“I naturally…” Bai Zhen’er cupped her face shyly. “I’m in love with him.”
Liu Yueti: “…”
“Who asked you that?! I was asking whether you think he’ll rebel!”
“Oh.”
Bai Zhen’er awkwardly lowered her hands.
“He probably won’t.”
“His defiance of the Emperor was only to keep the Empress Dowager in check. Now that His Majesty is getting older, he has his own ideas as well.”
She lowered her voice.
“The Emperor values the male lead so highly because he intends to groom him into one of his trusted aides.”
“Right now, the court is controlled by the Empress Dowager and the Regent, while Princess Pingyang wants a share of the power too.”
Liu Yueti rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
“If the young Emperor wants to break free from their control, his only option really is to cultivate people from humble backgrounds who don’t yet have established power bases.”
“They’re all fighting to recruit talented young scholars too.”
Bai Zhen’er wasn’t particularly interested in politics, but she had heard some things.
“The top scholar, Pei Yu, is working under my father now.”
Liu Yueti was curious.
“What about the second-place scholar?”
Bai Zhen’er blinked blankly.
“Who was the second-place scholar again?”
Liu Yueti: “…”
In this year’s top three, the top scholar was brilliant, the third-place scholar was both handsome and talented, and the second-place scholar…
No one could quite remember him.
Poor second-place scholar. He was treated just like the bass player in a band—always overlooked.
Liu Yueti was about to gossip with her a little more when her eyes suddenly lit up.
She grabbed Bai Zhen’er and gestured behind them.
“Look over there! That’s Yuan Shaoqi!”
Bai Zhen’er immediately turned around, only for Liu Yueti to yank her back.
“You idiot! Don’t make it so obvious. Fix your hair, then casually glance back.”
Bai Zhen’er obediently did as she was told.
The moment she looked away, she leaned toward Liu Yueti and whispered excitedly,
“Why is he going somewhere so secluded?”
“Oh?”
Liu Yueti’s eyes lit up.
“That’s suspicious. Do you think something’s going on?”
The two exchanged a look, immediately reaching the same conclusion.
They quietly got up and followed him.
In a secluded corner of the garden, Yuan Shaoqi stopped.
A young woman dressed as a maid emerged nervously.
Yuan Shaoqi hurried over.
“Shuijing, how did it go? Has Miss gone to sleep?”
“Yes.”
Shuijing curtsied.
“Miss has gone to lie down and rest…”
“Master Yuan, I… I’m scared.”
“If Master finds out, he’ll beat me to death!”
“Don’t be afraid.”
Yuan Shaoqi gently held her and coaxed her in a soft voice.
“Shuijing, don’t be afraid.”
“Look at me.”
Without the male lead around to make comparisons, Yuan Shaoqi could actually be considered handsome. At this moment, with his eyes focused intently on the young woman before him, he looked almost tender and devoted.
Two faint blushes appeared on Shuijing’s cheeks, and she fell silent.
“Shuijing, I really… really can’t bear to part with you.”
Yuan Shaoqi took her hand.
“Your mistress once said she wouldn’t let you remain a servant girl for the rest of your life. If I marry her, you can naturally enter our household with her.”
“But now that our marriage is about to fall through, what will happen to you?”
On the other side of the wall, Liu Yueti’s eyes widened.
She didn’t make a sound, but her expression said everything.
If she hadn’t just watched him chase after Lin Qingwan and beg her forgiveness, she might have actually believed that this man had genuinely fallen in love with a little maid.
Bai Zhen’er shook her head too, wearing the exact same disgusted expression reserved for scumbags.
The two exchanged a look before continuing to listen.
“I…”
After being coaxed so sweetly, Shuijing sniffled.
“Of course I don’t want to leave you either, Master Yuan.”
“I may only be a maid, but my heart has belonged to you for a long time. You know that.”
A trace of contempt flashed through Yuan Shaoqi’s eyes, but his voice remained tender.
“I know!”
“I almost went to beg Qingwan earlier. Even if our marriage fell through, I wanted to ask her to let me keep you by my side…”
“But in the end, I couldn’t bring myself to say it.”
