Chapter 346: Lesson

Chapter 346: A Lesson

The Thousand Autumn Pavilion was packed to the rafters, every seat taken.

As soon as Ji Qingqing's carriage came to a stop, Eunuch Lu, who served the Crown Prince, immediately came forward to greet her and led her inside.

The two walked side by side, but Ji Qingqing panted with every other step, frail as a willow in the breeze, moving very slowly.

Just as Ji Qingqing's heart was racing with nervousness, Eunuch Lu suddenly turned around and lowered his voice to say something to her.

"Second Miss Ji, His Highness the Crown Prince asked me to pass along a message—he says you need not worry too much, for he will handle everything."

Ji Qingqing's heart gave a lurch. Luo Jingshen had sent Eunuch Lu to deliver this message, meaning to set her at ease.

Yet Ji Qingqing felt not a shred of joy—only mounting dread!

She pursed her lips and asked, her face pale, "Eunuch Lu, did His Highness the Crown Prince really say that?"

Eunuch Lu replied with a smile, "Indeed he did. I've been in His Highness's service for ten years now, and I've never seen him so attentive to any young lady before."

"You'd be the first, Second Miss Ji. If you should one day become the Crown Princess, please put in a good word for me with His Highness."

"I certainly will." Ji Qingqing replied distractedly, brushing him off.

Whether she could become the Crown Princess was a matter for later—what she read into Eunuch Lu's words was a different meaning entirely.

Knowing Luo Jingshen as she did, his telling her not to worry already meant he'd believed Mu Rongyue and knew she'd orchestrated the plot to frame Ji Yuntang.

But Luo Jingshen had also said he would handle everything. Ji Qingqing took it to mean he'd shield her completely and tell her not to be afraid.

But could Luo Jingshen really turn a blind eye to the truth? Could he truly not care what kind of person she really was?

Ji Qingqing's heart was in knots.

For one, she feared she'd actually be dragged into it.

For another, she feared her perfect image in Luo Jingshen's eyes would come crashing down.

Once a person had a blemish, no matter how good the impression they'd made, it would vanish. Even if she boasted of her deep bond with Luo Jingshen, she feared he'd end up loathing her.

Just then, Eunuch Lu's voice rang out.

"Second Miss Ji, we're here. Please, go on in."

Ji Qingqing nodded slightly and slowly stepped into the arena.

The moment she stopped, she felt countless odd looks land on her.

Some mocking, some disgusted, some probing, some laced with hatred... All of it made her squirm.

In fact, Ji Qingqing even caught someone nearby muttering, "A fair face, but a viper's heart. You can know a person's face, but never their heart. What a venomous wretch!"

Ji Qingqing nearly ground her teeth into dust. She pushed down her emotions and stepped forward to pay her respects to Luo Jingshen and the others, looking weak and frail.

"Your subject's daughter pays her respects to the Crown Prince, Prince Qi, Prince Chen, Director Mei, and Headmaster Cheng."

"Your subject's daughter has been under the weather lately and caught a cold, which is why I'm late. I hope you'll forgive me."

She paid her respects to everyone—except Ji Yuntang.

Normally, Ji Yuntang wouldn't have cared.

But now, she wasn't about to let it slide!

"Second Miss Ji greets everyone but this Princess—are you saying you don't have this Princess of Ye in your eyes at all?"

Ji Qingqing's eyes welled up, and she said in a soft, meek voice, "Sister, you've got me wrong. I heard you're also a contestant in the Canglang Poetry Talk today, so I didn't greet you, sister, for fear of breaking the rules of the competition."

What she meant was that Ji Yuntang's identity today was that of a candidate, not the Princess of Ye, and therefore she was not obligated to pay her respects.

A smile curled at the corner of Ji Yuntang's mouth. She suddenly strode forward and grabbed Ji Qingqing by the hair.

"This Princess didn't know Second Miss Ji even knew what propriety meant?"

"Signing me up for the Canglang Poetry Talk without my permission—that's one."

"Coaxing Mu Rongyue into framing me for cheating and swapping out my answer sheet—that's two."

"Never bowing to this Princess, never kneeling, and calling me by name—that's three."

"With all that, do you still dare to say you know the rules?"

Ji Qingqing's scalp throbbed from the yank, and her fingers at her sides clenched so hard her knuckles went white.

She was seething inside, but she didn't dare show it. All she could do was whimper, "Sister, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Signing you up, swapping your answer sheet, framing you for cheating—I never did any of that."

"Even if you don't like me, sister, you can't just pin crimes on me out of thin air, can you?"

On the surface she was sobbing, but inside, Ji Qingqing was a nervous wreck.

She couldn't figure out how Ji Yuntang knew she'd signed her up, given how careful she'd been.

The Qingyun Hall was tight-lipped and would never leak who'd registered.

Even if they investigated, they'd never find out.

So Ji Yuntang couldn't possibly have any evidence.

So right now, she was probably just bluffing.

If she admitted it, wouldn't that be playing right into her hands?

Ji Qingqing gritted her teeth and said, "Sister says I'm framing you, but aren't you framing me right now too?"

"You have to register for the Canglang Poetry Talk in person. You signed yourself up and won't admit it—are you blaming me for that too?"

Ji Yuntang shot her a chilly glance. "This Princess had no idea the Canglang Poetry Talk opened three spots for women this year—how could I have signed myself up?"

"I only found out about this when the Qingyun Hall sent over the invitation, and only then realized how serious the consequences of not showing up would be. You backed me into a corner and forced me to compete, without leaving this Princess any way out."

"If I really had signed myself up, why wouldn't I admit it?"

Everyone present overheard their exchange and was stunned!

What—so the Princess of Ye hadn't signed herself up for the Canglang Poetry Talk after all?

It was Second Miss Ji who'd signed her up!

Without having done any preparation at all, she still got such great results—her smarts are just off the charts!

Everyone's gaze toward Ji Yuntang gradually filled with admiration.

In the past, they'd often heard of child prodigies in learning, but when they truly witnessed Ji Yuntang's abilities, they realized how easily those so-called prodigies crumbled in the face of a true genius.

Ji Yuntang was a true once-in-a-century genius, skilled in everything!

Ji Qingqing, listening to the crowd's praise of Ji Yuntang, felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her heart.

She had originally signed Ji Yuntang up to see her humiliated on stage, since this trend was huge—if word got out from the Canglang Poetry Talk, her reputation across the four nations would be ruined, and who would dare patronize her shops then?

But unexpectedly, her plan had backfired and ended up earning Ji Yuntang endless praise.

Compared to Ji Yuntang, she seemed like a clown, and nothing she did could ever outshine her.

Luo Jingshen, seeing Ji Qingqing on the verge of tears, abruptly stood up and coldly scolded:

"Princess Ye, Second Miss Ji is your sister! What do you think you're doing, grabbing her hair like that? Release her at once!"

Ji Yuntang raised an eyebrow, a cold smile curling at her lips. She yanked Ji Qingqing's hair even harder, dragging her closer.

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