Chapter 83: The Empress Dowager Secretly Eats the Wrong Thing

Yue Guanyi coldly glanced at Jiang Si and said in a slightly cold voice, “Lan’er, you go out first.”

Jiang Si lowered his eyes slightly: “Yes.”

“Qiu Niang, you and I are husband and wife, we are one. You can review the confidential letters from the Jinyiwei.”

As Jiang Si turned to close the door, he saw Yue Guanyi gently tug at her clothes, his voice coy.

Jiang Si’s beautiful eyes stared intently at Yue Guanyi’s hand, lost in thought.

He gently closed the door, his alluring eyes filled with viper-like calculations.

He knew Yue Guanyi sincerely liked Qiu Shuzhi, but he didn’t expect Yue Guanyi to like her to this extent, willing to share even the military discipline and important affairs of the Jinyiwei with her without reservation.

Jiang Si sneered contemptuously, his smile tinged with mockery. He had thought Yue Guanyi was made of sterner stuff, but in reality, he was no different from his father who only knew how to vie for favor. Both were blinded by illusory love, unable to live without a woman!

Jiang Si took a deep breath, clenching his fists. He would not become like Yue Guanyi. He wanted power, he wanted to firmly grasp power in his own hands, and would never hand it over to others.

“But I’m not part of the Jinyiwei after all. Wouldn’t this be overstepping…” Qiu Shuzhi still hesitated.

Although marrying Yue Guanyi would inevitably involve her in court politics to some extent, she remembered some favored officials in history who gradually expanded their power by approving documents on behalf of the emperor, eventually monopolizing power. But she really didn’t want to rely on a man to rise to power.

“Qiu Niang is an upright person, but others may not think so. They will only speculate with the darkest thoughts,” Yue Guanyi pursed his lips. “This servant knows you truly want to marry me, but in the eyes of other officials, you’re not marrying me as a person, you’re marrying the Jinyiwei.”

He carefully observed the emotions in Qiu Shuzhi’s eyes, afraid of saying the wrong word and displeasing her.

He couldn’t fathom Qiu Niang’s thoughts, not even knowing how much true feeling was in her marrying him. But he truly wanted to offer everything to her, using the power he had accumulated over the years to help her rise quickly, so she wouldn’t have to look at anyone else’s face in court.

Yue Guanyi’s words actually dispelled the hesitation in her heart.

“Yue’er is right. I was too rigid and old-fashioned,” Qiu Shuzhi said with a faint smile, holding his hand.

Before, she had been criticizing men who relied on their wives’ families to rise to power for being overly sensitive. Now that she was married to Yue Guanyi, they would share fortune and misfortune as one. Since no matter what she did, people would see her as relying on her husband to rise, she might as well do it thoroughly. After all, the court situation was precarious, with hidden external threats. The most important thing for her now was to gain military power as soon as possible. As for the idle talk of those officials, let them say what they want.

Yue Guanyi lowered his head, exposing the slightly reddened skin on the back of his neck.

He had thought his words would displease Qiu Niang, but fortunately, Qiu Niang had a mild temper and didn’t mind.

All morning, Yue Guanyi reviewed confidential letters while Qiu Shuzhi watched beside him, inadvertently learning many officials’ secrets.

For example, Mo An, the leader of the Five Cities Military Command, was having an affair with his brother-in-law behind his husband’s back;

Cai Er, Qin Zhengya’s personal attendant, had been trying to seduce the young emperor to rise in status, but the young emperor ignored him and found him vulgar;

The Princess Consort of King Dian had just lost her daughter Jiang Si, but before she could grieve, she had thrown herself back into the harem’s struggle for favor. Unfortunately, King Dian found her old and unattractive, and had taken another beautiful male consort;

The Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, Gu Zhenghe, was also implicated in the Yanshun County silver mine affair, having been accepting ‘filial piety money’ from the Yanshun County Magistrate for years.

“The Jinyiwei’s network is truly all-seeing. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known about so many interesting things happening in the court and harem,” Qiu Shuzhi picked up Cai Er’s confidential letter, saying with a smile.

Yue Guanyi pursed his lips slightly: “Cai Er, as the empress’s dowry servant, doesn’t know his place and always thinks about competing with his master for favor.”

“The empress would be heartbroken if she knew about this,” Qiu Shuzhi sighed. She didn’t pay much attention to the empress, only vaguely remembering that he was kind to the palace servants around him. It must be awful to have your personal attendant trying to steal your spouse.

“Speaking of dowry servants, why didn’t I see Liangchun come to pay respects to cousin today?” Qiu Niang, how do you plan to arrange for him? As a concubine or…” Yue Guanyi pondered for a long time before finally gritting his teeth and anxiously asking.

“Liangchun? I let him rest in his room. He doesn’t need to come out to pay respects today,” Qiu Shuzhi said.

After all, Liangchun’s status was awkward. It was Yue Guanyi’s first day of marriage, and seeing him might ruin his good mood for the day.

Excused from paying respects?

“…I…I see,” Yue Guanyi’s fingers curled tightly, a thousand bitter feelings welling up in his heart. He didn’t expect Qiu Niang to be so fond of Liangchun, even specially excusing him from paying respects. Surely on the wedding night, that slut must have served Qiu Niang very well to receive such favor.

He lowered his head, his throat seeming to be tightly constricted by something.

Thinking of how he had wholeheartedly served Qiu Niang last night, that night of passion was the most beautiful night of his life. But perhaps in Qiu Niang’s heart, he was the most bland of all the men she had experienced.

He was stiff, inexperienced, didn’t understand romance, and didn’t know how to please. At most, he could only suppress his cries when he couldn’t hold back. How could he compare to Liangchun, who was born seductive and passionate?

Recalling how Qiu Niang had called Liangchun’s name just now, her tone seemed gentler than usual. Was it because she liked him?

Yue Guanyi’s heart ached painfully, almost suffocating.

“So how does Qiu Niang want to arrange for Liangchun? As a concubine or…” Yue Guanyi’s thin, fragile back could barely support his body, like a bamboo bent by snow, about to break at any moment.

Hearing a hint of jealousy in his words, Qiu Shuzhi put down the confidential letter in her hand and looked at him, resting her chin on her hand: “What does Yue’er think?”

What does he think?

Yue Guanyi was in so much pain he could barely straighten his back. Malicious thoughts roared like a tidal wave in his mind, a fierce fire shooting up to his heart.