Her guards

Chapter 74 Observing Learning from the Chief Priest
Princess Heisei originally thought that the chief priest would come to see her on the first day of school.

But it didn't.

"Oh dear, the chief priest was afraid of scaring you all. After all, you're all girls. Let's get used to studying first," the emperor comforted her with a smile. "The atmosphere was too tense at the beginning, and everyone couldn't concentrate on their studies."

This reasoning makes sense, but Princess Heisei was still somewhat disappointed.

She felt that the chief priest looked down on her.

She's genuinely here to study; she wouldn't be easily intimidated.

In any case, just before the second round of classes was about to end, the chief priest finally appeared, and Princess Heisei was very happy.

But the others were tense and frightened when they heard what the palace maid said.

"The chief priest?"

"Oh my god, are they testing us?"

"Oh dear, I've forgotten what I was saying just now."

"Ah Rui, Ah Rui, let me borrow your notes to copy."

The hall became noisy, and even Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong, who had been showing off their reading, fell silent.

"They won't really ask us anything, will they?" Princess Nangong said timidly. "If we can't answer, Sister Heisei will scold us."

Princess Wuyang glared at her: "You're the one who can't answer, I'm not that stupid."

Even so, she was still a little nervous, what if the chief priest was being difficult...

The prestige she had gained in front of her father was gone again.

"Everyone, please don't be nervous, please take your seats."

Princess Heisei calmly soothed the disorderly ladies, bringing them to a quiet.

The young ladies hurriedly returned to their seats and nervously flipped through the books.

Yang Hui wasn't nervous at all; instead, she became excited, her eyes sparkling. Was the Chief Priest coming to take the exam so soon?
That's right, the Grand Master of Ceremonies certainly can't tolerate such an absurd thing. Even if the Emperor agrees, he won't agree and will immediately expel these two, no, these three lowly maids from the National Academy!
"...Did you rest well yesterday?"

"...I'm fine, how about you guys?"

"...We are doing well too."

"...Miss Liu, are your family members all well?"

"...That's great, thank you, Miss Yang."

Hearing whispers, Yang Hui snapped out of her daze and saw the three lowly maids sitting on either side of her leaning over and talking in hushed tones.

Previously, they had to pretend not to know each other in front of others and didn't have a chance to speak. Now, everyone is so nervous because the chief priest is coming that no one pays attention to others, and they finally have a chance to speak.

Even on the verge of death, he still had the leisure to chat!
Yang Hui slammed the book down on her hand: "Don't speak!"

The hall had quieted down by then, but Yang Hui's sudden shout startled everyone.

Princess Heisei's face, which had been beaming with joy, stiffened slightly.

Everyone instinctively looked over and saw four people in the last row. Yang Hui looked furious, one Miss Yang was frowning, and the other Miss Yang lowered her head as everyone looked over.

He was still hunching his shoulders...

Like a frightened quail.

It was her personal tutor, Princess Wuyang exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.

She hadn't been bothered to remember this page, but today, on their first meeting, she found Miss Yang quick-witted and articulate, and she was quite pleased with her.

Now, seeing this page so timid...

"Yang Hui!" Princess Wuyang exclaimed with delight, "You're all tutors, so mind your own business and stop acting arrogantly just because you're Princess Pingcheng."

After saying that, he gave Princess Heisei a provocative look.

When the sisters quarreled, their father protected the eldest daughter, but when the attendants quarreled, the father couldn't possibly protect the eldest daughter's attendant, could he?

Princess Heicheng gave Princess Wuyang a cold glance.

Yang Hui, already feeling wronged, said, "I didn't." Then, looking at Princess Heisei, she hurriedly added, "Princess, it's their talking that's affecting my studies."

"That fool," Princess Heisei clenched her hands on her knees.

Sure enough, someone scoffed.

"Do you need others to influence your studies?" Yang Luo asked with a half-smile.

Yang Hui was about to say something even angrier, but Princess Heisei couldn't help but raise her voice again: "Alright, stop arguing."

Yang Hui dared not speak again, and Yang Luo bowed to Princess Heicheng with a respectful expression.

The hall fell silent abruptly, but then the old man's laughter rang out.

Everyone was startled.

With laughter, an old man walked in from the flower hall on the left.

Upon seeing the old man, Princess Heisei quickly stood up.

“Your Excellency, the Chief Minister,” she said hastily.

Although she hadn't met him since arriving at the National Academy, she certainly recognized him. She had been by his side when her father invited Wang Zaitian to the palace.

The other young ladies were seeing him for the first time. Since arriving in the capital, Wang Zaitian had hardly ever left the National Academy.

