"Alright, name your price! I'll buy the secrets you know. From now on, once you take my money, you must keep your mouth shut."
She didn't have any money on her, but any one of the ornaments she was wearing would be enough for him to live on for several months.
And then there was the five hundred taels of silver she had given him before...
Thinking of this, a twitch went through her eyebrows. That guy had really enjoyed retorting to her just now. He had looked like a chaste and offended man. If he was so high - minded, why didn't he return the five hundred taels she had left!
Humph, men!
When there was no response for a long time, Li Xinyue grew anxious. The people from the queen were coming soon.
She even had the illusion that Nanny Zhou was eavesdropping on the other side of the wall. If he didn't give in, she was truly doomed!
"Chu Junyi!"
"What?"
Li Xinyue was taken aback. She was caught off - guard by his sudden cooperation.
She turned around, then looked warily at the corner of the wall. After making sure there was no sign of Nanny Zhou, she let out a sigh of relief. Then she looked up at Chu Junyi.
Chu Junyi looked down at her coldly.
She looked away guiltily, up at the sky.
Chu Junyi asked, "Which secret does Her Highness the Princess want to buy? The one just now or the one three months ago?"
Li Xinyue gritted her teeth. "Both."
This guy was asking like this. He wouldn't make an exorbitant demand, would he?
She glared at him resentfully. "Since you, Mr. Chu, are so high - minded, you should just..." She was afraid of being overheard, so she paused for a moment and then made a gesture, meaning that since he was so high - minded, he should return the five hundred taels!
Chu Junyi's eyes were caught by her waving five fingers. Only after a closer look did he notice that these five slender and fair fingers were all fully adorned, and they sparkled in a staggered way as her hand waved.
Looking at her other hand, it was the same. Even on her wrist, neck, and head, it was just the same.
He knew she was rich, but there was no need to wear all her wealth on her!
He smacked his lips contemptuously and then refocused on the matter of negotiating terms.
Was it really so unbearable for her to be associated with him that she even wanted to pay a large sum of money to silence him!
Even if she didn't say anything, he wouldn't spread this kind of thing. But since she brought it up, he knew that she actually wished he would disappear from this world.
If he hadn't become the number one scholar and had his current status, he might have disappeared from this world long ago.
"Your Highness the Princess, and it turns out the Number One Scholar is here too."
Nanny Zhou walked towards them and bowed to the two of them.
The words that were about to come out of Chu Junyi's mouth were swallowed back.
Li Xinyue's eyelashes trembled. She glared at Chu Junyi angrily. When she came to her senses and saw Nanny Zhou, she forced a smile on her lips.
Nanny Zhou curtsied and said calmly, "Her Majesty the Queen has something to ask Your Highness the Princess.
And Mr. Chu, could you please come with this servant too?"
"Thank you." Chu Junyi replied to Nanny Zhou, but his side - glance was at Li Xinyue.
Li Xinyue thought gloomily that she could only deal with the situation as it came.
"Mother, they're here. Ask Mr. Chu if Sister Six hit me!"
Li Xinrong tugged at the queen's sleeve and complained aggrievedly. She even showed her half - swollen face to the queen.
"Rong'er, that's your elder sister. Don't be rude!" The queen looked at Li Xinyue and smiled to smooth things over. "It's common for children to have small frictions. I'm sure Yuanyang has her reasons.
It's just that Rong'er is so clumsy and always causes some trouble. It really gives me a headache."
Li Xinrong was about to argue, but the queen tightly grabbed her wrist.
This subtle movement was noticed by Li Xinyue.
She knew that for such a small matter, the queen, who cared so much about her reputation, wouldn't use it as a weapon. There must be some other tricks up her sleeve.
"Mother, you're being too serious. Sister Fourteen is lively and lovely. I get along well with Sister Fourteen. There's no such thing as a small quarrel."
Li Xinyue walked up to the queen and curtsied.
The queen was also thinking in her heart that it would be inappropriate to make a big deal out of such a small matter. If it reached the emperor's ears, how could she, as the queen, manage the harem?
But if she ignored it, this child Rong'er would surely make a fuss again.
So how to bring it up became a really headache for her.
Because of the headache, the queen held the teacup and took sip after sip, and then slowly put it down.
A crisp sound, neither too loud nor too soft, echoed in the small side - hall on the boat, making the atmosphere suddenly turn heavy.
The sunlight came in through the window, shining on the teacup and casting a wisp of faint warm steam.
The queen remembered that there was also Chu Junyi. And then she recalled what her daughter Rong'er had cried and complained about just now. There was a very crucial sentence about this Number One Scholar arguing with their Sixth Princess.
"Mother, they must have an affair. If they were innocent, why would they argue as soon as they met? Those who can argue so fiercely must have known each other for a long time and have a grudge."
This was the smartest thing the queen thought her daughter had ever said.
So instead of asking Li Xinyue why she had hit Rong'er, she only asked, "I heard that Yuanyang had a big argument with our new Number One Scholar. What was it about?"
Li Xinyue knew that the queen would start from this matter.
"Replying to Mother, there's no such thing. I just met the Number One Scholar for the first time. What would we have to argue about?"
"You're lying. Do you think I'm deaf? Mr. Chu, tell us yourself. Has Li Xinyue ever made things difficult for you? If so, just say it. I... and Mother will surely stand up for you!"
"I—"
Li Xinyue's pupils dilated.
The queen and Li Xinrong both had the same expression.
"I just met Her Highness the Sixth Princess and Her Highness the Fourteenth Princess for the first time. I have no grudges with them in the past or recently. I think I might have spoken a bit loudly, which made Her Highness the Fourteenth Princess misunderstand."
Li Xinyue's eyebrows twitched, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.
Li Xinrong was extremely angry, but she was even more certain.
"They're in cahoots. They must have an affair!"
The queen's eyelashes trembled, and she quickly interrupted her daughter's words. How could such words be spoken casually? If it reached the emperor's ears, she, the queen, would be blamed.
"Hmm? Who has an affair? Tell me and let me hear."
"Your Majesty!"
Everyone turned around and curtsied to Emperor Mingde, who was walking in through the door.
Emperor Mingde paused for a moment. His sharp eyes looked at the two people kneeling on the ground, then at Li Xinrong standing beside the queen. He lifted his chin.
"Could it be my Princess Yuanyang and the Number One Scholar?"
The queen quickly laughed it off and gave up the main seat. She personally helped Emperor Mingde to sit down.
But Emperor Mingde didn't follow the queen's lead to change the topic. Instead, he continued seriously.
"In my opinion, Scholar Chu is an upright man with a clean family background. He probably wouldn't do such a thing. And my Yuanyang is even less likely.
There must be a misunderstanding in this."
The queen took the opportunity to say that it was indeed a misunderstanding.
Emperor Mingde nodded. He turned sideways to avoid the queen's gaze. When he looked at the two of them, his eyebrows furrowed as he continued to think. "Since it's a misunderstanding, there's no need to mention this matter again. However, the Number One Scholar is highly knowledgeable and extremely talented. He can be a role model.
Just right. My princesses are arrogant and willful. They need a competent teacher to intervene and correct them.
I'll entrust this important task to Scholar Chu."