“By the way, Buqi, weren’t you quite close with that little girl from the Xue Family before? Childhood sweethearts, innocent playmates. I thought you’d reserve the position of Shizifei for Miss Xue Qi.”
“Now that you’ve snatched Miss Ju, how will you explain things to Miss Xue Qi? Ah, hahaha.”
Ju Yue’s heart tightened.
The Emperor’s deliberate mention of Xue Wugou carried multiple implications.
Could it be that he still suspected Xue Qi was male, that the Xue Family harbored rebellious intentions…
She glanced toward Lou Buqi.
Suddenly, she realized her expression was off!
She was now the legitimate wife, while Miss Xue Qi was her husband’s childhood sweetheart!
She should be jealous, shocked, wanting to question him but not daring to.
In short, she shouldn’t be wearing this… gleeful, gossipy expression!
Realizing this, Ju Yue quickly wiped the expression from her face, forcing herself to look distressed.
Then she heard Lou Buqi answer honestly, “Your Majesty, I can distinguish clearly! My affection for Miss Qi is that of an elder brother for a younger sister, but Yue Niang is different!”
“Oh? How so?”
“She… I admire her fearless spirit!”
That spirit of daring to risk everything, even to challenge the Emperor—it truly captivated him.
As for the wedding night… well, never mind, best not to mention it.
The Emperor nodded, glanced at Ju Yue again, and agreed, “Indeed, beautiful and intelligent. You have good taste, young man.”
Just based on Ju Yue’s statement, “I don’t blame others, only my own lack of strength,” she had already earned his admiration.
She deserved this praise.
With this single compliment, the matter of the Xue Family was lightly brushed aside.
But those with insight knew the issue wasn’t over; the Emperor’s suspicions were far from dispelled.
The closeness between Prince Su’s Manor and the Xue Family had long been a lingering concern for the Emperor. Now that Lou Buqi had given up his childhood sweetheart, Xue Qi, and forcefully married Ju Yue, the Emperor was secretly pleased.
He felt Prince Su’s Manor was still sensible.
Thus, he offered this praise.
In reality, it was a warning to Prince Su’s Manor.
The Emperor’s praise of Ju Yue struck the Yun Family, especially Bai Yanling, like a heavy blow.
It shattered Bai Yanling almost completely.
Her looks were merely above average, no match for Ju Yue’s. The only qualities she could pride herself on before her cousin were her virtue and propriety.
And now the Emperor had praised Ju Yue as “beautiful and intelligent.”
Her so-called virtue and propriety seemed utterly worthless in the face of the Emperor’s evaluation!
How would her cousin view her compared to Ju Yue?
Would he feel he had traded a watermelon for a sesame seed?!
Would he regret it? Would he blame her?!
Panic-stricken, Bai Yanling paled and tried to observe Yun Feiyang’s expression.
But Yun Feiyang strode ahead, not giving her a chance.
Bai Yanling hurried after him along the palace path, yet she couldn’t keep up with his pace.
As the man walked faster and faster, she stumbled and fell to the ground with a cry.
“Cousin…” she whimpered pitifully.
Yun Feiyang paused, turned back, and helped Bai Yanling up.
His face still wore the gentle, considerate expression of a caring husband.
But as Bai Yanling stole glances at his unreadable expression, her heart remained unsettled, floating without a place to land.
On the other side, Lou Buqi was once again assisting Ju Yue into the carriage.
This time, he had experience. He stood beside the carriage, extending his arm for Ju Yue to hold as she boarded.
A servant from Prince Su's Manor ran over, sweating profusely, to deliver the news: "Shiziye, Shizifei, something terrible has happened! The second young master has gotten into trouble at the academy!"
Without a second thought, Lou Buqi and Ju Yue turned the carriage around and rushed toward First Academy.
On the way, they called the messenger servant into the carriage to ask for details about what had happened.
The servant didn’t know much either.
The academy had its own rules: while the young masters attended classes in the classrooms, the servants and attendants were kept in separate areas.
