Xie Fengran was just worrying about how to clear her name in public when, as if someone had offered a pillow just when she was sleepy, Zhang Yao stupidly came right to her.
Zhang Yao was so enraged by Xie Fengran's words that she lost all reason and was about to rush over and start a fight.
"Miss Zhang, as the daughter of the Zhang family and Prime Minister Zhang's daughter, is this how he has educated you?"
With just one sentence from the Fourth Princess, Zhang Yao's raised arm froze in mid - air. Only then did she notice that behind Sun Yuelan was actually the Fourth Princess.
She quickly lowered her arm and said, "Greetings to the Fourth Princess. Princess, this is all a misunderstanding!"
The Fourth Princess looked calm and didn't even glance at Zhang Yao. She took Xie Fengran's arm and said, "Sister Xie, can we go now?"
"I've kept the princess waiting. Let's go in!"
"Sister Xie, don't keep calling me princess. Just call me Yue'er. That's how Mother calls me, and only Crown Prince Brother calls me Zhaoyue."
"Isn't that inappropriate?"
"No, I like Sister Xie and want to be friends with her."
"Princess, do you only like Sister Xie? But you also said you like me."
"Haha! Sister Sun, I thought we were already friends!"
Hearing the laughter that drifted over from afar, Zhang Yao unconsciously clenched her fists. She felt as if all the gazes around her were subtly sizing her up, as if they were all laughing at her!
Zhang Yao turned around and got into her carriage without going in.
The commotion at the entrance quickly spread throughout the academy. All the young ladies who had come today to verify their identities and receive their number plates had heard about it.
They looked at Xie Fengran with a hint of curiosity. After all, regardless of who was right or wrong in this matter, everyone was willing to watch Xie Fengran's show.
After all, these young ladies had often heard their family members compare them with Xie Fengran.
Xie Fengran ignored all these sizing - up and provocative looks.
Soon, the instructor of the academy came out with the roster of their registrations. They called out the names one by one. Those whose names were called stepped forward to verify their identities and receive their examination vouchers.
The entrance examination for the Women's Academy consisted of a written test and an interview. Only those who passed both could enter the Women's Academy to study.
The written test was like answering questions in the imperial examinations, but much less difficult.
The interview was much more complicated. Now that the emperor was following the example of Emperor Dezong, in the interview, there were not only skills in playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting but also archery, charioteering, and mathematics. The first four were compulsory items, and one of the latter three could be chosen.
While listening to the instructor explain the rules, Sun Yuelan whispered to Xie Fengran, "I wonder what the emperor was thinking. If we knew all these skills, would we still come here to study?"
"Keep your voice down. The emperor is aiming for perfection." Xie Fengran also thought that the emperor's approach didn't seem like just a simple selection of students.
Sun Yuelan stuck out her tongue and continued to listen to the instructor.
It was almost noon when it finally ended. Xie Fengran followed Sun Yuelan and the Fourth Princess out of the academy listlessly.
The imperial carriage was already waiting at the entrance. The Fourth Princess waved to the two of them and said, "Sister Sun, Sister Xie, see you later!"
They were too tired to exchange pleasantries and just waved. Then the carriage left.
Sun Yuelan turned to look at Xie Fengran. "Let's go to Jingyueju to eat. I have something to tell you."
Xie Fengran thought for a moment and nodded. "Your brother is waiting for you there. See you at Jingyueju."
Sun Yuelan turned her head and indeed saw Sun Jiming standing beside the carriage. She didn't stand on ceremony with Xie Fengran and walked towards the carriage.
Here, Uncle Feng saw people coming out one after another and drove the carriage over.
Today, Xie Fengran only brought Lanfang with her. But Lanfang didn't wait inside the carriage. Instead, she stood beside it.
When she saw Xie Fengran coming over, Lanfang visibly relaxed. "Miss, the carriage..."
"What's wrong? Let's talk inside. I'm so tired!" Xie Fengran waved her hand and got into the carriage with Lanfang's support.
The moment she lifted the curtain, Xie Fengran thought she must be so tired that she was hallucinating. Otherwise, how could she see the last person she wanted to see in her own carriage?
"How did you get here?"
Qin Junxing looked over with a hint of a smile on his lips. "Are you sure you want to talk to me like this?"
Xie Fengran quickly put down the curtain and got in. "In public, isn't it improper for a prince to casually get into a girl's carriage?"
Qin Junxing shook his head. "I'd like to correct you. When I got into your carriage, only the two people outside knew about it. No one else saw. If you think they're a problem, I don't mind solving them for you."
"You..." Xie Fengran had never won an argument with Qin Junxing.
She could only kick the carriage and shout, "Uncle Feng, go to Jingyueju."
Qin Junxing curled his lips and looked at the angry Xie Fengran. He actually felt a strange sense of happiness in his heart.
Maybe even she herself didn't realize that if it were someone else in this carriage, she would never have gotten in.
Seeing Qin Junxing's expression, Xie Fengran got even angrier. She sneered and said sarcastically, "I thought the prince would never show up in front of me again."
They had parted on bad terms that day. She had exposed Qin Junxing's schemes. Shouldn't this person have been enraged and ignored her ever since?
Unexpectedly, Qin Junxing wasn't angry when he heard this. Instead, he replied, "I don't regret what I did regarding that person. If I had to do it all over again, I'd still do the same."
"The women by my side should never be those who only rely on men. They should be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with me. You've done well!"
"Your Highness, please make it clear. I've never wanted to be your woman."
Qin Junxing didn't mind. "It doesn't matter if you don't agree now. Anyway, I'll make you see that in this world, no one but me can truly give you what you want."
Xie Fengran glanced at him sideways and snorted. "I didn't know when I ever told the prince what I wanted."
Qin Junxing gave her a meaningful look and didn't continue this topic. Instead, he asked, "Did you arrange for Li to be brought here?"
"One should speak with evidence. I'm surprised that you, a prince, don't even understand this." For this kind of thing, without evidence, only a fool would admit it.
"And were the bandits who carried out the robbery also your people in disguise?"
"I don't understand what you're talking about!"
Seeing Xie Fengran's reaction, Qin Junxing understood immediately. Without caring whether Xie Fengran responded or not, he analyzed on his own.
"The guards from the Marquis's Mansion couldn't have carried out this matter quietly. But as a young lady, you couldn't have known people from the jianghu. And for something like hiring assassins, you must trust the people involved. My men have investigated for days but still haven't found out the identities of these people. Let me guess."
"Did you use the hidden cards of the Marquis's Mansion?"