“I think natural beauty surpasses golden branches and jade leaves.” Qiu Shuzhi reached out, holding his wrist to bring him up, whispering in his ear: “Wait for me tonight.”

Jiang Si looked up in surprise, his watery eyes looking up flirtatiously, full of affection.

Qiu Shuzhi smiled faintly and turned to leave.

She went to the military camp. The current Yulin Army was orderly and disciplined, very different from before. After clearing out the remnants of the Li clan’s influence, Qiu Shuzhi was the sole authority in the military, her word was law.

She completed the drills as usual, then led a squad into the Forbidden City. Due to the day off, it was much quieter in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, but there were strict guards in front of the Imperial Study where the young emperor often went.

“Lord Qiu.” Yu Zhi stood guard outside the Imperial Study. Seeing Qiu Shuzhi patrolling with the Yulin Army, he greeted her.

“Greetings, Young Master Yu.” Qiu Shuzhi gave some instructions to Ji Mei, then went forward alone.

Yu Zhi laughed delicately: “Lord Qiu is now the Imperial Son-in-Law and still the leader of the Yulin Army, yet remains so polite. Her Majesty is waiting for you, please go in quickly.”

Saying this, Yu Zhi opened the doors of the Imperial Study, making a gesture of invitation.

Qiu Shuzhi nodded slightly and entered.

Since she had resigned and left the Hanlin Academy, she had never entered the Imperial Study again. Now looking at the familiar furnishings, she suddenly felt a sense of time having passed.

“Shuzhi.” The young emperor, dressed in apricot yellow brocade robes, walked towards her, intimately taking her hand.

Her thick long hair was coiled into an elegant and dignified bun, with a blue enamel peacock feather hairpin with nine tails inserted in it. Pearl tassels hung down, swaying slightly with her movements.

When she left, the young emperor was still a baby-faced girl, outwardly gloomy but inwardly stubborn and enduring. Now she had grown into a mature and graceful woman, her demeanor and actions much more steady than before.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” Qiu Shuzhi wanted to bow, but was pulled back by Yue Shen.

“Do we still need to be so formal with our current relationship? Sister-in-law?” Her slightly curved almond eyes were full of smiles.

Qiu Shuzhi lowered her head with a faint smile.

Yue Shen held her hand and sat down, personally pouring tea for her.

But that teapot was not like the simple and elegant porcelain or pottery common in the capital. Instead, it was made of polished gold, with a wide body, long neck, sharp spout, and wide handle, quite in the style of the Western Regions. Especially the patterns drawn on it, the more she looked, the more familiar they seemed, rather like…

Qiu Shuzhi’s eyes lit up, remembering the Aladdin’s lamp she had casually sketched before.

“This…” Qiu Shuzhi was somewhat surprised.

Yue Shen poured tea while smiling gently: “Confined in this deep palace, I’m restricted by watchful eyes everywhere and have no one to talk to. There are many beauties in the harem, but not a bit of true sincerity to be found. Since you left the Hanlin Academy, I’ve felt even more empty inside. So I ordered craftsmen to make this teapot according to the drawings you made, as a way to remember…”

“How is it? Does it look like it?” Her almond-shaped eyes were bright and transparent, flashing with a hint of childlike innocence.

Qiu Shuzhi was moved by the childishness she occasionally revealed, and laughed softly: “It does, it looks very much like it.”

Yue Shen sighed: “Before, when we wanted to chat privately, we still needed to find excuses to send Yu Zhi away, like a pair of secret lovers. Now that you and my brother are married, we can finally talk openly.”

“Indeed.” Her marriage to Yue Guanyi meant that to some extent they had broken with the Empress Dowager’s faction. It would be difficult to coexist harmoniously again. So during this time, she had been trying her best to avoid Qin Qing, even having Ji Mei stand in for night patrols.

“But fortunately, the Empress Dowager is now in a frenzy over the Qin family affairs and has no time to make trouble for you. It can be considered a breathing space for us.”

“But what about Grand Tutor Qin’s serious illness?” she asked in return.

