Chapter 49: Frantic Revenge

Xu Qingyi went out for a walk and gathered a lot more material to chat with the Eldest Young Master.

Initially, she wasn’t used to talking to someone in a vegetative state, but over time, she found it unremarkable, even quite relaxing.

It was like having an extra confidant, a sounding board.

In Xie Yunzhi’s room, the candlelight was dim.

“Young Master, you really attract a lot of bees and butterflies,”

Tonight, Xu Qingyi planned to actively try for a child, so she dismissed the servants and spoke more casually.

She had recently finished bathing and washing her hair.  Her long, dark hair, still damp from the maids’ efforts, was only half-dry.

Dressed lightly, Xu Qingyi sat by the bed, combing her hair with her fingers, and said, “Your wife, I, almost got ambushed today.”

These words made Xie Yunzhi anxious and curious. What had happened?

Who had made things difficult for Xu Qingyi?

Was it his second cousin or someone else?

It couldn’t be his aunt, Imperial Concubine Xue. Her affection for him was genuine. Even if she didn’t like Xu Qingyi, she would extend that affection to him.

She wouldn’t make things difficult for Xu Qingyi.

“You have too many admirers,” Xu Qingyi sighed lightly, then complained again.

Xie Yunzhi: …

He felt apologetic.  It seemed his admirers were responsible for this.

“Princess Xining is one thing. With Imperial Concubine watching her, aside from smashing a teacup to vent her anger in front of me, I don’t think she can cause much trouble.”

After all, she’s a royal princess; she has to maintain her reputation.

After saying that, Xu Qingyi remembered the shameless one and started to feel a headache, rubbing her temples.  “Princess Zhenyang is formidable. She actually plans to marry my second brother, taking a roundabout route to get to you.”

She looked worried.  “If she really marries into the family, I wouldn’t be surprised if she ends up in your bed someday.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Yunzhi almost woke up in fright.

Is this true?

He didn’t like Princess Zhenyang, and her troublesome nature was no different from that of Princess Xining.

Lady Xu better not allow Princess Zhenyang to marry into the Marquis residence; otherwise, it would surely cause chaos.

However, he also knew that the Marquis residence wasn’t under Xu Qingyi’s control.

The issues involved were far too complex and somewhat tricky.

With the current Crown Prince being frail and Prince Su holding significant power, if the Crown Prince were to pass away one day, it would undoubtedly lead to Prince Su ascending the throne.

If his second brother had the chance to marry Princess Zhenyang, The Marquis and Madam Qin would definitely consider it seriously.

Coming to this conclusion, Xie Yunzhi felt his heart sink.

On one hand, he recognized the high likelihood of Prince Su becoming Emperor. His father wanted to seize the opportunity to cultivate a relationship with Prince Su to ensure the longevity of the Pingyang Marquis residence. As a person in his current state, he had no standing to interfere.

But he truly didn’t want Princess Zhenyang to come into their family.

If it was because of him that she came, that would be one thing; he could bear it. However, what he worried about even more was the possibility of his wife and children being oppressed.

Lost in thought, Xu Qingyi’s fragrant kiss, gently pressed against his face, drew Xie Yunzhi’s attention back.

Xu Qingyi would occasionally kiss his lips, especially when she was emotionally moved, kissing him forcefully.

“Why do you have to be so attractive and attract so many bees and butterflies, huh?” Xu Qingyi, having experienced a round of targeted attacks, looked at the Young Master’s face again, reassessing his level of attractiveness.

Then she realized that things others covet are always appealing.

Xu Qingyi actually found that the sleeping beauty’s face was becoming more handsome the more she looked at it, making her even more frustrated, so she pinched his cheeks.

“But don’t worry,” Xu Qingyi promised.  “Even if Princess Zhenyang really marries into the family, I’ll guard you strictly and won’t let her touch a single finger of yours.”

She wouldn’t touch a man that others had touched, so strict vigilance was necessary.

Xie Yunzhi: …

Xu Qingyi’s jealousy was unexpectedly not unpleasant.

There was even a strange sense of comfort.

He believed Xu Qingyi was capable and would definitely be able to stop Princess Zhenyang.

After the routine meeting, the capable Xu Qingyi stripped the Young Master of his undershirt.

It was so hot, he would sweat, and it would be difficult to deal with if it stuck to his skin. It was easier to just take it off.

She did the same.

“Do you know how many people were jealous of me today?” Xu Qingyi kissed the Young Master’s ear, talking to herself.  “I didn’t think I was doing well, but after going out for a while, I suddenly realized I was winning big time.”

… …

“Let them be jealous. Make them mad.”

… …

“They threw a ball at me, so I’ll sleep with you. Make them mad.”

… …

Xie Yunzhi was speechless.  He took a moment to be concerned.  Was Xu Qingyi so resentful because she had been hit?

The group of bees and butterflies that the Eldest Young Master attracted outside were truly too much.

