Chapter 85 Border People Border People

“What are these?” Qiu Shuzhi vaguely had a bad feeling.

Qin Qing smiled faintly, truly gentle and kind: “Although Guanyi is a prince, he also takes care of the affairs of the previous dynasty. His official duties are complicated, so I imagine he doesn’t have much time to stay at the Qiu residence. Being a man, not being able to serve his wife-master wholeheartedly is already Guanyi’s fault. So, I’ve specially prepared several lovable men for you. This way, even when Guanyi is not around, these small attendants can serve the princess consort well in his place.”

Yue Guanyi’s face was already extremely restrained and patient, but such blatant sending of men to his wife-master’s side was the last straw.

This old widower, it was enough that he couldn’t endure loneliness, but as a father-in-law, he was still coveting his daughter-in-law. When his seduction failed, he became jealous of their harmonious and loving marriage, insisting on stuffing people into Qiu Niang’s room, intending to make Qiu Niang neglect him, waiting for the day when Qiu Niang might have a change of heart. His intentions were despicable.

One Liang Chun was bad enough, but this time he actually sent several beautiful men, each with their own charms. It was simply malicious.

If Qiu Niang wasn’t present, and he could act more outrageously, even if he was the Empress Dowager, he would have overturned his Qingning Palace on the spot.

“Father Empress, this son thinks that the princess consort and I have just married, and it might not be appropriate for the wife-master to take in so many small attendants at once. Moreover, there’s already Liang Chun in the mansion to serve Qiu Niang for me, so there’s no need for so many small attendants.” Yue Guanyi tightly clenched his fists, his phoenix eyes glaring fiercely at Qin Qing.

Facing his knife-like gaze, Qin Qing covered his mouth with a handkerchief, the corner of his lips curling up in contempt: “Look, look, I just wanted to find you a few more brothers to serve the princess consort together, and you’re already jealous, Guanyi? This jealousy is a bit too strong!”

Yue Guanyi’s eyes filled with anger, trying hard to hold back: “Father Empress, that’s not what I meant.”

Qin Qing sneered: “As a prince, your every move represents the royal family. If all the men of Da Qi learn from your example, each harboring jealousy, monopolizing their wife-masters, not allowing their wife-masters to keep small attendants, how can the wife’s family flourish? Do you want the wife’s family to decline in population because of your jealousy?”

“Father Empress, your words are too harsh.” Yue Guanyi gritted his teeth.

“Harsh?” Qin Qing carelessly adjusted the white jade hairpin on his head, his gaze even more contemptuous: “When the Empress first entered the palace, there were three thousand beauties in the harem, especially Concubine Rong who was so favored, but the Empress never showed any signs of jealousy.”

Qin Zhengya clutched his handkerchief, suppressing the urge to cough in his throat.

He detested the young Emperor deeply, so how could he be jealous? He would rather the young Emperor go to the palaces of other concubines.

“Never mind the Empress, even when I first became the step-empress, I always advised the late emperor to spread his favor evenly, not daring to monopolize his affection and neglect the other imperial concubines in the harem. Only in this way can the wife’s family be harmonious and prosperous. Guanyi, as the primary husband, you should have the tolerance of a primary husband. Don’t learn from those jealous husbands who fight for favor.” Qin Qing admonished ‘earnestly’.

“…Yes.” A flash of murderous intent passed through Yue Guanyi’s eyes. Qin Qing had labeled him a jealous husband, leaving him almost defenseless in front of Qiu Niang.

Even if he wanted to fight for favor, he absolutely didn’t want Qiu Niang to develop any negative prejudices against him.

“Father Empress-” Qiu Shuzhi opened her mouth, wanting to speak for Yue Guanyi, but was suddenly held back by Yue Guanyi’s hand.

“Qiu Niang, I’m fine. Father Empress is right, I didn’t do well before.” Yue Guanyi whispered beside her, but his eyes were slightly red, with a faint glimmer of tears, looking like a pitiful little thing who had suffered a great injustice but was holding it in, directly arousing one’s sympathy.

Rather than directly confronting Qin Qing and making Qiu Niang dislike him, it was better to take a step back, pretending to be sensible, which could arouse Qiu Niang’s pity and make her love him even more in her heart.

Qiu Shuzhi held his hand in return, their fingers intertwined, a silent gesture more powerful than words.

Yue Guanyi’s phoenix eyes looked proudly towards Qin Qing, that gaze seemed to say, you can keep maneuvering, the more you target me, the more Qiu Niang will love and cherish me.

What a fawning brothel manner!

Qin Qing had caught every bit of Yue Guanyi’s earlier behavior, his eyes darkening with a layer of festering poison.

He coldly snorted, his icy gaze turning, pointing leisurely at a boy beside Qin Zhengya, and asked: “Ya’er, what do you think of this boy?”

Qin Zhengya looked up, saw the man in front of him, and suddenly coughed twice.

This man actually bore some resemblance to his elder brother, with the same fair skin, the same unparalleled phoenix eyes, and even the slight sickly air about him was extremely similar. But this boy didn’t have the coldness and aloofness that kept people at a thousand miles’ distance like his brother, nor did he give off an unapproachable, oppressive aura.

In other words, the man in front of him was more likable to women than his brother.

If such a man entered Madam Qiu’s back courtyard, his brother’s currently favored position might become unstable.

No woman likes a cold and oppressive man. Even if they’re interested for a while, they’ll only find it tiresome over time. Men ultimately need to be virtuous and kind to be on the right path, and this man seemed more adept at pleasing women than his brother.

