Chapter 9: I’m Not Lustful, Really.

This… how do I handle this!

Although she died at twenty-five in her previous life, she had been a good student in school, listened to her mother, achieved excellent grades, and certainly never had an early romance.

Focused entirely on studying, she got cancer before even graduating from university—she had never been in a relationship!

She had never even held a man’s hand. Though the information explosion of the 21st century had taught her how things worked between men and women.

She didn’t have any hang-ups about chastity, but the Consort was just a stranger to her. Doing it without any emotional foundation felt so strange!

What to do, what to do?

Gan Qiongying sat there gulping down tea. The servants had already delivered the man to her bedroom, and Manyue and the others had filed in and out several times. The bathwater and everything else were fully prepared.

“Princess,” Manyue approached Gan Qiongying, bowing to her. “Everything is ready. The mansion physician is also waiting in the side room. This servant will now go to receive punishment. Later… Silver Moon will temporarily attend to the Princess.”

As she spoke, Manyue stepped aside slightly, and a tall, slender girl with delicate eyebrows and eyes stepped forward from behind her, greeting Gan Qiongying.

“Silver Moon pays respects to the Princess.”

Gan Qiongying glanced at Silver Moon. She hadn’t seen this maid in the inner courtyard these past few days. She guessed that after her earlier display of authority, all the inner courtyard maids had been punished, forcing Manyue to transfer someone from elsewhere.

Gan Qiongying nodded and waved her hand. “You may leave.”

Silver Moon and Manyue withdrew together, with Silver Moon stopping at the entrance to the outer room.

Gan Qiongying gulped down another cup of water. Only after finishing the entire pot did she wipe her mouth and head toward the inner chamber.

How she wished this tea were wine—then she could at least lose her inhibitions after drinking, grit her teeth, and just sleep with the Consort.

But in reality, having drunk too much tea, she was more alert than a madman. Apart from a full stomach, there was no escaping anything.

Gan Qiongying walked to the bedside with a sense of resignation and lifted the bed curtains once more.

Consort Li Hua lay there with his eyes closed, the quilt pulled up to his nose, his dark hair scattered messily on the pillow as if he were asleep.

Gan Qiongying hesitated for a moment before sitting on the edge of the bed.

Another troubling thought crossed her mind: what about the eighteen shadow guard “cameras” above her head? Were they going to watch her… do that?

This was too embarrassing.

Gan Qiongying was caught in a dilemma, but without this method, she truly didn’t know what other reason she could use to treat the God of Wealth well.

So, gritting her teeth, Gan Qiongying reached out and tugged the quilt down from where it covered the Consort’s nose.

Her intention was to prevent him from having difficulty breathing.

But unexpectedly, as she pulled, the quilt slid down past the Consort’s shoulders, revealing nothing underneath—not even the layer of red gauze clothing!

Caught off guard, Gan Qiongying saw half of the Consort’s bare shoulder. Though his body was slender, he was still a man—his shoulders were broad, his skin smooth and pale, and his collarbone… was actually quite attractive.

It was also Gan Qiongying’s lack of experience. She had never seen a man’s body up close like this. She stared for a moment, then consciously averted her gaze, only to meet the Consort’s furious, wide-open eyes.

Gan Qiongying: …I’m not lustful, really.

I’m doing this for both our lives!

But facing the Consort’s eyes, brimming with humiliation and coldness, Gan Qiongying knew she had no way to defend herself.

But since things had already reached this point, Gan Qiongying had no choice but to steel herself and say, “Consort, it has been three months since our marriage. The Emperor bestowed this union upon us, binding us together for a hundred years…”

Gan Qiongying put on the practiced look of a libertine, extending her finger to lightly tap the Consort’s collarbone with her fingertip.

Her other hand, hidden in her sleeve, pinched her thigh hard to keep herself from trembling and revealing her fear.

She traced a slow, deliberate path along the Consort’s collarbone.

Then she whispered, “After we consummate the marriage, you will move into the Princess Manor.”

Gan Qiongying was so nervous that her mouth flooded with saliva. She swallowed instinctively, looking like a lustful fiend.

Leaning closer, she pressed her palm against the Consort’s bare shoulder and said, “I’ll treat you well, hmm?”

As the two drew near, their eyes met. Li Hua finally stirred—a struggle—but with his hands and feet bound, he couldn’t break free.

