No one had expected Yao Xi to say such things.

Only Xiao Shu and Chen Shuyi, the two who were close to her, seemed to have known already, as their faces showed no surprise.

But You Yue’s eyes widened in disbelief, and she couldn’t help but cry out in shock: “No way! How did Sister Yao Xi suddenly start liking Zhang Zhe?!”

Everyone still remembered very clearly what Yao Xi’s attitude had been toward this marriage arrangement with Zhang Zhe the last time they entered the palace.

How was it that once he broke off the engagement, Yao Xi’s attitude actually changed instead?

Everyone found it rather strange.

Ever since that letter was sent out this morning, Yao Xi’s heart had never been so anxious. She was somewhat worried about Zhang Zhe’s reaction, but at the same time she had an undeniable sense of anticipation.

Anticipation that Zhang Zhe would be pleasantly surprised by her choice.

After all, young ladies who would be willing to marry him knowing that his prospects were currently troubled and he couldn’t advance a single step were absolutely rare in this world. Any normal man, upon receiving her reply, would surely be moved, wouldn’t he?

If she had heard You Yue say such words a few days ago, she would have certainly agreed completely. But hearing it now, she found it extremely grating.

She was going to marry Zhang Zhe in the future.

What did You Yue mean by mocking Zhang Zhe?

Yao Xi’s delicate eyebrows furrowed lightly. She glanced at You Yue, her voice turning cold as she said: “There’s nothing wrong with Zhang Zhe.”

“…”

You Yue was immediately at a loss for words.

Even the dumbest person could tell from Yao Xi’s attitude that they had probably just said something wrong, so she could only smile awkwardly and say: “Yes, yes.”

However, when she closed her mouth, the way she looked at Yao Xi was inevitably somewhat beyond words.

When Yao Xi turned her gaze away and wasn’t looking, she even couldn’t help but curl her lip slightly: she’d seen people go back on their word, she’d seen people deny what they’d said in a heartbeat, but to go back on one’s word and deny things this thoroughly—this was the first time she’d seen it. Didn’t her face hurt? Earlier, who was it that disparaged Zhang Zhe thoroughly, saying he was worthless? Now she had the nerve to scold her!

A trace of disdain flashed through You Yue’s eyes.

Jiang Xuening observed coldly from the side, catching that trace of disdain. She only thought calmly that this group of people who stuck together weren’t as tight-knit as they appeared—there were rifts within as well.

She should have laughed aloud at this discovery.

But watching Yao Xi’s shy and timid manner as she spoke with everyone, it was as if lead blocks were hanging from the corners of her lips, weighing them down so they couldn’t curve into their proper arc.

She suddenly felt somewhat resentful toward Zhang Zhe.

And resentful toward herself as well.

Why had she been so bewitched in her previous life that she had to trick Zhang Zhe into thinking she wanted to be a good person?

That entire evening, Jiang Xuening sat for a long time at Liushui Pavilion. But what others read, what they asked, and what they answered—she didn’t hear a single word.

The next morning when she woke, her mood was gloomy.

But she still had to go to Fengchen Hall for class.

There were five subjects in total and four teachers. Yesterday they had studied the Book of Songs and the qin. This morning they were to learn “calligraphy”—the Eighteen Missives—and “ritual”—the Book of Rites. The “literature” that Xie Wei would teach, along with mathematics, would be held tomorrow morning.

Jiang Xuening and the others arrived a quarter-hour early as usual.

By rights, Grand Princess Leyang, Shen Zhiyi, would arrive slightly later but would still make it before class started. But unexpectedly, even after the Hanlin Academy Scholar-in-Attendance Wang Jiu, who taught calligraphy, walked in from outside the hall doors, Shen Zhiyi was still nowhere to be seen.

“Why hasn’t Her Highness the Grand Princess arrived yet?”

“This is also the first calligraphy class, isn’t it? It’s not good for her not to come today…”

“Hasn’t anyone gone to inform her?”

Everyone discussed in low voices.

Scholar-in-Attendance Wang Jiu was also in his forties, sporting a stiff black beard. With his high cap and wide belt, he did have several points of refined scholarly elegance. Seeing that class time was approaching, he glanced down and noticed no one was in the middle seat of the first row, so he asked: “Her Highness the Grand Princess hasn’t come? What’s going on?”

