Daily Survival After Inheriting a Harem (GL) - Chapter 30

The moment she thought of this, the scene of her forcibly kissing Pei Yuqing in the bath that day instantly surfaced in Qiu Qi’s mind. After being polished by memory, it became even more ambiguous. At this moment, her heartbeat was so fast it seemed about to burst out of her chest.

Pei Yuqing, who was touching her, naturally read what she was thinking, and her eyes changed at once.

Qiu Qi sensed the shift in her mood and quickly lowered her head to look at her stomach. Only then did she finally realize just how much face she had lost earlier.

Immediately, she patted her own head in embarrassment.

“Forget it, forget it, hurry and forget it.”

Pei Yuqing grabbed her self-abusing hand.

“It will hurt.”

Qiu Qi did not dare look at her. She raised the back of her hand to cover her eyes.

“Madam, I think even the closest relationships still need secrets.”

“Mm. How so?”

“What I mean is… treat all of what you just read as me farting. You didn’t read any of it!”

…

The next day, everyone set off for the Green Island Guild.

Before their group even reached the entrance, they saw the Saintess standing at the road to welcome them from afar.

She wore a goose-yellow long dress. Her skin, illuminated by the sunlight, had an indescribable translucence. Her body was half-turned, her face covered with a veil. Her slender, willow-like figure was graceful and elegant as she stood quietly beneath the tree. When the wind blew, cherry blossom petals fluttered down. She reached out to catch them, and her lifted side profile was delicate and refined, like someone who had just stepped out of a manga. Her entire person was so beautiful it hardly seemed real.

Looking only at this Lin Daiyu-like fragile appearance, who could imagine that this was the Saintess who had single-handedly lifted the declining human race back up?

Qiu Qi widened her eyes and stared straight at Yu Nankong’s face. Earlier, she had thought Lu Ren was exaggerating, but now that she had seen the real person, she really did look exactly like the person in Qiu Qi’s drawing.

Fortunately, she had replaced the draft in time. Otherwise, once this spread, it would at least become something as absurd as “the current Beast God has secretly loved the Saintess for many years, and after being unable to obtain her, could only entrust her love into paintings.”

“Hiss…”

Just thinking about it made goosebumps rise all over Qiu Qi.

Pei Yuqing glanced sideways at her. Seeing that Qiu Qi’s face did not show the imagined amazement and obsession, her expression warmed slightly.

“My lord, Nankong has been waiting here for a long time. Please come in.”

Yu Nankong curtsied to Qiu Qi. The eyes exposed outside the veil seemed able to hook people, carrying a woman’s shyness.

Qiu Qi’s face was full of question marks. If not for her self-awareness, she almost would have thought this Saintess had a crush on her.

After entering the room, everyone took their seats. Yu Nankong had long known the purpose of Qiu Qi’s visit, so she directly handed the order to her. Today’s meeting was mainly to discuss the case and exchange the clues both sides had.

Yu Nankong took the initiative to pour Qiu Qi a cup of tea.

“To think we could wait until the Beast God personally takes action. I believe this case will certainly be resolved smoothly very soon.”

“Saintess, there is no need to deliberately flatter me.”

Qiu Qi pushed away the tea Yu Nankong handed over without touching it at all.

“My household is so poor the pot is almost uncovered. I’m only out here trying to make a living.”

Yu Nankong covered her lips and laughed softly.

“My lord jokes.”

Yan Wan, standing at the side, pretended to cough casually and secretly pushed Qiu Qi’s shoulder.

“Oh.”

Only then did Qiu Qi remember that she still had something else to say.

“Actually, I came today because there is also something I want to discuss with the Saintess. Why don’t we talk about this first?”

Yu Nankong acted as if she did not know what Qiu Qi was about to say, and replied with extreme sincerity,

“My lord, please speak.”

“Regarding the human race’s tribute being short in weight and quantity these past few years, is the Saintess aware of it?”

