Chapter 73: New Students Entering The Academy
“The princess has arrived.”
“Oh, Miss Yang has come.”
“Miss Yang is definitely coming, since Miss Liu has already arrived.”
“Could it really be that nothing happened between the two of them?”
The National Academy where the princess reads was livelier than usual today.
When Miss Yang and Miss Liu suddenly stopped coming to the National Academy, everyone guessed that something had happened to them—more precisely, that something had happened to Miss Liu.
“She must have been driven away by Duke Ding’an’s Family.”
Miss Liu had been bullying Miss Yang from the very start.
Although Miss Yang was foolish and clumsy, she was not someone who could be bullied casually. Duke Ding’an’s Mansion got angry and just had to lift a finger, so how could the daughter of a book academy head from Fuzhou withstand it.
But unexpectedly, early this morning at the National Academy, they saw “Miss Liu” had arrived.
After Duke Ding’an received the message from Marquis Yichun that it had been handled, as discussed, Yang Luo would temporarily continue using Miss Liu’s false identity, so last night she brought the Liu Family master and disciple back to their original residence.
From now on, this could truly be called Miss Liu’s residence.
Liu Changqing originally did not want to live here, but after Miss Liu tearfully persuaded him, he could only agree.
Liu Changqing moved into the room that A Sheng had originally lived in, and disciple Cheng Yuan moved into the woodshed.
Yesterday, A Sheng disguised herself again as a guard to send them back, and also went to the butcher couple next door, told some lies to explain, so that the butcher couple had no doubts at all about Liu Changqing and his disciple.
Not only that, A Sheng also arranged for the butcher to help drive the carriage.
“I told him I had to go out for a bit, and that the master and young master are unfamiliar with the capital city, so to avoid delaying Miss Yang’s reading, he should come help pick you up and drop you off.”
“They are all strangers anyway, but a family like Zhang the Butcher is even more suitable.”
A Sheng said this to her.
It was indeed so, and Yang Luo also thought that she would rather deal with the unfamiliar Zhang the Butcher, because in Zhang the Butcher’s eyes she was Miss Liu, which made things less worrisome.
A Sheng’s arrangements were always the most thoughtful.
Because she was still Miss Liu, she could not leave together with the young ladies from the Yang Family, so she arrived alone at the National Academy ahead of time.
Seeing her arrive, the companion reader young ladies, who usually ignored her, changed their attitude, with several surrounding her to ask why she had not come yesterday.
Even Jiang Rui was quietly looking over from the side.
Yang Luo did not ignore the young lady who took the initiative to ask.
“Yesterday.” She smiled and said, “My family came, so I took a day off.”
Family came? Real or fake? The young ladies looked at each other, so it was like that?
Impossible.
But seeing Miss Liu’s eyebrows and eyes full of smiles, and a genuine smile at that, not fake.
At this time, the young ladies guarding the doorway reminded everyone that the princess had arrived. Everyone stopped pursuing questions and surged to the doorway, seeing palace maids and eunuchs escorting Princess Pingcheng from afar on the stone slab road, with Miss Yang once again closely following behind the princess.
Could it really be that nothing happened?
Later, when asking Miss Yang, would Miss Yang say she was sick?
Hmm, Miss Yang’s spirit today was not as smug and proud as before, but rather listless.
The young ladies gathered at the doorway whispering in discussion: could it really be a coincidence that both happened not to come?
“Hey, that’s not right.”
Suddenly, one young lady softly exclaimed.
“Quick, look, Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong.”
Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong? These two princesses had average looks and talents, and were always meek and submissive in front of Princess Pingcheng.
The young ladies hurriedly looked over, seeing that today’s Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong had beaming smiles on their faces, with brows dancing.
“…….Look at the two following behind them.”
Everyone’s gazes had already noticed two young girls about the same age as Miss Yang, wearing similar dresses to Miss Yang, walking meekly with heads lowered.
This, who are they?
……
…….
Voices welcoming the princesses rose in the hall, but almost all gazes were fixed on the two young girls entering.
After the princesses were seated, the palace maids made introductions for everyone.
“These are the ladies-in-waiting specially selected by His Majesty for Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong.”
“They are both young ladies from Duke Ding’an’s Mansion.”
Mo Zheng and Miss Liu stepped forward to pay respects to everyone and each stated their own names.
Amid the companion reader young ladies’ surprised gazes, they walked to the back, and the instructor set out two more seats.
Side by side with Miss Yang.
Miss Yang, unlike her usual left-and-right glancing, kept her head down staring at her book scroll, not even looking at the two sisters beside her.
Instead, it was Miss Liu, who usually did not get along with the young ladies from Duke Ding’an’s Mansion, who smilingly greeted the two newly arrived Miss Yangs.
