After my father was sent to marry into the princess's household, I became the darling of the en

The next day.

When Shen Jingque and Xu Wanying entered the room carrying the book box, Helan Qing was already waiting by the screen wall.

The boy was also protecting three neatly folded homework assignments in his arms.

That was a work he wrote late into the night, and he even imitated the handwriting of the two people almost perfectly.

Upon seeing the two of them arrive, he quickly handed it over.

Shen Jingque took it and her eyes crinkled into crescent moons with laughter.

"Qingqing, you've captured the essence of my handwriting, and it even looks better than mine!"

He Lanqing's face turned bright red when he heard Shen Jingque call him that.

Mother said that only close relatives can call someone "Qingqing," so how could Shen Jingque...?

However, the person opposite was completely unaware and happily handed another portion to Xu Wanying, who was still yawning.

"Yingying, this is for you."

Xu Wanying rubbed her eyes, took the book, flipped through a couple of pages, and her face was filled with shock.

"Perfectly natural, Helan Qing, you're amazing!"

He Lanqing gave a muffled "hmm".

The three walked along the corridor toward the school. The morning breeze rustled through the bamboo grove, making the leaves whisper and lift their spirits.

However, as soon as they turned the corner of the path in front of the teahouse, they were forced to stop.

Wang Jichuan led three or four scions of prominent families, blocking the way ahead.

Shen Jingque glanced at the scene and sighed silently.

The act of blocking roads and stopping people has remained a classic even after thousands of years.

School bullying is truly an eternal dreg of human civilization.

Xu Wanying frowned immediately upon seeing Wang Jichuan.

"Hey, you missing tooth, what are you doing blocking the way?"

Wang Jichuan's face turned pale. "Xu Wanying, watch your mouth."

Shen Jingque took half a step forward and looked at him with a smile.

"Wang Jichuan, you couldn't win the argument in class yesterday, what do you want to do today?"

Wang Jichuan sneered.

"Shen Jingque, you were quite eloquent in class yesterday, you really have a lot of talent."

He raised his chin and looked at her.

"I went back and asked my elders at home, and that's how I found out about the Shen family's origins."

Shen Jingque's smile vanished. "What are you trying to say?"

Wang Jichuan took a step forward, raising his voice as if he wanted the other students to hear him.

"Your grandfather, Shen Chongshan, forged account books, bribed witnesses, and framed my Wang family ancestor. He also incited the people to besiege the prefectural government, intending to force the emperor to submit to the people."

Wang Jichuan stared at Shen Jingque, his face full of smugness.

"What right does the descendant of a disgraced official have to argue with me about right and wrong in class?"

With each sentence he spoke, another circle of students gathered to watch the spectacle.

A low murmur of conversation drifted from all around.

"The Shen family has this kind of history?"

"No wonder the princess's husband didn't enter officialdom."

"But she is now a member of the Princess's household and has been granted the title of County Princess. Wang Jichuan is quite audacious."

Shen Jingque stood still, not speaking immediately.

Before she could even settle scores with this guy surnamed Wang, he had already provoked her.

Seeing that she remained silent, Wang Jichuan grew bolder, "What, you dare to say no?"

Xu Wanying charged forward angrily, "Try saying another word of nonsense!"

Shen Jingque reached out to stop her, "Yingying, don't rush."

She looked at Wang Jichuan's smug face and smiled.

"Wang Jichuan, don't talk like you personally experienced those old cases."

"That corrupt Lord Chen was a disciple of your great-grandfather. Is your Wang family really so innocent?"

These seemingly plausible words angered Wang Jichuan.

"Stop with the nonsense. The late emperor's decree clearly states that your Shen family are traitors, and that's it."

"Your father wasn't even qualified to take the imperial examinations. He married into the Princess's household and is supported by women."

Shen Jingque suppressed her anger, her mind filled with the sounds of two little people fighting.

He yelled and tried to tear the guy's mouth apart, saying it was his fault for insulting the beautiful father.

A calm remonstrance: the old case from years ago hasn't been investigated yet, and saying anything now would only make things worse; we can't give anyone leverage against us.

But Wang Jichuan got more and more excited as he talked.

"Her Highness the Princess isn't your biological mother. Who do you think you are, some kind of precious princess? You still have the nerve to act like a young lady here with me."

These words were extremely harsh, and just as Shen Jingque was about to speak, she could no longer bear it.

He Lanqing, who was standing next to her, went out first.

The boy stood in front of her, his shoulders tense, his whole body trembling with anger.

Wang Jichuan glanced at it sideways and immediately sneered.

"Oh, the stuttering brat's here again? Can you even speak a coherent sentence when you're standing up for her?"

He Lanqing glared at Wang Jichuan with a livid face, gritting her teeth.

"You say she's not a princess? Then what are you... what kind of country bumpkin are you?"

Wang Jichuan's expression changed drastically. "What did you say?!"

Helan Qing didn't stop, "You said that Prince Consort Shen can't... take the imperial examinations, but your father can, so why... couldn't he pass?"