Yu Nankong’s brows furrowed lightly, and she subconsciously shook her head.

“Short in weight and quantity? How could there be such a thing?”

Qiu Qi quietly stared at her and thought: With this acting skill, you’re still too inexperienced to compete with us for the Oscars. Acting shocked for more than two seconds is too fake.

“Isn’t the Saintess Pavilion responsible for the tribute? How could the Saintess not know?”

Qiu Qi blinked, also wearing an innocent expression.

Yu Nankong lowered her eyes, looking as if she were about to cry. At the same time, a subordinate standing beside her suddenly knelt on both knees and cupped his hands toward Qiu Qi.

“Beast God, this was all my own idea. Please do not misunderstand our Saintess.”

“Wow. Tell me about it.”

Qiu Qi prepared to listen respectfully and see what kind of tricks this person could make up.

“Since the beginning of last year, the northern Lie tribe has suffered constant natural disasters, floods and droughts one after another. The harvests in the fields were miserable. The common people cannot even afford to eat, much less hand over tribute.”

With the Black River as the border, the human race was divided into four tribes: the eastern Huang tribe, the western Qiu tribe, the southern Jiu tribe, and the northern Lie tribe. The tribute handed over to the beastmen was made up of one share from each of these four tribes.

From this person’s meaning, he wanted to push the entire blame onto the Lie tribe, which was farthest from the main city. That way, even if Qiu Qi wanted to go settle accounts, it would still take some time.

That person was still tearfully explaining,

“Saintess, you also know that my mother happens to be from the Lie tribe. The Lie Commandery Prince is cruel and heartless, never caring about the safety of the people beneath him. The emperor is far away. Before a written complaint can even reach His Majesty, it is suppressed at the lower reaches of the Black River. The common people are crying out in suffering. This lowly one… this lowly one truly could not bear it, so I secretly tampered with the tribute, hoping to lighten the burden on the Lie tribe’s people.”

“Zhuang Nan, what nonsense are you saying?”

Yu Nankong tightly furrowed her brows.

“You are accusing the commandery prince and His Majesty of inaction. This is a crime of great disrespect!”

Qiu Qi grew somewhat tired of watching the show. She raised her head and asked Yan Wan standing at the side,

“Granny, do you have melon seeds? My mouth is idle.”

Before Yan Wan could speak, Pei Yuqing grabbed Qiu Qi’s ear and pulled her back.

“Be serious.”

Since Madam had spoken, how would Qiu Qi dare disobey?

She sat there again and waited for Yu Nankong and her subordinate to act through several more rounds before finally getting a line to say.

“My apologies, my lord. I have made a fool of myself before you.”

Yu Nankong’s face was full of worry.

“You heard it just now too. There are many hidden circumstances behind this matter. If you can give me a little time, I will certainly hurry and send both the result and the criminals involved in this matter before you, to be disposed of as you wish.”

“Don’t say those useless things.”

Qiu Qi waved her hand.

“I’m not interested in the process of the matter. I just want to ask, when can you make up the tribute you owe us?”

This time, before Yu Nankong could answer, Zhuang Nan, who was kneeling at the side, spoke first. His face was full of anger as he gritted his teeth at Qiu Qi and said,

“Do you have any empathy? Natural disasters and man-made calamities are already things no one can predict. The Lie tribe’s people are already suffering so terribly, and now you’re using that little tribute as an excuse to refuse mercy even after gaining the upper hand, directly shutting down the three factories. Isn’t this adding frost to snow for common people whose lives are already difficult? Cruel tyrant!”

This paragraph was quite long. There were also quite a few people present, yet not a single person stood up to interrupt in the middle. It was as if this really were a play prepared for Qiu Qi, and she could not miss a single line from her opponent.

Qiu Qi also listened to the whole thing without any anger on her face. She even leisurely picked up the tea and took another sip.

