Chapter 31 Asking (1) [VIP]

Chu Qingluo casually glanced at a corner of the courtyard and saw someone who hadn't attended piano lessons. The person seemed to have noticed her and walked slowly along the stone path in the garden.

It was class time when Miss Chu returned home alone. Anyone who saw her would feel suspicious. The young man in purple looked at her hesitantly, glanced at the qin hall behind him, and his eyes fell on her again.

"I have a class today. Why did Miss Chu come back from outside the mansion?"

Cong Ran replied leisurely, smiling softly and raising her eyebrows gently, "I left the house for some personal matters. I've already asked for leave from you, sir. I didn't sneak out."

"Mr. Sheng, the class hasn't ended yet, why are you wandering alone in the courtyard?" Chu Qingluo looked back at the elegant young man in front of her eyes. Since the piano class hasn't ended yet, why is he alone in this courtyard admiring the flowers and plants?

Hearing this, Sheng Youzhang's expression changed slightly. His face, which had been as cheerful as a spring breeze, suddenly took on a gloomy look. "I've been studying the qin for the past few days and have memorized the textbook thoroughly. The teacher has agreed that I don't need to attend the lessons."

"As expected of the top scorer in high school, he understands knowledge very quickly." She did not pay much attention to it, but she felt that this new top scorer was really capable. The Qin Dao written by the teacher was particularly difficult to understand, but he not only knew it thoroughly, but could also recite it by heart. His talent and knowledge were indeed real.

"But I can't think of anything else to do in this garden besides admiring the flowers and visiting the pavilion."

Hearing Miss Chu's praise, Sheng Youzhang didn't seem particularly pleased. He glanced at the stone pavilion and the flowers beside it, his eyes dim and difficult to discern. "I just suddenly realized that Miss Chu hasn't sought me out to enjoy the scenery or discuss academic matters since she left for the palace banquet. I was wondering why, and unknowingly ended up here..."

Chu Qingluo understood that Young Master Sheng had wanted her to accompany him to admire the spring flowers again. Although she knew that this man had not come to the mansion for her and must have lied casually, she did not expose the lie.

Ever since the incident at the palace banquet, the young man had indeed not been invited to stroll around the pavilion again. She stole a glance at the aggrieved look of the number one scholar and felt that Sheng Youzhang was a little funny, so she suppressed her laughter and explained in a low voice.

"After all, something went wrong at the celebration banquet. General Sun was poisoned to death. I was so frightened that I didn't have the energy to think about anything else."

"Since you're all in class, why don't you go enjoy the flowers and plants with me?" Sheng Youzhang listened to her words of comfort and took the opportunity to cordially invite her. A faint blush and a subtle sense of shame appeared on his face. "I can help you solve your problems..."

But he had barely said half of his words when he saw a cold jade-colored figure approaching calmly.

The clear eyes, as indifferent as the cold moon, looked straight at him thoroughly, and the hidden meaning seemed to be easily seen through by the gentleman who was walking towards her.

"She has already missed too much schoolwork. I should take this opportunity to make up for it with piano lessons."

The voice was even colder than the one in the hall. The elegant figure glanced at her for a few moments, then his deep eyes looked at the delicate figure on the other side.

Qu Hanjin paused abruptly, his expression as cold and gloomy as ever, making it difficult to dwell on him. He asked, "I want to teach you some music, but you don't want to?"

The class clearly hadn't ended yet, so why did the teacher leave the piano room?

Looking at Fu Guang, who was standing not far away with his head lowered and silent, she understood something. It must have been the servant who had reported the news: "The student is willing, but..."

"Since you are willing, please follow me back to the side hall."

Mr. Qu, who had always been a very polite person, turned out to be unreasonable. He spoke in a cold voice and without another word, turned around and went back to the villa.

In this way, he would not be able to stay with this top scholar for long. Chu Qingluo looked at the thin figure walking away elegantly, said something apologetically, and then calmly chased after him.

"My apologies, Master Sheng. I'll go to the pavilion with you some other day. For now, you should focus on learning the zither."

"Miss Chu and Mr. Chu, take care." Sheng Youzhang stared at the two figures going away thoughtfully, but after a few moments, the confusion deep in his heart seemed to clear up, leaving him trembling for a long time.

Qian obediently walked to the side of the gentleman. Before she could react, the hand hanging by her side was tightly wrapped by a coolness. Chu Qingluo looked down quietly.

The gentleman took her hand without hesitation.

This kind of intimacy, when seen by others, is definitely more than just a relationship between a teacher and a student...

She looked back unconsciously and saw Sheng Youzhang standing quietly beside the pavilion with a look of surprise on his face, as if he had been stunned for a long time.

"Sir, what are you doing..." She turned around and was silent for a moment, her jade fingers still held tightly by her husband, the cool touch spreading from her fingertips and seeping into her heart.

I didn't expect that the long fingers playing the piano would be so cold.

"This move will be seen by Master Sheng..."

Qu Han listened to the words without changing his expression. He opened his thin lips again and said, "Master, I want him to watch."

"Sheng Youzhang has been pestering you time and time again, disturbing your thoughts and preventing you from concentrating on learning the piano..." Afraid that she didn't know his intention, he looked at her coldly and told her his intention.

"He has been in a state of uncertainty lately. Master is doing this to stop him from thinking about it."

These words sound like a teacher who has exhausted all his energy for his two students, wanting them to put aside their distractions and concentrate on learning the piano.

But Chu Qingluo couldn't figure it out, and since she didn't care about etiquette, she just let the teacher do it.

