Chapter 314: Could She Really Be a Genius?
……Ah Xue, you must remember. A young lady’s hugs and kisses are very precious things, and you shouldn’t just give them to anyone.
……Mother, how precious are they?
……Very precious.
……More precious than Auntie’s bracelet?
……Much more precious! Our Ah Xue’s hugs and kisses are worth ten times more than jade bracelets!
Huo Ningxue recalled that during the house raid, that concubine who always liked to show off to her mother had dozens of similar bracelets taken out. At the settlement, officials valued each bracelet at fifty thousand spirit stones.
Ten times that bracelet’s price.
About five hundred thousand spirit stones, right?
As a reward for the national master, it surely wouldn’t be considered disrespecting a sage.
So Huo Ningxue calmly said, “I can temporarily only reward this much.”
“Recently the treasury is empty, and this is the first time I’ve given such precious items as rewards. As long as you’re satisfied, that’s what matters.”
Young Master Sang obviously couldn’t hear Huo Ningxue’s inner thoughts.
So at this moment, he wore an utterly shocked expression, like someone questioning their very existence.
……Wait.
What kind of magical circuit does this woman have in her head?
His underwhelming brain cells struggled to keep up with Huo Ningxue’s whimsical thoughts, especially her expression that seemed to say it was all perfectly natural, leaving Young Master Sang deeply confused.
Could it be, she really is a genius, and I’m the fool?
“Uh, Your Majesty, about this…”
Young Master Sang fumbled for words, realizing for the first time that he didn’t even know how to articulate his thoughts.
“What’s wrong? Do you think I’m being stingy with the reward?”
“No, no, no… It’s just too precious, but the problem is how can something so precious be used as a reward…” Young Master Sang was getting a bit incoherent.
Huo Ningxue furrowed her brow slightly and calmly said, “I’ve been extravagant lately, causing the treasury to be empty. That’s my fault.”
“But regardless, I won’t neglect a sage.”
“You’ve worked hard and contributed a lot to me. I’ve long regarded you as my right-hand man. Just accept this small reward with ease.”
Young Master Sang knew he could never explain this to a fool.
So, with a complicated expression, he finally chose to bow his head silently: “Your servant… thanks for the grace.”
For a moment, Young Master Sang really didn’t know if he had gained or lost.
If he said he gained, his imagined large reward of spirit stones was nowhere to be found.
But if he said he lost…
You know how it feels when a stunning, aloof empress in her dragon robe unexpectedly kisses you softly?
That contrast was beyond words.
In that instant, it felt like a beautiful phoenix had flown through his heart, leaving him in a daze.
He knew he would probably never forget that moment.
“If you have nothing more, you may go back and rest.”
After a long silence, Young Master Sang slowly cupped his hands and said, “Your Majesty, may I boldly ask: how much do you think this reward just now is worth?”
Huo Ningxue seemed a bit puzzled at his sudden question and casually replied, “I think it’s at least worth five hundred thousand spirit stones,”
Young Master Sang fell silent.
“What, did I overestimate it?” Huo Ningxue frowned slowly.
Fifty thousand times ten isn’t five hundred thousand, right?
Though Mother always said I was naturally slow-witted, even I can do such simple math.
Young Master Sang shook his head slowly: “Quite the opposite.”
“Your Majesty underestimated its value.”
“A kiss from Your Majesty is worth far more than ten million gold and silver. This should be treated with more caution; you should only give it to someone you truly care for.”
“I’m just a mere commoner, fortunate to be favored by Your Majesty, and everything I do is to repay your kindness. I truly cannot accept such a great gift.”
“I must urge Your Majesty not to casually bestow this upon others in the future; if there’s to be a reward, it should be given only to the destined beloved.”
Young Master Sang, while clueless about what kind of family background and childhood experiences could raise someone as peculiar as Huo Ningxue, felt an overwhelming sense of guilt after that kiss.
Far beyond the times he crazy picked from her little treasury.
He was just a bit immoral, but at least he was human—he couldn’t act like a beast.
Though Huo Ningxue’s exterior was rather intimidating, her inner naivety was making him unwilling to keep taking advantage of her.
So he chose to act as a parental figure, supplementing this missing emotional education.
So this kid wouldn’t end up getting cheated so bad in the future.
After hearing what Young Master Sang said, Huo Ningxue began to ponder seriously.
Young Master Sang nodded in satisfaction.
It seemed his teaching had been effective; the empress had indeed taken his words to heart.
“Do you mean to say that the gift I just gave is far more precious than I imagined?”
“Exactly.” Young Master Sang said earnestly, “It truly is priceless! It cannot be measured in money. Your Majesty must not give it away to others carelessly.”
“Well then.”
Huo Ningxue looked at him calmly: “Then you give it back to me.”
Saying that, she gently turned her face toward him, leaning close.
Young Master Sang: “?”
I was wrong.
I shouldn’t have tried to understand the thought process of a fool.
If I could understand it, I would be a fool too.
I could already feel that my thinking was being dragged down to a foolish level.
Why can’t I explain this?
Young Master Sang felt a bit hopeless and clueless, and the problem was that he couldn’t think of a solution.
“This… this isn’t appropriate, right?”
“Why not?” Huo Ningxue frowned coldly: “Did I not already give it to you just now? You just need to return it to me, right?”
“Must I really teach you such a simple thing step by step?”
This isn’t a matter of whether I can or can’t!
Young Master Sang broke down; he’d realized that trying to reason with a fool was a stupid thing. So he decided to be a brat and let this slide.
“Your Majesty, once this gift is given, it cannot be taken back.”
“Why? Wasn’t that very easy for me to do just now? If I can do it, with your cleverness, how could you not?”
“… Yes. I am foolish, and I truly cannot.”
“Then you should just pay back the extra money to me.” Huo Ningxue stepped back and said, “Ten million minus five hundred thousand, you owe me…”
She suddenly lowered her head, and after a moment, she looked up, her gaze bright and alert, seriously saying: “Nine million five hundred thousand spirit stones!”
After she spoke, she seemed quite proud of getting it right, smiling at Young Master Sang.
After hearing that number, Young Master Sang promptly said: “I think I suddenly remember how to do it again.”
…Sorry.
I really didn’t mean to trick you.
But asking me for money is out of the question.
So, looking at Huo Ningxue’s utterly stunning beautiful face, Young Master Sang swallowed painfully and silently smashed a thousand electronic wooden fish in his heart.
Then, with tears in his eyes, he slowly leaned in.
Gently kissing her cheek.
…Don’t get me wrong. It’s really soft. It smells so good. Kissing her feels amazing.
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