After traveling through time, I was raised by a little brat

There were five young men in the East Courtyard: Tang Qi, the third son of the Duke of Tang's family; Chen Changxiao, the eldest son of the Marquis of Tang's family; Yi Yanjun, the third grandson of the Left Prime Minister; Qi Chenqi, the youngest grandson of the Grand Tutor; and Chu Rui, an unknown scholar from the Imperial College. Of these five, Chu Rui was the most surprising.

Because the Imperial College was home to thousands of students, no one questioned Chu Rui's impersonation as a student. Everyone was puzzled, wondering how this relatively unknown student could be chosen to compete at Flowing Cloud Villa. It wasn't until Chu Rui achieved excellent results that everyone finally understood and began to respect him.

In the West Courtyard, the five winning women were Qi Zhaoxia, the youngest legitimate granddaughter of the Grand Tutor's Mansion, Qi Qiuni, the illegitimate granddaughter, Yao Shijia, the second legitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue's Mansion, Qin Shiyue, the second legitimate granddaughter of the Right Prime Minister, and Tang Wenshu, the eldest legitimate daughter of the third wife of the Duke of Tang's Mansion. Among them, Qi Zhaoxia was the most eye-catching.

When selecting poems, everyone thought that Qi Qiuni's poem was actually better than Qi Zhaoxia's, but the eldest princess put Qi Zhaoxia first.

"How can the first one be a concubine's son?" Qi Qiuni's face turned gloomy in an instant. She bit her lips tightly, her heart full of resentment and anger.

She knew that her talent was no less than anyone else's, but she was looked down upon because of her background. This made her feel extremely humiliated and unfair, especially...

After the results were announced, Qi Zhaoxia glanced at Qi Qiuni with a flicker of disdain in her eyes: "Who is this Chu Rui? I guess his ancestors held low official positions, so he borrowed the title of a scholar from the Imperial College! Sister, be careful and don't let him choose you."

Qi Zhaoxia's words caused Qi Qiuni's expression to change slightly, but she quickly regained her composure and replied with a smile, "Don't worry, sister. I know what I'm doing." Although they maintained a harmonious sisterly relationship on the surface, in reality, the two had long been enemies, and neither of them could stand up to the other. Now that she had finally found the opportunity, Qi Zhaoxia naturally would not miss the opportunity to make things difficult for Qi Qiuni.

"Sister, you'd better be careful. After all, we don't come from good families." Qi Zhaoxia looked straight ahead, a faint smile on her face, and replied calmly. Although her voice was not loud, the force of her attack was like a knife, piercing Qi Qiuni's heart and making her almost breathless with anger.

Qi Qiuni tore at her handkerchief tightly, her heart filled with anger and resentment. She felt constantly outshone by Qi Zhaoxia, feeling inferior to this so-called older sister in both status and talent. And now, even losing to her in a small poetry competition was a profound humiliation.

"I'm always being outshined! When will I ever be able to stand out?" Qi Qiuni muttered to herself, gritting her teeth. "I'm three years older than her, yet I have to call her sister. When I get married, I'll have to wait until she's married first." Her eyes couldn't help but well up at the thought, tears welling up in them, ready to fall at any moment. However, she fought back the tears, fearing the five men from the East Courtyard were on their way. If she cried now, it would surely ruin the princess's elegance. So, she gritted her teeth, desperately trying to suppress the grief and grievance she felt.

At the same time, whispers could be heard from all around the west courtyard. Someone said disgruntledly, "What does that eight-year-old Tang Wenshu know? I should have submitted a limerick earlier. It would have been better than hers." Another chimed in, "Yeah, that way I could go on a trip with the Left Prime Minister's son. Maybe... maybe..." As they spoke, they began to drift off into a beautiful fantasy, imagining themselves traveling with the Left Prime Minister's son.

