Chapter 031: Enlightened

“Private explanation?”

That would be disastrous!

Jiang Xuening’s heart raced, and without thinking, she said, “No need to trouble you, Master Xie! Since those who weren’t selected have no questions, I certainly have none. It’s presumptuous of me to disturb you!”

Xie Wei continued to look at her, “Are you sure you don’t need it?”

Jiang Xuening quickly forced a smile and stammered, “No, no need, really no need.”

Only then did Xie Wei withdraw his gaze and said, “Since no one has any doubts, today’s examination ends here. I hope those who were not selected to be the Princess’s companion readers will continue to study diligently after returning home. For those fortunate enough to stay, you can go home and prepare for two days, after which you will officially enter the palace as companion readers. The gentlemen from the Hanlin Academy and I will arrange the curriculum for the next six months for the Princess and you. From now on, you will be my students, and I hope you will not slack off. Make the most of this opportunity and achieve something in six months.”

Those who were not selected sighed quietly;

Those who were selected felt a slight chill in their hearts.

Everyone bowed, “Yes, sir.”

They all left the hall.

Out of the twelve participants, eight were selected: led by Xiao Shu, followed by Chen Shuyi, Yao Xi, Zhou Baoying, Fang Miao, You Yue, Yao Rongrong, and Jiang Xuening.

Except for Jiang Xuening, who looked gloomy, the others were somewhat happy.

Zhou Baoying, with her childish nature, couldn’t help but dance with joy as soon as they left the hall, “Oh my gosh, I actually passed! And Master Xie isn’t as stern as my father said! His voice is so pleasant! I thought being a companion reader in the palace would be tough, but it’s not bad at all! It’s all my father’s fault for scaring me!”

Jiang Xuening thought, “That’s because you haven’t seen him being stern. It’s terrifying.”

Fang Miao naturally walked up to Jiang Xuening, affectionately holding her arm and looking at her like a benefactor, “Second Miss Jiang, you are such a good person! When I saw the test paper this morning, I wanted to hug and kiss you. The books you told me to read this morning were all on the test! Without your guidance, I would have been eliminated today!”

Yao Rongrong also barely passed.

Hearing Fang Miao’s words, she timidly said, “Yes, thank you so much, Sister Jiang. It’s like you knew what would be on the test. Your predictions were spot on.”

Everyone didn’t think much of Fang Miao’s words, but when they heard Yao Rongrong’s, they felt a subtle change.

Xiao Shu, walking ahead, suddenly turned to look at Yao Rongrong.

Jiang Xuening’s pupils contracted slightly: For the first time, she seriously considered whether Yao Rongrong was naturally bad at speaking or doing it on purpose.

She scrutinized Yao Rongrong, but the latter still looked weak and timid, not daring to raise her eyes, making her seem both cowardly and pitiful.

Fang Miao frowned and said, “Why are you so bad at speaking?”

Yao Rongrong shrank back again.

Fang Miao couldn’t say anything more, feeling a strange frustration in her chest. She turned to Jiang Xuening and said, “But Second Miss Jiang, you are truly amazing. Most of us have never been so close to Master Xie before, yet you had the courage to stand up and ask to review the papers. I was so scared! I thought, what if Master Xie punished you?”

Jiang Xuening, listening to Fang Miao’s words, thought she had found a rare ally.

But then—

Fang Miao’s tone changed, and she said with a bright smile, “Master Xie is really good-tempered. Not only did he not pursue the matter, but he also kindly offered to explain things to you privately. He’s truly a gentleman. We’re so lucky to have such a teacher!”

Jiang Xuening: “…”

All the words she wanted to say were stuck in her throat.

Chen Shuyi, who had spoken little before, also agreed, “My father says Master Xie is impeccable in his conduct and dealings, and he never takes his studies lightly. As long as we take our studies seriously after entering the palace, Master Xie will not intentionally make things difficult for anyone. He’s an excellent teacher. My father said that if I can learn even a little from him, it would be worth the effort of entering the palace.”

Listening to her, Jiang Xuening suddenly realized a predicament she had never considered before: At this moment, Xie Wei had nothing to do with being a “rebel.” He hadn’t shown his ruthless side or revealed any hatred towards the Xiao family or the royal family. In everyone’s eyes, he was a wise and virtuous sage. Only she believed he was a bad person, so no one could understand her wariness, dread, and even fear of Xie Wei.

The scene under the Cengxiao Tower, where Xie Wei promised the assassin, “I will not harm your life,” was still vivid in her mind. But when the assassin showed himself, an arrow mercilessly pierced his head!