Everyone shook their heads.

Wang Jiu’s brows furrowed and he let out a soft snort, saying: “Her Highness the Grand Princess has always been doted on by His Majesty and the Empress Dowager. It’s normal that she can’t get up this early, and it’s normal if she doesn’t want to come. If she’s not coming, then she’s not coming.”

Everyone fell silent, hearing that Teacher Wang was quite displeased. For a moment, no one dared speak.

Jiang Xuening sat in the corner. Upon hearing this, she stood up, bowed respectfully to Wang Jiu, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly: “This time’s studies were something Her Highness the Grand Princess specifically petitioned His Majesty for. Being able to receive instruction from all the distinguished teachers in person makes Her Highness very happy as well. Yesterday, just like the rest of us, she arrived at the hall early and strictly observed the rules established by the teachers. She’s not someone who can’t endure hardship. Her lateness to this morning’s class must have unavoidable reasons. I hope Teacher will be magnanimous and not blame her for now.”

Grand Princess Leyang Shen Zhiyi’s favoritism and indulgence were nothing new in the palace.

Never mind Wang Jiu—even all the companion readers present subconsciously assumed that Shen Zhiyi’s attitude toward this study session would be very casual. Moreover, as a noble Grand Princess, if she wanted to come she’d come, if she wanted to leave she’d leave, and no one would dare say anything.

Therefore, after hearing Wang Jiu’s words, no one felt there was anything wrong with them.

But when Jiang Xuening came out to say this…

Although her phrasing was tactful and her attitude quite humble, and she seemed only to be explaining on Shen Zhiyi’s behalf, once these words were directed at Wang Jiu, the meaning became somewhat subtle.

Those who played with words had always been able to guess ten meanings from a single sentence.

Even though she didn’t seem to intend any contradiction, the listener’s heart would still be displeased.

Wang Jiu’s gaze immediately fell on Jiang Xuening, and he suddenly remembered what his colleague Zhao Yanchang, who taught them poetry and literature at the Hanlin Academy, had said yesterday: among these companion readers, there was one sitting in the corner who was particularly disobedient—the second daughter of Ministry of Revenue Assistant Minister Jiang Boyou’s family, Jiang Xuening, like a troublemaker.

He originally hadn’t taken it to heart.

Who would have thought that before he’d even started teaching, just after saying one sentence, she came looking for trouble.

Wang Jiu said: “I only spoke casually. Do you mean to say I’ve wronged the Grand Princess?”

Although Jiang Xuening hadn’t attended class much in her previous life, she knew clearly that Grand Princess Leyang, who had been pampered and raised in the palace, had never skipped a single class—she had genuinely wanted to learn seriously.

This Wang Jiu clearly had prejudice against Shen Zhiyi and preconceived notions.

That’s why she had wanted to stand up and explain. She thought she had been very tactful and careful with her tone, but she hadn’t anticipated that the teacher’s reaction would be so strong. So she furrowed her brow slightly and explained: “This student has no such intention.”

Wang Jiu’s face turned cold: “No such intention?”

He couldn’t help but want to lecture this young woman, and also take the opportunity to establish his authority and reinforce his dignity as a teacher.

But unexpectedly, just as his words fell, a little eunuch came running hurriedly from outside.

“The Empress Dowager at Cining Palace has a message and specifically instructed this servant to come tell the Teacher.” The little eunuch bowed at the hall entrance, with fine beads of sweat visible on his forehead. “A few days ago something happened in the palace, and the Empress Dowager and Her Majesty the Empress are currently investigating the Imperial Household Department. The mistresses of the Eastern and Western Six Palaces have all been summoned. Her Highness the Grand Princess is also there right now, accompanying His Majesty in conversation. She should have come to class today, but the matter is urgent and she really cannot leave. She specifically ordered this servant to come apologize to Teacher and hopes Teacher will be understanding.”

“Ah…”

Upon hearing the names of the Empress Dowager, the Empress, and even His Majesty, Wang Jiu’s expression changed several times.

Where was his earlier arrogance toward Jiang Xuening now?

