I became the tyrant's only belief.

Chapter 468 Protection Fees

Bai rolled her eyes at her husband, "If you've hurt yourself, just rest. Why are you running around?"

“It’s the first time Youmiao has come back, I’d come even if I broke my leg.” Chu Qin nodded to Chen Xing, looking at his eldest daughter with a smile, thinking she was wonderful no matter how he looked at her.

"Don't just stand here like an idiot. Youmiao, I'm here for you. Go and put some medicine on." Bai Shi reached out and nudged him.

Chu Qin then said, "Then you two chat for a while, I'll be right back."

"Alright." Chu Liuzheng pointed to a servant and instructed, "Help my father and make sure he walks slowly."

The servant hurriedly agreed and helped Chu Qin back to apply the medicine.

Bai first took Chu Liuzheng to the front hall for tea and snacks. Chu Liuzheng felt that he hadn't digested his breakfast yet and couldn't eat anymore, so he suggested taking a stroll around the house.

As they walked, Bai introduced the place to her daughter.

“This is your older brother’s yard. He’s set up a study there, so he’ll have a place to put all his books.”

“Xin’er’s courtyard is here. She likes this pond. These past two days she’s been talking about going down to pick lotus roots. If I hadn’t stopped her, she would have gone swimming.”

Chu Liuzheng glanced at the pond and smiled faintly: "I think this pond is quite clean. It's our own pond, so let her swim if she wants. Just find two maids who can swim to look after her."

“No way.” Madam Bai pulled her outside. “It’s fine if it’s hot, but it’s freezing cold to go into the water now. If she catches a cold, we’ll have to ask for leave from the academy. That would be exactly what she wants.”

Chu Liuzheng chuckled and helped her down the steps. "Xin'er is still so young, Mother, please don't be too strict with her."

“Your father spoils her, and you spoil her even more.” Madam Bai glared at her daughter. “Xin’er will be of marriageable age in two years. Before, we didn’t have the means, so we let her run around like a mischievous monkey, never be proper. Now that she’s in the academy, she can’t be like before. She should act like a proper young lady.”

[Mother definitely didn't know that Xin'er was collecting protection money at the academy, otherwise she would never have said that.]

Chu Liuzheng shook his head inwardly and followed Bai Shi to the garden to see the flowers she had planted.

Originally, Bai wanted to plant vegetables, but Chu Qin felt that it would ruin the garden. In case Chu Shangming brought his colleagues back for a casual meal in the future, they would be enjoying the flowers and scenery, but they couldn't just enjoy garlic sprouts and cabbages. It would be better to plant some flowers.

Bai thought it made sense. The emperor had bestowed all that land, including the estate, so her family was no longer worried about food and didn't need to skimp on the cost of vegetables. She began to learn how to tend to flowers and plants and gradually found it interesting. Now she cherishes the flowers she grows.

Hearing that the mother and daughter were in the garden, Chu Qin, who had finished applying the medicine, also rushed over.

The three chatted and laughed, and Chu Qin even sent the steward to the academy to bring Chu Yuxin back.

As soon as Chu Yuxin returned, the house became even more lively. The family chatted and talked, and before they knew it, an hour had passed.

Bai went to the kitchen to prepare lunch, and the remaining three exchanged glances before following her to the kitchen to help.

Chu Qin was in charge of starting the fire, Chu Yuxin was in charge of washing the vegetables, Chu Liuzheng was in charge of chopping the vegetables, and Bai Shi was in charge of wielding the ladle, just like when they still lived in the village.

Throughout the meal, Bai Shi's smile never faded as she kept serving food to Chu Liuzheng, soon filling Chu Liuzheng's bowl to the brim.

This motherly love was so overwhelming that Chu Liuzheng ate until she was stuffed, curled up in her chair, holding her tea and yawning.

Bai said, "Go to sleep if you're sleepy, it's still early."

"Okay, I'm going to take a nap." Chu Liuzheng picked up Chu Yuxin and took her back to the courtyard. He closed the door and stared at her with narrowed eyes.

