He knew how much humiliation Qiu Niang had endured to marry him, because of his cruel and fierce reputation and his position second only to one person. Both in the streets and at court, people believed he was abusing his power, forcing the noble and virtuous Qiu Niang to marry him using his high official position.

Yue Guanyi slowly smiled as he caressed the engraving on his chest. Actually, what they said wasn’t wrong.

He indeed only barely caught Qiu Niang’s eye because of his status, but he would never dominate over Qiu Niang at home or act tyrannically over his wife-master as the rumors outside suggested.

If not for the political situation forcing him, he would have long ago not wanted to mingle in those places crowded with women. He only wanted to stay obediently in the rear palace, bear children for Qiu Niang, and take care of Qiu Niang’s daily needs meticulously like a slave, letting Qiu Niang know he was a qualified principal husband.

He gently lifted the red curtain and looked at the sky outside the carved window. It seemed to be just about the hour of Mao (5-7 am).

He carefully got up, afraid his movements would wake the sleeping Qiu Niang, but last night’s uninhibited indulgence had left a trace of soreness on his body, with red marks still remaining on his knees from the previous night.

Yue Guanyi pressed his lips tightly together, enduring the soreness in his knees as he stepped barefoot onto the floor. Only this way could he avoid making any sound that might disturb Qiu Niang’s rest.

He changed into a plain, clean set of clothes and sat at the dressing table to apply some light makeup. In the flower-shaped mirror, his complexion was still as pale as before, but his phoenix eyes were full of spring light, rippling like spring water. He looked like he had been well-nourished by a woman, not needing makeup to have the appearance of spring blossoms.

Yue Guanyi put down the eyebrow pencil in his hand and stroked his slightly reddened face. All of this was the grace bestowed upon him by Qiu Niang.

He was about to stand up when he suddenly remembered that a new husband should pay respects to his in-laws after the wedding. But Qiu Niang’s parents had passed away early, so today he could only pay respects to her cousin.

That bastard Qiu Qiushuang, last time he almost fell for his trap, nearly becoming Qiu Niang’s male concubine.

Yue Guanyi picked up the eyebrow pencil he had just put down. Since he was going to see Qiu Qiushuang, he definitely couldn’t lose to that mute.

In terms of family background, he couldn’t compare to himself, and in terms of appearance, he was even more mediocre. The only reason Qiu Niang was good to him was because he was her only relative.

Qiu Qiushuang relied on this relationship, monopolizing Qiu Niang for so many years, even taking care of all of Qiu Niang’s daily needs.

Yue Guanyi’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. Now that he had married into the family, he was Qiu Niang’s principal husband. It should be his duty to serve and attend to Qiu Niang, not needing to go through that bastard’s dirty hands.

The light makeup was finished.

Yue Guanyi wore a snow-cyan colored robe, elegant but not dull. His fair skin was like frost on white dew, his eyebrows like distant mountains veiled in mist, and his phoenix eyes were even more glistening and rippling. The beauty that had always been suppressed under the gloomy official robes finally fully displayed the charm of the capital’s number one beauty.

He pressed his lips together, looking at Qiu Shuzhi’s silhouette inside the red curtain… hoping that Qiu Niang would like it when she woke up.

After he finished dressing, the sky was still gray, with quite a while before full daybreak.

He directly knelt beside the bed, waiting to serve Qiu Niang when she woke up to wash and dress.

After kneeling for about half an hour, Yue Guanyi’s knees began to ache sharply. Having held a high position for years, except for putting on a show of kneeling before the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, this was the first time he had knelt for so long.

But just thinking that all of this was to serve Qiu Niang filled his heart with joy.

Qiu Niang’s breathing was steady inside the red curtain. Yue Guanyi gathered his courage and lifted the bed curtain.

Her slender jade fingers appeared glistening in the faint light, lying amidst a sea of bright red, like a beautiful piece of jade, making one’s heart yearn to peek.

Yue Guanyi pressed his lips together, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

He carefully observed Qiu Shuzhi for a while, then quickly placed a light, moist kiss on her beautiful fingertips.

The beautiful fingers moved slightly, inadvertently brushing against a red date that had fallen beside her hand. Yue Guanyi stood up straight, afraid that his presumptuous action had woken Qiu Niang.

But fortunately, she only moved a little and didn’t wake up.

