The Male Lead's Harem Belongs to Me (GL) - Chapter 18
The moonlight was bright, and the dark night sky seemed to be coated with a thick layer of ink, dark and gloomy, with the foreboding of an impending storm.
Beside the mansion, Qi Ze sat in the main seat, his face gloomy as he watched his concubines being helped to their feet by their maidservants and fed hangover soup. He never would have imagined that his concubines would be able to drink so much when they got together.
Especially Jiang Han and Gu Hanyun. Thinking of the two women’s states earlier, he couldn’t bear to look. However, what gave him some comfort was that Liu Shuwei hadn’t joined them in their revelry.
Qi Ze looked at the drunken Jiang Han below, his eyes moved slightly, and his mind became active. As a princess, not only was she not dignified, but she was also so morally corrupt. If the Emperor were to find out, perhaps he could openly divorce Jiang Han.
However, when he thought about the Empress Dowager, he felt a headache. It seemed impossible for him to divorce this woman, Jiang Han. At most, he could only seek a separation. But even a separation would not be so easy, unless… Qi Ze’s eyes fell on Jiang Han, unless she herself proposed a separation.
Just as Qi Ze was pondering countermeasures, the drunken women below began to wake up one after another.
The first to wake up was Yu Weiwan. Seeing Qi Ze’s gloomy face, her heart skipped a beat, followed by overwhelming panic and helplessness. What should she do? If her father found out about this, then she…
After Yu Weiwan, Chang Qianjiao woke up. She also noticed Qi Ze sitting above and her expression changed slightly. Chang Qianjiao was a little worried. If a woman lost her virtue and it got out, her reputation would be ruined.
Unlike the two of them, Gu Hanyun woke up shortly after Chang Qianjiao. She panicked for a moment, but quickly calmed down. For no reason, she felt that the Princess must have a plan.
Jiang Han, who woke up last, saw a pair of expectant eyes as soon as she woke up. She was puzzled for a moment, then looked up and saw Qi Ze, who looked like he had eaten a fly. Her heart skipped a beat, and Jiang Han finally understood the meaning of Gu Hanyun’s eyes.
But the problem was, she didn’t have a solution either.
Jiang Han panicked for a moment, then calmed down. Never mind, it’s already like this, let’s just think of a way to get out of this first.
Jiang Han adjusted her emotions and then raised her eyes with a deep look, preparing to look at Qi Ze, but unexpectedly met Liu Shuwei’s eyes. Liu Shuwei had been observing everyone, and she had taken in everyone’s expressions.
She watched the woman’s emotions go from doubt to panic, then helplessness, and finally the cunning look she had seen last night, and she knew that she was about to start fooling people again.
Liu Shuwei found it a little funny. She pursed her lips. Qi Ze was not like her. She was willing to let Jiang Han fool around, but Qi Ze was not, so her lies would definitely be exposed.
Liu Shuwei hesitated for a moment. Actually, as far as she was concerned, it would be good for her if Jiang Han’s lies were exposed, but when she looked at Jiang Han’s bright eyes, her hesitation disappeared.
Seeing that several people had woken up one after another, Qi Ze on the stage finally spoke. Perhaps because he had been investigating cases for many years, he had a truly intimidating aura when he was serious. “Princess, do you know your crime?”
Jiang Han looked at Qi Ze’s sullen face and thought, ‘This is the male lead who fits the original novel’s description of being cold and domineering. The previous version made me doubt if the author had misunderstood the meaning of “cold and domineering”.’
While lost in her thoughts, Jiang Han didn’t show it on her face. She built up her emotions and knelt down, looking at Qi Ze with a pitiful expression. Seeing this, the other concubines also knelt down, and regardless of what they were thinking, they all put on an obedient and remorseful expression.
Qi Ze sneered, “What? Does the Princess have something to say?”
Just as Jiang Han was about to speak, she looked up and saw a figure kneeling before Qi Ze before her, speaking before her, “Your Highness, this is actually because of me. If you must punish someone, punish me.”
This sudden change not only stunned Jiang Han and the other concubines, but also stunned Qi Ze. However, he quickly reacted and reached out to help the person up, looking at her in confusion, “What do you mean by that, Weiwei?”
