Chapter 2214: I'll Get It Myself

Chapter 2214: I'll Get It Myself

Shu Yu responded with a hesitant "Hmm?" when Meng Yunzheng mentioned wanting tangible rewards.

"Tangible rewards? I've prepared something for you, but it's still at the South City Courtyard. Shall we secretly go back later to get it?"

"What if I want it right now?"

Shu Yu hesitated, "That won't work. I can't conjure it here."

"No problem, I'll get it myself."

"You want to go back..." Shu Yu didn't finish her sentence before her head was immobilized from behind, and her lips felt a sudden warmth as he pressed down on them.

Meng Yunzheng had become quite skilled at kissing, and despite his cultured appearance, he could be surprisingly passionate, just like a wild wolf devouring its prey.

Shu Yu found it hard to resist and, after what seemed like an eternity, he finally released her. Her head was spinning slightly.

Meng Yunzheng chuckled and kissed her lips a couple more times. "I like this reward the most. Will there be more when we return?"

"Not a chance."

Shu Yu glared at him, but she couldn't forget how he had been incessantly hinting at her, asking if she would be excited when he became the top scholar. As it turned out, he was the most excited of them all.

Afraid that she might be too embarrassed to respond, Meng Yunzheng quickly changed the subject. "Why were you so engrossed in these two paintings? You seemed completely absorbed."

Shu Yu snorted, "I met one of your fans today."

"One of my... fans?" What did that mean?

Shu Yu almost forgot that the term "fan" didn't exist in this era. "I mean someone who really admires and likes the Mountain Dwelling Scholar."

Meng Yunzheng understood, "So you wanted to see the Mountain Dwelling Scholar's paintings and find out what's worth admiring in them for his fans?"

"Not really. The paintings were just hung up here, and I thought they looked particularly good in this second-floor tearoom. The windows there are large, and the lighting is bright but not too harsh on the paintings, but..."

As she spoke, Shu Yu suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

She glanced at him, then looked out the window. Indeed, the lighting was still quite bright, as the sun had only recently started to set.

Meng Yunzheng noticed her sudden silence and asked, puzzled, "What's wrong?"

"This doesn't make sense. Why did you come back so early? Weren't you supposed to attend the Qionglin Banquet and return after dinner?"

Something didn't seem right to her.

After dinner, it should have been dark by now. The Qionglin Banquet wasn't the kind of event where you could leave early just because you felt like it.

Meng Yunzheng's expression turned serious. "Something has happened."

Shu Yu immediately turned around, and Meng Yunzheng pulled her to sit on a nearby chair.

"What happened?" she asked.

Earlier, before the imperial examination began, Meng Yunzheng had discussed with Shu Yu whether the Second Prince's faction would cause trouble during this major event. However, as the imperial examination concluded and even after the results were announced, there had been no signs of any action from their side.

Just when everyone thought they had no intentions of exploiting this opportunity, those people... raided the prison.

The place where the Second Prince was held had been breached, leading to a chaotic battle.

Shu Yu widened her eyes, "So, the Second Prince was abducted?"

"No," Meng Yunzheng said with a smile. "Thanks to the letter you brought, we realized that someone was deliberately misleading Qi Lie to search for the black market in the north. The Emperor suspected there might be a traitor among them. So, a while ago, they used a decoy to replace the Second Prince and moved him to a different location. Only those involved in the operation knew about it."