Thinking of the world You Fangyin had described from her previous life, then thinking of the place she herself inhabited, Jiang Xuening somehow felt quite displeased in her heart. So when she buried her head and stared again at the questions these teachers had set, she found them increasingly disagreeable.

Originally, she’d been prepared to act like a waste who didn’t seek improvement.

But now, staring and staring, she developed a somewhat contrary-minded impulse: In any case, she wouldn’t be staying in the palace—what was there to fear about offending these old men?

Jiang Xuening’s slender fingers held that brush, slowly turning it in her hand as a smile suddenly appeared at the corners of her lips.

The entire examination paper was indeed as Xie Wei had said earlier—not particularly difficult. Most of the tested content was Confucian and Mencian philosophy, plus some poetic prosody and music theory knowledge.

She’d now answered a small portion in characters like dog scratches.

As for the remaining large portion…

“The Master said: ‘The commander of an army may be taken away, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken away.’ How should this be interpreted? How does one discuss ‘The gentleman values establishing his will’?”

Jiang Xuening carefully and deliberately drew a turtle on the answer sheet, then wrote: “One saying goes, ‘When a common man is insulted and draws his sword to rise and fight with his body, this is not sufficient to be called courage.’ Another says, ‘When a common man becomes enraged, blood spatters within five steps.’ Since they are ‘common men,’ they belong to the mediocre—how can they have ‘will’? Since they have no will, what is there to take or not take? I don’t know how this should be interpreted, but I understand one thing clearly: Even sages sometimes talk nonsense!”

“The Master said: ‘Heaven produced the virtue within me; what can Huan Tui do to me?’ Please establish a discourse based on the character ‘virtue.'”

The meaning of these words was that Confucius said, “Heaven has endowed me with such virtue—what can Huan Tui of Song do to me?”

It was said that when Confucius passed through the state of Song on his way to Chen, the Song minister Huan Tui heard of it and went to harm Confucius. At that time, Confucius was lecturing his disciples on the Zhou rites under a large tree, so Huan Tui brought people to cut down the tree, wanting to kill Confucius.

These words were spoken by Confucius while fleeing.

Scholars had always revered Confucius as a “sage.” Whatever the Sage Confucius said was correct—even if he spoke blind nonsense, they could attach a pile of reasoning to it.

Looking at this sentence, Jiang Xuening’s eyes nearly rolled to the heavens.

Just because a person possessed “virtue,” they could turn misfortune to fortune and fear no harm from others? What rubbish. Moreover, this was describing himself—how his face didn’t redden when praising himself.

For this question, she had far too many “discourses” she wanted to establish.

She immediately began writing furiously on the answer sheet.

Apart from the ugly characters, there were no major problems.

The one and a half hours quickly passed.

By now, most others in the hall had already stopped their brushes. Palace servants struck the copper chime in the hall and came forward to collect papers.

When they reached Jiang Xuening, she was still sprawled over her desk writing away.

The palace servant coughed, “Second Miss Jiang, please submit your paper.”

Jiang Xuening remained unmoved, not even lifting her head to glance at her, only saying, “Oh, wait until I finish writing this last sentence.”

The palace servant couldn’t help but feel troubled and instinctively turned to look toward Xie Wei, who had already stood up and was looking this way.

Xie Wei said nothing.

So the palace servant could only stand aside with hands hanging down, quietly waiting for Jiang Xuening to finish writing. However, this “last sentence” seemed extraordinarily long—she scratched out quite a bit more.

Everyone’s gazes fell upon her, all somewhat puzzled in their hearts: It shouldn’t be like this. The questions Jiang Xuening had previewed for them seemed to all be on the examination, from which it could be seen she’d prepared early. Moreover, the examination paper wasn’t very difficult. People like Xiao Shu and Fan Yilan had actually finished writing their answers in just one hour, only they didn’t want to stand out and so didn’t submit early. How could she need so long?

Finally, she at last set down her brush and only then lifted the densely written answer sheet from the desk, blew on the ink marks, then handed it to the long-waiting palace servant, “Thank you for your trouble.”

The palace servant secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

She assumed this Second Miss Jiang was exceptionally earnest about the examination, with extensive learning, which was why her answer sheet was so full. But when she received the answer sheet and looked at it—these characters like ghost talismans filling the page, was this earnestness? Moreover, she’d written so very much…

Cold sweat nearly appeared on her forehead.

The palace servant didn’t dare say much. After collecting all the answer sheets and organizing them, she presented them up to Xie Wei.

At this point, the examination was considered complete.

Everyone relaxed somewhat.

Fang Miao’s seat was closer to Jiang Xuening. Watching Xie Wei above receive the answer sheets and spread them flat on the desk, she moved her head close beside her and asked, “Why did you take so long to answer? Could there be some not-easily-discovered mystery in the questions?”