Liu Shuwei glanced at Jiang Han who was kneeling below, and then looked at Qi Ze. She slowly lowered her eyes, her voice slightly hoarse, “It’s because yesterday was the anniversary of my mother’s death. The other sisters saw that I was unhappy, so they wanted to come and keep me company.”
The more she said, the softer Qi Ze’s heart became. The last thing he wanted to see was Liu Shuwei looking sad. He helped her sit beside him and gently comforted her, “I see. Why didn’t you tell me yesterday, Weiwei? I should have gone with you to pay respects.”
Liu Shuwei’s expression changed effortlessly. The sad look in her eyes a second ago was replaced by a touch of shyness. “What are you talking about, Your Highness? There’s nothing between you and me.”
Qi Ze laughed lightly at this, clearly amused by Liu Shuwei’s coquettish behavior. He said, “Soon there will be. I also want to go and see my mother-in-law in advance.”
Liu Shuwei no longer spoke, and gave him a shy glare.
Qi Ze was very pleased and his mood improved a lot. However, looking at Jiang Han and the others below, the smile on his lips gradually flattened. He said, “Since you were accompanying Weiwei, why did you all drink so much?”
Liu Shuwei sat in her chair, her gaze meeting Jiang Han’s for a moment. This time, she wouldn’t speak. She wanted to see how the princess would explain.
Jiang Han calmly lied, “We wanted to cheer my sister up, but there were some things we were too embarrassed to do while sober, so we drank a little more…”
A hint of amusement flashed in Liu Shuwei’s eyes as she took over Jiang Han’s words, “Thank you, Princess, and all my sisters. I’m feeling much happier now.”
Qi Ze listened to their conversation, and the last bit of doubt in his heart was dispelled. It wasn’t so much that he trusted Jiang Han, but because of what Liu Shuwei had said, that he believed her.
Since they had done it for Liu Shuwei, Qi Ze didn’t blame them too much. He just pretended to scold them a few words, and then sent them out of the hall.
As Jiang Han and the three others left the hall, they still felt a little unreal. They had been let off so easily? And they hadn’t even been punished?
Gu Hanyun was very touched, “Sister Liu is really kind. If it weren’t for her taking the blame for us today, we would have been punished.”
Chang Qianjiao was also a little moved, “We really owe it to Sister Liu today. But yesterday, was it really the anniversary of Sister Liu’s mother’s death?”
Yu Weiwan thought for a moment and frowned, “It should be true, otherwise the Prince wouldn’t have let us off so easily.”
Gu Hanyun, “Then what should we do?”
The three of them exchanged glances, and finally Jiang Han said, “Let’s all go back first. We’ll talk about this tomorrow.”
The other three had no objections, and each went back to the mansion to think about it.
Jiang Han stood at the door for a while, and when she was sober, she went back to her room. As she passed the hall, she couldn’t help but take a look. She didn’t know what the male lead was doing with the person he left behind, but she would have loved to hear it.
A moment later, Qi Ze opened the door of the hall with a smile. As soon as he turned around, he saw Jiang Han standing not far away, as if she was passing by. Jiang Han smiled at him and greeted, “Is the Prince going back?”
Qi Ze’s eyelids twitched every time he saw her. If it weren’t for her, the person who should be with Weiwei now should be him.
Before he could say anything, Liu Shuwei appeared. Qi Ze’s expression changed, and he nodded perfunctorily to Jiang Han as a response, and then turned to Liu Shuwei and said softly, “Weiwei, I’ll be going back now. I’ll come see you again in a few days.”
Liu Shuwei smiled warmly and nodded politely, “Please go slowly, Your Highness.”
Soon, Jiang Han saw Qi Ze leave happily, and she shook her head in amazement. As soon as she looked up, she saw Liu Shuwei’s playful smile.
Jiang Han paused and smiled, “I just happened to pass by here and was about to go back to my room. Do you want to come with me, Sister?”
“Hmm?” Liu Shuwei raised her beautiful eyes slightly, smiling ambiguously, “Sister, do you want to go to your room or my room?”
Author’s note:
Jiang Han (shy and coy): Can we go to the sofa?