Only after that person’s emotionally rich output ended did she slowly speak.

“You are so impudent. Aren’t you afraid… that I will kill you?”

She narrowed her eyes and smiled.

“After all, I’m a cruel and cold-blooded tyrant. Killing one more person is not much. Don’t you agree?”

Who knew Zhuang Nan would show no fear at all? He straightened his back and lifted his chin, looking as if he were glorious for sacrificing himself.

“If you want to kill or cut me apart, do as you wish. For the interests of the people, for freedom of speech, what is there to fear in dying once?”

After hearing this, Qiu Qi almost could not hold back her laughter.

That was true. If she acted, perhaps it would play right into the other side’s hands. At that time, the filthy basin of “abusing power and extorting tribute” would be dumped onto her head, while the Saintess Pavilion would gain another glorious deed of “fighting for the people and refusing to yield even in death.”

Wonderful. Truly wonderful.

The human emperor was warlike, and he might be looking for a chance to destroy the peace agreement and start a war with the beastmen, then gather the strength of both races to annex the elf race.

Qiu Qi only had to close her eyes and think, and she could imagine these people’s sinister and cunning expressions when digging this pit.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Suddenly, she felt that the beauties in her own house all seemed amiable and approachable.

“Get up. I won’t kill you.”

Amid everyone’s surprised gazes, Qiu Qi spoke faintly. She propped up her chin and looked at the Saintess.

“I came to find you today, Saintess, to solve the matter, not to pursue responsibility. You saying how pitiful the Lie tribe is has little to do with me. At most, I can represent the beastman race and express sympathy for them. However… disaster relief and aid are things the human emperor should do, right? Why should deductions be taken from the tribute of our unrelated beastman race?”

The moment these words came out, even Yu Nankong’s smile stiffened.

She had not expected that this demon would be impervious to both soft and hard tactics.

“Moral kidnapping doesn’t work on me,” Qiu Qi continued. “If the Lie tribe can’t hand in tribute, that’s fine. The other three tribes can make up for it. I’m very easy to talk to. As long as the total amount is enough, no matter where it comes from, I’ll enjoy it properly with a grateful heart. Speaking of which, isn’t the Huang tribe that the Saintess belongs to the most prosperous among the four tribes? You can casually take out ten thousand gold as a bounty. Then if you let a little leak out from between your fingers, it should be enough to fill the bellies of the Lie tribe’s people, who are currently suffering terribly, right?”

“What right do you have to point fingers at our human race’s affairs!”

Qiu Qi smiled at the furious Zhuang Nan.

“I’m only giving a tiny suggestion. After all, our Saintess cares for all living beings and is merciful and gentle. I think even if I didn’t say it, she must have already taken money from her own pocket to provide disaster relief to the Lie tribe’s victims, right?”

She turned her gaze back to Yu Nankong’s face.

“Am I right, Saintess?”

Yu Nankong was indeed someone capable of great things. Even after being exposed to her face, she could still speak and smile.

“Hearing of someone is not as good as meeting them. Beast God, you truly are exceptionally clever. Zhuang Nan, did you hear what my lord said? I will give you a chance to make up for your crime. After you return, you will be fully responsible for the disaster relief matter. Not a single mistake is allowed.”

“Yes, Saintess.”

Zhuang Nan gritted his teeth as he answered.

“Eh, don’t leave.”

Qiu Qi called him back, but her words were directed at the Saintess.

“Didn’t the Saintess say just now that this person would be disposed of as I wish? What, are you going back on your word so quickly?”

“Did my lord not say just now that you did not intend to kill him?” Yu Nankong asked in confusion.

“Yes. I won’t kill him. But there are other punishments.”

Qiu Qi nodded. In front of Yu Nankong, she stood and walked to the burly man. She lifted her head and stared at him, who was a whole head taller than she was.

“Kneel.”

“You, what did you say?”

Zhuang Nan suspected there was something wrong with his ears.

