There is a happy inn in the capital.

Chapter 182 Impure motives

Li Shuchen scanned Princess Changning from head to toe, finally fixing his gaze on her hair.

Amidst her glittering gold and jeweled hair ornaments, a single, extremely thin silver hairpin stood out, jarring, strange, and mismatched. Li Shuchen stared at it for a long time.

Princess Changning felt uneasy under Li Shuchen's gaze and reached out to tug at his hand.

"Li Shuchen, don't be angry. I've come to apologize."

Li Shuchen asked directly.

"Where did you get that silver hairpin in your hair?"

Princess Changning smiled shyly upon hearing this, touched the silver hairpin in her hair, and softly said...

"A gift from someone else"

Oh, so this is what the man gave me. No wonder I couldn't see it clearly; it's so fine that even a clairvoyant couldn't see it.

Li Shuchen looked at Princess Changning's sweetly smiling face, then frowned with a worried expression and asked...

"Have you fallen for him?"

Princess Changning blushed and nodded.

"Um"

Li Shuchen's brows furrowed deeper and deeper; her intuition told her this was not a good thing. She then asked...

"Tell me what you like about him?"

Princess Changning pulled Li Shuchen to sit down, her face full of admiration.

"I like that he is upright, kind, honest, and responsible."

Li Shuchen looked somewhat dejected.

"Oh, that sounds pretty good."

Princess Changning immediately retorted upon hearing this.

"What do you mean 'sounds alright'? Li Shuchen, he's a really good person. Back then, we had just returned from Yangzhou not long ago. I went to Huashang Pavilion to pick up my clothes, and I didn't take a carriage."

On my way back to the manor, I was suddenly surrounded by a group of men. They shouted at me, demanding that I leave behind all my jewelry and outer garments. I hadn't brought any servants with me and didn't know what to do.

It was him, he appeared and saved me, driving away those who wanted to steal my jewelry.

I wanted to thank him and asked him what he wanted, but he said he didn't want anything. I pleaded with him repeatedly before he finally said...

"I am a scholar from a poor family. If you are truly grateful, could you please provide me with some writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone?"

I then went to Mozhu Pavilion and bought him some things, but we never saw each other again after that.”

Upon hearing this, Li Shuchen understood. No wonder she had seen Changning at the Ink Bamboo Pavilion when she bought paper and pens for Xiao'er; that explained it all.

"How did we run into each other again?"

Princess Changning's eyes sparkled as she began to speak.

"Later, he wrote me a letter saying that he really had no money to buy writing materials and asked if I could lend him some money. He said he would pay me back if he had the money later. Over time, we gradually developed feelings for each other."

To Li Shuchen, this sounded like a classic hero-saves-the-damsel-in-distress story: the man was handsome, the woman was pretty, and they fell in love while expressing their gratitude.

How much of it is genuine remains to be seen.

Li Shuchen began her routine.

"Changning, do you know him?"

"I like him, that's all, I don't care about anything else."

Oh, so that means you don't understand.

Aren't you afraid he'll deceive you?

"If he's lying to me, I'll have someone beat him up."

Oh, so that means I only have a so-so feeling for him.

What do you like most about him?

"He's good to me, and only to me."

Oh, so you only like him being nice to you.

All things considered, Changning didn't love that man at all. It's likely that what he did to her was something she had never experienced before, something novel and appealing to her—a feeling she'd never had with any other man before—and she mistook that feeling for love.

Li Shuchen continued with her routine

Does he know who you are?

"I didn't reveal my identity at first, so he probably didn't know. He only found out later."

Oh, the man's motives are impure.

"When did you know that?"

"On September 16th, he wrote me a letter in which he praised me for being different from other women, which surprised him."

Oh, I'm sure the man's motives aren't pure.

"Have you been spending money on him these past few days?"

"They're just things scholars use, they didn't cost much money, and he even gave me gifts."

Oh, clarify the man's motives.

Li Shuchen understood, so he stopped worrying. He crossed his arms, pouted, and said playfully...

"You're so unfair! You have someone you like and you don't even introduce her to us. Don't you consider us good friends anymore? Humph~"

Princess Changning shook Li Shuchen and coaxed him.

"Li Shuchen, you're my best friend. How about the fifteenth of this month? He's off work, I'll introduce him to you."

"A day off? Which academy does he study at?"

"Ruhai Academy!"

"Ruhai Academy, so Xiao'er is a classmate there."

Princess Changning smiled and said

"Meet me at Xiangchi Tower at noon on the fifteenth. Don't be late, and remember to tell Ziying."

"Do not worry"

Li Shuchen drank a cup of tea.

"You didn't keep our appointment, so you need to apologize to me. How do you plan to apologize? By offering yourself to me?"

"Li Shuchen~ You know perfectly well I can't."

"Okay, okay, I was just kidding. Seriously, how are you going to apologize?"

"This is the first time in my life that I, Changning, have apologized to someone, and I don't even know how to apologize properly. Knowing that you love money, I prepared a set of gold and pearl jewelry for you. I don't know if you'll like it, especially the pearls."

Pearl stepped forward carrying a brocade box

As soon as Li Shuchen opened it, he was blinded by the golden light. He squinted and looked closely.

My goodness! Gold hairpins, gold hair ornaments, gold earrings, gold necklaces—a whole brocade box overflowing with gold! My goodness, how much gold must have been used? It's also inlaid with rows of pearls, so glittering and sparkling! Wow, what a lavish display!

Li Shuchen held the gold and pearl necklace in his hands, admiring it dearly, and carefully rubbed it against it.

"Changning, I love this apology so much, I love you~"

Princess Changning blinked upon hearing this and said...

"So you're not angry with me anymore, right?"

Li Shuchen straightened his posture and said seriously.

"I'm not angry with you anymore, but you must tell me in advance if you have any plans in the future. Never, ever go to see someone alone. When you go out, you must bring guards and shadow guards with you, understand?"

Changning, this matter is very important, very important, you absolutely must tell me.

Princess Changning nodded solemnly.

"Okay, I'll tell you."

Li Shuchen patted Princess Changning on the shoulder and said happily.

"This is the Changning I love."

After Princess Changning left, Li Shuchen immediately sent the Ninth Prince to fetch Gu Ziying.

"Shu Chen, is there something urgent you need me for?"

"Yes, Changning came to see me."

Gu Ziying said hurriedly

"Did you get anything out of your question?"

Li Shuchen raised his head and replied smugly.

"Of course, that man gave Changning an extremely fine silver hairpin, which she was wearing when she came to see me."

Gu Ziying frowned when she heard "extremely soft".

"Whose son is that?"

"Oh dear, I forgot to ask that. I only know he studies at Ruhai Academy. But it's alright, Changning has invited us to lunch at Xiangchi Tower on the 15th of this month. That man will be there too. We can ask him then."

"Alright, but how did Changning come to know him? They're not people who should have met."

"After the hero rescued the damsel in distress, she was grateful to her benefactor, and they quickly became a couple."