yue Shen’s hands.

Yue Shen’s attitude now clearly showed that she already detested her deeply. Only if Yue Shen continued to make things difficult for her would Qiu Shuzhi be more determined to lean towards the Qin family.

Qiu Shuzhi, a scholar from a humble background, had been promoted one rank after just a few days in office. The fifth rank was an official title that many old hands in the political arena could only dream of. Being so young and promising, her future prospects were limitless. Some people, smelling opportunity, began to curry favor with her, sending gifts which she rejected one after another.

There was even an unknown madman who stuffed a bar of gold into her house without leaving a name, making it impossible for her to return it even if she wanted to.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to draft an edict, Qiu Shuzhi brought this matter up with Yue Shen.

Yue Shen said indifferently: “If they give it to you, just keep it.”

“I dare not.” Yue Shen’s casual and familiar tone almost made Qiu Shuzhi’s brush stroke unsteady. How could the ruler of a country encourage officials to be corrupt?

At this moment, Yu Zhi was not in the imperial study. He had been sent away by Yue Shen on some pretext, and without this spy, Yue Shen spoke without restraint.

“In today’s Da Qi, corruption is rampant, the officialdom is dark, and the people can barely make a living. The money they send you, which one of them hasn’t embezzled it? Rather than letting them squander this money, it’s better to give it to you.” When Yue Shen said this, her tone was sincere, her bright eyes black and shining: “How can you maintain the dignity of an official in the capital with just that meager salary from the court? You should keep this money.”

Qiu Shuzhi still refused, her slightly stubborn gaze as clear and transparent as a cold pool.

Yue Shen smiled. The more aloof Qiu Shuzhi was, the more she liked her in her heart.

Since ancient times, no monarch has disliked a loyal and uncorrupted minister. Her refusal, in Yue Shen’s eyes, was not defiance of imperial favor, but a pure and lofty scholar who had accidentally fallen into the mortal world under the fluttering snow of winter, a noble person destined to assist her imperial fate.

Since she was a noble person who had descended to the mortal world, how could she be allowed to live in poverty?

Yue Shen’s tone was slightly forceful, her delicate and childish face also unyielding: “This is the emperor’s order.”

Qiu Shuzhi felt helpless at the young emperor’s childishness. Since ancient times, when has there ever been corruption by imperial decree? But since Yue Shen had said so, she couldn’t disobey her anymore.

When corruption becomes the norm, integrity becomes a sin. If she wanted to go far in her official career, she couldn’t maintain complete integrity, she needed to deal with various factions in the court.

In the end, Qiu Shuzhi compromised: “I can accept the gifts, but these are originally the property of the empire. I will definitely return them in full in the future.”

Yue Shen’s eyes froze for a moment, then she burst into laughter. This was the first time in her more than ten years that she had laughed so heartily.

She was originally an unpopular princess in the palace, with a father of humble origins, always at the mercy of others. After the struggle for succession, the Qin family used her as a puppet to control the government. She was just a piece of meat to be slaughtered at will.

Only Qiu Shuzhi truly respected her.

Coming out of the imperial study, Qiu Shuzhi prepared to walk slowly back to the Hanlin Academy. A procession of people came marching towards her, wearing richly embroidered official robes, with embroidered spring swords at their waists, carrying a sedan chair behind them. The curtains of the sedan chair were thick and opaque. The procession of people passing through the palace gate was like a dark cloud pressing down, their aura intimidating.

Qiu Shuzhi consciously retreated to the wall, preparing to make way for these imperial guards.

Chang’an, who was leading, had sharp eyes and saw her. He quickly ordered the procession to stop and ran to the sedan chair to say something.

The heavy curtain was lifted by a pair of slender white hands, revealing an extremely beautiful but pale face.

He quickly walked to Qiu Shuzhi and made a deep bow: “Greetings to Official Qiu.”

Qiu Shuzhi was flattered: “Your Highness is too kind to this lowly official.”

She looked at the official robe on Yue Guanyi’s body. He seemed to have been very busy recently, his figure was much thinner than a few days ago, and his hands were still wrapped in gauze.

“How is the wound on Your Highness’s hand recovering?” she asked.