Since she had put aside her selfish thoughts for Mr. Sheng, she might as well let the people behind her see it more clearly... Thinking about this, an idea suddenly came to her mind, and her phoenix eyes lightly condensed, with a playful look in her eyes.

"Sir, you have a point,"

The gentle words fell melodiously, she lowered her head and smiled, then she quickly passed through her cloud-patterned brocade sleeves and silently buried her head in Qing's arms.

Seeing this, he suddenly paused, a trace of surprise flashed across his eyes.

Remembering that the top scholar was still watching her a few steps away, he did not struggle, but held her in his arms for a long time, acting out the whole scene to the end.

Even though she didn't look back, she knew that Mr. Sheng was so embarrassed at this moment that he didn't want to look at her any more. He was only thinking about the unspeakable secret between her and the master.

"Okay, sir, let's go."

Feeling that Leng Yu in front of her was also stunned, Chu Qingluo gently let go of her hand, her face blushing, as if it was because she had really touched her husband, and her cheeks were even redder.

Previously, she was afraid, so he should have comforted her and held her in his arms. Now, he wanted to correct the student's mindset and let Sheng Youzhang focus on learning the piano...

Having said that, it can be said that he is setting a good example and teaching others tirelessly.

Qu Hanjin behaved calmly, and looked at his messy clothes after hugging her just now as if nothing had happened. He secretly tried to calm his restless heart, hoping that others would not notice anything unusual.

Her eyes lightly fell on the servant who followed closely behind. She thought that the master had come unexpectedly, and this childish boy must have seen her secretly, whispered something in the hall, and then led the master to the garden.

Following the pace of the young master beside her into the side courtyard, Chu Qingluo raised her beautiful eyes slightly and asked softly, "Did... Fu Guang tell you, sir?"

Knowing what she was asking about, the young master returned to the elegant hall indifferently and replied in a deep voice, "Master knows everything that happens in this mansion. Even if Fu Guang didn't come to report, a servant would have come to inform you."

"But I just returned home and I met Master Sheng." She lowered her eyes and replied rather aggrievedly, with hidden meanings hidden in her words, as if only he could understand, "How can you blame me, sir..."

This remark seemed to blame him for being angry for no reason, and also to suggest that she had never transgressed the rules with other young men. However, she was clearly only his student, and there was a subtle hint of pity in her words, blaming her recent disrespect entirely on him, the teacher.

Qu Han's face was cold and indifferent, and he didn't say a word in reply, as if he had tacitly consented to her gentle embrace in the corridor.

As he was about to step into the elegant room, he turned his head silently and saw a palace guard hurriedly coming and reporting with his fists clasped in front of the hall.

"Sir, His Majesty the Ninth Prince requests an audience outside the palace."

The Ninth Prince of Daning, Chu Yanshuo...

He injured Fu Zhao a few days ago, and he might still be trying to find out her whereabouts. This prince is disrespectful and unpredictable by nature, so we must not be careless with him.

Chu Qingluo couldn't help but clench his fists and stood aside in a daze.

When she came back to her senses, she saw the gentleman leisurely filling the empty cups on the tables with tea, and was about to welcome the person into the hall.

When the tea was filled, he looked at her and asked suddenly, "Are you going to see me, or are you hiding?"

This gentleman's words and actions are hard to understand.

She feigned doubt and asked politely, "Your Highness has no grudge against me, so why am I hiding?"

"Then come with me, don't get lost." Qu Hanjin seemed to understand, nodded slightly, and left the courtyard with a serious expression.

From the side courtyard to the gate of the mansion, one had to follow a winding corridor. The elegant figure before her was extremely solemn and silent along the way. She did not say much either, but stared intently at the person waiting outside the mansion.

There were two or three figures standing at the gate of the mansion. One of them was wearing a golden crown and jade belt, holding an ink fan in his hand. He was not elegant, but the aura he exuded made people retreat a little.

This person is the Ninth Prince of Daning.

Chu Qingluo walked beside the teacher, wanting to hear why the Ninth Prince suddenly came to the Ministry of Music.

Bowing to the prince in front of him, his eyes revealed a sense of detachment and tranquility. Qu Hanjin's face was slightly cold, but he still spoke solemnly: "Your humble servant respectfully welcomes His Highness the Ninth Prince. What a strong wind is blowing today, it has blown His Highness to the Ministry of Music."

Chu Yanshuo slowly waved the folding fan in front of his chest, and carefully looked around the scenery in the mansion. A playful smile appeared on the corner of his lips: "I have heard that Mr. Qu is respected by my father, but I have never visited him. I have done it before, and I should say it..."

He elegantly spread his sleeves and walked back along the corridor, motioning for the Ninth Prince to go into the palace for a detailed discussion. "I have already prepared tea for Your Highness. If you have anything to say, please go inside."

"That's great, that's great!"

Chu Yanshuo immediately relaxed his brows, held the handle of his fan in an extremely impolite manner, patted Mr. Qu's thin shoulder, and then walked in with a swagger.

In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the door of the elegant room in the side courtyard was closed tightly. Several people sat down in the room and drank their tea without saying a word.

Unexpectedly, although this Siyuefu is small, the tea and snacks are of top quality. Chu Yanshuo finished the last piece of cake, drank a few sips of tea, clapped his hands in satisfaction, and looked at Mr. Qu with a shrewd look.

Finally, he was willing to tell the purpose of his visit. The Ninth Prince smiled happily, narrowed his eyes, and asked suddenly.

"I heard... Mr. Qu poisoned Sun Zhong to death?"

The prince exuded a sense of madness, and she had expected him to speak so bluntly.