He was truly beginning to despair.

He could endure humiliation, beatings, and insults. He had even planned that once his great task was accomplished, he would feign death and escape, disappearing to a foreign land under a new name.

But he never imagined that Princess Duanrong, after all the abuse and degradation, would harbor lustful intentions toward him.

He… with his current face, which could only be described as plain and unremarkable, how could he possibly catch her eye? Li Hua simply couldn’t understand it.

Seeing Princess Duanrong reach for the blanket again, Li Hua panicked. He had been delivered here completely naked; if the blanket were pulled any lower, nothing would remain covered.

In his desperation, he couldn’t help but rasp, “Princess!”

Gan Qiongying froze, her forehead beaded with sweat.

Li Hua looked at Gan Qiongying, his expression complex and inscrutable, yet unable to conceal his disgust.

Lowering his gaze, he said coldly, “This humble commoner knows he is unworthy of Your Highness’s noble and precious person. Though the Emperor bestowed this marriage, this humble commoner never dared hope for Your Highness’s favor.”

“This humble commoner is plain in appearance and unsightly in body, fearing he would only sully Your Highness’s eyes.”

Li Hua looked at Gan Qiongying, his tone humble yet laced with barely suppressed sarcasm. “Why not… let this humble commoner return? I will surely scour the land for handsome men to present to Your Highness for your amusement.”

Princess Duanrong was notoriously licentious. Li Hua had long known about the countless male consorts in her rear courtyard and her absurd pursuit of handsome men, all stemming from her dissatisfaction with their marriage.

Li Hua even knew that Princess Duanrong’s true affections lay with another man—for whom she had defied the Emperor’s will and nearly lost her life.

Li Hua didn’t know how Princess Duanrong had developed these intentions toward him, but while he could endure pain, he could not tolerate being violated.

Hearing Li Hua’s words, Gan Qiongying raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Her Consort was offering to find male consorts for her?

Gan Qiongying withdrew her finger from his collarbone.

She looked down at the Consort.

The two remained locked in a silent standoff for a moment before Gan Qiongying slowly shook her head and said softly, “I don’t want any handsome men.”

She couldn’t handle it—she still didn’t know how to deal with the ones already in the rear courtyard.

Keeping people cost money, and she truly wasn’t lustful.

Having her God of Wealth was enough!

Gan Qiongying looked at her God of Wealth and spoke again, this time with a touch of genuine sincerity.

“Don’t call yourself a humble commoner. Just refer to yourself as ‘I.’ We are husband and wife—all those formalities can be dispensed with from now on.”

Gan Qiongying felt she was getting better at this act. This was perfect—it fit the original’s “lust-addled” persona while also coaxing her God of Wealth. Flawless!

She smiled, and because it was genuine, the gloom that belonged to “Princess Duanrong” faded considerably, revealing a hint of youthful charm.

“It’s been three months since we married, and I… haven’t been good to you. I’ll treat you better from now on.”

“As for those… people in the rear courtyard, if you don’t like them, I’ll gradually send them away.”

They absolutely had to be sent away! What was the point of keeping so many money-draining parasites? She had been worried about it before—how could she suddenly dismiss the beauties the original owner had painstakingly gathered without raising suspicion? Now, she could use the excuse of being infatuated with her Consort, making it perfectly justified.

Upon hearing this, Li Hua couldn’t hide his astonishment. He was so shocked that his lips trembled, and for a moment, he couldn’t speak.

Gan Qiongying stood up and, without calling any maids, reached to undo her waist sash.

Softly, she said, “It’s getting late. Let’s rest.”

She had thought of a brilliant plan. She didn’t necessarily need to actually do anything with her Consort. As long as she drew the bed curtains and made some noise, would the shadow guards dare to pull back the curtains and lift the covers to check?

As for whether they actually did anything, her Consort wouldn’t tell anyone—he didn’t want to in the first place.

After spending the night together, she could pamper her “God of Wealth” to the heavens, and others would at most sigh at her being blinded by infatuation.

Her robe loosened and fell to the floor.

Gan Qiongying turned as if to get into bed, planning to coax him quietly and untie his ropes under the covers.

But before she could even lift her knee, she saw her Consort facing her direction, his eyes resolute and bloodshot.

She froze.

The next moment, she watched in horror as blood gushed from the corner of his mouth!

Holy shit!