There was no mystery.

If one absolutely had to say there was, it would be: the wisdom of a contrarian.

Jiang Xuening also raised her eyes to glance above. Seeing that Xie Wei wasn’t paying attention below, she turned her head and lowered her voice, “I’m just rather slow, so I took longer to answer.”

Slow?

Did she look like someone connected to the word “slow”?

Fang Miao instantly didn’t want to talk to her, only feeling this was the hypocrisy of “clearly being very capable yet insisting on being modest.” So she gave her a long look and said, “You just keep pretending.”

Seeing she didn’t believe her, Jiang Xuening couldn’t very well explain further.

In any case, having finished the answer sheet, she felt completely relaxed.

This time’s answer sheet was completely “targeting the illness with the right medicine.” She feared that when those old men saw it, they’d blow their beards, glare, and cough up two taels of blood in anger. She wasn’t worried about not being able to leave the palace!

So she quietly began observing Xie Wei.

The answer sheet placed on top at the desk was from Miss Xiao Shu of Duke Chengguo’s household.

Her hairpin-style small regular script was extremely beautiful—one could tell she’d practiced for a very long time.

After reading it, Xie Wei nodded faintly, then placed this answer sheet to the side and picked up a new one to read. His expression remained indifferent. Those sitting below had no way to discern any clues from it.

But when he reached the fifth answer sheet, the corner of his eye suddenly twitched almost imperceptibly.

Jiang Xuening, who was closely watching his expression, immediately felt a shock in her heart: It’s reached me, it’s reached me!

Thinking of Xie Wei from her previous life—

Well-versed in the classics, proficient in various schools of thought, writing excellent characters, playing excellent music—who knew whether seeing her answer sheet would make smoke come out of his seven apertures?

If this person were to change face on the spot, how stimulating would that be?

Heaven knows what a tremendous shock Xie Wei’s heart received when, after looking through four answer sheets with neat handwriting, he suddenly saw this fifth answer sheet covered densely in dog-scratch characters.

Horizontal strokes weren’t straight, slanting strokes were crooked.

Looking exactly like a Daoist drawing ghost talismans—even seven or eight-year-old children in school could write better than this!

For that instant, his brows furrowed as he raised his hand, wanting to throw this answer sheet to the ground.

But looking at the top of the sheet, the three characters “Jiang Xuening” entered his eyes.

Xie Wei’s fingers holding the answer sheet tightened. He only raised his gaze, looking toward that corner of the hall now brightly illuminated by daylight from outside. He actually saw Jiang Xuening secretly watching him, her clear black and white eyes holding a fox-like cunning gleam. But as soon as his gaze turned over, that kind of clever gleam immediately disappeared completely clean. She only looked with an embarrassed and timid gaze, quickly lowering her head as if knowing how terribly she’d answered and feeling very uneasy about it in her heart.

Xie Wei stared at her for a full long while.

Jiang Xuening thought he would only glance once before withdrawing his gaze, so not long after lowering her head, she raised it again, wanting to continue watching Xie Wei’s reaction.

But who would have thought she’d meet his gaze that hadn’t withdrawn at all!

In an instant, her hair stood on end!

Though Xie Wei’s face didn’t have any harsh, cold expression and appeared indifferent, like a sea surface without ripples, Jiang Xuening felt that beneath this lay surging undercurrents, alarming to the heart.

The calmer outside, the more turbulent within.

The back of her neck grew cold. Forcibly suppressing the impulse to turn and run, she slowly buried her head down again. But this time, she absolutely didn’t dare raise it again.

Only then did Xie Wei extremely slowly withdraw his gaze and look again at this answer sheet.

The hall suddenly became extremely quiet.

Because all the other prominent family young ladies who were similarly secretly watching Xie Wei’s expression discovered with great surprise that the teacher, who originally didn’t need even half a quarter-hour to read an answer sheet, had already spent a full quarter-hour looking at this fifth answer sheet.

Though that expression couldn’t reveal its depths, it inexplicably frightened people.

For a moment, everyone felt somewhat uneasy.

First praying this answer sheet absolutely wasn’t their own, second couldn’t help wondering what shocking and world-startling content was written on this answer sheet that could make Teacher Xie, who was the Grand Tutor, look at it for so long?

Right at this juncture, the three old scholars from the Hanlin Academy who’d gone out earlier strolled back in from outside. Seeing at a glance that everyone had finished answering, they walked up and said to Xie Wei with a smile, “You’re reading the answer sheets? Come, there are still several left—we’ll also help look.”

As they spoke, they reached toward the answer sheets on the desk.

Xie Wei’s eyelid jumped slightly. He only imperceptibly drew away Jiang Xuening’s answer sheet that had been placed on top, then very naturally pulled over the remaining several answer sheets and handed them out, saying, “Thank you for your trouble, honored gentlemen.”

