Chapter 940 Gift of a Pen
"The Queen truly understands people's hearts best."
After the excitement faded and the other students dispersed, Li Chi and Xue Ru walked along the side corridor towards the school building at the back.
Li Chi glanced at the jade pen in his hand and couldn't help but say, "After what happened today, the others in the courtyard will surely be more diligent and motivated. If there is a major exam next year, more people will surely excel. However, the Queen has pushed me into the spotlight by doing this."
Xue Ru chuckled when she heard this: "Even if your Majesty does nothing, Brother is already on the crest of the wave."
Having topped the exam, possessing outstanding talent and a handsome face, many powerful families in the capital have been inquiring about Li Chi's marriage, and some have even come to the academy to inquire about his plans.
Huang Mingjia from the Ministry of Personnel’s Office was not an exception.
Xue Ru looked at Li Chi and said, "I haven't congratulated you yet, Senior Brother Li, on winning first place. Right now, there are so many people in the capital who want to meet you. If it weren't for the national mourning period, I'm afraid your house would be piled high with invitations to our house for a feast."
Li Chi's face relaxed, his eyes revealing a hint of helplessness. "Even you want to make fun of me? This exam was hastily prepared, and the questions aren't comprehensive. While others may not rank as high as me, they're certainly not inferior in terms of ability. Furthermore, if women weren't prohibited from taking the exam, you would definitely be on the list."
Xue Ru shook her head when she heard this: "I can't."
Seeing Li Chi raise his eyebrows, Xue Ru turned around and faced him with her hands behind her back: "I'm not being modest, but I really can't do it."
It has only been a little over a year since she learned to read and write. Even though she has a photographic memory, it was thanks to the guidance of Mr. Tong and Mr. Shi. She even read most of the classics in the library and those of the aristocratic families and the palace. In terms of the number of books she has read and her memory, she is probably not as good as Cao Dejiang and others. However, she knows that she has only read a lot of things superficially.
Mr. Tong and the others often praised her intelligence and talent, praising her for being able to achieve in one year what others could achieve in years. However, Xue Ru understood that for some things, intelligence alone was not enough.
She had studied for too short a time, lacked sufficient experience, and had almost no training. Her knowledge of many things was limited to books. If she simply copied from books, she would not lose to anyone. However, when it came to practical matters and government affairs, she lacked so much.
After the final exam, the test questions became known to everyone. After the papers were sorted out, Xue Ru tried to do it, but the result was not very good, not to mention compared with Li Chi and others.
"Previously, the academy's quizzes were mostly about the meaning of the classics, which were all things I had already learned. I was able to rank high only because of my outstanding memory, but in terms of real talent and knowledge, I am far inferior to you and Senior Brother Huang Hong."
The girl's eyebrows raised slightly when she spoke, and her face was relaxed and carefree. She was not the best-looking, but she was pretty and well-behaved. She was not as ostentatious as the noble ladies in the capital. She was dressed in plain clothes from head to toe. She was like a dark night lily, inconspicuous under the sunlight, but quietly accumulating strength just waiting for the flowers to bloom.
Li Chi's eyes were filled with emotion, and his brows became more gentle.
"Aru, this pen is for you."
Li Chi handed the Warming Spirit Jade Pen to Xue Ru. Seeing that she didn't respond, he quickly said, "I don't mean anything else. I just heard from your teacher that you had a difficult childhood and have a hidden illness, which has left you weaker than ordinary people. This Warming Spirit Jade has a warming and nourishing effect, so it would be more useful for you to carry with you."
"I'm in good health and don't need this on a daily basis. Instead of putting it away, I might as well give it to you."
Xue Ru shook her head and refused, "Brother Li, you're joking. This pen is too valuable, and it was given by the palace. You shouldn't give it away casually. Besides, although I was weak before, the Empress has always had people taking care of me, so I don't need this Warming Spirit Jade Pen."
"Aru..."
"Senior Brother Li."
Xue Ru didn't wait for Li Chi to speak before she smiled and said, "I know that Senior Brother is kind-hearted, and Mr. Tong and the others have taken great care of me, but such a valuable item really shouldn't be given to me."
"Although the Empress is generous and tolerant, this is the first time she has rewarded me with such an item. Moreover, this Warming Spirit Jade Pen has a very good meaning. Even if Senior Brother Li doesn't use it, you should keep it well. When you get married in the future, you can give it to your wife or children. It will be a great thing."
"I dare not accept this thing."
Xue Ru finished speaking with a smile, then took out a red envelope from her sleeve and handed it to Li Chi: "Brother Li, thank you for taking care of me before. This is my gift to you. I still have to take care of the academy's rewards. I have to arrange for someone to send the silver over. I won't tell you anymore. Goodbye, Brother."
"Aru..."
Li Chi wanted to call out to Xue Ru, but before he could reach out to stop her, Xue Ru had already turned and left.
The smile in his eyes froze as he looked down at the red envelope in his hand. Inside that ordinary red envelope was fifty taels of silver note and nothing else. He looked as cold as Xue Ru who had almost rejected him directly just now.
Li Chi pursed his lips a little bit, and after a while he stuffed the banknotes and red envelope into his arms.
On the other side, Xue Ru, who had already left, stood behind the partition wall at the corner of the corridor. She did not pay attention to Li Chi who left dejectedly behind her, but looked up at the man in front of her who had been there for an unknown amount of time.
"Mr. Zhu, why are you here?" Xue Ru asked with a frown.
Zhu Xiyan still had white gauze wrapped around his throat, and his face looked pale, perhaps because he hadn't recovered from his previous injury.
As if afraid that Xue Ru would misunderstand that he had eavesdropped, he waved his hands in a panic, pointed in the direction Xue Ru had just come from, and then pointed to his own ears to indicate that he heard nothing.
Xue Ru remained silent until the person in front of her flushed with anxiety. However, unable to speak and explain herself, she finally chuckled, "Alright, I know Mr. Zhu didn't eavesdrop. Are you going back to the dorm in the back mountain too?"
Zhu Xiyan breathed a sigh of relief and nodded quickly. He turned around and pointed to the front yard of the academy, then pointed to the sky.
Xue Ru: "You mean, you also went to the front to see the palace rewards just now?"
Zhu Xiyan nodded.
The smile on Xue Ru's face faded a little. She knew about Zhu Xiyan's affairs and had personally followed her sister to catch the impostor. The man in front of her was as knowledgeable and capable as Li Chi and others. If he had not suffered a sudden misfortune and been plotted against, and even injured his throat and become what he is now, he should have been the most shining person in the capital.
Xue Ru didn't want to bring up other people's sad stories, so she just asked softly, "Is your injury better, Zhu Langjun?"
Zhu Xiyan smiled and opened his mouth to let out an "ah" sound.
Xue Ru was immediately surprised: "You can make a sound now?"
Zhu Xiyan nodded, then shook his head, and stretched out his hand to indicate that he could only make a little sound, but still could not speak.
Xue Ru smiled and said, "It's okay, as long as I can make a sound."
"The Empress has already invited Lady Qin, the Miraculous Healer, for you. She's not in the capital right now. When she returns, she'll take a look at you. Perhaps she can even cure you. Also, I've read in some medical books that if the throat can still make sounds after being damaged, the chances of recovery are much greater."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