Yue Guanyi breathed a sigh of relief. Even though she was already his wife-master, he still felt like he was having an illicit affair, afraid of being discovered.

The red date that Qiu Shuzhi had touched rolled to the edge of the bed, lying quietly in front of Yue Guanyi.

A red date touched by Qiu Niang… Yue Guanyi’s expression became slightly intoxicated. He seemed to uncontrollably pick up that red date and put it in his mouth, biting open the fruit flesh between his teeth.

Yue Guanyi touched his flat lower abdomen, his face flushing red as if pricked by needles. He must bear children for Qiu Niang as soon as possible.

Qiu Shuzhi had a good night’s sleep and turned over, finding the pillow beside her empty.

She opened her drowsy eyes and propped herself up.

Through the bed curtains gently swaying in the cool breeze, in the remaining glow of the red candles, she saw the beautiful silhouette of a person kneeling silently outside, arousing pity.

Qiu Shuzhi became half awake and lifted the bed curtain: “What are you kneeling outside for?”

Yue Guanyi raised his head, his lips bearing the gentlest smile: “This husband is waiting for the wife-master to wake up. It is the duty of a husband to rise early and serve the wife-master.”

Although his reputation was not chaste, he had memorized “Male Virtues” and “Male Instructions” by heart, knowing that this was the responsibility of being a good husband.

Qiu Shuzhi looked at the sky outside. It wasn’t fully light yet, probably around 5 o’clock. Even though ancient people were used to rising early, doing this day after day at such an hour was truly exhausting, especially since Yue Guanyi was also responsible for the affairs of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and was already overworked.

She suddenly felt like a cruel and tyrannical feudal landlord, and Yue Guanyi was the pitiful concubine she had forcibly bought. Her heart was full of guilt, but oddly enough, Yue Guanyi didn’t seem to feel this way, and instead appeared to relish it.

She took his hand and pulled him up from the ground to sit on the bed: “From now on, you don’t need to wake up so early to serve me.”

She thought Yue Guanyi would be happy to hear this, but to her surprise, he became flustered.

“Qiu Niang, did I do something wrong?” His voice was as taut as a kite string.

If Qiu Niang doesn’t want him to serve her, then who does she want to serve her? Qiu Qiushuang? A flash of jealousy and hatred passed through Yue Guanyi’s eyes.

Qiu Shuzhi cupped his face and lightly tapped his forehead: “Yue’er is very good, I just can’t bear to make you get up so early.”

Can’t bear?

Yue Guanyi was so excited he almost tore the corner of his clothes. Was Qiu Niang worried about him?

Qiu Shuzhi yawned lightly. Yesterday’s wedding had kept her busy all day without rest, and then they had been up until late at night. She had only slept for two or three hours and hadn’t fully woken up. She thought Yue Guanyi must be in the same state.

She wrapped her arm around his soft waist and exerted a little force, causing both of them to fall onto the bed.

“It’s still early, let me sleep a bit more with you.”

Yue Guanyi leaned into her embrace, feeling the soft touch before him, his face flushing red.

He also wanted to continue serving Qiu Niang in bed like this, but…

“But, Qiu Niang, according to custom, I should go pay respects to your cousin early this morning, greet him and offer tea.”

Qiu Shuzhi pinched his willow-like waist, thinking of how pliable his waist had been yesterday, as if it could be snapped in two, and smiled slightly: “Don’t worry, our family is not like other grand households with numerous rules. You don’t need to get up so early to pay respects to my elder brother.”

Moreover, she had specifically told her cousin yesterday that they would be getting up later today.

Our family… Yue Guanyi trembled all over at her casual words, his lips quivering for a long time unable to speak. This would be their home from now on, his and Qiu Niang’s home.

He took a deep breath, drawing warmth from Qiu Shuzhi’s disheveled clothes. After a long while, he slowly raised his head.

“But I’ve just married into the family. If I’m late in paying respects, won’t your cousin be angry? Will he be displeased with me?”

Qiu Shuzhi smiled: “Don’t worry, my cousin isn’t that kind of person.”

“That’s good.” Yue Guanyi seemed to relax and nestled in Qiu Shuzhi’s embrace. Hidden within, the corners of his phoenix eyes lifted slightly, and the corners of his lips curled up in satisfaction.