"Sister, why are you looking at me like that?" The little girl felt inexplicably guilty under her gaze, and her almond-shaped eyes, which resembled Chu Liuzheng's, darted around.

"Of course, it depends on your abilities." Chu Liuzheng crossed his legs, resting his chin on his hand on the pillow. "Tell me, what good deeds have you been up to at the academy?"

"I'm helping my classmate..." Chu Yuxin put her hands behind her back, her little mind working quickly, "to practice calligraphy."

Chu Liuzheng: "You're helping others practice calligraphy with your scribbles?" "Sister~" Chu Yuxin hugged her arm and shook her, insisting that her handwriting was not scribbles at all.

Chu Liuzheng wasn't buying it. He reached out and pinched her cheek. "You're quite capable, aren't you, getting your classmates to do the homework assigned by the teacher and then charging them money for it?"

Chu Yuxin was stunned. How did her older sister know?
She pouted in dissatisfaction, "Sister, did 7UP tell you?"

Qi Xi is a maid who serves Chu Yuxin. She is about the same age as Chu Yuxin and usually accompanies her to school at the academy, much like a page.

"Don't change the subject." Chu Liuzheng knew exactly what she was thinking, and deliberately tried to scare her. "His Majesty has many capable people around him. I know everything you do at the academy."

"Huh?" Chu Yuxin looked around in surprise, as if someone might suddenly jump out of the room.

Chu Liuzheng patted her head, "I know you're impatient with learning those things, but reading helps you understand principles, and learning music, chess, calligraphy and painting can cultivate your character and benefit you in the future. I don't expect you to master everything. Just pick one or two things you like and study them diligently. As long as you know a little bit about the others, that's enough."

Once my elder brother has made a name for himself under Prince Xiao and received an official position, Mother and Xin'er will inevitably have to go out and socialize with other women. We don't need to worry about how many times they'll do it, but at least we shouldn't get taken advantage of.

[If the tyrant fulfills the bet, my social circle will have to expand even further; the wives of those kings and generals are truly troublesome.]

Chu Liuzheng didn't want Bai Shi to suffer, so he could only be stricter with his younger sister.

Chu Yuxin pouted, her tone a little aggrieved, "Sister, I want to study hard, but they all laugh at me behind my back."

Chu Liuzheng asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Chu Yuxin was reluctant to say it, because she didn't want her older sister to be unhappy, and she hadn't even told her parents yet.

"Anyway, they're just making fun of me." Chu Yuxin lay on her older sister's lap, her cheeks puffed out unhappily.

Chu Liuzheng chuckled and nudged her, "This is no excuse for you to collect protection money from your classmates under the guise of Her Highness the Princess. If word gets to Her Highness the Princess, even your older sister won't be able to protect you."

"Then I won't accept it anymore." Chu Yuxin realized her mistake and corrected it, asking Qi Xi to bring her money box. "Sister, it's all yours."

"What are you giving this to me for?" Chu Liuzheng opened the money box and looked at it. There were some coins and some cash. After a quick glance, there were about two hundred taels of silver.

Chu Yuxin shook her head, somewhat proudly, "These are all the dowry I saved for my older sister."

Chu Liuzheng felt a warmth in his heart, but said aloud, "Using the silver obtained through deception?"

Chu Yuxin pouted, "I didn't lie. They all gave it to me voluntarily. I didn't ask them to give it to me."

Did you return the favor?

Chu Yuxin replied confidently, "No."

Chu Liuzheng: "..."

She patted her sister's head and returned the money box to her, saying, "Find an opportunity to return the gifts one by one. If you really want to save up for my dowry, then rely on your real skills."

Chu Yuxin asked in confusion, "What real skills?"

Chu Liuzheng tapped her head, "You'll have to figure that out yourself; everyone's experience is different."

Chu Yuxin wasn't going to think for herself; she hugged Chu Liuzheng and pleaded, "Sister, please tell me, sister~"

Just as Chu Liuzheng was about to tease her, Chen Xing suddenly pushed the door open and came in, "Sister, the young master has arrived."

Oh dear, it's time to go back to the palace.

(End of this chapter)