Dad, open the door. I'll bring your mistress back for you.

Shen Chuning was pushed back two steps by An Zhiyao.

Princess Nan Yan quickly supported her.

"A Ning, are you okay? Did you hit anything?" Princess Nan Yan asked with concern.

"I'm fine." Shen Chuning shook her head.

Princess Nan Yan explained to Shen Chuning, "Actually, Zhiyao isn't a bad person by nature, she's just a bit too picky and demanding."

"When the late queen was alive, the An family prospered for a while. After the late queen passed away, the An family had no male heirs who could support the family, and the family gradually went downhill."

"That's why Zhiyao cares so much about what others think of her. She always wants to know who's better than who. Don't take what happened today to heart."

Princess Nan Yan said this as she took Shen Chuning to where the class was.

Shen Chuning said indifferently, "A Ning was not thoughtful enough when choosing the gift. I wonder if Sister Nan Yan still likes that hairpin?"

Princess Nan Yan said happily, "I like it, but it's from your Wanbaoxuan? I think it's very exquisite."

"It's from Wanbaoxuan. Sister Nan Yan can take her sisters there for a look during her day off. Just think of it as a gift from An Ning to her sisters."

"How can I, as your elder sister, take advantage of you?"

The two chatted and laughed as they walked into a courtyard. The courtyard was surrounded by pink walls, with corridors on both sides of the entrance. Stone-paved corridors connected to each other under the steps, dotted with mountain rocks. A plaque with the words "Yuewei Pavilion" hung on the five-room porch.

In the central porch stood a large rosewood desk, on which were piled various calligraphy works by famous people, as well as several inkstones, and brushes of various sizes hung on the pen holder.

There were several low tables under the large desk, and some people were already sitting there.

Princess Nan Yan took Shen Chuning to greet the seated people one by one before finding an empty seat in the third row and sitting down.

"The Classics, History, Philosophy and Miscellaneous Studies course is taught by the Hanlin Academy Editor Qi. This course is a large class, and all the princesses and their companions attend together."

"Currently, only the eldest princess has three study partners. The second and third princesses each have one study partner. The sixth princess doesn't have a study partner yet. I heard they're still selecting one. She's been absent from class for half a month, claiming illness."

Princess Nanyan introduced the current situation to Shen Chuning.

Shen Chuning thought of what Nanny Jian said, that the Sixth Princess had been under house arrest for three months by Nanny the Queen Mother, and it seemed that she would not be able to see her for a long time.

An Zhiyao didn't run in hurriedly with red eyes until Lord Qi started teaching, and sat in the last row.

Shen Chuning turned her head to look at her and then turned away.

The Master was giving a course on official history at the top, which was easy to understand but dull and boring.

The courses that the princess studies are like this. They are comprehensive and complicated. They touch upon a little bit of everything, but nothing is explained in depth. It is good enough if you can have a general understanding of them when talking about them with others.

Shen Chuning got up early today and felt sleepy after listening all morning.

She followed her brothers to study in the Shen family since she was young. Most of the sons of the Shen family were to take the imperial examination, so she had learned everything the teacher talked about today, and she had learned it much more thoroughly.

Shen Chuning held her chin with her left hand and drew unconsciously on the paper with a wolf-hair brush in her right hand.

She thought, if Shen Jingwan didn't agree to provide Wanbaoxuan with design drawings, would she have to rely on her memory to draw all the popular jewelry styles in her previous life and have Wanbaoxuan make them quickly, thus cutting off part of Shen Jingwan's source of income?

She knew the value of those drawings. In her previous life, Shen Jingwan was not used to using a brush and had always been using something called a charcoal pencil. Once Shen Jingwan found a charcoal pencil, there was no guarantee that no jewelry shop would be interested in her drawings, which would be a loss for Wanbaoxuan.

Shen Chuning was lost in thought when Master Qi at the head of the table suddenly called her to stand up and answer a question.

She stood up in a daze. She didn't even pay attention to the question the teacher asked, so how could she answer it?

Shen Chuning lowered her head silently, and whispers were heard all around.

Master Qi noticed her embarrassment and said, "Since this is your first day here and you're not used to it, and you're still young, I won't bother with you today. Remember to listen carefully in class from now on."

"Haha, being young now has become an excuse for being uneducated. The Sixth Princess is younger than her, but she's not like her." It was An Zhiyao.

"Yes, Chu Ning is just a commoner girl, so I don't dare to compare myself with the Sixth Princess."

Shen Chuning didn't want to talk much with her. She didn't want to make enemies as soon as Fu entered the palace.

She hasn't dealt with Xiao Jinhuan yet, and now there's An Zhiyao. Her life in the palace will probably be really difficult.

Master Qi knocked on Shen Chuning's desk, motioning her to sit down first.

Just as Shen Chuning was about to sit down, she heard An Zhiyao say, "Miss Shen doesn't seem to be paying attention. I'm afraid she doesn't understand what the teacher is saying. I heard that Miss Shen also had some early education at home. This is the level of the Shen family's education."

An Zhiyao covered her mouth with her hands and smiled, then continued, "Did the newly crowned number one scholar, Shen Chengluo, really get in on the exam on his own merit? I'm afraid Uncle Shen is using the Empress Dowager's connections again."

Shen Chuning clenched her hands. She could tolerate being told she was ignorant and unlearned, and she had no intention of arguing about these things, but she couldn't tolerate being told about her family.

Especially her older brother, who had never missed a day of study since he started learning at the age of three, and finally passed the imperial examination and became the top scorer. If the rumor that his title was fake spread, it might hinder his future career.

"Miss An, are you accusing the Empress Dowager of interfering in government affairs?" Shen Chuning asked.

An Zhiyao was obviously panicking. If this got to the ears of the Empress Dowager, she would be in big trouble.

"That's not what I meant..." An Zhiyao quickly defended herself.

Shen Chuning said righteously, "Then you are admitting that my elder brother, the newly crowned top scholar, came here in a fair and just manner. Do you need to apologize to me for the slander you just made?"

"Even if we didn't follow the Empress Dowager's path, who can guarantee that there would be no cheating in the imperial examination? Did your family know the test questions in advance?"

An Zhiyao's words made Shen Chuning laugh out of anger.

"Cheating? On what basis? No one in my Shen family holds a position in the imperial examination process. How could cheating have happened to our Shen family? Is it based on your unfounded speculation?"

"By the way, if I remember correctly, Lord An is currently serving as a doctor in the Ministry of Rites, which is responsible for the imperial examinations. Miss An is so confident, could it be that Lord An leaked the exam questions to my Shen family?"

"You...you..." An Zhiyao was so panicked that she didn't know how to refute. If her father was accused of cheating in the imperial examination, he might be killed.

"Besides, His Majesty personally set the questions for the palace examination, personally graded the papers, and personally selected my brother as the top scorer. Are you also going to say that His Majesty is related to my Shen family and participated in the cheating?"

"Oh, I almost forgot, your brother only passed the imperial examination and ranked third among the top three, so he is not eligible to take part in the palace examination."

"Since Lord An has such a way to know the exam questions in advance, why doesn't he show them to his own son? Or, even if your brother saw the exam questions and prepared in advance, he would only be able to pass the exam and become a Tong Jinshi."