Qin Zhengya tightly clutched the handkerchief in his hand, a secret malice suddenly rising in his heart.

He had long felt that the loving image of Madam Qiu standing together with his brother was extremely eye-piercing. He had been kind to others since childhood, but now he could only be confined in the deep palace, unable to even express his love for his beloved.

But Yue Guanyi, a person full of evil, could actually obtain such a good marriage, gaining the Madam Qiu who was beyond his reach.

He harbored resentment, resenting the unfairness of heaven, but he hated Yue Guanyi even more. Why could such a person, without doing anything, merely by virtue of his own power, make Madam Qiu become his wife-master.

The malice that had always been hidden in the darkest corner of his heart burst forth in this instant.

He clutched the handkerchief, looking at Yue Guanyi’s ashen face, and laughed very softly: “In response to the Empress Dowager’s question, this palace thinks this man’s appearance is proper and standard, and his personality seems good too, cough cough, he should be an excellent man.”

Yue Guanyi was so furious that his fingers curled and dug into his flesh. Qin Qing really went to great lengths to attract Qiu Niang’s attention.

Old widower!

Old widower!

He cursed Qin Qing a thousand times in his heart.

Unable to get Qiu Niang himself, he pretended to be magnanimous in front of him, stuffing people into Qiu Niang’s room, making Qiu Niang remember his kindness, contrasting how jealous he himself was. This move was truly vicious.

Yue Guanyi looked at the man in front of him who looked extremely similar to himself, and the hatred in his heart rose and spread even more.

You look like me, huh? Trying to compete for favor with a face slightly resembling mine, huh?

Watch me ruin your face when we get back, you cheap slut!

Dreaming of competing with me for Qiu Niang, what a fool’s dream!

“Her Majesty the Emperor arrives!” The palace attendants outside shouted.

Except for the Empress Dowager, everyone knelt down to welcome the young Emperor.

When passing by Qiu Shuzhi, the young Emperor deliberately slowed her steps.

“Rise, we’re all family, no need to be so formal.” The young Emperor sat down in the main seat next to the Empress Dowager and said lightly, her gaze constantly resting on Qiu Shuzhi.

This was the first time seeing Shuzhi after her marriage. Today she was wearing water-colored clothes, seeming even more beautiful, and her aura was even gentler than before the wedding.

In that instant when she passed by her side just now, she seemed to smell a faint fragrance coming from Shuzhi, lingering for a long time.

“This servant, cough cough cough, greets Your Majesty.” Qin Zhengya was originally sitting in the main seat next to the Empress Dowager, but since the young Emperor had arrived, he should naturally give up his seat to her, moving to the left side.

“Why is the Empress coughing so severely?” After all, he was from the Qin family, so Yue Shen still had to put on an act, pretending to ask with concern.

“This servant has caught a slight cold, cough cough, please forgive me, Your Majesty.” Qin Zhengya said, covering his mouth as he coughed incessantly, his complexion looking even more sickly.

“Cai Er, how long has the Empress been coughing like this? How are you serving your master as a servant?” Yue Shen asked sternly.

Cai Er was so frightened that he immediately knelt down: “In response to Your Majesty, the Empress has been ill for several days. He has taken medicine, but the cough just won’t get better. The imperial physician said he should rest quietly, but… the Empress insisted on coming out when he learned that it was the day of Prince Chang’s return visit.”

Rest quietly? This suited the young Emperor’s intentions perfectly.

“In that case, the Empress should rest well in Kunning Palace for the next few days. There’s no need to pay respects or attend to the imperial bed. Taking care of your health is the priority.”

Having lived in the palace for so long, Qin Zhengya could understand the meaning behind the young Emperor’s words. It was nothing more than wanting to confine him for a period of time.

He coughed twice and said weakly: “Thank you for Your Majesty’s kindness, but this servant is a restless person. It’s really boring to be alone in Kunning Palace.”

“Since you’re afraid of being bored, then I’ll have your father brought in to keep you company for a few days. He can take care of you while you recover.”

At the mention of his father, Qin Zhengya’s heart stirred. He had lost contact with his family since marrying into the imperial palace, and he really missed them.

“Then this servant thanks Your Majesty.” He said, frowning with a faint sickly appearance.

“Who are these people?” The young Emperor Yue Shen asked, looking at the various slender and plump figures beside her.

Qin Qing slowly said: “Your Majesty may not know, I saw that Guanyi has to take care of both the previous dynasty and the back courtyard, and was really spread too thin. Worried that he couldn’t manage it all, I sent a few clever men to return to the Qiu residence with him to serve.”

“So that’s how it is. Father Empress is truly considerate.” The young Emperor smiled faintly, but the smile was very cold.

Serve? More like finding opportunities to serve in Shuzhi’s bed!

To prevent Yue Guanyi from monopolizing her favor, Qin Qing really stopped at nothing. At such an age, still resorting to such dirty tactics.

However, Yue Shen coldly smiled in her heart.

Let them fight and struggle against each other like this.

Men are more troublesome than each other, and very delicate.

The vicious methods they use to fight for favor among themselves will only make Shuzhi more disgusted with men, and gradually she won’t give her true heart to men.

By then, even if there’s a truly beautiful man trying to seduce Shuzhi, she will only treat him as a pretty toy in bed, to be discarded when she’s bored.

Even Yue Guanyi would be the same.

A greedy cold light flashed in Yue Shen’s clear apricot eyes. She would make Shuzhi understand that no man in this world is worthy of her, only she can stand shoulder to shoulder with her.