Embracing a vengeful mindset, Xu Qingyi worked especially hard in the Eldest Young Master’s room tonight.

Her effort was directly proportional to her anger.

Xie Yunzhi, as the target for his wife’s venting, didn’t dare to breathe too heavily, fearing he might disturb her even slightly.

He wanted to avoid her reverting to her previous lazy state.

To be honest, he hoped Xu Qingyi would maintain this fiery mood the next time she came.

He didn’t mind bearing his wife’s wrath.

Xu Qingyi was truly on fire tonight, her eyes dreamy as she bit Xie Yunzhi’s chin and said, “Let’s get back at them one more time. Make them furious…”

After having taken tonics for several days, Xie Yunzhi thought to himself, whether it was three times or four, it all depended on your own capabilities.

If she had that ability, he would gladly accompany her for ten times.

*

Due to her indulgence last night, Xu Qingyi woke up with a sore back and aching legs, lounging in bed until the sun was high in the sky the next day.

During this time, Heng, skipped class and came back to check on her, wondering if she was feeling better since she had claimed to be unwell while sleeping in that morning.

Heng touched her forehead, encouraging her to continue sleeping, and even poured her a cup of tea.

It wasn’t until the maids were startled awake that they took over attending to her.

Xu Qingyi felt a bit embarrassed, but since she had stolen a leisurely half day, she didn’t mind too much.

“Why are you back?” As she just woke up, she groggily looked at Heng.  “Leaving your teacher behind in class like that is very rude. Remember to apologize to him when you get back.”

Her tone wasn’t harsh; she was merely reasoning with him.

Heng asked with concern, “Is Mother feeling better?”

Realizing he had come back to check on her, Xu Qingyi felt her heart soften and smiled.  “I’m fine, no need to worry.”

There was really nothing wrong; she had just taken the opportunity to lounge in bed.

“Oh.” Heng felt relieved and then explained, “The teacher was teaching second brother how to recognize characters. I finished my writing before coming out.”

“I see. Mother misunderstood you,” Xu Qingyi said, patting Heng’s small face.  Was it her imagination, or did it seem a bit whiter than before?

That being said, it seemed Shen Zhijie would be tutoring all three children.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Xu Qingyi called a maid over and instructed, “Liu, tell the nursemaid to select some tonics. Take them to Mrs. Shen and ask about her condition.”

“Yes.”

Liu quickly returned, reporting that Mrs. Shen’s condition had improved.

Mrs. Shen was very grateful and planned to visit Xu Qingyi after her recovery.

A short while later, the Marquis residence received a lavish gift, specifically for Xu Qingyi.

It was supposedly from Imperial Concubine Xue. The nursemaid examined it.  “Madam, it’s a collection of tonics, such as blood bird’s nests, honey, abalone, and so on… all of excellent quality.”

Even the nursemaid of the Marquis residence, accustomed to seeing fine things, was amazed.

Palace goods were naturally of high quality, but Xu Qingyi was hesitant to use them. After much thought, she said, “Put them in the storeroom. It’s still best to personally procure things for consumption.”

The nursemaid paused, understanding.  “Yes, this servant understands.”

It wasn’t that Xu Qingyi was being paranoid. As the saying goes, caution is the best policy.  She certainly didn’t lack these things.

“By the way, when storing them, remember to emphasize that these were sent from the palace. If anyone takes them and gets sick, we won’t take the blame,” she instructed.

The nursemaid smiled.  “This servant understands.”

Everyone in the household knew that Xu Qingyi had received a gift from Imperial Concubine Xue today, something that belonged to her personally.

Yet, the Young Madam was so generous that she had it stored in the storeroom, treating it as a communal item.

This meant that everyone could use it.

Du Jinyun had recently been experiencing severe morning sickness, vomiting everything she ate, and had lost a significant amount of weight.

Hearing that high-quality goods from the palace were in the storeroom, she immediately asked Xie Huaian to retrieve some.

Xie Huaian didn’t hesitate, bringing back a large quantity.

There was plenty of blood bird’s nest and abalone; he instructed the servants to prepare them daily for Du Jinyun’s nourishment.

“She’s certainly showing off. She even put such good things in the storeroom,” Du Jinyun said sourly while eating the tonics Xu Qingyi had provided.

“Don’t worry about her. Just eat as much as you can,” the maid, Xi, said.

This was a newly purchased maid for Du Jinyun, utterly loyal.

After Du Jinyun finished eating, Xi revealed, “Madam Yun, this servant heard that Madam Qin went to the Princess’s residence yesterday to find a wife for Second Young Master.”

Hearing this news, Du Jinyun suddenly felt nauseated and wanted to vomit.

“Second Young Master getting married is only a matter of time.”

Her face pale, she touched her belly, hoping that her mother-in-law would be a kind person.

And would treat her and the child in her womb well.