The several old scholars didn’t notice this minute action. Receiving the answer sheets, each person read two or three, commenting as they read: “This one answers completely off-topic! This one too—a thousand words written, ten thousand li from the topic! Can’t even explain what Sub-sage Mencius meant by ‘Born in sorrow, die in comfort’—what companion reading is this person doing in the palace…”

Inside the hall, certain prominent family young ladies’ faces immediately paled.

However, at this moment, Jiang Xuening felt slightly reassured, thinking to herself that these old men had finally returned. When they saw her answer sheet, they definitely wouldn’t let her be selected. Thus, the great matter was accomplished!

Very quickly, the several teachers finished reading the answer sheets and picked out four, shaking their heads at Xie Wei.

This meant these several wouldn’t do.

Xie Wei received them and looked, said nothing, nodded, then placed all the answer sheets back together and said to everyone, “Just now, having reviewed the answer sheets with the several teachers, the evaluation results are out.”

Everyone tensed up, holding their breath.

Jiang Xuening quietly clenched her fists, waiting to hear her name.

“Duke Chengguo’s household, Xiao Shu—excellent, may remain.

“Grand Secretary Chen’s household, Chen Shuyi—excellent, may remain.

“Minister Yao’s household, Yao Xi—upper-middle, may remain.

“Director Fang’s household, Fang Miao—middling. Though somewhat lacking in learning, she excels in writing characters earnestly and neatly with great will to learn—may remain.”

Xiao Shu, Chen Shuyi, and Yao Xi originally hadn’t worried about not passing, so hearing the results, they only felt invigorated for that moment—a dust-settling feeling of things going as expected.

But Fang Miao had been anxious.

When she heard the two words “may remain” from Xie Wei’s mouth, she nearly couldn’t help jumping up. Quickly rising, she bowed to Xie Wei in salute: “This student thanks Teacher for your guidance. Henceforth I will surely study diligently and properly serve as companion reader to Her Highness the Grand Princess!”

Thus four people had already been retained.

The remaining people, hearing things go so smoothly before, assumed the teachers’ requirements were actually quite lenient. Even if their learning wasn’t good, they couldn’t help harboring some hope, thinking their luck might be good enough to pass.

But no one expected that Xie Wei next read three names—all failed!

He swept a glance downward and saw that the prominent family young ladies whose names were called all had deathly pale faces, looking ready to cry. He said, “These young ladies’ answer sheets aren’t entirely without merit. Compared to ordinary young ladies, you could be considered well-informed and knowledgeable. However, since we’re selecting companion readers for Her Highness the Grand Princess, we must also consider others’ learning and make comparisons accordingly. So there’s no need to take it too much to heart.”

All three stood up to thank him.

At least on the surface they all appeared convinced—as for what they thought in their hearts, no one knew.

Results for seven people had been announced.

Five remained.

Jiang Xuening felt it should very soon reach her.

At this moment, Xie Wei picked up the eighth answer sheet but didn’t immediately speak. Instead, he looked for a while longer, as if pondering something.

Jiang Xuening thought this one was hers.

But unexpectedly, the next moment when Xie Wei spoke, he actually asked, “Who is Fan Yilan?”

Fan Yilan immediately froze, rose and bowed: “Replying to Teacher Xie, I am.”

Xie Wei’s gaze then fell upon her, appraising her for quite a while before saying, “Superior first class.”

Including Xiao Shu, everyone’s eyes widened in surprise.

However, the next moment, Xie Wei said, “But you cannot remain.”

Cannot remain?!

Everyone was dumbfounded, their earlier surprised expressions not yet withdrawn.

Fan Yilan herself hadn’t reacted either.

But Xie Wei didn’t explain anything, only extending this answer sheet toward her, saying, “Take back your answer sheet.”

Previously when announcing results, answer sheets hadn’t been returned.

Seeing this, Fan Yilan, despite her tranquil temperament, thought she must have done something wrong on the answer sheet and felt somewhat anxious and uneasy.

She walked forward and respectfully received back her answer sheet.

At this moment, Xie Wei only said to her indifferently, “There are no good poems in the imperial palace.”

Fan Yilan was suddenly shaken. For a moment, a thousand and myriad thoughts all surged up from the depths of her heart, seemingly flowing like rivers, difficult to stop.

Holding her own answer sheet, she stood in a daze for a long time.

Finally, she bowed deeply to Xie Wei: “Yilan will remember Teacher’s guidance!”

Others didn’t quite understand this headless, tailless dialogue. Only Jiang Xuening beside her, looking at Fan Yilan, had a slightly complex expression: Fan Yilan had poetic talent. Xie Wei had truly seen her spirit and talent from her answer sheet, so even though her answer sheet was superior first class, he still hadn’t kept Fan Yilan to be a companion reader.

Because to write good poetry, one couldn’t remain in the palace.

