Chu Junyi didn't take the chopsticks. He just stared at her quietly and then glanced at the hands holding the chopsticks. Such a simple gesture seemed to pluck the strings of his heart.
The smile on his face grew deeper, and his eyes burned with increasing intensity.
An inexpressible thought made his Adam's apple bob up and down.
After a long while, he barely managed to restrain himself. He withdrew his hand and placed it against his lips, giving a soft cough. "I won't eat. You eat. If it's not enough, I'll ask someone to cook more."
"It's enough. If it really isn't, we can buy some more on the way back. You eat." She lowered her eyes and carefully separated the eaten rice from the uneaten with her chopsticks. Then she threw the eaten rice into the paper bag for bones and sorted out the eaten dishes.
But at this moment, her chopsticks were snatched away.
"What are you doing?" Li Xinyue raised her head and looked at him in puzzlement.
Chu Junyi's breath hitched at her innocent and puzzled look. He gritted his teeth to restrain himself. "Don't waste food." Then he started to gobble up the dishes she had eaten, mouthful by mouthful.
Li Xinyue felt her face heat up, and her heart started to race involuntarily.
She casually picked up a book and sat down to one side, naturally covering her almost blushing face. Then she pretended to be calm and spoke to him.
"Have you figured out how to handle the matter of the eldest princess?"
"Yeah." Chu Junyi sat down on the chair she had just been sitting on. While eating, he told her his plan.
Li Xinyue nodded. "That's a good idea."
But the risk was extremely high.
Those officials would soon figure out that it was him who had tipped them off.
Since he knew about their scandalous secrets, how could they let him go?
What should Chu Junyi do?
She was afraid she might not be able to protect him.
In the court, the only person who had the ability and might be willing to protect him was probably the crown prince.
Should she find a way to introduce him to the crown prince?
Speaking of the crown prince, she thought of another crown prince.
"Is that King Nanxun actually the former crown prince from the previous emperor's era?"
Li Xinyue raised her head. Her gaze extended from the book and landed on Chu Junyi, who was burying his head in eating.
Chu Junyi paused slightly and then gave a bitter smile.
"Your Highness is really smart. There's no way to hide anything from you. Yes, he is the former crown prince, your grand - uncle."
"Really? How did you confirm it?" Li Xinyue was slightly surprised. After learning this astonishing truth, she was completely flustered, and her hand unconsciously brushed her temple hair.
"By reasoning. He led his army into the capital several months ago but didn't launch an attack. Why? Because there was a reason he couldn't attack, and this reason could only be filled by the existence of Concubine Yu.
Concubine Yu's tasks were to bewitch the emperor and steal things from beside him.
There were only two things of importance: the imperial jade seal and the imperial edict.
But the current emperor's edict should be of little value to King Nanxun. What he wanted was the imperial edict left by the previous emperor.
The heir to the throne written in that edict was only the crown prince.
With this edict, he wouldn't be a rebel king but would be taking back the country that rightfully belonged to him.
Any other prince leading an army into the capital would be rebelling. So who would go to so much trouble and hold back?"
Hearing this, Li Xinyue couldn't help but tremble inside.
If he succeeded, wouldn't her father and all the royal children be in an unjust position?
Wouldn't she, a princess, overnight become a county princess?
County Princess Yuanyang, County Princess Yuanyang?
It didn't sound as good as princess.
Li Xinyue frowned slightly, showing a bit of unwillingness on her face.
But thinking of her grand - uncle's legitimate claim, she felt inexplicably ashamed for her father.
"So, that's why I had to cover your ears, Your Highness. If you didn't know these things, you might live more comfortably."
Once you knew, other than feeling like your family had stolen someone else's country, what else could you do?
Surrender the throne?
Now, it was his turn to struggle with how to deal with King Nanxun.
Dealing with him as a rebel king seemed a bit too harsh.
But if he was left alive, he would surely become a serious threat in the future.
So, he was in a difficult situation!
He even wished he had never known, so that he wouldn't have to be so soft - hearted when dealing with him.
Thinking of this, he lowered his head and took a big bite of rice. But then, as if he remembered something, he suddenly looked up at Li Xinyue and said seriously, "Your Highness must remember! Your father's throne was supported by all the officials. It was also legitimate.
It was the chaotic struggle for the throne back then that made everyone think there were no more royal heirs, which was why your father became the emperor. So, we have a clear conscience."
Li Xinyue was stunned. Was he comforting her?
A ripple stirred in her heart. She wasn't as helpless as before and instead became a bit calmer.
"Got it."
The night was deep and quiet, and the candlelight was dim.
In the entire Prefecture of the Capital, except for the places where guards were on duty, everywhere else was pitch - black. One after another, the officials left after work.
The large mansion was deathly silent. All of a sudden, there was an illusion that it had become their territory.
Under this illusion, someone became even bolder.
"Chu, Chu Junyi!"
Li Xinyue covered her chest with both hands. Her eyes were flickering and flustered as she watched this face getting closer and closer. His eyes were glinting with a madness that seemed to have lost all reason.
His strong arms propped on the two armrests of her armchair, confining her in the chair.
The night grew deeper, the candlelight in the room grew dimmer, and his breathing grew heavier. His eyes looking at her were full of desire. "Yue'er!"
"This is the Prefecture of the Capital, such a holy place. Don't, don't do anything rash." Li Xinyue anxiously tried to push him away with her hands.
But he let out a snort of laughter. The word "holy" made him unable to hold back any longer. He leaned down and kissed her lips. His fingertips twirled her temple hair, then slid across her cheek, down to her neck, and gently rested on her shoulder.
Li Xinyue's pupils dilated in shock. She was flustered and at a loss.
But someone became even more unscrupulous. While frantically savoring her taste, he slowly slipped the clothes off her shoulders with the hand on her shoulder.
"Chu Junyi, don't, don't, don't do this!"
Li Xinyue finally managed to break free from his lips. Before she could say much, someone leaned down and kissed her neck.
The kiss made her turn the words on her lips into broken moans. She angrily bit his shoulder hard.
Only then did he regain some sense and stop his actions.
"Change to another place, change to another place!"
She didn't want to do this kind of thing in the yamen. She still had her dignity.
"Go, go..."
Where should they go?
In the princess mansion, Lian'er and Hongxiu were there. If they saw her like this, she would have no face left.
"Go to the manor. Give me some dignity. I'll follow you, okay?"
Hearing the words "follow you", Chu Junyi agreed to change the place.
Then he blew out the candle, picked her up, and jumped onto the carriage.
The jolts of the carriage had a special charm at this moment.
Li Xinyue was also startled. Thinking of an indescribable thought, her cheeks turned crimson, and her whole body felt hot.
Chu Junyi pressed her against the carriage wall. He pinched her chin with one hand, leaned down, and kissed her lips, savoring her taste to his heart's content.
Li Xinyue finally let down her guard and truly lived up to the words "follow you".
A pair of jade - like arms wrapped around his neck, and her hands clasped together, looking like a beautiful knot.