Chapter 58 The Empress Dowager Is Jealous The Empress Dowager Is Jealous

Qin Qing looked at Yue Guanyi’s retreating figure with a bland expression, his eyes as deep as a bottomless pool.

“Official Qiu.”

Qiu Shuzhi raised her head, instantly meeting his unfathomable gaze.

A pair of exquisitely well-maintained hands reached out to her, fingers tucking the messy hair by her ear behind it. His voice was as gentle as a quiet stream: “Help this grieving one back to the tent.”

Qiu Shuzhi lowered her eyes and quickly supported his arm. “Yes.”

Qin Qing was still ill, his body weak and powerless as he walked, leaning almost his entire weight on her.

As they neared the tent, the cold night wind blew, scattering Qin Qing’s loose long hair. His ink-black hair was soft and lustrous, carrying a faint fragrance. Having just experienced a calamity, the surrounding voices were clamorous. Especially in the northwest direction, where many servants had gathered.

Qin Qing tightened his collar and suddenly stopped, facing northwest. He asked slowly: “Does Official Qiu know what’s happening over there?”

Hearing the constant piercing screams coming from that direction, Qiu Shuzhi made a rough guess: “It should be Noble Consort Jing being punished.”

Qin Qing said gently: “Death by a thousand cuts, each cut making one wish for death. It’s truly a pity, those without brains don’t live long in the palace.”

Qiu Shuzhi couldn’t quite grasp Qin Qing’s meaning: “Noble Consort Jing got what he deserved.”

“Got what he deserved?” A cold smile appeared at the corner of Qin Qing’s lips: “Indeed, he got what he deserved.”

He reached out, his cool fingertips caressing the scratch on her cheek left by Noble Consort Jing. That reckless scoundrel had actually left a clear bloody mark on her face. Just looking at it made his heart clench: “Does it hurt?”

Qiu Shuzhi lowered her head, taking half a step back: “It doesn’t hurt. This humble official still has the soft jade ointment bestowed by the Empress Dowager. It will heal after applying it when I return.”

Qin Qing nodded lightly. Listening to Noble Consort Jing’s heart-wrenching screams, it seemed like he was hearing the most pleasing music: “Noble Consort Jing offended the official, having such an end is indeed getting what he deserved.”

A trace of sadness appeared on her face. To be executed by a thousand cuts for scratching her face? Her face must be extremely precious then.

She knew Noble Consort Jing was innocent, that he was a scapegoat for the real mastermind behind the scenes. But for now, she couldn’t investigate clearly who the real mastermind was. The Qin clan? The forces of the King of Dian? Or some rebel organization? Regardless of which it was, what Yue Shen needed now was to quickly quell this matter, then investigate secretly.

Suddenly, Qin Qing chuckled softly. Hidden by the wide sleeves of his robe, he lightly pinched the soft flesh of her palm. Her heart jolted in surprise, only to hear him say intimately by her ear: “Come in, this grieving one has something to ask you.”

Qiu Shuzhi nodded silently. It seemed Qin Qing had also sensed something unusual about this matter.

She first helped Qin Qing into the tent, but Qin Qing spread his arms.

Qiu Shuzhi froze in place.

Qin Qing smiled, pursing his lips, and called out gently: “What are you standing there for? Come help this grieving one undress.”

Qiu Shuzhi stood dumbfounded for quite a while, not understanding his intention.

Seeing her wooden reaction, Qin Qing smiled slightly. Then suddenly remembering she was not yet married and this might be her first time undressing a man, joy welled up in his heart, and his voice became even softer: “This grieving one is still dizzy and weak. Come help remove my outer robe.”

Qiu Shuzhi then woodenly stepped forward. Standing behind him, she stiffly removed his heavy ink-black robe, revealing the snow-white inner garment beneath. The inner garment was thin, and the sash tied at the waist accentuated the contours of his figure.

Qiu Shuzhi stood holding the removed outer robe, still warm from his body heat, stiff as a board, not knowing whether to continue holding it or put it down.

“Why have you stopped?” Qin Qing slowly turned around. The thin fabric, slightly wrinkled, appeared somewhat disheveled. The collar of his robe was also loosely open, his chest rising and falling slightly with each breath. A bright red birthmark on his collarbone, like a red plum blossom in snow, bloomed shyly, particularly eye-catching.

Qiu Shuzhi’s gaze swept over calmly, taking two seconds to realize what that red mark was, then hurriedly moved her gaze away in shock.

In the Great Qi nation, males would apply cinnabar below their collarbone at the age of seven to prove their purity. It wouldn’t fade with water or heat, and would only naturally disappear after losing one’s virginity. It was called the “virgin mark”.

This was what Qiu Qiushuang had told her, but since she had never married, she had only heard of such things but never seen them in person. It took her a moment to realize what it was.

She never imagined that her first time seeing the legendary virgin mark would be on the body of the current Empress Dowager. It was truly life-threatening!

Even ordinary men would be so ashamed they’d jump into a river if strangers saw their virgin mark. And what she saw wasn’t an ordinary man, but the current Empress Dowager…

If she hadn’t reacted quickly, her career would probably end right here.

No, she should be joining Noble Consort Jing right now!

“No- nothing, I- this official- will give you-” For the first time, Qiu Shuzhi stumbled over her words, nearly biting her tongue.

“You!” Qin Qing sighed, using his finger to lift her chin.

Qiu Shuzhi’s eyes trembled as she looked up, meeting his bewitchingly gentle gaze.

“Just helping this grieving one undress makes you so nervous. Earlier, the Crown Prince cut off Noble Consort Jing’s jade hands right in front of you, yet you praised him for it. Could it be that this grieving one is more frightening than the Crown Prince, that living King of Hell covered in sin?” He looked at her with an ambiguous smile, his voice gentle yet with an indescribable sour tone.

Qiu Shuzhi shook her head repeatedly, her hair tie falling to her chest: “This humble official absolutely did not mean that.”

“Is that so?” Qin Qing’s fingers twirled around her fallen hair tie, winding it around his hand circle by circle, his eyes revealing a hint of interest.

“Yes- yes.”

“Then let this grieving one ask you.” He pulled on her hair tie and sat softly on the couch, forcing Qiu Shuzhi to kneel on one knee on the ground, her upper body leaning forward to meet his watery gaze: “Who is better, this grieving one or the Crown Prince?”

“…Naturally, the Empress Dowager is better.”

“Really?” The joy spreading in Qin Qing’s eyes was unconcealed, with less shrewd calculation and more pure innocence.

Qiu Shuzhi slowly nodded: “Of course.”