Chapter 98: So-called Jealousy

Proofreader : Mim

“I originally intended to maintain a pleasant front, but alas, they didn’t appreciate it,” Chu Jinyao said, finally feeling some relief after venting her frustration. “They had the audacity to do such things—using drugs and trying to catch someone in the act. If I didn’t leave some deep scratches on their faces, I’d probably die of anger.”

 

“What catching someone in the act? Don’t drag me into this.” Qin Yi was disgusted just thinking about the events of the afternoon. “Those fools actually dared to scheme against me. Today, I only tarnished their reputation a bit. If it weren’t for the fact that making a big deal of it would harm my mother’s reputation, they wouldn’t have gotten off so easily.”

 

The “mother” Qin Yi referred to was the late Empress Wenxiao. Qin Yi never called the current Empress “mother.” In important formal settings where he had no choice, he would refer to her as “the Empress.” Because of this, Chu Jinyao also never called the Empress her “mother-in-law,” always addressing her as “the Empress” or “Her Majesty.”

 

The Zhenbei Marquis household was, after all, Qin Yi’s maternal family. It was precisely because of such close family ties that the pain was more profound. No one came out a winner in what happened today.

 

By the time evening came, Chu Jinyao had finished removing her makeup and bathing, her long waterfall-like hair still damp. With hair that long, it would take a while to dry completely. Not wanting to be alone, she dressed in light summer attire and headed to Qin Yi’s study.

 

Even in the palace, Qin Yi couldn’t afford to relax. The Emperor neither understood nor cared about state affairs, leaving Qin Yi to shoulder much of the burden. Chu Jinyao, quite familiar with her routine by now, cozied up beside him. “Your Highness?”

 

Having just bathed, Chu Jinyao’s proximity still carried a faint warmth and fragrance. The summer night breeze flowed through the window, rustling the papers on the desk. Chu Jinyao casually pressed them down with a paperweight and said, “Looks like it’s going to rain soon.”

 

The quietness of the summer night, with his beloved wife at his side, filled Qin Yi with a rare sense of tranquility and even an unspoken sense of contentment.

 

“How can you come out dressed like this and not worry about catching a chill?” he asked.

 

“It’s already July; how could I possibly catch a cold?” Chu Jinyao smiled, casting him a sidelong glance.

 

Indeed, the days had grown hotter, and the palace grounds, with its many trees, offered some relief. Qin Yi knew he was overthinking, but seeing the wind pick up, likely signaling an incoming rainstorm, he still worried about her catching cold. Reaching out to feel her arm, he chuckled, “True, in winter, you’re always freezing like a little quail, refusing to stick your head out, but summer suits you. With you around, who even needs ice blocks?”

 

Chu Jinyao’s skin was naturally cool, soft, and fair, making it an irresistible temptation for Qin Yi’s hands. He began to indulge, pinching her arm gently here and there. His hand soon roamed elsewhere, but Chu Jinyao, with no hesitation, grabbed his wandering hand. “Your Highness, how did you manage to switch places with the Zhenbei Marquis’s heir during the day?” she asked.

 

Honestly, Qin Yi didn’t want to bring up the earlier incident. He still found the entire thing quite off-putting. He answered casually, “Those fools really must have had bear’s hearts and leopard’s guts to target me. I despise being manipulated and deceived the most, and they managed to do both at once. When I received Eunuch Qian’s message, I simply decided to turn their plot back on them and brought the Marquis’s heir into it.”

 

Given Qin Yi’s pride, there was no way he’d let someone like Qi Rong get away with her schemes, especially after she had set up threats to trap him. He had been enraged, ready to leave immediately, but just as he was about to go, he heard footsteps. Qi Rong should count herself lucky that it was Eunuch Qian who arrived and not someone else; otherwise, things wouldn’t have ended as they did. Eunuch Qian had been sent by Chu Jinyao to investigate suspicious areas around Qinghe Palace, with the pavilion being a primary target.

 

Women truly have an instinct for such matters. Chu Jinyao had only given a few hints, yet Eunuch Qian had found Qin Yi within minutes. Once Qin Yi knew Chu Jinyao had her own plans in place, he quickly devised his own. He ordered Qi Rong to be subdued and sent a message to the Marquis’s heir, using the excuse that Qi Rong had sprained her ankle and needed him to come fetch her. Meanwhile, he interrogated Qi Rong and found the already unconscious Erhua, arranging everything carefully. When the Marquis’s heir arrived, he was immediately knocked out, while Chu Jinyao led the Marquis’s wife to the scene.

 

Who trapped whom in the end was truly up for debate.

 

Chu Jinyao asked, “Your Highness, how do you think the Empress will handle this?”