"Bah! You're not even worthy of that Chu Rui." Suddenly, a disdainful voice spitted from the side, shattering the man's beautiful fantasy. Everyone turned to look, only to see a gorgeously dressed woman looking at the man who had just spoken with a mocking expression.

Soon, the five winners from the East Court returned and stood in the courtyard. The five from this side also joined them. Tang Wenshu was innocent; he was chosen immediately. The top four quickly chose their partners and went on a scenic tour together. Chu Rui and Tang Wenshu, the last two to be selected, were left behind.

"You." Chu Rui looked at Tang Wenshu.

"You." Tang Wenshu also looked at Chu Rui.

Phew, the two smiled at each other.

Chu Rui had a fair complexion, skin as delicate as mutton-fat jade, and features as exquisite as a meticulously crafted work of art. His eyebrows were as black as distant black, slightly curved, revealing a softness. His eyes were bright as stars, yet they held a hint of agility and playfulness. His nose was straight, his lips as red as cherries, and the corners of his mouth, slightly raised, held a charming smile.

His hair, jet black and lustrous, cascaded over his shoulders, its gentle sway emitting a delicate fragrance. He was petite yet graceful, his every move exuding an air of elegance. He wore a garment of understated yet opulent beauty, vibrant in color and intricately embroidered. A ribbon tied around his waist fluttered in the wind, adding a touch of elegance.

His presence is like a touch of bright color in an ancient painting, bringing a unique freshness and vitality to the chrysanthemum garden.

Tang Wenshu looked at his handsome face and this beautiful scene, and couldn't help but step forward. "Then let's go together." Tang Wenshu took Chu Rui's arm and jumped up and down.

"I am the third daughter of Duke Tang's family. I am eight years old this year. Where is my brother?" Tang Wenshu introduced herself enthusiastically.

Tang Wenshu, who traveled through time, didn't pay much attention to the distinction between men and women. Besides, she was only eight years old, and this Chu Rui didn't look that old either.

"Chu Rui from the Cheng'en Marquis's Mansion, nine years old." Chu Rui replied.

"Lord Cheng'en, isn't that the Queen's home?" Tang Wenshu's eyes lit up, remembering that his mother had once told him about the major forces in the imperial city.

"Brother, why didn't you just say it? If those young ladies knew you were from the Cheng'en Marquis's Mansion, they would definitely compete to be in the same group with you." Tang Wenshu said regretfully.

"It doesn't matter. Besides, I'm just a distant relative and a concubine's son." Chu Rui smiled indifferently.

"Oh, oh." Tang Wenshu gave an expression that said, "I understand." But he didn't know if Chu Rui understood what it meant. The autumn sun was soft and warm, shining on the grass, as if covering the earth with a layer of golden gauze, giving people a feeling of tranquility and peace.

In the chrysanthemum garden, colorful chrysanthemums bloom in full bloom, red like fire, yellow like gold, white like snow, purple like clouds, competing with each other in beauty, beautiful beyond words. In the breeze, the chrysanthemums sway gently, like dancing fairies, emitting bursts of fragrance that are intoxicating.

"Do you need me to help you pick flowers?" Chu Rui asked softly, looking at the chrysanthemums all over the garden.

"No, no, no... no need." Tang Wenshu raised a finger, shook it, and said, "Just let them continue to bloom here. If you pick them, they will wither before tomorrow."

The chrysanthemum viewing event soon ended, and everyone returned to the West Courtyard. The Princess had already left, and everyone gathered together to chat. The few people who had left earlier also returned, and Tang Wenshu's seat was filled with the gifts the Princess had given him.

Tang Tian, ​​Tang Jing, and the others were filled with rage, but they could do nothing. They could only watch as Tang Wenshu received the Princess's reward, unable to vent their discontent. After all, in such an occasion, they dared not easily express their emotions, lest they cause unnecessary trouble.

Tang Wenshu pursed his lips, revealing a mischievous yet smug smile, thinking to himself, "Humph, I just love the way you guys can't stand me but can't do anything about me!"