Yue Shen’s almond eyes flickered slightly: “Indeed, Qin Zheng is his only young daughter. Ever since learning of Qin Shu’s death at the hunting grounds, Qin Zheng has been devastated. After returning to the capital, she fell gravely ill and is feared to have little time left. The Qin clan is in disarray internally, with everyone busy fighting for power. It’s quite lively.”

Having stayed in the capital for so long, Qiu Shuzhi had a good grasp of the court situation, especially the preeminent Qin clan.

Apart from Qin Zheng and the Empress Dowager, no one else could amount to much. If Qin Zheng were to pass away and the Empress Dowager unable to turn the tide, the fall of the Qin clan would only be a matter of time.

But there was one person who had always been a hidden worry in Qiu Shuzhi’s heart.

“I heard that the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture is a daughter-in-law from a branch of the Qin family. She has been very close to Madam Qin these years. If Grand Tutor Qin passes away, she may be the one who benefits most, I fear.”

Yue Shen nodded: “Indeed, Qin Zheng is now so ill she can’t even attend morning court. Many at court are already looking to Gu Zheng for leadership. It’s said she has also won over many from the Qin clan’s branches… Gu Zheng is an extremely patient person. Back then, she was willing to be a live-in son-in-law to climb the ladder of power. If Qin Zheng falls, I’m afraid the next Grand Tutor will have the surname Gu.”

“In that case, the court situation hasn’t really changed. Moreover, Gu Zheng is deep and inscrutable, even harder to fathom.” Qiu Shuzhi expressed some concern.

Yue Shen sighed softly: “For now, this isn’t what I’m worried about. No matter how arrogant Gu Zheng becomes, the Empress Dowager is still there to keep her in check. He has always wanted to suppress Gu Zheng and replace her with a woman from the main family. With the two of them keeping each other in check, they won’t be able to stir up much trouble in the short term. But…”

Yue Shen pulled her to the desk, where a map of Da Qi’s border defenses was laid out.

“Ever since Qin Zheng killed Jiang Si to avenge Qin Shu, there have been unusual movements of troops within the Dian border. In particular, a group of elite cavalry has been frequently lingering at the Dian-Chuan border…”

Qiu Shuzhi frowned deeply: “Could it be that the King of Dian is planning rebellion?”

Yue Shen’s brows were tightly knit: “Not just that. Spies have reported that the King of Dian has been in close contact with the Baiyue, who have already submitted to Da Qi. I fear the King of Dian is colluding with both internal and external forces. If this is true, once their troops break through the natural defenses of Chuan’s borders, they could march straight into the Central Plains.”

Qiu Shuzhi clenched her fists tightly. What she feared most had still come to pass.

The constant factional struggles at court and long-term political corruption had driven away many capable officials and generals. The King of Dian, having waged war against the Baiyue for years, had strong troops and horses. Now, lying in wait at the Chuan-Dian border, he was like a venomous snake hiding in the dark, waiting for the opportune moment to strike when the court was most lax.

The wind fills the tower as the mountain rain approaches.

Leaving the palace, Qiu Shuzhi remained gloomy and distressed.

The King of Dian had been biding his time, held back only by his fear of the Qin clan. If Qin Zheng were to die and the Qin family lost its core, the King of Dian could boldly make his move.

Thinking back, the King of Dian’s disregard for Jiang Si’s life when he killed Qin Shu might have been to provoke the already old and frail Qin Zheng, goading her into ordering a large-scale attack on the border. This would give the King of Dian an excuse to deploy troops.

But although Qin Zheng was consumed by rage, she only killed Jiang Si. This battle was like a bomb with an extremely long fuse. The fuse had been lit, and an explosion was only a matter of time.

With only twenty thousand troops under her command, if the King of Dian truly rebelled, her current forces would certainly be unable to withstand it.

Qiu Shuzhi’s expression was extremely grave. She didn’t have much time left and had to make preparations early.