And Xie Wei remained calm, as if he had never made any promise to the assassin.

Such a cunning and deceitful person, who already suspected her, was soon to become her teacher! The palace was a place where one could easily make mistakes. How could she escape this deadly situation unscathed?

Just thinking about it made Jiang Xuening shiver.

As she walked, her steps slowed and then stopped.

Fang Miao and the others were discussing what to prepare for their return to the palace and were about to ask Jiang Xuening what fun things she would bring. When they turned around and found her missing, they were surprised, “Hey, Second Miss Jiang?”

Jiang Xuening stood still under the high palace wall.

Fang Miao walked closer and saw her face changing expressions, as if she was in a fierce internal struggle, making a difficult decision. She was startled, “Are you okay?”

Jiang Xuening pressed her lips together, then suddenly looked up and said, “I need to go back and see Master Xie.”

Fang Miao’s eyes widened, “Go back and see Master Xie?”

Jiang Xuening grabbed her hand and said solemnly, “If I don’t return to Yangzhi Zhai in two quarters of an hour, please come to Fengchen Hall to save me!”

Fang Miao was completely confused and was about to say, “What danger could you encounter that you need me to ‘save’ you?” But before she could finish, Jiang Xuening had already let go of her hand and decisively turned around, lifting her skirt and walking quickly back!

In no time, she had circled back around the palace wall and entered Fengchen Hall.

Xie Wei was just rolling up the test papers on the desk and had said a few words to the other three gentlemen. He was about to go to the side hall when he looked up and saw the figure reappearing at the hall door.

The other gentlemen also saw her and were taken aback, hesitating as they looked at Xie Wei, “Master Xie?”

Xie Wei hadn’t expected Jiang Xuening to dare to return.

He smiled at the others and said, “I’ll handle this. You gentlemen may leave first. We can discuss the curriculum at the Hanlin Academy tomorrow.”

The gentlemen, who were not keen on getting involved in teaching the princess, and who hadn’t seen Jiang Xuening’s test paper, assumed she was here to advocate for one of the rejected companion readers. They were eager to avoid the situation and quickly took their leave.

With a wave of Xie Wei’s hand, the palace attendants also withdrew.

The previously bustling Fengchen Hall suddenly became quiet and empty.

Xie Wei, dressed in his Taoist robe, stood in the hall’s half-light, looking serene and otherworldly. His face was calm as he said, “Second Miss Ning, I suppose you are not here to ask about others’ test papers, but your own?”

Jiang Xuening, having been afraid for so long, now felt a surge of rebellious anger.

Entering the palace had been unexpected from the start.

First, Yan Lin had intervened, forcing Shen Zhiyi to submit her name; then Shen Zhiyi had smoothed things over with the Ministry of Rites, ensuring her selection as a companion reader and instructing the palace officials not to trouble her.

She had thought Xie Wei might be her chance for a change.

After all, he was known for his rigorous scholarship.

But to her shock, despite submitting such a poorly written and rebellious test paper, Xie Wei had let her pass as if he were blind!

Where was Master Xie’s scholarly integrity?!

Her experiences in this life were gradually overlapping with those of her previous life, and the growing sense of helplessness was fueling her anger, overshadowing her fear of Xie Wei. This extreme frustration gave her the courage to question him.

Standing in the hall, she didn’t retreat a step, almost confrontational as she coldly said, “The world says Master Xie is a sage, rigorous in his studies, loving books and the qin. But today, I know my own shallow knowledge, and my test paper was just nonsense. How could those who did better be rejected, while I, who did terribly, was allowed to stay?”

Xie Wei smiled faintly, “Second Miss Ning, stop pretending.”

Jiang Xuening said nothing.

Xie Wei pulled her test paper from the pile on the desk, held it between his fingers, and shook it before reading aloud, “Confucius said: ‘Heaven gave me virtue; what can Huan Yu do to me?’ Please discuss the word ‘virtue.’ Second Miss Ning wrote that there is no connection between Confucius’ virtue and Huan Yu. Huan Yu couldn’t kill Confucius because Huan Yu was incompetent, cutting trees instead of people; Confucius escaped because he and his disciples were quick-witted and fast runners. This has nothing to do with virtue and cannot be used as an argument. She also wrote, who says Huan Yu couldn’t do anything to Confucius? Beheading, dismemberment, and roasting are all ways to deal with him. Or clean Confucius, salt him, steam him until tender; or marinate him, coat him in flour, and fry him until golden…”

His voice was extremely pleasant.