Qiu Qi looked straight into his eyes and pointed at the ground.

“I told you to kneel.”

Her tone sounded somewhat casual, but from her expression, one could tell she was absolutely not joking.

Everyone’s gaze gathered on the man. He looked troubled and glanced toward Yu Nankong. A man had gold beneath his knees. He could kneel to the current emperor and kneel to the Saintess, but he absolutely would not kneel to this demon of the beastman race.

Who knew Yu Nankong would be lowering her head and lightly blowing on her teacup, not even giving him a glance.

Gritting his teeth, Zhuang Nan could only bend his heavy knees and kneel before Qiu Qi. Feeling deeply humiliated, he gritted his teeth and asked,

“Is this enough?”

“Of course not. Kowtow three times.”

“Don’t go too far!”

Zhuang Nan roared with a flushed face.

The corners of Qiu Qi’s lips lifted, and her voice rose even higher than his.

“Saintess, did you hear that? I merely asked your subordinate to kowtow and apologize to me, yet he turns around and bites back, saying I am going too far. Is this the human race’s way of expressing apology? Then I have truly broadened my horizons.”

Yu Nankong cast a distant glance over. Her cool gaze landed on the top of the man’s head.

“Zhuang Nan, apologize to my lord.”

“Saintess… Saintess…”

Yu Nankong’s expression was firm. She was not moved in the slightest by the pleading in the man’s voice.

After a long, suffocating silence, three crisp impacts sounded in the room. After kowtowing, the man clenched his fists with a dark face and left angrily, not even caring about etiquette.

Having achieved her goal, Qiu Qi did not care about his final bit of rudeness. She slowly sat back down in her chair, changed into an innocent and weak expression, and shrank into Pei Yuqing’s arms. With round eyes, she looked up at her.

“Madam, I was scared to death just now. That uncle looked so fierce. I was so afraid he would beat me.”

The corners of Pei Yuqing’s lips curled lightly. She cooperated very well and patted Qiu Qi’s back.

“My lord need not be afraid. I will definitely protect you well.”

One sang and the other echoed. It was difficult not to see that they had discussed this beforehand and deliberately came here to disgust people.

Yu Nankong’s hand hidden in her sleeve clenched into a bluish fist. Her fingernails nearly snapped before she barely maintained the elegance and calm on her face.

Qiu Qi seemed completely unable to notice the frozen atmosphere around her. She picked up a peach blossom-shaped pastry from the plate and stuffed it into her mouth.

“Eh, Saintess, your chef’s skills aren’t bad. These pastries are much tastier than the ones made by the people in my courtyard. Soft and fragrant.”

“My lord.”

Pei Yuqing called her softly. Holding a handkerchief, she leaned over and wiped the crumbs from the corner of her mouth.

“You are dirty.”

Qiu Qi smiled sweetly, showing her big white teeth.

“Thank you, Madam.”

Yu Nankong’s attention fell on the two of them, not missing that bit of intimacy that outsiders found unbelievable.

The name Qiu Qi had been equated with bloodiness and cruelty for the past thousand years. She had many defeated opponents under her hands, and the one that had caused the greatest stir was Pei Yuqing, the daughter of the Elf King.

After all, Pei Yuqing was from the elf race. If she had fought one-on-one against the original body, she might not necessarily have lost. But what was despicable about the original body was that she had never thought of facing Pei Yuqing head-on. She took advantage of the moment when Lan Tang was alone and abducted the bird. Then, in front of Pei Yuqing, she used Lan Tang’s life as a threat, forcing Pei Yuqing to put on the Mystic Ice Rings herself and surrender without resistance.

Once those rings were put on, they remained for several hundred years. Although there had not been any movement between the two of them during these centuries, everyone believed that with Pei Yuqing’s temperament, there was no way she would willingly live under another’s roof and endure endless humiliation. The elf race never interfered in outside matters, but they also repaid every grudge. Whether kindness or hatred, they returned one with a hundred.

