Chapter 113: Righting A Wrong
Wei Jiao’s gaze swept over them and landed on Princess Pingcheng.
“So it’s the princess who has come.” He said, the malice on his face dissipating as he broke into a smile.
Princess Pingcheng also smiled: “So you’ve come to the National Academy. No wonder I haven’t seen you.”
She beckoned to Wei Jiao.
“Come here. I have something to ask you. Let’s talk outside.”
She no longer said anything about telling “Yang Luo” to go back, and turned to head outward.
Wei Jiao lifted his long legs, vaulted over the railing, and amid the companion reader ladies’ cries of alarm, grabbed the railing and leaped down, landing steadily on the ground. But he did not follow Princess Pingcheng, instead looking toward the companion reader ladies…
Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong, who had just been displeased, immediately lit up with joy.
Did he think of not having greeted them yet?
Princess Pingcheng perceived this, turned around, and was slightly surprised that Wei Jiao had not followed.
“Who just upset the princesses?” Wei Jiao asked.
Before Princess Pingcheng could speak, the companion reader ladies had already scattered in fright. They certainly could not let Wei Jiao take a dislike to them; if he caused them trouble, that would be disastrous…
“It was Miss Yang.” Someone blurted out.
“It was A Luo!” Yang Hui hurriedly added. She was also surnamed Yang and could not be implicated.
As the voice sounded and the crowd parted, the “Miss Yang” who had originally been blocked behind appeared.
She was still sitting, even with her eyes closed, as if she had fallen asleep again in this moment when Wei Jiao had drawn everyone’s gaze.
In the instant all gazes converged, Mo Zheng opened her eyes and met Wei Jiao’s gaze.
Wei Jiao raised an eyebrow: “This young lady?”
“A Jiao, this is Wuyang’s lady-in-waiting! She was sleeping—”
“A Jiao, my lady-in-waiting just made a great contribution. I was almost framed—”
After their gazes met, Mo Zheng obediently and nervously lowered her head. But it was not her turn to speak, as Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong eagerly vied to speak, only to be interrupted by Princess Pingcheng.
“Let’s go.” She only said two words, without looking at the people behind her, and headed outward again.
Wei Jiao said nothing more, raised an eyebrow and smiled at the princesses and young ladies here, and followed Princess Pingcheng.
Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong took two steps in pursuit but could only stop angrily.
“He only talks to her.” Princess Wuyang gritted her teeth, then thought of a good idea and looked at Mo Zheng with concern. “A Luo, you’ve made such a great contribution. I’ll take you to tell A Jiao. This concerns a major matter for Princess Pingcheng, so A Jiao will surely want to know.”
With that, she took her hand.
Princess Nangong nodded worriedly at the side: “Yes, yes. Let A Jiao know that you were sleeping here due to poor spirits, so he won’t misunderstand and take a dislike.”
With that, she grasped Mo Zheng’s other hand.
“Don’t be afraid. I’ll go with you.”
These two princesses clearly wanted to use A Sheng to pester Wei Jiao. Princess Pingcheng had already said not to follow, yet they still wanted to use A Sheng to do so. Among you three princesses and one prominent family daughter, A Sheng caught in the middle would only be out of luck.
Yang Luo sneered inwardly to herself. This was the nobility of the imperial family—saying “great contribution” over and over on their lips, but not treating her as a person at heart.
Yang Luo was just about to speak up to stop it when another voice came from above.
“What are you quarreling about! Do you still want people to read or not!”
Compared to Wei Jiao’s earlier ear-piercing sharpness, this male voice was clear and resonant like a qin or zither.
The young ladies present instinctively looked up again and saw a face that, though not as strikingly beautiful as Wei Jiao’s, was outstandingly refined and elegant.
“Dr. Ling.”
Everyone was no stranger to Ling Yu. They had known earlier that he was the personal disciple of the libationer from a prominent family. After his bold confrontation before the empress that day, the impression was even deeper.
This Dr. Ling appeared gentle and scholarly but was very fierce.
“Dr. Ling.” Princess Wuyang was somewhat fearful and hurriedly explained, “It was my lady-in-waiting sleeping in the library, which upset Wei Jiao. I’m taking her to explain…”
Ling Yu looked down at her from above: “Princess, didn’t you hear what Wei Jiao said just now?”
What did he say?
Who would pay attention to what he said when seeing Wei Jiao’s face?