He clasped his hands together and bowed toward empty space, only saying: “With His Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and Her Majesty the Empress attending to matters, if Her Highness the Grand Princess has urgent business and cannot leave for a time, missing one class is no matter. This official will choose another time to make up the lesson for Her Highness the Grand Princess. Please, Eunuch, convey to His Majesty that His Majesty can rest assured.”

The little eunuch responded affirmatively, bowed again, and hurriedly withdrew.

He seemed somewhat frightened and uneasy.

When Jiang Xuening heard the messenger mention “investigating the Imperial Household Department,” her heart leaped violently. Thinking of the jade ruyi case, and then considering the little eunuch’s expression, she knew the palace would likely not lack for bloody storms these next few days.

Then the Yongyi Marquis Manor…

But Wang Jiu didn’t notice so much.

He had just been about to reprimand Jiang Xuening when Cining Palace sent someone to announce this news, leaving him somewhat unable to save face.

The more this was the case, the more embarrassed and angry he became.

After the eunuch left, Wang Jiu saw Jiang Xuening still standing in the corner. He didn’t give her a pleasant expression, saying: “What school under heaven has such lack of rules that students can contradict their teacher? Even throughout all dynasties when teaching imperial princes, the princes still had to observe proper respect toward their teachers. Although Master Jiang is my colleague, let me make something clear up front: if you dare contradict me again in class, I won’t give face to my relationship as colleagues with your esteemed father. You may sit down.”

Jiang Xuening lowered her eyes, concealing the sharp glare she almost shot out.

She didn’t lose her temper then, only saying: “Thank you, Teacher.”

After speaking, she sat down properly.

With her as a cautionary example, everyone could see that although Teacher Wang appeared refined on the surface, he was actually not an easy person to get along with. During class, everyone was especially respectful and well-behaved.

He taught calligraphy.

So the first lesson was to first assess everyone’s calligraphy foundation. When viewing others, he still felt they were decent. But when he walked to Jiang Xuening and took a look, he immediately frowned, only saying: “Young ladies should seek beauty and elegance in their writing, or dignified grace. In the future, learning decorated small regular script would be excellent. If not that, Zhao Mengfu or Wang Xizhi—learning the Liu or Yan styles wouldn’t be bad either. Cursive script is wild and masculine, unrestrained like rivers and seas flowing freely—it’s more suitable for men. For young ladies to learn cursive script inevitably appears wanton and unruly, thoroughly insubordinate. From now on, don’t learn cursive script anymore. Write stroke by stroke, starting from regular script.”

Jiang Xuening had learned semi-cursive script.

The semi-cursive script from her previous life had been taught by Shen Jie.

At that time, the two were newlyweds. What man doesn’t love beauty? And she was skilled at catering to others’ preferences, so just after becoming Princess Linzi, she pretended to take an interest in calligraphy for a while, forcing herself to practice regular script for a long time. But learning various fonts and styles, she always felt she was trapped in a cage—no matter how she wrote, it felt wrong.

Until one day, Shen Jie suddenly had a whim and suggested to her: why not try cursive script?

From then on, it became unstoppable.

Sometimes flowing like clouds and water, sometimes wild and unrestrained—where the brush traveled, thoughts flew. Over the long days, although it still couldn’t enter the eyes of great masters, occasionally a few characters she wrote would show a spark of spirit.

Shen Jie was very happy at first.

But one day, after seeing a line she had written—”Drifting, drifting, what am I like? A solitary gull between heaven and earth”—he fell silent for a long time, and also looked at her inexplicably for a while.

That gaze made her somewhat panicked. She didn’t know what she had written wrong, so she asked him: Did I write poorly again?

Shen Jie blinked and said: No, it’s very good.

At the time, Jiang Xuening was naive. Although she heard him say it was very good, seeing that he didn’t seem very happy, she never studied it again.

As time passed, this matter gradually faded from memory.

But sometimes when she saw those unrestrained cursive scripts on calligraphy and paintings presented from below, she would occasionally remember those times.

It was just that Shen Jie had already become Emperor, so she dared even less to ask.

Only on one extremely chance day, when she mentioned it to Xiao Dingfei, that fake young master who dared to say anything and do anything actually laughed heartily, clapping his hands and looking at her teasingly, saying: “My Empress, there’s a saying: ‘Seeing the writing is like seeing the person.’ Even if it’s not written well, or even if you yourself don’t realize it, a few truths can still be seen…”