She had found a beloved so quickly? He wondered which family’s son was so lucky to receive her favor.

She lowered her head and smiled, “You’ve met him before. It’s the Crown Prince.”

Qiu Qiushuang had never seen her like this.

All along, Qiu Qiushuang had been gentle as water, typical of men in a female-dominated country who consider women their whole world, always thinking of her first. He had never made such an agitated move before.

“Cousin, what’s wrong?”

“It can’t be!” Qiu Qiushuang took a deep breath and gestured, holding back his pounding heart.

Although he couldn’t speak, his determined expression couldn’t deceive anyone. His slender fingers were stiff and trembling, each finger gathering his anger, the tips turning white from tension.

It absolutely couldn’t be Yue Guanyi. How could it be him?

That kind of man, that kind of man who came out of the gutters of brothels, how could he be worthy of her!

Back then, he had managed to drive him away with great difficulty. Why did he always linger like a ghost, insisting on clinging to his Shu Zhi?

Qiu Shuzhi frowned slightly, asking in confusion, “Why?”

Without thinking, Qiu Qiushuang half-knelt before her, tightly grasping her hand, “Please don’t marry him, alright? He’s not worthy of you.”

Qiu Shuzhi seemed to understand something.

“Cousin, do you mean to say that His Highness has a humble background?”

Qiu Qiushuang’s heart choked for a moment. It wasn’t just that. Qiu Shuzhi might have forgotten that she had saved someone like Yue Guanyi when she was young, but he clearly remembered how crazy that man was then. His obsession with Qiu Shuzhi was almost to the point of madness.

Yue Guanyi’s current behavior in front of Qiu Shuzhi was far less than a ten-thousandth of what he was capable of. He was just an evil spirit wearing a painted skin.

Qiu Shuzhi held his hand and sighed softly, “Cousin, since you know about his background, you should also have heard why he ended up in a brothel. Falling into the world of courtesans wasn’t his wish. I truly like him.”

Qiu Qiushuang shook his head in disbelief. Qiu Shuzhi’s words didn’t shake his thoughts one bit. Instead, they made him despise Yue Guanyi even more.

As expected of a fox spirit trained in a brothel, he must have given Shu Zhi some kind of love potion to make her like this.

This kind of man who crawled out of the gutter was extremely skilled at pretending. Perhaps now Yue Guanyi would act submissive in front of her, but once he was married into the family, he would reveal his true face. He would use his power to trap Shu Zhi in the cage he had woven, making her his caged bird, singing only for him.

His Shu Zhi was destined to be a phoenix soaring in the nine heavens. How could she restrain her brilliance for a mere man?

No, he had to stop all this.

He bit his lower lip, drawing a drop of blood from the wound, a crimson patch.

“If he truly cares for you, then so be it. But if he’s just looking for an honest person to accept his filthy past, I absolutely won’t allow it.” He lowered his head, seemingly compromising.

Qiu Shuzhi smiled faintly, “Don’t worry, cousin.”

The way Qiu Qiushuang spoke made it sound as if Yue Guanyi was some kind of courtesan looking for an honest person to take over, which she found somewhat amusing.

After the meal, she strolled in the garden. It had been so long since the young emperor had granted her this mansion, but this was the first time she had leisure to enjoy it, tending to flowers and plants, feeding the fish. The days were quite pleasant.

“Master, General Li Mian has come to visit in person,” the messenger boy reported.

Qiu Shuzhi smiled faintly. Since her return to the mansion, the messenger boy had been announcing visitors repeatedly. People from the Imperial Guard had come looking for her, but she had declined them all.

She didn’t expect Li Mian to become restless so quickly and come to her door on her own initiative.

“Please invite her in. I’ll receive her here.”

In the deep courtyard, the garden was quiet. A faint fragrance drifted on the breeze. Qiu Shuzhi stood alone on a small bridge, scattering fish food. Her swaying figure was reflected in the rippling clear pond. Koi carp in the pond fought over the scarce bait, one pressing on top of another, all wanting to reach the highest level to eat the most.

