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

After reconciling with Xiao Changgeng, Shen Jingque had a good night's sleep.

The next morning, I went to the academy in a cheerful mood.

As usual, Tian Jiu followed behind him. No one knew what Xiao Changgeng had said to him, but in any case, he wasn't "never leaving his side" as much.

As soon as she jumped off the carriage, she spotted Helan Qing at a glance.

A slender young boy stood at the entrance of the academy, his clothes damp with water stains, indicating that he had arrived before dawn.

Their eyes met, and Helan Qing's lips moved slightly before she pursed them up somewhat hesitantly.

Shen Jingque felt a little awkward when she remembered how he had inexplicably stormed off the day before yesterday. So she just raised her hand and waved it perfunctorily before turning around and walking into the academy.

I heard the sound of running footsteps behind me, and then someone grabbed my sleeve.

"I'm...I'm sorry, Sparrow."

He Lanqing's voice was muffled, as if he hadn't slept well all night.

His head was drooping, and the toes of his shoes rubbed against the ground.

"I... I shouldn't have lost my temper for no reason. I regretted it as soon as I got home that day."

"Yesterday... I wanted to tell you that your pageboy kept staring at me, but I just couldn't bring myself to say it."

Shen Jingque turned to look at him.

The boy gripped the hem of her clothes tightly, but dared not pull too hard, for fear of offending her.

Actually, she wasn't really angry. It's just that anyone would be upset if they were given the cold shoulder for no reason. Doesn't she have any pride?

But now that Helan Qing has taken the initiative to apologize, why not give him a way out?

Shen Jingque smiled and reached out to grab his arm.

"Alright, alright, I know you didn't mean it. Let's go, class is about to start."

He Lanqing stumbled a step as she was pulled, and when she looked up, her eyes were sparkling.

The pent-up frustration of the past two days seemed to have been punched in the back, and I visibly relaxed.

"You...you're really not angry with me anymore?"

"Do I look like such a petty person?" Shen Jingque turned around and glared at him, her words full of disdain, but the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up.

"No... I'm not stingy!"

He Lanqing nodded vigorously and followed her steps.

Upon entering the school, Xu Wanying was already hunched over the table, munching on a pancake with sauce, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel's.

Seeing the two of them come in one after the other, he let out a loud yelp with half a biscuit stuffed in his mouth.

"Oh, you've made up?"

As she spoke, she craned her neck to look behind Shen Jingque, her face full of doubt, "Where's your black-robed page? Didn't he come with us today?"

Shen Jingque sat down. "I came along, but from a place you can't see."

As he spoke, he pointed to the tree outside.

Xu Wanying almost spat out the savory pancake in her mouth. "The legendary secret guards! You mean the kind who hide in the shadows to protect their master and nobody can find them?"

She slammed her hand on the table and stood up. "I want one too! I mentioned it to my dad, and he said fighting should be fair and square, nothing like bodyguards!"

Shen Jingque smiled helplessly.

When she took a dump later, the guards on the roof behaved themselves.

As the three were chatting and laughing, Xu Wanying suddenly remembered something and leaned over with bright eyes.

"Are we going to mooch lunch from that Young Master Yan again today?"

Shen Jingque shook her head.

"There's no more freebies. My older brother won't let me get too close to him."

The light on Xu Wanying's face instantly went out, and she collapsed back onto the table, wailing, "Ah, I only ate one meal! Just one! I'm still dreaming about that squirrel-shaped mandarin fish!"

She pounded the table, heartbroken, "If only I hadn't asked for leave yesterday, I could have just shamelessly mooched off a meal."

Shen Jingque patted her shoulder and made a very generous promise, "I'll have my second brother treat you to Bazhen Pavilion in the future, and we'll order all your favorite dishes!"

Xu Wanying's head bounced up from under her arm. "Really?"

"Of course it's true. Isn't the brother earning money so his sister can spend it?"

In the back row of the classroom, Shen Tingyun sat down with her book box in her arms, her gaze subtly sweeping over the three people in the front row.

Shen Jingque chatted and laughed with the two men as usual, but the black-skinned page was nowhere to be seen.

Yesterday it was always there, but today it's nowhere to be seen.

Was it withdrawn?

Also, she heard that Shen Jingque would no longer see Rong Jing.

Why? What exactly happened between them?

Xiao Jingchen urged her to eavesdrop on their conversation. What should she do now?

She couldn't go to see Xiao Jingchen empty-handed.

Valuable intelligence must be provided before the next meeting.

……

At lunchtime, the classroom gradually emptied out.

Shen Jingque packed her things, pulled Xu Wanying to the corner of the corridor, and lowered her voice, "I'm going to the back mountain at noon. If I'm not back within an hour, go directly to the academy gate and find my stableman, and have him run to the Princess's residence to report the news."

Xu Wanying's smile vanished completely. "What happened? Is there danger?"

"It may not happen, but it's better to be prepared."

"Then I'll go with you." Xu Wanying rolled up her sleeves.

"No need." Shen Jingque smiled and said in a relaxed tone, "I have someone protecting me. You just need to guard my escape route."

Xu Wanying stared at her for a long while before gritting her teeth and nodding.

After leaving the tea room, Shen Jingque walked around the corridor to the locust tree in the courtyard, looked up and called out.

"Tian Jiu".

A very soft rustling sound came from above the leaves as the thin, dark-skinned boy descended from the branches and settled steadily beside her.

Shen Jingque was already immune to his way of making an entrance, and didn't even lift her eyelids. "I'm going to the Hundred Herbs Garden in the back mountain later. You'll come with me."

"it is good."

She took a couple of steps, then suddenly turned back and asked, "If Rong Jing attacks me, can you beat him?"

Tian Jiu was silent for a moment, then answered confidently, "It should be possible."

"If I can't beat him, I'll take the young lady away; he can't catch me."

Shen Jingque felt a weight lifted from her heart and patted him on the shoulder with relief.

"Xiao Jiu, you've finally been promoted from the outhouse assassin to the life-saving little flying hero in my heart."

Tian Jiu didn't understand, but he thought it was probably a compliment, and scratched his head shyly.

The two walked through the bamboo path and around the artificial hill, and the gate of the Hundred Herbs Garden came into view.

Rong Jing was already waiting at the door.

On the boulder, he lay lazily on his side with one leg dangling. When he saw Shen Jingque bringing Tian Jiu over, he didn't ask any questions, but slowly propped himself up and jumped down.

"Last time, someone was in a hurry to pick the lock and broke a hairpin inside."

Shen Jingque's face flushed, and she immediately glared at him.

"Are you trying to bring up old grievances?!"

Rong Jing smiled slightly and stopped teasing him.

Pinch the lock, and gently flick your fingertips near the keyhole; the tiny metal piece stuck inside will be dislodged.

Shen Jingque looked at the broken hairpin tip, touched her nose, and fell silent.

Rong Jing took the key out of his sleeve and slowly inserted it into the lock.

"If you're destined to find this, remember to choose a sturdier hairpin before picking locks in the future."

He then stepped aside to make way for Shen Jingque and gestured for her to proceed.

Shen Jingque stepped across the threshold, and her view suddenly opened up.