The two Miss Yangs smiled and returned the greeting: “Hello, Miss Liu.”
Miss Yang flipped her book scroll with a heavy thud, glared fiercely to left and right, and warned in a low voice, “No talking during class.”
The instructor on the platform also began lecturing, and the young ladies spying on the back reluctantly withdrew their gazes.
They finally endured until the end of class. Most young ladies, as usual, surrounded Princess Pingcheng, but unlike before when their eyes were only on the princess, they now divided their gazes to look at the newly arrived Miss Yangs.
The newly arrived Miss Yangs did not come to see Princess Pingcheng; as soon as class ended, they were called to the sides of Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong.
And those two young ladies were very obedient; the Miss Yang called A Luo even held up a sheet of paper to Princess Wuyang: “Princess, I have compiled a summary of what the mister lectured on.”
Princess Wuyang lifted her chin and said, “I actually don’t need it; I can listen to the lecture well myself. You are here as my lady-in-waiting because Father Emperor pities me for the hardship of reading.”
The emperor pities Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong?
Is this to treat the three princesses equally?
Perhaps these two princesses saw that Princess Pingcheng had one and threw a tantrum wanting one too.
The young ladies surrounding Princess Pingcheng had flickering eyes.
“We know the princess is wise and does not need assistance.” That Miss A Luo had a serious expression, respectful words. “But I must do my duty with all my heart, otherwise I would be failing His Majesty’s affection for the princess.”
It did not end there; this Miss A Luo not only handed over transcribed lecture notes, but also presented pastries to Princess Wuyang.
“Moreover, letting the princess eat well, drink well, and rest well, so that she can read well and not fail His Majesty’s intentions.”
Heh, this young lady from the Yang Family was much sharper than Miss Yang. The young ladies by Princess Pingcheng’s side immediately exchanged glances, their gazes turning to Miss Yang, who had also stood by Princess Pingcheng as soon as class ended.
Miss Yang had done nothing, just standing there blankly, her gaze always fixed over there…
Seeing this scene at this moment, her face instantly flushed red.
“Countryside maid!” She gnashed her teeth and cursed lowly in anger, “Making a fool of yourself.”
Countryside maid… The young ladies’ eyes flickered as they looked toward Princess Pingcheng.
Princess Pingcheng was lowering her head to drink tea, and upon hearing this, she lifted her head, as if only now noticing the commotion over there.
“What are you saying? These are your own sisters.” She only glanced once before withdrawing her gaze, looking at Miss Yang. “Besides, fortunately your sisters happened to come from home, otherwise Father Emperor would have had to think of another way to select them.”
The meaning of these words was that Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong had indeed thrown a tantrum wanting ladies-in-waiting; the surrounding young ladies understood.
Since Princess Pingcheng had opened her mouth to discuss it, they no longer held back.
“Miss Yang, are these your family relatives?”
“When did they come? I haven’t heard you mention it.”
“How old are they? From where?”
Hearing the questions from all around, Miss Yang pulled a long face and perfunctorily replied, “Distant relatives,” “Countryside people,” “They came a long time ago,” “I’ve been busy reading, not familiar with them,” “If you want to know something, go ask them yourselves.”
How could they go over to ask? That would mean abandoning Princess Pingcheng to surround Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong. The young ladies smiled and stopped pursuing.
Looking at Miss Yang’s expression, they could guess the gist.
Distant relatives coming to climb the ladder of wealth.
Just in time, the two princesses saw Princess Pingcheng had a lady-in-waiting and wanted one too; the emperor, annoyed by the fuss, simply treated them equally and had Duke Ding’an’s Mansion provide two young ladies.
So in the end, these two young ladies had no special status; they were just lucky.
However, it might not necessarily be good luck; they were not serving Princess Pingcheng. Following these two princesses instead would make Princess Pingcheng displeased, and there would be no great wealth and honor in the future.
The young ladies pondered this and no longer paid much attention to those two, happily surrounding Princess Pingcheng once more.
Princess Pingcheng, however, was thinking of leaving to go to her private resting place.
Of course, it was not that she did not want to see Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong looking smug.
Rather, she planned to ask Miss Yang some more questions.
Although Miss Yang’s reaction just now showed that these two seemed to truly be unremarkable distant relatives, but…
She always felt that something was still not quite right.
Miss Yang was foolish in her thoughts; with a little guiding, perhaps she could say more.
Princess Pingcheng set down her tea and was just about to stand when a palace maid hurried in from outside, her expression tense yet joyful.
“Princess.” She came forward to pay respects. “The Libationer has arrived.”
The Libationer?
Princess Pingcheng was stunned, then joyful.
The Libationer had finally come to see her.