"You...you always pride yourself on your family's scholarly tradition, yet you verbally abused your classmates at the school gate. Is this how you've been raised?"

Xu Wanying also stood up angrily and said, "That's right! Although everyone in Qishan Academy is equal regardless of their social status, Shen Jingque is the Princess of Shaoning, bestowed the title by the imperial court."

"Which of your words just now showed the proper respect one should have for the county princess? If we're really talking about hierarchy, she could make you kneel down and bow right now!"

These words from the two men enraged Wang Jichuan to the point of losing his temper.

"You...you..."

He rushed up in a fit of rage and shoved Helan Qing in the chest.

He Lanqing was thin and frail, and he was pushed backward by him.

Shen Jingque reached out to catch it, and the two of them fell to the ground on the bluestone.

The book box clattered open, and pages flew all over the floor.

The pain from the back of her head hitting the ground made Shen Jingque's vision blur.

Xu Wanying's eyes immediately turned red.

These past few days, she has kept in mind her stepmother's repeated instructions: not to lay a hand on anyone, not to cause trouble, and not to bring shame to the General's Mansion.

But the moment she saw her friend get beaten up, that string in her mind snapped.

So he rolled up his sleeves, rushed over, and punched Wang Jichuan in the face.

Wang Jichuan screamed in agony as blood streamed down his nose.

The two boys who came with Wang Jichuan pounced on Xu Wanying from the left and right, each grabbing one of her arms.

"Let me go! Aren't you all ashamed to gang up on me like this?!"

Xu Wanying struggled violently.

Seeing Xu Wanying suffer a loss, Shen Jingque endured the pain, got up from the ground, rushed over, and grabbed the follower's hair bun.

"Wang Jichuan, you and your bunch of lackeys bullied a girl, you shameless bastard!"

Wang Jichuan covered his nose, blood dripping from between his fingers. "She hit me first!"

Shen Jingque's eyes also turned red with rage, "Your Wang family ancestors rose to power by framing and slandering others; the whole family is shameless!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Jichuan let out a howl and pounced on Shen Jingque, grabbing her by the hair.

A sharp, needle-like pain shot through Shen Jingque's scalp, and tears immediately welled up in her eyes.

Forget about ladylike manners and downplaying serious matters.

It's all bullshit.

She absolutely has to win this fight today.

I can't even handle a few little rascals!

The next moment, Shen Jingque pounced on Wang Jichuan and pushed him to the ground.

She straddled him and slapped him across the face.

“Pah!”

Wang Jichuan was stunned by the blows, but Shen Jingque continued to slap him repeatedly with both hands.

"You insulted my father!"

"You hit my friend!"

"You pulled my hair!"

"You little brat!"

Each slap landed squarely, and her palms burned with pain.

At this moment, Helan Qing finally got up, picked up the scattered book box on the ground, and smashed it against the back of the follower who was holding Xu Wanying's right arm.

The man cried out in pain and released his grip.

With one arm freed, Xu Wanying grabbed the other and flung him away.

It was smashed against the wall and couldn't be pried off.

This was a fierce and exhilarating melee.

More and more people gathered, and the corridor was completely blocked at both ends.

Behind the distant pillars, Shen Tingyun stood leaning against one of them, twisting the handkerchief in her sleeve with a conflicted expression.

Zhao Yuwan came over at some point, covering her mouth and laughing uncontrollably.

"Isn't that your own sister? Why don't you go up and help her?"

Shen Tingyun glanced at her, loosened her handkerchief, and turned to leave.

Zhao Yuwan nodded at her retreating figure, but didn't press the matter further.

The chaos in front of the tea room finally alerted the Master.

Master Cen strode over, carrying a ruler, and his beard nearly stood on end when he saw the scene in the corridor.

"Are you rebelling?!"

Upon hearing Master Cen's voice, everyone stopped.

Xu Wanying was still holding onto the collar of one of her followers, whose sleeves were torn.

He Lanqing was covered in dust and looked disheveled.

Shen Jingque's hair was a mess, and there was a red mark on her face.

The worst off was Wang Jichuan, who was covered in nosebleeds and had two bright red handprints on his face, perfectly symmetrical.

Master Cen was so angry that he slammed his ruler against the railing. "Go, fetch the headmaster!"

……

The Princess's Residence.

Shen Yan was bent over his desk, checking the military supplies register.

Green Calyx ran in, losing one of her shoes in the process: "Your Highness!"

Shen Yan put down his pen and looked up.

"Weren't you taking Que'er to the academy? Why are you back?"

Green Calyx stamped her feet in frustration.

"Miss is getting into a fight at the academy. The headmaster requests your presence!"

The pen tip fell, and a drop of ink spread across the ledger.

"Sparrow, want to fight?"

Green Calyx nodded vigorously.

"The young lady, along with the young lady from General Xu's family and the son of the Imperial Censor, beat up the son of Scholar Wang!"

Shen Yan took a deep breath.

Then he put down his pen, stood up, and straightened his clothes.

"Prepare the car."