And in her previous life, Fan Yilan later traveled through famous mountains and great rivers, indeed writing many good poems that even men admired and recited.

In her previous life, Jiang Xuening had scoffed at this, not understanding at all how anyone would willingly give up glory and wealth, nor had any doubt about Xie Wei’s action. But in this life, she realized how much she envied such freedom and tranquility of traveling through famous mountains and great rivers.

Thinking and thinking, without paying attention, her mind wandered.

Until suddenly beside her ear rang out: “Ning—”

But only one character emerged before it suddenly stopped.

Jiang Xuening raised her eyes and saw Xie Wei looking down at her from above. For some reason, though she’d originally felt absolutely certain, now she felt somewhat panicked—

Perhaps Xie Wei was too frightening.

She stood up, standing quietly waiting for him to read out the final result.

Having spoken the one character “Ning,” Xie Wei realized it was inappropriate for this time and place. His eyes dimmed slightly, and he’d already changed his words as if nothing had happened, saying indifferently, “Vice Minister Jiang’s household, Jiang Xuening—may remain.”

Jiang Xuening instinctively bowed: “Thank you for Teacher’s guidance. This subject’s daughter, upon returning home, will certainly…”

Wait a moment!

Jiang Xuening, may remain?!!

Her mind suddenly exploded as if struck by thunder. She abruptly raised her head, and because of being too astonished, even forgot to conceal her overly bright and sharp gaze, immediately looking toward Xie Wei!

What kind of joke was this!

What kind of paper had she answered, what kind of characters had she written—wasn’t she clear about it herself? Forget about selecting companion readers for the Grand Princess in the imperial palace—even if taken to ask a private school teacher, the teacher might not be willing to teach!

Hearing her say even the two words “returning home,” Fang Miao couldn’t help covering her mouth and laughing, only saying, “Look—when the last spot fell to herself, our Second Miss Jiang became so happy she got confused and started talking nonsense!”

Xie Wei only looked at her flatly: “Second Miss Jiang?”

Jiang Xuening’s scalp was going numb. She completely didn’t understand how things had suddenly spun out of control, her mind racing frantically.

When had Her Highness the Grand Princess been able to control even Xie Wei?

Yan Lin was even more impossible.

Then it must be that Xie Wei wanted to keep her under his nose to watch carefully, to see whether she was pretending to be mad and playing dumb?

No…

No matter what, she absolutely couldn’t remain in the palace.

Much less become Xie Ju’an’s student!

That would simply be seeking death!

When people are desperate, they have desperate wisdom. Jiang Xuening’s eyes darted around. Even knowing it might draw even more attention from Xie Wei, she had no choice but to steel herself and say, “Teacher Xie, this student has one thing she doesn’t understand. Since the teachers are grading papers on the spot, why is Miss Fan’s superior first class still unable to be selected? Moreover, Teacher only returned her answer sheet—we cannot see our own answer sheets, much less others’ answer sheets. Though this student was selected to remain, thinking from others’ perspectives, those who failed surely don’t know why they failed. Why not distribute everyone’s answer sheets so that those who failed can also be convinced?”

To be honest, once Jiang Xuening said this, several of those who’d been eliminated were somewhat moved.

Reviewing papers wouldn’t be impossible.

What if someone worse than them had gotten through by muddling?

However, Xie Wei only swept a glance at them, without even half a change to his level tone: “Second Miss Jiang’s words also have merit. Though earlier we spoke of why these failed answer sheets couldn’t be selected, it was rather cursory, with many flaws we couldn’t discuss in detail. If you young ladies have the will to learn, Xie can remain a bit longer to break it down in detail for you young ladies.”

Break it down in detail…

What difference was this from publicly flogging a corpse?

Originally, these several people had wanted to echo Jiang Xuening’s words. Hearing Xie Wei say this, they only feared their crude answer sheets would be laid out on the table for discussion, with everyone listening—it would be mortifying to death!

Their earlier impulse immediately vanished completely clean!

They all said, “We are completely convinced and have already received Teacher’s guidance. We dare not trouble you further!”

Jiang Xuening: “…”

She was one foot tall; Xie Wei was ten feet tall!

Couldn’t this group of foolish girls have any backbone! Did they know what a wonderful opportunity to remain in the palace they’d given up! It was impossible for anyone in the whole venue to have answered worse than her!

Xie Wei only turned his gaze to Jiang Xuening: “Does Second Miss Jiang have any other questions?”

Jiang Xuening’s eyelid twitched: “I, but I…”

Xie Wei’s finger lightly pressed on the turtle drawn on that answer sheet, beside which were her contrarian sentence-by-sentence answers. He only interrupted expressionlessly, “Or would Second Miss Jiang like to remain afterward so Xie can resolve your doubts privately?”

Jiang Xuening’s hair immediately stood on end, her face nearly turning green.