Chapter 49, first published on Jinjiang (2nd update) "Your skin is still thick enough..."

In fact, Ruan Yu wasn't exactly a good student in the strict sense when she was in school.

She would secretly skip her homework and even skip classes. When she was in class, she would be distracted and pass notes.

But compared to Chaolu, she felt she was still much better off...

Chaolu was just like the monkey Confucius described; once he sat down, he couldn't calm down at all.

Ruan Yu endured it for a while, then couldn't take it anymore: "Is there something under your chair pricking you?"

Seeing that she was finally willing to talk to him, Chao Lu suddenly smiled.

"No, I just can't sit still, but I didn't get up."

“Your fidgeting is affecting me too…” Ruan Yu thought for a moment and said, “How about this, you write well, and I’ll draw a picture for you, okay?”

Chaolu was taken aback for a moment: "Are you going to draw me?"

Ruan Yu: "...If you don't move around too much, I need to keep an eye on you because drawing people is quite troublesome..."

Chao Lu's eyes flashed slightly: "Deal."

Ruan Yu nodded and put down her book.

He was so distracted that she couldn't focus on anything.

“Well… it’s settled then. Before I finish drawing, you have to finish writing your plan, otherwise I won’t give it to you,” Ruan Yu stated her condition.

Chao Lu nodded reluctantly: "Okay, I understand."

Ruan Yu composed herself and began to lay out the paper to paint. Chao Lu, true to his word, calmed down and picked up the brush.

Ruan Yu would occasionally look up and glance over, and to her surprise, the method worked. Chao Lu sat obediently at the table and stopped moving around.

The two seemed to get serious. In fact, if they really started to put their hearts into it, writing a plan for the Khan would be much more difficult than painting. After all, painting was something Ruan Yu had long been skilled at, and in no time she had finished it.

Looking up again, I saw Chaolu still writing furiously.

The man was clearly much more focused this time. He didn't even look up, and his expression was much more serious. Ruan Yu looked at him and wanted to laugh out loud.

After an unknown amount of time, her painting was basically finished. She weighed it down with a paperweight and placed it aside. Chao Lu was still writing, so Ruan Yu didn't disturb him. However, it was indeed very late, and after leaning against the desk for a short while, drowsiness overwhelmed her, and her eyelids began to droop… After a while, she actually fell asleep...

The study was warm and quiet. After dozing off for a while, Ruan Yu felt a little uncomfortable and slowly opened her eyes.

"Your Highness...you can finish..."

Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly sensed something amiss. Ruan Yu's eyes widened instantly, and she turned around in disbelief—

Chao Lu appeared out of nowhere, circled around behind her, and looked at her with a serious expression, but his hands were already wandering around like a snake, slithering inside her.

She was wearing a light pink tulle dress today, which was layered and gathered at her waist.

"You still say I'm not serious? I think you're the one who gets sleepy when you're studying," Chao Lu said with a smile, whispering in her ear.

Ruan Yu's cheeks flushed bright red, burning hot: "...Get away from me."

Chao Lu refused and moved forward a few more steps.

"I've finished writing what we agreed on. I want to see the painting." After saying that, he pressed Ruan Yu against his chest and the desk, put his head next to her ear, and looked down at the painting.

Ruan Yu let out a muffled groan, her eyes becoming slightly watery.

She looked at the rows of books of sages and saints in front of her and felt a little dazed.

Chao Lu stared at the painting for a long time, then suddenly chuckled softly, "It's very beautiful, I like it very much..."

Ruan Yu, however, felt an unspeakable regret: "Chao Lu... could you be any more shameless...?"

Chao Lu's lips curled up, and he continued to move... Ruan Yu couldn't hold on and her hands suddenly braced themselves on the table.

"Yu Yu, take a look at what I wrote. I really wrote it carefully. This is for our exchange." With that, he released Ruan Yu and placed several large sheets of paper in front of her. Ruan Yu bit her lip, not wanting to look at them at all…

"Aren't you going to look? I really wrote it carefully. Then I'll read it to you?"

Chao Lu leaned close to Ruan Yu's ear and read the list to her one by one. Suddenly, Ruan Yu reached behind him and scratched him. This time, she didn't hold back at all and left several bloody marks on Chao Lu's arm. Chao Lu gasped and finally restrained himself a bit.

He pushed the paper away, leaned forward and kissed her burning earlobe: "Okay... I won't look at it anymore, I'll look at it later."

Ruan Yu was about to hit him again, but Chao Lu just chuckled softly...

...

Afu was keeping watch outside and had long since fallen asleep. It wasn't until almost midnight that His Highness finally came out of the study.

The Khatun was held in his arms, and he was probably asleep.

Afu rubbed his eyes and heard His Highness order, "Go and rest. There's no need to tidy up the study. No one is allowed to enter."

Afu quickly agreed, thinking to himself that there must be an important secret in the study today, and he had to guard the door well!

Ruan Yu hid in his arms, pinching him repeatedly, looking for a place to strike. She glanced down at Lu several times, a smile playing on her lips, and strode back to her tent.

...

The next day, Chao Lu went to the Golden Tent early in the morning, feeling refreshed. Before leaving, he gave her a series of instructions, but Ruan Yu didn't hear them. When she woke up, it was already past 11:00 AM.

When Xuan Niang and the others brought breakfast, they learned that Chao Lu had actually taken the painting to be framed early in the morning!

