Chapter 90 The Truth

“Alright.” A faint smile appeared on Qiu Shuzhi’s lips, her eyes filled with undisguised affection.

She inserted the gold-inlaid ruby thousand-petal peony pearl tassel hairpin into Jiang Si’s hair, her fingertips playing with the dangling pearl tassels, producing a pleasant sound of jewels colliding.

“Does it look good?” Jiang Si raised her eyes and smiled, the moisture in her eyes concealing whether it was genuine or feigned.

A flash of amazement crossed Qiu Shuzhi’s eyes: “It looks beautiful.”

Jiang Si shyly tugged at her sleeve: “The family head is so kind, Lan’er really doesn’t know how to repay you.”

“This is an apology gift, no need for repayment. If you really want to thank me, why don’t you accompany me for a walk?” Her voice was as gentle as water.

Jiang Si’s eyes flickered, and she said softly: “Just now, Lan’er saw the family head coming from afar, looking worried. Did something troubling happen?”

Qiu Shuzhi lowered her eyes: “Yes, the border situation is turbulent and tense, keeping us on edge at all times.”

“The border? Could it be the Tartars from the north?”

Qiu Shuzhi shook her head: “It’s the south.”

Jiang Si’s heart sank. Her mother had indeed decided to make a move.

“Ever since Lady Jiang’s death, things have been unsettled in the Dian region.”

Jiang Si forced a smile: “The family head needn’t worry. The Great Qi army is strong. No matter how ambitious the King of Dian is, it’s just a minor disturbance in the face of the Central Plains army, and won’t amount to much.”

Suddenly, Qiu Shuzhi stopped in her tracks, staring at Jiang Si before her.

Jiang Si’s heart instinctively tightened: “Family head, did Lan’er say something wrong?”

Qiu Shuzhi moved closer to him, reaching out a hand to cover his male hair ornament, her eyes as deep as a lake.

After a long while, she said in a low, melancholic voice: “So similar.”

“…Similar to whom?” Jiang Si’s heart pounded violently, almost bursting out of his throat with nervousness.

For some reason, he both hoped that Qiu Shuzhi would be enticed by his bait, and that she would see through his identity.

Two contradictory attitudes suddenly emerged, entangling in his heart, the reason for which even he couldn’t explain clearly.

Perhaps… he just hoped that someone would remember him.

Qiu Shuzhi just smiled faintly, not directly answering his question. Instead, she affectionately tucked his loose hair behind his ear, her voice infinitely tender: “If Lan’er were a woman, you would surely captivate thousands of men in the capital… But, Lan’er, you’re very good and beautiful as you are now…”

The deep, soft words almost made Jiang Si lose control and fall into them. His heart softened to the point of bubbling, and a strange wave of heat surged through his body, reddening from his cheeks to his ears. Yet he vaguely anticipated Qiu Shuzhi’s next move… hoping she would come a little closer.

But Qiu Shuzhi quickly withdrew her hand, reverting to her previous elegant and reserved manner: “I suddenly thought of an old acquaintance. I apologize for my rudeness.”

An old acquaintance, referring to the former Lady Jiang?

Just moments ago, she had been so intimate with him, and now she distanced herself, maintaining a neither far nor near distance, visible but untouchable. Jiang Si’s fingers, hidden in his sleeve, clenched tightly, feeling somewhat annoyed.

Annoyed-

Jiang Si was suddenly startled by his own emotions, terrified.

“It’s getting late, I’ll go in first,” she said calmly.

Jiang Si steadied his mind and deliberately brushed his sleeve against her collar: “Then this servant will not disturb your time alone with His Highness.”

The fragrance on his body was unique to the Miao people, strong and long-lasting, not dissipating even with water. Having been in close contact for such a long time, Qiu Shuzhi’s clothes must have absorbed his scent. Someone as sensitive as Yue Guanyi would surely notice.

When that happens……

Jiang Si lowered his eyes and smiled.

All women in the world are fickle. No matter how well Qiu Shuzhi treats Yue Guanyi now, he would always find a way to drive a wedge between the couple.

When Qiu Shuzhi entered the bedroom, the door was ajar, with the dappled shadows of dusk filtering through the window lattice.

For some reason, Qiu Shuzhi slowed her steps and peered through the door crack.

Yue Guanyi was sitting alone on the edge of the bed, his long hair tied up in a bun with a wooden hairpin, the rest of his hair disheveled and scattered. He rested his head on his hand, gazing at the scenery outside the window, his phoenix eyes dim and colorless, with a hint of faint melancholy.

His slender fingers held the warm jade pendant tied at his waist, a token of their love that she had given him. He carefully held it in his palm, his fingers caressing the delicate soft jade. His thick lashes were lowered, the dusk light filtering through them, falling on his eyes, presenting a beautifully amber color. But this amber color was lusterless, like a lifeless snow beauty.

His gaze fell distantly on an unknown point, but his eyes were filled with sadness, his brows laden with sorrow.

He looked exactly like… a lonely husband left alone at home.

Qiu Shuzhi sighed deeply in her heart, realizing she had indeed neglected him lately.

She pushed open the door and walked in quietly, circling behind him. She covered his eyes with her hands and lightly kissed his forehead: “What are you thinking about?”