“I was afraid that instead of being able to take you with me, I would only push you into an even worse situation.”
“I understand.”
Shuijing was so thoroughly deceived that she threw herself into his arms, sobbing.
“I understand, Master Yuan. I won’t blame you.”
Yuan Shaoqi sighed softly.
“So… this is the only way.”
“Shuijing, you know what Qingwan and I mean to each other.”
“Deep down, she still wants to marry me. She’s only angry with me right now.”
“Once everything is settled, she’ll be grateful to you.”
“With you and Qingwan by my side, I’ll never want anyone else in this lifetime.”
“The three of us can live together in harmony, honoring one another and staying together forever…”
Shuijing sobbed and nodded.
Bai Zhen’er and Liu Yueti secretly poked their heads out, then immediately ducked back down.
Bai Zhen’er excitedly gestured,
“They kissed! They kissed!”
Liu Yueti gestured back.
“I saw it! You don’t have to get so excited!”
“This is the first time in two lifetimes that I’ve actually seen someone kiss right in front of me!”
Bai Zhen’er’s eyes sparkled.
“And they’re alive! This is so exciting!”
She clasped her hands against her cheeks.
When will I get to kiss Shen Hanzhi?
His lips were always so cold and distant, and whenever he spoke to others, the words that came out could cut deeper than a blade.
But his lips were beautifully shaped and such a lovely color.
They must feel incredibly soft when kissed…
Liu Yueti grabbed her mouth.
“What are you thinking about?”
Bai Zhen’er shyly buried herself against her chest.
“Hehe.”
“They’re leaving!”
Liu Yueti secretly poked her head out.
“The two of them deliberately went their separate ways, but it looks like they’re heading to the same place.”
“That building is where guests go to rest and change clothes.”
Bai Zhen’er gasped.
“Whoa. Are they going there to… have an affair?”
Liu Yueti sucked in a breath.
“Do we have to pay extra for this part? Are we really going to watch?”
“Let’s go!”
Bai Zhen’er grabbed her and hurried after them.
“Bestie!”
Liu Yueti tried to stop her.
“I think we really don’t need to watch the whole thing…”
“Huh?”
The two reached the guest quarters.
Yuan Shaoqi and Shuijing exchanged a glance.
One headed outside, while the other waited behind the wall.
Bai Zhen’er was about to go listen at the wall when Liu Yueti pulled her back.
She rubbed her chin.
“Something’s not right.”
“Let’s wait.”
Before long, a man dressed like a servant appeared carrying a brazier.
The moment he entered the room, Shuijing hurried over and locked the door.
The door shook.
Someone inside seemed to be pounding on it, desperately trying to get out.
Liu Yueti: “!”
See? What did I tell you?!
There was always going to be something like this at a banquet!
“Something’s going to happen!”
Based on her extensive experience reading novels, Liu Yueti immediately reached a conclusion.
“Lin Qingwan is probably inside. They’re trying to ruin her reputation!”
“What?”
Bai Zhen’er was startled.
“What do we do?”
“First…”
Liu Yueti asked,
“Does Lin Qingwan have a grudge against you?”
“No!”
Bai Zhen’er shook her head repeatedly.
“She’s a talented woman and a little aloof. She looks down on gossiping about other people.”
“We aren’t close, but we’ve never had any conflict either.”
“Good. Then we save her.”
Liu Yueti called out,
“Wearing Zhao, rescue her!”
“Coming!”
Wei Zhao answered and immediately reached for her sword, preparing to storm through the front door.
Liu Yueti hurriedly grabbed her.
“What are you doing?! If you go in through the front, you might as well announce to everyone that we’re here!”
She held her back.
“Go through the window! Get Lin Qingwan out!”
“Oh!”
Wei Zhao quickly circled around to the back, pushed open the window, and climbed inside.
Smoke filled the room, and the strong scent of incense permeated the air.
Lin Qingwan lay unconscious on the couch, completely drunk.
The servant seemed fairly decent. He only stood by the door, desperately trying to get it open, and hadn’t dared to look inside.
But the fragrance in the room was growing stronger…
Suddenly, the window was pushed open.