Chapter 52 The Little Empress Consort Wants to Rise Up The Little Empress Consort Wants to Rise Up

“Today is my first arrival at the imperial hunting grounds, with many matters to attend to, I didn’t come to visit the Empress Dowager, please forgive me.”

“Don’t choke me with official business, you have no time to see me, but you’re getting cozy with other men!”

Qin Qing glared at her sickly, with a haggard and ill appearance, but his words were even sharper than before. Yet his eyes, misted with moisture, were weak and pitiful, adorably contradictory, causing her to choke slightly.

What Young Master Yu Ye said was right, the Empress Dowager was sick, and his speech had begun to ramble like a child, with awkwardness mixed with sourness.

She lightly pressed her lips: “Whatever you say. But I heard from Young Master Yu Ye that you’re having trouble adjusting to the local conditions, and haven’t eaten all day. Is that true?”

Qin Qing’s eyes reddened slightly, and he nodded.

“This won’t do, you must eat at least a little.”

“But I just can’t eat, I vomit whatever I eat. The things on this damned grassland, I feel sick and want to vomit just looking at them.” Qin Qing clutched his handkerchief, indulging in venting his temper. He didn’t look like the dignified and elegant Empress Dowager at all, but rather like a spoiled lover.

Qiu Shuzhi also knew some medical knowledge, aware that difficulty adjusting to new environments was only a temporary intolerance, and would gradually adapt with time.

“Then drink some light tea, eat some fresh vegetables and fruits, let your stomach adjust these few days before eating meat.” She coaxed gently.

As she spoke, she poured a cup of clear tea and offered it.

Qin Qing originally had no appetite, but seeing Qiu Shuzhi trying so hard to coax him, he finally understood what it felt like to be pampered, and his heart secretly sweetened.

The corners of his lips pulled into a barely noticeable smile. Instead of taking the tea from her hand, he propped himself up and leaned against her side, drinking a sip just like that.

The emerald-green enticing color of the tea, fragrant as a secluded orchid, tasted refreshing in the mouth, with a slight sweetness, yet far from the sweetness in his heart at this moment. The more he drank, the thirstier he felt. Tea flowed from the corners of his lips, dripping onto her fingertips.

After finishing a cup of tea, Qiu Shuzhi naturally put down the teacup, discreetly wiping her slightly wet fingertips on her sleeve.

“Does the Empress Dowager feel better now?”

Qin Qing nodded, his messy hair falling across his handsome profile, the pale color of his lips gaining a hint of blood color from the moistening of the tea.

It seemed even the faintly churning nausea in his stomach had been suppressed by this cup of tea from Qiu Shuzhi, more effective than any miracle medicine.

“Then why not eat some preserved fruits to fill your stomach a bit.” Qiu Shuzhi brought over a plate of small snacks from the side, skillfully kneeling on one knee.

“Get up,” he tugged at her sleeve. “Why keep kneeling on the ground? In the future, there’s no need to kneel before me.”

The grassland’s soil was damp, unlike the imperial inner courts. Kneeling like this for long would hurt her knees, and he felt distressed for her.

“Yes.” Qiu Shuzhi stood up. The soft couch in the tent was very low, and when she stood up, she seemed inappropriately towering, so she thought to step back a few paces.

“You—” Qin Qing grabbed the hem of her skirt, the silk robe spreading like a flower. He immediately blushed, feeling ashamed and angry but not daring to let go, fearing that if he released her, she would distance herself again. “What are you hiding from? Am I that frightening?”

Qiu Shuzhi noticed the change in his tone, as if he was angry. She hurriedly tried to remedy the situation: “The Empress Dowager is not frightening. The Empress Dowager is as beautiful as a heavenly flower.”

“You—” Qin Qing almost lost control of his voice for a moment, blushing at her sudden compliment.

He desperately held back his joyfully upturned mouth, maintaining the Empress Dowager’s demeanor, and patted the edge of the soft couch, coldly commanding: “Sit here.”

“This might not be appropriate.” Qiu Shuzhi hesitated, not daring to approach.

Qin Qing raised an eyebrow, his hand movement becoming heavier: “Come over!”

Qiu Shuzhi was momentarily dazed, no longer saying anything as she stiffly sat down, only perching on the edge of the soft couch.

“You!” Qin Qing sighed, truly a difficult one.

She praised him as beautiful as a heavenly flower, yet wouldn’t take the initiative to get close to him at all. If other women had such an opportunity, they would crawl over even if they had to, but she was just like a block of wood, not getting the hint.

Yet strangely, he felt as if bewitched, craving to be close to her.

“Empress Dowager, please don’t be angry. This humble official just feels her status is too low to be so close to you.”

“I’m not angry.” Qin Qing’s tense voice suddenly softened due to her casual explanation, his ears becoming extremely soft: “Next time— next time don’t disobey me again. I won’t harm you, naturally I think of all the good things for you.”

“Yes.” Qiu Shuzhi lowered her head, her expression unclear.

Qin Qing moved his sore and tired body, inadvertently closing the distance between them. They were very close now, Qin Qing’s messy hair falling onto Qiu Shuzhi’s hand, intertwining with her long hair.

She looked up, meeting a pair of gentle eyes, soft as if filled with rippling lake light.

She blinked, dodging to avoid eye contact.

Qin Qing chuckled softly, picking up a preserved fruit from her hand and taking a small bite. Before he could even start chewing, the acid in his stomach began to churn uncontrollably.