Pei Yuqing was also rather tenacious. She had actually survived this demon’s torture for so many years.

But no one had expected that the first thing she did after removing the rings would not be to personally kill the demon, but to openly storm into Heyang House to save her.

What had happened in between was not only something outsiders were curious about. Even Yu Nankong, as the Saintess, could not understand it no matter how she thought.

Pei Yuqing noticed Yu Nankong’s overly direct gaze fixed on Qiu Qi. She tilted her body slightly, blocking half of Qiu Qi’s face, and swept a cold gaze back.

Yu Nankong had been admiring the sight of the legendary vicious and cruel Beast God foolishly eating sweets. Suddenly meeting Pei Yuqing’s eyes, which looked as if they wanted to peel off her skin, her movement of drinking tea paused, though her face did not panic.

“My lord and Miss Pei seem to have quite an affectionate relationship.”

“What do you mean, ‘seem’? It’s ‘are.’ Who could have any objection to the fact that my madam and I are affectionate?”

Qiu Qi said this quite shamelessly.

Fortunately, they were not on the street right now. Otherwise, a hundred people would stand up in minutes to boo her.

Yu Nankong laughed. Her eyelids lowered, and her fingers tapped the table.

“I heard that the Beast God has recently developed a fondness for collecting paintings?”

Qiu Qi forced out a fake smile and sighed inwardly at the art of the Saintess’s speech. When adult illustrations were phrased by her like this, they actually seemed quite elegant. Fortunately, Qiu Qi had drawn the booklets anonymously. Otherwise, she would have been mocked in a roundabout way.

“I look at them occasionally.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

Yu Nankong gave a look to the person behind her.

“Recently, Nankong happened to come across a divine work among the people by chance. Since the Beast God has some research in this area, why not admire it together with me?”

Qiu Qi felt something strange in her heart. Why would she suddenly keep her here to admire a painting? There must be a trap.

After the servant presented the painting, they withdrew. Only the four of them remained in the room.

Once the door closed, the light in the room dimmed considerably. Qiu Qi looked at Pei Yuqing, feeling a little panicked. This strange atmosphere always gave her a sense of unease.

Pei Yuqing gave her a comforting smile. Her hand hanging at her side gently rested on Qiu Qi’s waist and patted it.

“Saintess, there’s really no need to be so polite. What I look at are all third-rate picture books. I don’t pretend to be some cultured person who can appreciate elegant art. Even if you put a divine work in front of me, I won’t be able to feel its beauty.”

Qiu Qi tried to escape earlier.

Yu Nankong revealed an expression of deep meaning. She lifted the yellow cloth over the album and opened one page, laying it steadily across the table.

“This work possesses both artistry and common appeal. Perhaps it is precisely the type my lord likes.”

Qiu Qi’s gaze stuck to that picture album as if glued. Her mind was filled with “holy shit,” and she could no longer hear what Yu Nankong was saying.

Simple lines, an affected art style, an overly honest level of explicitness—on this continent, there was one and only one person who could draw this thing.

Wasn’t that her?!

And the version spread open on the table was even the discarded draft she had abandoned.

—The version that looked like the current Saintess!

Qiu Qi secretly gritted her teeth, annoyed at her own naivety. She had been deceived too thoroughly by sweet words. Lu Ren was a merchant. If she could sell Qiu Qi’s information, she could naturally also sell her information to others. Back then, she had even kindly advised Qiu Qi to change the drawing, but in the end, she turned around and stabbed this matter over to the Saintess, cleanly absolving herself of responsibility. Truly impressive!

“This painting…”

Yu Nankong raised her eyes to look at Pei Yuqing.

“Does Miss Pei know the author?”

Pei Yuqing shook her head. Her gaze, fixed on the top of Qiu Qi’s head, was dark and unreadable.