Even though he served Lou Yi, he was still grouped with the servants of the other students.
It wasn’t until the commotion broke out in the classroom that he realized something had happened.
The academy’s instructor only told him to return and ask the manor’s master to come to the academy, without explaining exactly what had occurred.
From what he vaguely heard, it seemed Lou Yi had been accused of bullying a poor student in the class, using his status to intimidate others.
The servant looked somewhat worried and quickly glanced at Ju Yue.
"Shiziye, Madam, it’s said that the instructor teaching our second young master is surnamed Yun—the father of the Yun Family’s new wife."
Lou Buqi and Ju Yue exchanged surprised glances and asked, "Bai Yanling’s father?"
The servant replied, "Exactly!"
The Yun Family again? And Bai Yanling again!
Is this never going to end?
Ju Yue frowned.
Although she had only met Lou Yi that morning and spent a short time with him, she had observed that he was somewhat socially anxious.
He was more likely to avoid people than to actively seek them out, so why would he go out of his way to bully a classmate?
It didn’t seem to make much sense.
In any case, that was the situation as it stood. The specifics would have to wait until they arrived and assessed things for themselves.
Lou Buqi hadn’t slept well the night before and was now feeling drowsy. The rhythmic swaying of the carriage made it hard for him to keep his eyes open.
Considering they still had nearly half an hour to reach the academy, it was enough time for a short nap.
He waved the servant away, then turned and slid his hands under Ju Yue’s hips, lifting her without a word to the front edge of the seat.
Under Ju Yue’s surprised gaze, Lou Buqi pressed his hand against her thigh, testing its softness and firmness.
Satisfied, he nodded, leaned sideways, and rested his head on Ju Yue’s lap.
Mumbling sleepily, he said, "It’s still early. I’ll take a little nap."
The flesh beneath his head was firm and springy—it would be a shame not to use it for pedaling a tricycle!
No wonder people often said that the greatest joy in life was to lie drunk on a beauty’s lap. The ancients truly didn’t deceive us!
Suddenly remembering something, Lou Buqi looked up at Ju Yue, his tone tinged with jealousy. "You taught Lou Yi to sing a tune?"
Ju Yue was his wife, after all, and she hadn’t even sung for him yet. How could she sing for Lou Yi first?
That lucky brat.
Feeling possessive, he insisted, "No matter what! If you sang for him, you have to sing one for me too!"
"Alright!" Ju Yue readily agreed.
Looking down at the large head resting on her lap, she smiled with amusement.
This body had practiced dance in the past, but after becoming engaged to the Yun Family, knowing how conservative they were, she had stopped learning such things.
Day after day, she had stayed in the embroidery tower, sewing her wedding dress and doing needlework.
Ju Yue had only started exercising again that morning. Although she had been careful about the intensity, she had still strained herself a bit.
Now her whole body ached, especially her legs.
And here was Lou Buqi, this old rascal, boldly demanding to rest his big head on her lap, making the pain even worse.
Could she tolerate this?
No, she couldn’t!
She had to make him get off, and quickly!
So Ju Yue spoke up:
"Big snowflakes, snowflakes big, snowflakes falling all over the city. Someone on the street rides a horse, one whip, one bounce."
The voice was crisp and sweet, carrying the unique freshness of a young girl, with a beautiful tone and perfect pitch, extremely infectious.
This caused the coachman driving the carriage to unconsciously swing his whip along with her singing:
One whip, one bounce,
One whip, one bounce…
The two horses were usually accustomed to a life of ease and comfort, rarely ever whipped.
But today, they were inexplicably struck many more times, naturally very unhappy.
When the horse masters are unhappy, the consequences are serious.
With two long neighs, they broke into a gallop, caring not whether the carriage they pulled jolted or not?!
Lou Buqi was jolted so hard his brains nearly spilled out.
And he was trying to take a nap? Nap, my foot!
With a dark, gloomy face, he climbed up from Ju Yue's lap, mustering all his strength to glare fiercely at her.
Such a beauty, why did she have to open her mouth!