He frowned tightly, not wanting to embarrass himself in front of Qiu Shuzhi, forcing himself to swallow it.

“If the Empress Dowager is uncomfortable, don’t force yourself.” Qiu Shuzhi put down the snacks, concerned.

Qin Qing pressed his lips tightly, his eyes dejected: “Recently, I’ve been unwell, and everything tastes bitter in my mouth.”

“Then why not have some candy?” Qiu Shuzhi took out a few candies wrapped in colorful paper from her sleeve. The bright colors looked very appetizing.

These were all forcefully given to her by Qiu Qiushuang before leaving. If she didn’t accept them, Qiu Qiushuang would get angry. She had fed most of them to the horses along the way, with only a few left.

“What’s this?” Qin Qing was slightly surprised.

Qiu Shuzhi chuckled softly: “These are what this humble official brought from home. The Empress Dowager can eat one to counteract the bitterness.”

Qin Qing’s watery eyes rippled slightly: “Treating me like a child to coax.”

His face reddened, pretending to be disdainful as he spoke, but his hand treasured the candy like a jewel as he unwrapped one that looked even more vibrant than a gem and put it in his mouth. The sweetness seeped in, and like a little fox that had stolen a treat, he smiled contentedly.

Qiu Shuzhi looked at the sky outside and placed the remaining candies in his hand: “The hunting ground guards still need this humble official, I cannot stay here long.”

As she spoke, she stood up to take her leave.

Qin Qing grabbed her sleeve: “Do you remember what I ordered you?”

Qiu Shuzhi lowered her eyes and nodded: “I remember. In three hours, this humble official will come to pay respects to you again.”

Only then did Qin Qing reluctantly release her sleeve, his voice low and affectionate: “Good that you remember… I’ll be waiting for you.”

Walking back from Qin Qing’s tent, one would pass by the main tent of the Emperor and consorts, faintly hearing the teasing voices of the consorts.

Outside the tent, a person wearing light-colored servant’s clothes, with slightly damp long hair, gazed forlornly into the distance, his eyes indescribably sorrowful and pitiful.

Just as Qiu Shuzhi was about to kneel and pay respects, Qin Zhengya seemed to notice her as well.

Before she could kneel, Qin Zhengya acted as if he had seen some terrifying monster, hurriedly turning his back to her, his thin shoulders trembling like butterfly wings.

Qiu Shuzhi was slightly stunned. Was she that frightening? He was so blatantly pretending not to see her.

Despite this, she still respectfully paid her respects, not missing any of the proper etiquette, and then left.

Cai Er saw everything and felt pained. After she left, he hurriedly went to comfort Qin Zhengya, whose eyes had already reddened from silent crying.

“Has she gone?” Qin Zhengya asked in a low voice between sobs.

“She’s gone far away. You didn’t actively provoke her, Her Majesty won’t do anything to you. You don’t need to be afraid.” Cai Er, knowing what had happened to Qin Zhengya, hurried to comfort him.

Qin Zhengya shook his head, crying, tears rolling down: “I’m not afraid, I just— I feel like I’ve wronged her.”

He wiped his tears, turning to look at Qiu Shuzhi’s retreating figure, revealing a bitter smile: “After returning to the palace, I’m afraid I’ll never see her again. It’s better not to see her, to avoid implicating her.”

Cai Er lowered his head, sincerely saying: “Young Master, you’re just too kind-hearted, too lacking in the air of a master.”

Qin Zhengya was weak-natured, so everyone in the palace could bully him. With the master being oppressed, even he as a servant couldn’t hold his head high.

Qin Zhengya’s eyes were full of tears, staring at him wetly: “The male virtues say that a man should not be aggressive. I’ve acted according to what the books say in every word and deed. Where have I gone wrong?”

Cai Er sighed inwardly. Qin Zhengya had done too well, not fighting or competing, not angry or resentful. If it were in an ordinary household, he could naturally live a good life, but this was the palace after all, a place that devoured people without spitting out bones. If one couldn’t stand up for oneself, they would only be pressed down again and again until there was no hope of ever rising.

“Young Master, you are the current Empress Consort! What harm could come from being a bit more assertive?” Cai Er advised earnestly.

Qin Zhengya’s face still bore tear stains, his lips quivering: “But Her Majesty…”

When the master doesn’t stand up, even the servants lose face. Cai Er, both angry and anxious, said: “You are the young master of the Qin family, the Empress Dowager is your cousin, these are all people who can support you! Look how Her Majesty is meek as a quail before the Empress Dowager, and even more respectful before Lord Qin. She only shows her might before you!”

“Let this servant say something unpleasant, even if you were to be aggressive to the end, to be a fierce husband, even if you were to fight with Her Majesty, she couldn’t do anything to you!”

“She can neither punish you publicly, nor possibly send you to the cold palace. At most, she might ridicule you behind your back. You just need to maintain your dignity. If she bullies you, you go complain to the Empress Dowager. In a few days, she’ll naturally settle down… and won’t torment you in bed matters anymore.”

Qin Zhengya bit his lip, his eyes still glistening with tears like a broken moon, shocked as if he had heard something treasonous: “No, I can’t do such things that go against male virtues. I can still endure. As long as I behave myself, Her Majesty won’t come looking for me.”

Cai Er wore a look of exasperation.

Suddenly, his eye caught a glimpse of a distant, cold figure. His eyes rolled: “You can endure, but what about Lord Qiu? Scholars are most proud and cannot be humiliated. What if Her Majesty targets her?”