Even at the Academy of Chinese Studies, apart from the monthly large lectures, Wang Zaitian never came out of the library, making it difficult for students to see him.

Everyone hurriedly followed suit and bowed.

"Please sit down, please sit down," Wang Zaitian said with a smile.

He wore a scholar's robe, always had a smile on his face, and had the demeanor of an old man commonly seen in the marketplace.

Princess Heisei thought the same when she first met him. She almost thought that this old man, whom her father treated as an honored guest, was someone who had taken care of her father when he was a child in the countryside, and that her father had invited him to repay the debt of gratitude.

At that time, besides Wang Zaitian, there were more than a dozen Confucian scholars who sat together and talked at length.

They started arguing while they were talking.

Wang Zaitian was the most argumentative, and in the end, he even pulled out his cane and started fighting with someone.

She was really startled at the time.

While dodging, the emperor looked at him with great reverence, saying things like "the demeanor of a sage."

The demeanor of a sage is so fierce. Princess Heicheng pursed her lips, not sitting down, her expression apologetic: "I'm sorry to have made the Grand Master laugh at me. It's inevitable that we'll have some disagreements when we're together."

Wang Zaitian smiled and waved his hand: "It's alright. Reading is all about debate. Without debate, one cannot understand."

The chief priest was very kind, treating them like girls and not like real students. Princess Heisei bowed again and sat down.

Seeing the princess sit down, the other young ladies also sat down.

Wang Zaitian asked the instructors standing nearby what they had taught that day, and what they would teach next, before taking his seat.

Princess Heisei hurriedly handed him the calligraphy and articles she had written.

Wang Zaitian looked at it, nodded with a smile, and then continued walking.

Sitting next to Princess Heicheng, Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong breathed a sigh of relief, overjoyed as if they had survived a disaster. Those who didn't see them couldn't say they weren't working hard.

Wang Zaitian walked through the hall one by one, not looking at everyone, but only at one person per row, which made people even more nervous.

Some people were afraid of being selected for inspection, so they prayed to Buddha and God in their hearts. Those who couldn't escape kept their heads down in fear, while those who escaped were overjoyed.

The atmosphere in the hall was quiet yet slightly noisy.

However, Wang Zaitian did not reprimand them, and nodded and said good to everyone who checked their homework.

Jiang Rui was a little nervous when she was called on, but she was mostly happy.

It is an honor to have one's article glanced at by the chief minister, although Wang Zaitian simply nodded with a smile, neither saying it was good nor bad.

Jiang Rui thanked her respectfully.

But there's a difference between being happy and being proactive...

When Wang Zaitian walked to the last row, someone jumped up and snatched the booklet from their hand and presented it to him.

"Your Excellency," Yang Luo said, "please take a look at mine."

Following Wang Zaitian's gaze, the ladies were startled by the person who suddenly stood up and volunteered to deliver their homework. But once they saw who it was, they were all relieved.

This Miss Liu has always been arrogant, blatantly trying to curry favor with Princess Heisei, and naturally she wouldn't miss the opportunity to have the Chief Justice comment on an article.

But, without considering that she was already sitting in the last row, what was there for her to show off in her studies? Many people thought to themselves with a sneer.

Yang Hui sat up straight, looking at Wang Zaitian with excitement and anticipation.

This was practically delivered to our doorstep!

Your Excellency, throw her homework out and get her out of here too!
But the chief priest couldn't hear her inner thoughts. He took Yang Luo's homework, glanced at it, and nodded with a smile, "Good, good, good."

That's good, Yang Luo breathed a sigh of relief. Now that she had seen hers, she wouldn't need to look at the others in this row.

She wasn't worried about Liu Chan; she was worried about A Sheng.

Although Ah Sheng should be literate, what if... Besides, this priest should already know the true identities of the three of them.

We must not give him the opportunity to retaliate.

But as soon as she sat down, she saw that Wang Zaitian did not leave, but instead looked at the girl sitting next to Yang Hui.

“Miss,” Wang Zaitian said with a smile, extending his hand, “let me see yours.”

Yang Luo and Yang Hui almost stood up.

Of course, one felt nervous, and the other felt excited.

Since the chief priest came in, Mo Zheng has stopped hunching over and pretending to be pitiful, but she hasn't raised her head either.

Hearing Wang Zaitian's words, she seemed a little embarrassed and slowly raised her head.

“Your Excellency,” she said softly, “I am a tutor, only responsible for listening to lectures and copying notes for the princess. I do not have to do homework.”

Wang Zaitian said "Oh," looked at her, and nodded with a smile: "Okay, okay."

"Ah, is that good too?!" Yang Hui was stunned. Could this old man say anything other than "good, good, good"?
(End of this chapter)