Yue Guanyi kept his head bowed extremely low, his hand that Qiu Shuzhi asked about unconsciously clenched: “It’s better.”

His answer was dry, without any vitality. After these three words, the air stagnated for a moment.

Qiu Shuzhi felt a bit awkward, but Yue Guanyi showed no sign of leaving, so she had to make small talk: “Your Highness works so hard for Da Qi, you’ve lost a lot of weight. You must take good care of your health.”

Yue Guanyi lowered his head even more, the pearls on his hair ornament shaking slightly, hiding his excited and uncontrollable emotions at this moment.

She was concerned about him, she was paying attention to him. Amidst the chaos in his heart, a warm and sweet feeling welled up because of Qiu Shuzhi’s polite concern.

He made an almost imperceptible sound of agreement, afraid that if his voice was even slightly louder, it would reveal his excited emotions.

Since reuniting with Qiu Shuzhi, he had been desperately trying to hide his dirty thoughts, but it was simply impossible. Years of love hidden in his heart, even if he didn’t say it out loud, every move, even a finger, even a glance could reveal his love.

He didn’t dare to say more than a word to Qiu Shuzhi, afraid that his worthless tongue would say something thoughtless and offend the untainted her.

He was even more afraid that Qiu Shuzhi would discover his hidden dirty thoughts, so he always tried to keep his distance from Qiu Shuzhi, to keep himself away from her.

But every time after he made up his mind, as long as there was even a little news about her, he would involuntarily approach her, just like a fish instinctively craving water. If he left that clear pool of water, he would suffocate and die.

He was filth living in a dark gutter, yet he foolishly yearned for Qiu Shuzhi, this bright light. He didn’t dare hope for this light to illuminate him, he just wanted to look at the afterglow of the light from afar.

“Then this humble official will take her leave.”

Yue Guanyi watched Qiu Shuzhi’s back as she walked away, until Chang’an gently reminded him in his ear. Only then did he wake up as if from a long dream, and returned to the palace in a daze.

He took out a pure white handkerchief from his bosom, which was exactly the one Qiu Shuzhi had given him that day. He had always kept it close to his heart, never parting with it day and night, even when sleeping.

When he missed her, he would take out the handkerchief and sniff the faint cold fragrance remaining on it. That barely perceptible cold fragrance passed through his internal organs, merged into every drop of his blood, weaving an absurd dream for him, making him want to drown in it.

“Shuzhi, Qiu Niang,” he buried his head in the handkerchief and called out the name he thought of day and night in a suppressed and seemingly cathartic low cry.

His gaze inadvertently caught sight of his own reflection in the bronze mirror on the dressing table, his thin and pale face, his obsessed and frenzied expression like a madman. Cold sweat broke out on him, and the bronze mirror fell to the ground.

Chang’an heard the commotion and thought something had happened, so he hurriedly came in.

He saw the usually calm and steady Crown Prince frantically searching for something on the dressing table.

“Your Highness, what are you looking for? Let Chang’an help you!”

“Where are my rouge and powder?” Yue Guanyi asked, pinching his arm.

Rouge and powder?

“Your Highness, you’ve forgotten, you haven’t worn makeup since you returned to the palace.”

Since Yue Guanyi had returned from among the common people, he had always gone bare-faced, never using rouge or powder. Why was he suddenly looking for these things?

Yue Guanyi covered his face in despair. The person in the mirror was pale and thin, with dark circles under his eyes, as pale as a ghost. How could he have let her see such an ugly appearance of himself? She must have been frightened.

“Your Highness works so hard for Da Qi, you’ve lost a lot of weight. You must take good care of your health.”

Qiu Shuzhi’s words from earlier poured into his brain, making him slap himself twice in the face. He hit himself hard, and his face immediately turned red. He couldn’t even understand such a tactful reminder, and was still delighted thinking she was concerned about him.

Chang’an was truly frightened. He’s gone mad, truly gone mad.

He hurriedly grabbed Yue Guanyi’s hand: “Your Highness, what are you doing?”

“Go and buy me the best rouge and powder in the capital, quick! Quick!” Yue Guanyi shouted angrily.