Chapter 51: The Empress Dowager Needs to be Coaxed

Qin Zhengya never imagined that his every move would be seen clearly by Yue Shen. He staggered back a step, his whole body falling into the water, the ice-cold water rushing in with a splash.

Yue Shen jumped into the water, her long hair soaked by the cold water, like a chilling poisonous snake spreading around her.

She grabbed his chin, the hatred in her eyes heart-wrenching: “Tell me, when did you start getting close to her? How did you seduce her step by step?”

She knew Qiu Shuzhi’s character all too well. She never took interest in male companions, and didn’t even have a bed-warming servant by her side. If it wasn’t for Qin Zhengya seducing her, taking the initiative to talk to her, she absolutely wouldn’t have gotten so close to him.

It was all because of him!

She looked down at Qin Zhengya imperiously. Soaked by the water, he looked pitiful and delicate. The more soft and pitiful he looked, the more she wanted to flay him alive, rip out his tendons, chop off his limbs and turn him into human swine.

She was surrounded by a bunch of sycophantic beasts, only Qiu Shuzhi made her feel a warmth and trust she had never experienced before, but he actually wanted to snatch away even this bit of warmth from her!

“Is this how the Qin family taught you? I’ve only neglected you for a few days, and you’re already so impatient that you secretly seduce my officials?”

Qin Zhengya felt like his jaw was about to be crushed by her. Yue Shen’s terrifying gaze made him tremble with fear, tears streaming uncontrollably: “No, I didn’t seduce her, there’s nothing between us.”

“Nothing between you?” Yue Shen sneered: “Qiu Shuzhi might be innocent.”

She looked at him with utter contempt: “But you? Failing to seduce Qiu Shuzhi, who’s next? Jiang Si, Gu Zheng? You’ve only been Empress for a few days, yet you’re so bold. I’m afraid soon all the court officials will be your paramours. I should really call your parents here to see what a promiscuous son they’ve raised.”

“No, no, Your Majesty please, please don’t say that, don’t tell my parents. I, your servant, didn’t do anything, I really have no relationship with Official Qiu.” Qin Zhengya begged miserably. A man’s reputation was more important than anything. He had only spoken a few words with Qiu Shuzhi, never expecting to be so misunderstood and humiliated by Yue Shen.

“What right do you have to cry!” Yue Shen scolded angrily: “I’m the one being cuckolded, yet you have the nerve to cry? Do you want me to apologize to you?”

Yue Shen flung him away, angrily taking out a handkerchief to wipe her hands, as if she had touched something filthy.

She hated him so much, she wanted to strangle him right there!

Yet she couldn’t say anything, and could only use the excuse of being cuckolded to rebuke him, to make him break off his relationship with them, but she absolutely couldn’t reveal any feelings for Qiu Shuzhi.

Qin Zhengya was soaked through, shivering, biting his lip to keep from crying out, only letting out a suppressed sob. He knelt in the water, pleading: “Your Majesty, I beg you, don’t tell my parents, don’t let others know.”

Qin Zhengya knew that regardless of whether there was really any ambiguity between him and Qiu Shuzhi, as long as Yue Shen believed it, even if there wasn’t, there was.

The two of them would forever be labeled as an adulterous couple, the name of infidelity would be forever branded on him. How could he, who had studied male virtues and precepts since childhood, bear such unwarranted humiliation? And how would his parents view him?

He was terrified, even though he feared Yue Shen, he still pulled at her sleeve, begging her humbly.

“I’ll give you a chance this time, I won’t tell others, but…” Yue Shen stared at him coldly, her eyes sharp as a knife.

A glimmer of hope flashed in Qin Zhengya’s eyes: “Your Majesty, please speak. As long as you don’t tell others, your servant is willing to do anything.”

“Really?” She looked at Qin Zhengya kneeling beneath her like a dog.

“Absolutely true, whether it’s climbing a mountain of knives or diving into a sea of fire, your servant is willing.”

Yue Shen sneered: “You don’t have that capability. You just need to do what an Empress should do, mind your own eyes, don’t look at people you shouldn’t, don’t say things you shouldn’t, and don’t set your sights on Qiu Shuzhi again. If there’s a next time, I’ll personally brand the word ‘lewd’ on your face.”

Qin Zhengya was just a pawn of the Qin family, pure, weak and easy to manipulate. Except for making him uncomfortable on their wedding night when forced by Qin Qing to consummate the marriage, she hadn’t mistreated him.

But he absolutely shouldn’t have had improper thoughts about Qiu Shuzhi. How could someone like him dare to covet such a person?

She already despised men, and now it had developed to the point where she felt uncomfortable even touching one. She wouldn’t deliberately torment him, she just wanted Qin Zhengya to continue behaving himself, and they could enjoy peace between them. Maybe in the future when she seized power, she could change his name and send him out of the palace to find a good match.

As long as he didn’t snatch Qiu Shuzhi away.

“Your Majesty, rest assured, your servant will definitely not say another word to Official Qiu, I will definitely keep my distance from her.” Qin Zhengya hurriedly said.

Yue Shen’s cold eyes swept over his face: “You’d better.”

Qin Zhengya had finally been saved from the brink of death, but he was still worried. With Yue Shen’s unpredictable and violent temperament, if she was this harsh to him, wouldn’t Qiu Shuzhi’s fate be even worse? Besides, Yue Shen already disliked Qiu Shuzhi.

He didn’t dare imagine Qiu Shuzhi’s fate. Biting his lip, he said: “Your Majesty, Official Qiu really has no relationship with me, she was just trying to help me out of kindness. Could you perhaps show mercy—”

Cold eyes intimidated him, Yue Shen’s tone turned strange: “It seems you really care about her?”

“No, your servant just doesn’t want a good person to be wronged.”

Yue Shen’s expression suddenly changed, she said viciously: “You don’t need to worry about her affairs. If you dare ask another question about her, I’ll take her life right now.”

Qin Zhengya’s face turned pale as he shut his mouth.

Returning from the Cool Pool, Qin Zhengya’s wet body was curled up in Yue Shen’s arms, his eyes red as if he had been crying, with blue and purple marks on his neck. Anyone could see at a glance that the Empress had been well “loved” by Her Majesty.

Cai Er looked heartbroken, he knew his master was always in pain after serving in bed, Her Majesty was very rough with him.

Yu Ye, on seeing this, smiled with joy. He didn’t care if Qin Zhengya’s body was in pain, as long as he served in bed it was good news, it meant they were one step closer to conceiving an imperial child.

He briefly instructed a few words, then hurried back to the main tent to tell Qin Qing this good news.