Chapter 85 - Rare Treasure

Xie Qiao's eyes were gentle as she smiled at Xie Xi.

Unexpectedly, Xie Xi buried her head and said softly, "You'll need to return me… 10 silver beans."

Xie Qiao was rendered speechless, her eyelids twitching. She almost thought she had misheard.

"You can also return me… silver," added Xie Xi.

Xie Qiao immediately felt cold inside. She had been under the impression her sister was a warm and sweet thing. Never had she thought she was a little mischievous.

"Sure, I'll definitely return them to you." Xie Qiao felt helpless, "I heard it's hard to earn silver beans.. You sure are easy-going with them, ain't ya?"

"It's not hard, is it?" Xie Xi lifted her head and looked at her. Xie Xi's eyes betrayed her confusion.

Xie Qiao was stunned. The people at Orchid Courtyard had said different things. She immediately asked, "How do you earn these silver beans?"

Xie Xi blinked her pure eyes as she pondered. "I run errands, buy things, grind ink, dust tables and chairs. That's how I earn them."

Xie Xi's answer enlightened Xie Qiao.

The students would usually earn silver beans through classes at the academy. Take needlework, for example—the handkerchiefs they made should be sold by the academy and converted into silver beans to reward the students. Another example would be the calligraphy and painting class. If they performed well, their artwork would be naturally good. They would get the bookstores out there to sell, and many people out there would purchase them.

One could say that the academy paid a portion of the rewards. Nevertheless, the students earned most of the silver beans through their hard work.

However, Xie Xi… Her way of making silver beans was rather wrong.

Clearly, what she did… Did not really match her identity.

There were no maids in the academy. Therefore, there were definitely many young ladies who had just enrolled and could not get used to it. They would earn silver beans from other classes, and they would use those silver beans to hire Xie Xi to work…

Xie Xi was an official's daughter and might be teased for her way of making money. There must be many people secretly making fun of the Xie family failing to educate their children.

It was just that…

Xie Qiao noticed that her eyes were pure, so she could not bring herself to scold her.

Moreover, Xie Xi indeed made those silver beans fair and square. There was nothing embarrassing in that aspect.

Xie Qiao said while smiling as she thought about it, "You're so clever, Xie'er. Lend me these silver beans for a day, and I'll think of a way to return them to you tomorrow."

"Sure!" Xie Xi was over the moon after making sure that Xie Qiao would return the money.

In reality, one could buy quite many things with five silver beans, as long as they were not picky—a snack, a bowl of pork soup, and fruits. She would have two silver beans left.

"Your Highness, is that Half-Immortal Xie?" Imperial Bodyguard Zhou thought he had gotten the wrong person. "Seems like she's not doing well…"

He recalled that this lady had been digging bones in the middle of the night and made over 200 taels of silver from His Highness. Yet, she was so poor now that she could not even bring herself to spend a few silver beans?

He thought Half-Immortal Xie would definitely be a boss who would make a lot of money when she came to the academy!

Zhao Xuanjing watched from afar. After all, it was the ladies' kitchen, and there was a gauze curtain in the middle. They should not go near.

They saw Xie Qiao put away two silver beans carefully. She looked very serious.

People who had no idea would think that she was putting away some rare treasure into her embrace.

"This is the academy. Please watch the appellation," Zhao Xuanjing said and smiled. "Check out what class she's taking in the afternoon."

Imperial Bodyguard Zhou carried out the order right away. It was quite easy to accomplish that.

"She has swordsmanship and horsemanship class today," said Imperial Bodyguard Zhou.

Zhao Xuanjing frowned upon hearing that. His eyes were dark.

Meanwhile, Zhou Weizong could not help but feel doubtful!

Swordsmanship?

Half-Immortal Xie?

He could not imagine Xie Qiao dancing with a longsword!