Li Xinyue stretched lazily and smiled contentedly. After that, she felt a bit regretful. "It's a pity that the Fu family has a large inner lake. The fire was extinguished when it reached the lake, and half of the Fu family estate was still saved. It would have been so much better if it had all burned down."
"If it had all burned down, how big the fire would have been! And what about the nearby civilian houses?"
There came the soft sound of a wooden door opening behind her. Li Xinyue turned around and saw Chu Junyi coming out of the room, looking at her seriously.
Li Xinyue remembered the scene of being thrown out of the room by him after she had brought him in last night.
She couldn't help but wonder what indecent things he had done alone in the room.
Li Xinyue looked at him curiously, with a meaningful smile on her lips.
Chu Junyi lowered his eyes and coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment. Then, he snatched the half - eaten bun from her hand and naturally popped it into his mouth.
Jing Bai and Hongxiu, who were eating beside them, felt that they had discovered a big secret. Afraid of being silenced by the princess, they silently picked up their bowls and squeezed into the kitchen with Sister - in - law Zhou.
Li Xinyue watched the two who had run away quickly, then looked at the gloating man, and smacked her lips with mixed feelings.
Chu Junyi raised his eyebrows satisfactorily. "Your Highness the Princess promised me. You can't go back on your word."
Chu Junyi dragged over a bamboo chair nearby, turned it around, and sat down facing her profile. He stared at her without blinking.
Li Xinyue lowered her eyes awkwardly and ate seriously. "What did I promise?"
"You promised..." Chu Junyi leaned over, reached out and pinched her chin, and gently kissed her cheek. Finally, looking at her gradually reddening ears, he said with a smile, "You promised to give this official a chance. Do you understand that a monarch never goes back on their word?"
The bun in Li Xinyue's hand clattered back into the bowl.
It was the first time she had heard that the saying "a monarch never goes back on their word" could be used like this.
But thinking about it carefully, it seemed right. She was a princess, and in front of him, wasn't she the monarch?
She really couldn't argue with him.
Chu Junyi was very satisfied with her shy and awkward look. He couldn't help but tease her again. "Does Your Highness still remember that in the inn before? When this official risked his life to lead the Eldest Princess away for you, you asked me what I wanted and that you would compensate me.
Now I'll tell you. This official wants..."
"Eat." Li Xinyue quickly stuffed a bun into his mouth.
Chu Junyi took a bite but still managed to say the word "you".
Li Xinyue glared at him angrily.
"So, what exactly did you say to the Eldest Princess that night?"
"Does Your Highness want to know?"
"Don't want to."
"Oh." Chu Junyi got up and was about to leave.
Li Xinyue's curiosity got the better of her, and she couldn't help but compromise. "Want to, want to."
"This official told the Eldest Princess..." Chu Junyi deliberately dragged out his words and didn't forget to observe the change in her expression. When he saw that she really opened her eyes wide and looked at him curiously, he continued contentedly, "This official asked the Eldest Princess how to win the heart of Princess Yuanyang."
Li Xinyue's pupils dilated, and she was completely petrified.
She stared at Chu Junyi in disbelief, suspecting that he was teasing her.
But Chu Junyi was rarely serious. "First, this official is not familiar with the Eldest Princess. What do you think I could talk to her about?
Second, the Eldest Princess keeps so many male favorites. She is obviously a woman interested in matters of love. Besides talking to her about men and women to lead her away, what else could I talk about?" Third, he had already made up his mind that night, so he rushed to her princess mansion regardless of everything.
It was a pity that what he saw was the person he had been longing for running to save Lord Xia.
The crucial thing was that Lord Xia was a coward. Li Xinyue risked her life to save such a person. He was almost fainted with anger.
What made him even angrier was that he actually followed to save such a person. He was even angrier at himself for why he liked a woman like Li Xinyue.
So they had a big fight that day.
After Chu Junyi's explanation, Li Xinyue couldn't calm down for a long time.
And someone calmly went to deal with the follow - up matters of the case of the direct - line relatives, that is, the matter of those merchants.
"Last night, this official received the news that the thousands of troops dispatched by the court have arrived in the south of the Yangtze River and will enter the city after noon.
To prevent the merchants from knowing this and threatening the lives of the city's people, the best way is to first invite them to negotiate.
Lord Fu will then lead the troops to secretly encircle and suppress them."
In the yamen, Chu Junyi circled the names of several wealthy merchants and handed them to Fu Chengyuan to handle.
The origin of this list came from Fu Tonghuai's case file. He had read it twice at the execution ground that day and had already memorized the list firmly.
Those merchants had taken action in advance probably because they already knew about the list and knew that they were doomed. So they decided to go all the way.
Lord Fu was in a very bad mood at the moment. Clearly, he and Chu Junyi were sworn enemies, but he still had to cooperate with him for official business. Moreover, he hadn't slept all night. His eyes were still bruised, and he hadn't had a chance to change his clothes. Half of his family property had been burned by the fire, and he could no longer live a wealthy life. He was very unhappy.
Lord Fu was suffering in his heart, but he couldn't say it.
Chu Junyi's gaze fell on him. He glanced at him faintly, wanted to laugh but didn't dare to. He seriously coaxed him, "Lord Fu, public affairs are public affairs, and private affairs are private affairs. This official is now discussing official business with you. I hope you don't forget the task dispatched by the court because of personal grudges.
If this matter is not handled well, both you and I will lose our heads. Do you understand?"
Fu Chengyuan's mouth twitched, and he was almost angry to death!
He had distinguished between public and private affairs, but wasn't it because Chu Junyi had taken advantage last night? Try having his home destroyed and see if he could still say so calmly that one should distinguish between public and private affairs.
Bah!
"Yue'er, you should return to the capital first to report. This official and Lord Fu will handle the follow - up matters. Moreover, my eyes have recovered, and the eyes of the imperial experts dispatched by the emperor have also recovered.
We can handle the follow - up matters of recruiting the rebels."
Chu Junyi gave Li Xinyue a look.
Li Xinyue understood. She had been away for too long, and God knows what kind of trouble might happen in the princess mansion. It was time to return to the capital.
"Okay. Be careful in everything. I'll leave first."
"Yeah." Chu Junyi watched Li Xinyue's back as she walked away. He wanted to say something like "have a safe journey", but looking at Fu Chengyuan who was glaring at him, he didn't say it in case he noticed something.
"Lord Fu, you go and invite these merchants out. This official will negotiate with them. After the court sends reinforcements, you take the opportunity to capture them all at once."
"Yes!" Lord Fu reluctantly agreed.
He was very dissatisfied that he had to listen to the words of a sworn enemy!
But he had no choice. After all, the other was one rank higher!
Half an hour later, Lord Fu came to report that those merchants demanded to negotiate at a place they designated, otherwise they would never negotiate.
Chu Junyi considered that if they didn't follow their requirements, it might affect the safety of the people.
After all, there were so many people, and they could easily grab one as a hostage. So he agreed.
But he didn't expect that the negotiation location was actually in a far - away mountain stronghold.
That is to say, those merchants had colluded with the bandits and formed a small force.