 

Qin Yi immediately understood that she was referring to Qi Rong, though she was circling around the topic as women tend to do. He didn’t call her out on it and replied, “As for the Marquis’s heir and his wife, they’ll probably just get a whipping and be done with it. Qi Rong, on the other hand…”

 

He deliberately paused, and sure enough, Chu Jinyao’s eyes lit up, despite trying to appear indifferent. Qin Yi found her reaction amusing but stopped teasing her and finished his sentence. “She’ll probably be married off soon. After all, it’s the Zhenbei Marquis family that stands to lose the most.”

 

After all, even though this scandal could tarnish the reputation of the family’s unmarried daughters, Qin Yi, as the Crown Prince, had little to lose. It was the Zhenbei Marquis family that would bear the brunt of the consequences.

 

Men could get away with things more easily. Qi Rong’s actions, however, would haunt her and the entire family. And Chu Jinyao knew that by the end of the night, the Marquis household would be in complete chaos.

 

As for Erhua, she had been eager to climb into the Marquis heir’s bed anyway, so Chu Jinyao felt no sympathy for her. By now, she was probably facing a harsh life as a lowly concubine in the Marquis’s household, though that wasn’t Chu Jinyao’s concern.

 

Evil met its match, after all. With Erhua sent off and Erfeng having been dealt with for betrayal, Chu Jinyao’s rival count dropped dramatically. Only two of the Empress’s four gifts remained. Erxue had switched allegiances smartly, and the last of the four was no longer a concern. Qi Rong had also received her due punishment.

 

The moment Qin Yi confirmed that Qi Rong would be dealt with, Chu Jinyao should have felt relief. Yet, she couldn’t shake a lingering unease.

 

“Your Highness, after all, Qi Rong is your cousin. Today… didn’t you two have any special conversations?”

 

Qin Yi noticed her sidestepping the issue, as women often do, but answered directly, “We didn’t talk about much, mostly just reminisced about our younger days.”

 

The mention of their younger days struck a chord with Chu Jinyao. She felt a pang in her heart, thinking of all the time Qi Rong had spent with Qin Yi growing up—years she herself hadn’t even been reunited with her family.

 

Seeing her quiet, Qin Yi thought he might have teased her too much. He lowered his voice and asked, “What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing,” Chu Jinyao mumbled, “I just envy the childhood bond you shared with her.”

 

Qin Yi had expected this. Despite knowing he was pushing her buttons, he enjoyed the game of teasing her and then making it up to her. Watching her reaction now, he smiled.

 

Chu Jinyao turned her head away with a small huff, which only made Qin Yi laugh. “Are you jealous?” he asked, his voice teasing.

 

Chu Jinyao’s heart skipped a beat. She denied it out of habit, “No.”

 

Qin Yi lifted her chin, making her meet his gaze, his smile deepening. “Then what’s this, if not jealousy?”

 

Looking into his playful, handsome face, Chu Jinyao felt a rush of frustration. She steeled herself and suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck. “Alright, I admit it. I’m jealous. So, Your Highness, what will you do about it?”

 

The mix of emotion in her gaze both softened and ignited something in Qin Yi. Feelings, he thought, were both fragile and resilient. He had broken many rules for her, tested the depths of his own heart. Now, seeing the recognition of that in her eyes, he felt… content.

 

“Your Highness?” Chu Jinyao’s voice broke him out of his reverie. He shook his head, “Nothing. As for Qi Rong… she won’t bother you again.”

 

“And you?” Chu Jinyao pressed, leaning in closer. “I don’t care about other women. I only care about you.”

 

Qin Yi wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. “Where did you learn this?” he teased, though his heart was already swayed.

 

“I have to be more proactive,” Chu Jinyao said, half-joking. “Otherwise, with all these childhood friends of yours, I’d eventually be forgotten.”

 

“Ridiculous,” Qin Yi said firmly. “You’re the only one, both before and after.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Why?” Chu Jinyao asked, inching even closer. Qin Yi, still stern-faced, but with eyes betraying his fondness, replied, “You really don’t know?”

 

“I don’t.” Chu Jinyao laughed, knowing full well this was the most he’d say.

 

“You,” Qin Yi sighed, half-reprimanding, half-petting her head. “You’re impossible.”

 

“But only with you.” She let go of his neck and settled beside him again, satisfied with his answer.

 

Now in a much better mood, she offered, “Your Highness, you’ve worked so hard with all these state affairs. Let me grind the ink for you.”

 

But Qin Yi set down his brush and looked at her with a glint in his eye. “If you really feel sorry for me, there’s something else you could do.”

 

This man! Even when he sounded serious, his words were utterly shameless. Blushing deeply, Chu Jinyao stammered, “You…”

 

“Come,” Qin Yi said, standing and lifting her into his arms. “Let’s go inside.”

 

“But what about all these documents…” Chu Jinyao’s protests were in vain.

 

“We’ll deal with them tomorrow.”