Ling Yu’s gaze swept over everyone, and he sneered: “He said you were quarreling and disturbing his sleep!”
Princess Wuyang’s face stiffened.
Was that it?
A loud voice rang out: “I heard it. That’s exactly what he said.”
Princess Wuyang looked over irritably and saw that it was that Miss Liu who had quarreled with the other companion reader ladies earlier.
As expected, not likable. Did she need to speak up right now?
“In this library, you can read, you can sleep.” Ling Yu’s voice came again, his gaze falling on Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong. “If you’re not reading, just watching others and gesticulating noisily, then don’t come to the library anymore.”
Ling Yu was someone who even dared to block the empress and try to drive her out of the National Academy. Driving them away was no joke. Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong immediately paled.
The other companion reader ladies were also frightened. Some immediately scattered, others urged, “Princess, let’s go read.”
The two princesses said no more and left amid the urging.
The people gathered here dispersed, and the atmosphere quieted.
Mo Zheng looked up, smiled at Ling Yu, and curtsied.
Ling Yu nodded with a smile and asked with his eyes if everything was all right.
Mo Zheng shook her head and mouthed that she was fine.
How could she be fine? She must have been exhausted from forcing herself for her livelihood, unable to resist falling asleep. Ling Yu sighed inwardly. And then frightened by Wei Jiao, bullied by the princesses—pitiful.
……
…..
“Why scare the girls.”
Princess Pingcheng stopped outside the library and said, looking back.
Wei Jiao smiled: “I don’t have the princess’s good temper.”
He was venting her grievances. Princess Pingcheng smiled and glanced at the library behind her: “That Miss Yang from the Yang Family was frightened by some incident a couple of days ago and hasn’t slept well, so she’s fatigued. It’s not a big deal. I also wanted her to go back and rest.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Wei Jiao let out a “ha”—”How is that possible?”
What do you mean how is that possible?
Princess Pingcheng withdrew her gaze to look at him and saw Wei Jiao raise his brows with a disdainful expression…
“How could it not be a big deal.” Wei Jiao said, rolling up his sleeve. “Princess, keeping such a waste by your side is simply beneath your identity! I’ll go drive her away!”
Princess Pingcheng hurriedly pulled him back: “Why are you in such a hurry? I haven’t finished. ” With that, she recounted what had happened that day, then glanced back at the library. “This matter is also my fault. After all, they are young girls. Encountering such a major event, they really should rest for a few days.”
Wei Jiao let out an “aiyo”: “How old is the princess? At that age, the princess isn’t afraid, yet they really are wastes.” With that, he turned. “Princess, what wastes have you found as companion readers? Better drive them away.”
Princess Pingcheng smiled and pulled him back: “Alright, don’t talk about that. That’s our girls’ business; you shouldn’t get involved. Now that you’re back, why not go to the imperial palace? Have you finished your task?”
Wei Jiao looked arrogant: “Of course it’s done. Who am I? I’m not a waste.”
Princess Pingcheng smiled again: “Hurry to the palace. Otherwise, Father Emperor wants to reward you but can’t find you.”
Wei Jiao smiled and turned to walk outward. His cloak billowed, revealing crimson inner robes like a blooming flower, a pleasing sight in the bleak winter day.
Princess Pingcheng watched him go with a smile, then suddenly remembered she had forgotten to ask if it went smoothly.
But since he was back and it was done, it must have gone smoothly.
She withdrew her gaze and headed to the library.
In the distance, Wei Jiao stopped and looked back at the library, pursing his lips.
Frightened and not sleeping well?
Not sleeping all night was probably true, but absolutely not from fright.
This dog thing probably stayed up all night murdering, arson, and reveling in debauchery.
…..
…..
Ling Yu returned to the top floor of the library and pulled the two wads of paper from Wang Zaitian’s ears.
“Mister, how can reading be disturbed by the outside world?” he said.
Wang Zaitian chewed on a dry pancake: “Is this still a place for reading? One after another sleeping here.”
With that, he glanced at Ling Yu.
“Dr. Ling, you can’t play favorites. You complained earlier about Wei Jiao sleeping here, but now you allow Miss Yang to sleep here.”
Ling Yu’s expression was calm: “People sleeping are not the same.”
A Sheng slept quietly and peacefully.
Unlike Wei Jiao, who tore up all the books in the room to make bedding and covers.
This time he tore even more books than before! Truly hateful!