But the more pleasant it was, the more it sent chills down one’s spine when he calmly read these words.

“……”

Jiang Xuening suddenly felt her fleeting courage to challenge him begin to fade away.

Xie Wei had never taught such a troublesome “student” before. After reading, he looked up at her and said, “I’ve studied the classics for many years, yet I didn’t know Confucius had these eighteen cooking methods in there. Why didn’t you include raw seasoning and eating, Second Miss Ning? It seems you haven’t learned much from your studies, but you have quite a knack for cooking.”

His words were clearly tinged with sarcasm.

Jiang Xuening, feeling uncomfortable, instinctively retorted, “In the art of cooking, how dare I show off in front of Master Xie—”

The worda got stuck in her throat, and she suddenly felt a chill rise from her feet, climbing up her spine to the back of her neck, making her shiver!

Oh no…

She shouldn’t have mentioned that!

“……”

Xie Wei’s slender fingers tightened around the test paper for a moment, the tension in his hand like a coiled spring ready to snap.

But he relaxed after just a moment.

He calmly placed the test paper back down, slightly curling his lips, and said softly, “I thought Second Miss Ning had forgotten about the events of four years ago, but it seems you still remember.”

Jiang Xuening was trembling all over, wanting to run, but her rational mind kept her feet firmly planted on the ground, unable to move. She forced herself to stay calm and said, “It was my rudeness, I spoke without thinking. I hope Master Xie can forgive me. Today, I only came to ask about the test paper. Please explain the reason, Master Xie.”

Xie Wei spoke politely, “Second Miss Ning’s test paper is indeed different from the usual, with quite imaginative and unrestrained ideas. If other teachers had seen it, they wouldn’t have let you pass. But I, though unworthy, found that Second Miss Ning has read quite a few books. The phrase ‘When a common man is insulted’ is from ‘On the Marquis of Liu,’ and ‘When a common man is enraged, blood splatters within five steps’ is from ‘Strategies of the Warring States.’ Ordinary girls don’t read such books. Daring to say Confucius talks nonsense, it seems Second Miss Ning’s nonsense skills are not low either.”

Jiang Xuening’s heart sank halfway.

Xie Wei then rolled up the stack of test papers again and said, “Although it is said that rotten wood cannot be carved, as a teacher, I must carve it to see if there is gold and jade inside. What does Second Miss Ning think?”

After becoming empress in her previous life, especially during her struggle with Xiao Shu, Jiang Xuening had indeed read many books diligently, fearing that her schemes might fail and she would be pulled down from the empress’s throne.

She had never studied so hard even when she was a companion reader in the palace.

People get used to what they know, so she didn’t think there was anything unusual about the phrases she often used. That’s why she used them as arguments to refute the sage’s words without any defense.

Little did she know, as Xie Wei said, which ordinary girl reads such books?!

Her eyes flickered as she racked her brain for a suitable excuse.

But Xie Wei had already come down from the hall with the test paper.

When he reached her, he paused slightly and said, “Are you thinking about what reason you can use to convince me not to pass your test paper, so you can escape being a companion reader and go home?”

Seeing him approach, Jiang Xuening involuntarily took half a step back.

Xie Wei laughed, “If that’s the case, there’s no need to waste your efforts here. First, a few days ago, your father asked me to take good care of you in the palace. Second, yesterday, the heir of the Yan family asked me to copy a test paper for him and also requested that I teach you well. Third, as the saying goes, ‘A drop of water shall be returned with a burst of spring.’”

Jiang Xuening instinctively looked up at him.

Another bad premonition.

Xie Wei’s expression was calm, his blue robe giving him an imposing presence, “Second Miss Ning, haven’t you heard? The selection of companion readers, though submitted by various families and selected by the Ministry of Rites, ultimately has to be reviewed and approved by me before it is finalized. In other words, your name has already been approved by me.”

If he didn’t agree…

Anyone’s name could be removed from the list!

His words struck Jiang Xuening like thunder, leaving her stunned. So Xie Wei was involved too!

The previous question of “who wants to get me into the palace” was thoroughly answered, leaving her with a near-collapse realization—

It wasn’t “who wants to get me,” but “everyone wants to get me.”

Jiang Xuening’s mind was in a complete mess.

She wanted to curse.

Xie Wei quietly watched her, a thoughtful look in his eyes, and suddenly smiled, “Are you so unwilling to be a companion reader because you’re afraid I’ll kill you to silence you?”