They said it had to be delivered before the first day of the new year. Ruan Yu choked. She didn't want to see the painting anymore, not at all!

After the meal, Ruan Yu's cheeks were still a little hot, and she didn't want to go out, so she stayed lazily in the tent.

The bracelet she had made for Chaolu was almost finished, but now Ruan Yu was thinking of cutting it off.

...

Chaolu's remarks in the Golden Tent today have earned him high praise from the Great Khan.

Hurile couldn't help but burst into laughter, glancing several times at the document his son had handed him—

"Chaolu, you have truly impressed me! Very good, excellent! You should all come and see the plans of the Four Taijis when you have time!"

The ministers inside the golden tent gathered around and passed the document around among themselves.

After watching it, everyone was full of praise, and many people's views on the Fourth Prince changed.

Hurile: "Chaolu, I'm entrusting this matter to you. You should start preparing immediately after the White Festival."

Chao Lu respectfully replied, "Yes, I will certainly not let my father down."

Inside the Great Hadun tent, Saren and Una appeared somewhat uneasy. After a moment, Damu entered.

"Mother."

Saren has lost a lot of weight recently, and she only managed a smile when she saw her son.

"My son is here, please have a seat."

After Damu sat down, Sarencai said, "I went to see your father last night. After the White Festival, your mother hopes that you will volunteer to resolve the matter of the Aohan tribe."

Damu was taken aback: "Is Father Khan going to attack Aohan?"

Saren: "Your father has not made a decision yet, but your mother feels that he is being too hesitant and overthinking things. As the eldest son, you should help your father relieve his worries."

Damu was a little taken aback, meaning... was this his mother's own idea?

“Damu,” Saren’s tone was a little serious, “Don’t you think Chaolu has been showing off too much lately?”

Damu paused for a moment, then lowered his eyes: "Mother, I know."

“Your father Khan has entrusted the affairs of that Protectorate to him, and your third brother is also going. Shouldn’t you do something for your father Khan? You are the Great Taiji.”

Una: "But Mother, Father Khan hasn't made a final decision on the matter with Aohan yet. Wouldn't it be reckless for Damu to go like this?"

Saren: "It's because your father Khan hasn't made a decision yet that Damu is taking the initiative. You, Baijie, should communicate more with your father Khan. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Damu was silent for a moment, then said, "I understand, Mother."

Saren nodded.

"There's one more thing. Your aunt will be back soon, and I'm still thinking about sending Charles to the Central Plains. Naren might not be too keen on it..."

Una's eyes lit up: "My aunt is finally coming back after two years away!"

Saren smiled and said, "Things over there are finally settled. It's time to go back. It's not good to always stay in the countryside."

...

Chao Lu discussed things with several ministers in the golden tent. In the past, these old fogies rarely spoke to him, but now they were completely different people, all with smiles on their faces. This made Chao Lu feel uncomfortable, and he was too lazy to deal with them. He took the opportunity to slip away.

However, the news that the Fourth Prince's advice to the Great Khan today had been highly praised and widely circulated among the tribes still reached Ruan Yu's ears, and she was stunned when she heard about it.

Are you referring to the document from yesterday?

Ruan Yu didn't want to recall what Chao Lu did to that document yesterday; she only felt her cheeks burning and found it hard to face him.

When Chaolu returned, she naturally didn't give him a friendly look.

Chaolu saw it and just chuckled.

But this earned him another fierce glare from Ruan Yu.

Chao Lu thought for a moment and said, "Don't worry, I've copied the document. How could I possibly show them the original!"

Everything from last night will be treasured in his study, a lifelong keepsake.

Hearing this, Ruan Yu felt a little less awkward, but she still didn't want to talk to him. She was too lazy to eat with him and asked Afu to bring the food over before turning around and going into the inner room.

Chaolu originally wanted to chase after him, but Afu stepped forward and said that the Third Prince had come again, and had brought wine with him.

Chao Lu muttered to himself, "Troublesome." Being highly regarded is not necessarily a good thing. No wonder his elder brother and the others had to attend so many social events before.

Unable to refuse, Chaolu had no choice but to patiently accompany Chasu to dinner, which left him smelling of alcohol again. Before returning home, he went to the bathhouse to scrub himself clean.

When they returned to their inner tent after all the commotion, Ruan Yu was already asleep.

Chaolu stroked his chin and prepared to get into bed, only to realize...

Where is his blanket?!

Chao Lu immediately went to the cabinet to look for it, only to find that there were no bedding left. He was stunned for a moment before looking at Ruan Yu in disbelief.

After hesitating for a moment, Chaolu couldn't bear to wake anyone, so he went outside to find Xuanniang.

Xuan Niang's face also looked a little embarrassed. She lowered her head and whispered, "The Khatun said... His Highness has important matters to attend to recently and needs to stay overnight in the study, so we sent the bedding over..."

Chao Lu: "..."

Xuanniang glanced at him, thought for a moment, and then said, "The Khan also said..."

Chao Lu: "What else did you say?!"

"The Khatun also said that His Highness now really enjoys the study. In that case, he can stay overnight in the study until White Festival... A few days of hard work will bring even greater rewards, so it's all worth it... Your Highness, the charcoal fire in the study is ready now, what do you think..."

Chao Lu: "………………"

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Author's note: Hehehehehe.

Several places have been unlocked by now.