“I have heard of them. However, the version I heard that day was that the artist herself was dissatisfied with this work and personally destroyed it. I truly did not expect to one day see it with my own eyes.”

Qiu Qi shrank her neck, not even daring to breathe loudly. She suddenly felt her mouth go dry and hurriedly picked up her teacup, gulping down two cups.

“Maybe… maybe the artist was careless for a moment and forgot.”

Qiu Qi defended herself softly.

“I don’t think this painting is as amazing as the Saintess says. At most, it’s at the level of a discarded draft.”

Yu Nankong grew interested.

“Oh? Why does my lord say that? Do you have any other insights?”

Pei Yuqing also leaned “gently” close to Qiu Qi’s ear and asked,

“My lord reads widely in ordinary times. You must have your own unique view. Since the Saintess is curious, why not explain exactly where this booklet is lacking?”

With a wolf in front and a tiger behind, Qiu Qi was so despairing she nearly cried on the spot.

But who was she? She was a woman who would compete for the Oscars in the future. This little scene was not something to fear!

“Mm. Then I’ll share a bit of my humble opinion.”

Qiu Qi cleared her throat and put on an air as if she had seen the painting for the first time. She stretched out a finger and pointed here and there.

“Actually, I think the main reasons this person’s drawing is average are as follows. First, the image is sloppy and stiff. From the author’s brushstrokes, one cannot feel the slightest emotional investment. It feels like something produced on an assembly line, without the slightest care put into it. We all know that the most important thing in art is the spiritual energy within the work. This thing… tsk, it can’t be brought onto the stage.”

Yu Nankong laughed softly in her heart. What a fine lack of emotional investment. What a fine unable to be brought onto the stage. First, she cleared herself completely in front of Pei Yuqing, then stepped on Yu Nankong. Truly, Qiu Qi had said every good and bad thing possible.

“Since that is so…”

Yu Nankong’s voice lowered.

“Then Nankong has no psychological burden anymore.”

“What burden?”

Yu Nankong lifted her eyelids, her eyes rippling as she threw Qiu Qi a pitiful look.

“Actually, Nankong is also an ordinary person and also has a sense of shame. When I first saw this work, I thought it was an artistic piece drawn by the artist full of love. Although I blushed with shame, I endured it, wanting to respect creation and not attach the titles of obscene and vulgar to the word ‘art.’ But today, after my well-read lord has spoken so clearly, Nankong understands…”

Qiu Qi swallowed nervously.

“Understands what?”

“Understands that this is not some work of uncontrollable love at all, but the private obscene fantasy of a lustful person toward Nankong. It is profanation. It is insult. It is disrespect toward the Saintess and even toward the entire human race!”

When Yu Nankong said this, her aura clearly gained a few more points of dignity, frightening Qiu Qi into a daze.

“Today, I will issue an order to arrest that lecherous rogue. She must be executed by a thousand cuts atop the city tower.”

“Saintess, calm down!”

Qiu Qi tremblingly tried to salvage the situation.

“Actually, after carefully looking just now, I seem to have noticed some of the author’s little intentions. Unlike other booklets, this artist portrayed the details of the Saintess’s appearance very accurately. Presumably, in daily life, she must have observed you with great care to draw you without the slightest difference. How cautious, pure, and deep this love must be.”

“My lord is saying that the artist still admires me?”

“She, she… she… probably does, ah!”

For the sake of her future path to survival, Qiu Qi gritted her teeth and nodded.

The instant she said those words, her waist suddenly hurt sharply. It hurt so much she almost jumped on the spot.

After remembering whose hand was resting on her waist, she felt deeply wronged.

Wuwuwu, Madam pinched my ticklish spot. It hurts!

And at this moment, Pei Yuqing, the culprit, seemed as if nothing had happened. She calmly looked forward.

“My lord truly observes carefully.”

A double meaning in one sentence. Qiu Qi was now riding a tiger and unable to get off.