Feeling the warmth from behind, Yue Guanyi tilted his head back, exposing his long neck, his Adam’s apple visibly bobbing.

His slightly pale thin lips moved: “Thinking of you…”

Such unrestrained and frivolous words were rare for Yue Guanyi to say.

In front of her, he always restrained himself, measuring every move and action against the “Male Virtue Manual”, as if comparing each word and sentence with a ruler.

Except in bed, where he seemed to become a different person, using various positions and techniques to serve her. Perhaps due to his childhood experiences, he was particularly sensitive to suggestive and frivolous words, and was more afraid that marrying him would damage her reputation and make her a laughingstock. So, outside the bedroom, he always maintained the dignified and proper demeanor of a great family, leaving no room for criticism.

Suddenly, Qiu Shuzhi’s fingers covering his eyes trembled, as if something warm and moist touched her palm. She withdrew her hand, only to see those phoenix eyes she loved so much brimming with tears.

Qiu Shuzhi panicked, kneeling on one knee and wiping away the tears at the corners of his eyes: “Why are you crying? Is it because I neglected you last night?”

“…Qiu Niang…” Yue Guanyi hugged her waist, burying his face deeply into her neck: “Qiu Niang… I just…”

An unfamiliar yet familiar fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose, and Yue Guanyi’s heart suddenly felt as if it had plunged into an ice cave.

This wasn’t Qiu Niang’s scent!

The strong fragrance was one that only men would wear. Qiu Niang had embraced another man.

A great sense of crisis washed over him, his palms turning cold, his phoenix eyes’ pupils suddenly constricting.

“What do you want?” Qiu Shuzhi gently kissed the corners of his eyes, taking in all his tears.

The warm touch tried to warm up his body that was almost frozen with coldness. Yue Guanyi slowly came back to his senses.

Was his happiness about to be lost so quickly?

No wonder, no wonder Qiu Niang’s heart hadn’t been with him lately.

An infinite emptiness and apprehension welled up in Yue Guanyi’s heart, like a thousand-pound weight pulling down his heart endlessly. The sense of weightlessness brought an abyss-like panic, spreading densely from the soles of his feet to his entire body, leaving no part unaffected.

“Yue’er, Yue’er,”

Yue Guanyi’s whole body trembled slightly, his thoughts scattering uncontrollably. The beast caged beneath the ascetic human skin could no longer be controlled at this moment, roaring out, tearing and shredding all the restraining etiquette, replacing it with thick, dark red poison.

“Qiu Niang,” he murmured her name, his hands climbing up to her shoulders, his voice like a moan: “Qiu Niang… don’t leave me, please… don’t leave me.”

“What’s wrong? Why are you saying this? You are my husband, how could I leave you?” Qiu Shuzhi cupped his tear-stained face.

His mind was nearly in chaos, feeling as if something was pulling at his nerves, his voice screaming silently.

But he dared not question why she had the scent of another man on her.

Afraid that his questioning would lead to an answer he couldn’t bear, breaking the last thread of his sanity.

If he had truly served Qiu Niang well, satisfied her, how could she fall in love with someone else, how could she favor other men… It was all his fault, he hadn’t done well enough…

He nearly collapsed mentally, slumping to the ground, kneeling with both knees, devoutly holding her hand, pleading like a dog wagging its tail for mercy: “Qiu Niang… don’t like anyone else…”

“You already know?” Qiu Shuzhi instinctively thought he had discovered her small gestures with Lan’er outside the plum window earlier, and quickly embraced him tightly in her arms.

His body was stiff and cold as if just dug out of a snow pile. Her lips lingered by his ear, speaking a few words in a hushed voice.

After what seemed like an eternity, Yue Guanyi raised his head tremblingly, his reddened phoenix eyes glistening with tears: “Really?”

“Of course it’s true, don’t overthink.” Qiu Shuzhi kissed away his tears, speaking gently.

She helped the now limp Yue Guanyi to his feet, brushing off the dust from his clothes: “I always felt there was something strange about this Lan’er. He must have ulterior motives for hiding by your side. It’s good that he’s been intentionally or unintentionally trying to seduce me, so I decided to play along with his scheme.”

“When did Qiu Niang start suspecting Lan’er?” Yue Guanyi clenched his sleeves.

“The first time I saw him,” Qiu Shuzhi’s voice was soft: “The fragrance on his body is the same as that on Jiang Si and Lan Xuezhao. Lan’er’s features also somewhat resemble Jiang Si’s. But since Jiang Si has been executed by you, I’ve always suspected he might be from the Jiang family, feeling he had ill intentions.”

Yue Guanyi frowned slightly. He had thought his plan was flawless, not knowing it had been seen through by Qiu Niang long ago.

If it weren’t for Qiu Niang’s keen and meticulous observation, he wouldn’t have known that Jiang Si was harboring intentions to seduce Qiu Niang, and he had nearly invited a wolf into their home.

“You…” Qiu Shuzhi gently stroked his long hair, her tone indescribably doting: “To think that even the mighty Commander of the Imperial Guards could be fooled so thoroughly…”

Yue Guanyi lowered his eyes, pondering for a long time: “Qiu Niang, actually Lan’er is Jiang Si. She’s not dead.”