The hunt was over, and Li Mian was already impatient to take back the military tally from her hands.

In this turbulent situation, there were always more wolves than meat. The greater the power, the more stable the position. A fierce battle could break out at any time, and if she didn’t consolidate her power soon, she would eventually become fish food in someone else’s hands.

She had schemed for so long in the Imperial Guard, and the military tally she had finally obtained, how could she easily return it?

“Lord Qiu, you’ve made it so hard for me to find you,” Li Mian walked in wearing armor, her cold and sharp weapons out of place in the gentle southern garden. The sword at her waist carried a hint of killing intent.

Qiu Shuzhi put down the fish food, her smile faint, “After returning to the capital, this humble official has been staying in the mansion. If you wanted to find me, you could have come directly to my residence.”

Li Mian’s smile carried a chill, “It’s not easy to see you now. Since you went on that hunt, your temperament seems to have grown quite a bit upon your return.”

Qiu Shuzhi pretended not to hear the hint in her words, “Not at all. This humble official has always been unambitious and uncompetitive.”

Li Mian snorted coldly, “If you’re so unambitious and uncompetitive, you should return what belongs to others.”

Qiu Shuzhi smiled, pursing her lips. A faint, gentle smile spread from the corners of her mouth, stunningly beautiful like the clear sky after rain, but her eyes were cold and stern, “This humble official doesn’t recall borrowing anything from anyone.”

“Qiu Shuzhi!” Li Mian angrily slammed the stone table, startling birds in the courtyard to sudden flight. “Who do you think you are? Do you think just because you went on one hunt, you can hold onto that military tally? What’s your background? I’ve managed the Imperial Guard for years. Aren’t you afraid that military tally will burn your hands?”

Qiu Shuzhi rested her chin on her hand, “Whether it burns or not, we’ll only know after trying.”

“Fine, you’re determined to turn against me, aren’t you?” Li Mian cursed loudly, “I really misjudged you. You’re indeed as others say, a scheming little person. Who do you think you are? You’re nothing but someone who got to where you are today by flattering and pleasing the Empress Dowager. You may look human, but you’re just a lowly thing serving with your looks.”

“Don’t think you can show off in front of me just because you caught an assassin during the hunt and made some achievements. So what if you’ve made achievements? Do you know who’s backing me? Even without the military tally, I’m still the master of the Imperial Guard. They still listen to me.”

Qiu Shuzhi smiled calmly, the light from the pool reflecting in her eyes, shimmering. She was not affected by her words at all.

Since she entered the Imperial Guard and saw its state, she had been planning to seize power in her heart. Her unambitious and uncompetitive demeanor was all an act. If she truly didn’t want to compete, she wouldn’t have participated in the imperial examinations in the first place, let alone leave the secluded Hanlin Academy to embark on a path of blood and violence.

In chaotic times, not fighting for power meant death.

Moreover, if the Imperial Guard in its current state wasn’t rectified soon, it would eventually become completely useless. By then, forget about contending with the King of Dian, they might not even be able to withstand a civilian rebellion.

The court was tottering, noble families were dividing up power, and the King of Dian was eyeing the throne covetously. If chaos truly erupted, she, with her empty official title, would find it extremely difficult to even protect herself.

She had to forge an iron cavalry capable of sweeping across the Central Plains. Even if she couldn’t save everyone, she could at least protect her loved ones.

Of course she knew who was backing Li Mian.

How could she dare to scheme for the military tally without investigating thoroughly beforehand? Since she had the guts to covet it, she had the guts to bear the consequences.

She just hadn’t expected Li Mian’s mind to be so corroded by wine and lust, making it so easy to trick away the military tally. The easier it was, the less guilty she felt.

Scheming and deception were common in officialdom. Since ancient times, positions went to the capable, regardless of age or seniority. Call her cold-blooded and heartless, or scheming and cunning, she didn’t care. She wanted power.