She rode her horse through the bustling, flower-filled streets. People came and went around her, the calls of street vendors rising and falling, but all this peace was an illusion. If war broke out, it would be these ordinary people who would suffer.

She stopped in front of an exquisitely carved building. The plaque above bore three bold, flowing characters: “Jin Yu Xuan”.

Jin Yu Xuan was a shop favored by the wealthy young gentlemen of the capital. Inside, gold and silver jewelry were all intricately carved, and the quality of the jade was superb.

As soon as Qiu Shuzhi entered, a shopkeeper enthusiastically came forward to serve her: “Is the customer looking to choose jewelry for the husbands at home?”

Not wanting to say much to the shopkeeper, she nodded casually: “Do you have hairpins?” Seeing that her clothes were extraordinary, the shopkeeper immediately brought out the most expensive jewelry in the store: “Please take a look, customer. These are all excellent jade hairpins.” Men in Da Qi disliked overly coquettish and gorgeous styles, fearing to be secretly called vixens, so an elegant style prevailed.

Qiu Shuzhi shook her head at the array of white jade hairpins before her: “Do you have red jade hairpins, gold hairpins? The more exquisite, the better.” She thought of Lan’er’s face, as alluring as a reincarnated fox, every smile and frown full of charm. Only gorgeous and luxurious hairpins could match him.

The shopkeeper hurriedly brought out all the shop’s most precious and luxurious hairpins.

Qiu Shuzhi finally chose a gold hairpin inlaid with ruby, fashioned as a thousand-petaled peony with hanging pearls. She left Jin Yu Xuan amidst the shopkeeper’s beaming smile.

She hid the box in her sleeve and returned to the Qiu mansion, acting as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

“Master.” Jiang Si stood by the plum blossom window from last night, calling her in a delicate, clear voice. His shapely figure was hidden among the dense flowers.

“Why are you waiting for me here?”

Jiang Si coyly fiddled with the corner of his clothes: “Master, you told this servant to wait for you tonight, but after you left, this servant’s mind was filled with thoughts of how you looked when leaving. I couldn’t focus on anything else, so I simply waited here for you to return from duty… It’s secluded here, and few people come by.”

Qiu Shuzhi laughed softly, gradually approaching: “So that’s how it is.” She took out the box hidden in her sleeve: “Open it and see.”

Jiang Si opened the box and gasped at what was inside.

The gold hairpin inlaid with ruby, fashioned as a thousand-petaled peony with hanging pearls, lay quietly inside. The ruby was as vivid and red as pigeon blood, the thousand-petaled peony flower gorgeous and majestic. The hanging pearl tassels were round and full, with excellent drape and making a clear, melodious sound when they collided. It was extremely luxurious. In addition, there was a pair of delicate smoky red floral hairpins, like stars clustering around a bright moon, adorning both sides.

“This- this is too precious, this servant cannot accept it,” Jiang Si said, trembling.

“When I tell you to accept it, you accept it. Besides, this is my apology gift to you, it’s not too precious.” “But-” Jiang Si raised his eyes languidly, his fox-like eyes timid yet alluring, both coquettish and soft, making one’s heart itch: “Peonies are flowers befitting noble young gentlemen. This servant is just a lowly attendant who came as part of the dowry. My status is humble, only fit for roses or peonies of lesser colors. If the young master were to know…”

Qiu Shuzhi shook her head and smiled lightly: “Only the peony is truly a national beauty, when it blooms it stirs the capital. A flower of unparalleled beauty should be paired with a person of unparalleled beauty. Otherwise, even with the noblest status, one would only serve as a foil for the peony… Lan’er, accept it.”

“Master-” Jiang Si held the gold hairpin inlaid with ruby, fashioned as a thousand-petaled peony with hanging pearls, tears welling up in his alluring eyes.

Suddenly, he threw himself into Qiu Shuzhi’s arms, his coquettish voice tinged with a sob: “Master, you’re so good to me. From childhood until now, no one has truly been good to Lan’er…” He looked up at her from her embrace, his eyes moist: “Master, could you personally help Lan’er put it on?”