The Women's Academy.
All preparations for the cross-class examination were complete, yet Song Xiyan had yet to appear. The crowd grew restless.
Watching Shen Lin'er's confident demeanor, Song Shihuan's eyes darkened—it seemed Shen Hua'er had struck ruthlessly after all.
Just then, a servant from the Ping Prince's Mansion hurried over.
"Headmistress, the Second Princess has suddenly fallen ill with a high fever and cannot rise from bed. She regrets being unable to attend today's examination and asks for your understanding."
"No matter, her health comes first," the headmistress replied before turning to Song Shihuan. "Princess Fu'an, shall we begin without further delay?"
Song Shihuan curled her lips slightly. Knowing Song Xiyan's temperament, she wouldn't let Shen Hua'er manipulate her so easily.
"No need to rush. Let's wait another quarter-hour."
She would grant Song Xiyan that much time—hoping her sister wasn't so weak as to fail even leaving the Ping Prince's Mansion.
Meanwhile.
Supported by Liu'er, Song Xiyan had just reached the gates of the Ping Prince's Mansion when Shen Hua'er and Song Yanzheng intercepted her with their entourage.
"Xiyan, why must you be so unreasonable? Can you not endure even this slight hardship?" Song Yanzheng frowned disapprovingly. "If the Shen family supports us, we still have a chance to win."
"I don't care about your victories. All I ask is to leave and take part in this examination."
Darkness flickered at the edges of Song Xiyan's vision. She dug her nails into her palm, forcing herself to stay conscious.
"If I don't go, people will mock me for cowardice and feigning illness—worse than any defeat. Song Yanzheng, you only think of yourself. Have you ever considered me?"
Even if the Ping Prince's Mansion prevailed later, her reputation would remain tarnished by today's humiliation, forever overshadowed by Shen Lin'er.
Better to drag Shen Lin'er down with her in this state than let Shen Hua'er think her an easy target.
"Nonsense! You won't set foot beyond these gates today."
"Then you might as well take my life."
A sharp dagger flashed in her grip, madness glinting in Song Xiyan's eyes. "If you stop me now, I'll die here. The Qin Prince's Mansion won't miss this chance—the entire Ping Prince's Mansion will burn with me."
"You're insane!"
In the standoff, Song Yanzheng finally relented.
"Yanzheng..." Shen Hua'er paled.
"Let her go. In this state, she's no match for Lin'er anyway." Song Yanzheng yielded, truly fearing Song Xiyan might perish on their grounds.
Thus, Song Xiyan raced to the academy by carriage.
At the last moment of the quarter-hour, she arrived.
"My apologies for the delay."
"Second Princess, your condition..." The headmistress hesitated, wary of risking a life over mere academics.
"It's nothing." Song Xiyan stepped slowly toward Song Shihuan. "I promised my elder sister I'd compete against Shen Lin'er. I won't break that vow."
Before Song Shihuan, her pride refused surrender.
Nearby, Shen Lin'er stiffened. Even if she won now, victory over Song Xiyan in such a state would ring hollow.
Once-close sisters now stood estranged by rivalry.
"Given my sister's condition today, a direct contest with Second Miss Shen would hardly be fair."
Song Shihuan looked at Song Xiyan, but the words she spoke left Song Xiyan utterly bewildered. "How about this—let Mingzhu join the two of you, and the three of you compete. The one with the best results will advance to Class A. What do you think?"
Gu Mingzhu!
The crowd's pupils trembled in shock. That troublemaking second young miss of the Gu family?
Even Song Xiyan couldn’t fathom Song Shihuan’s intentions.
Wasn’t she closest to Gu Mingzhu? Why would she push Gu Mingzhu into the spotlight today, setting her up for public humiliation?
"Fine."
Song Xiyan naturally wouldn’t refuse an opponent who posed no threat.
"Agreed."
Shen Lin'er was more than happy to have an extra participant—this way, no one could accuse her of winning unfairly.
"And Mingzhu, what do you think?"
"Sure, sure!"
Gu Mingzhu nodded eagerly. She had already read Shen Lin'er’s essays—they weren’t even half as good as the ones in the books the princess had given her.
Seeing no objections from the three, the headmistress of the women’s academy made an exception and approved the three-way competition.
As the exam papers were being distributed, Gu Mingzhu glanced left and right before grinning at Song Xiyan and Shen Lin'er.
"I’m here to join you. Please give it your all."
So you don’t lose too miserably in the end.
"Second Young Miss Gu should worry about herself first," Shen Lin'er retorted with an exaggerated eye roll. Competing with Gu Mingzhu was beneath her dignity.
Gu Mingzhu wasn’t the least bit bothered.
The princess had told her that as long as she gave her best before the results were revealed, the great scholars would defend her when the time came.
......
"Eldest Sister, aren’t you worried about Second Young Miss Gu?"
Song Xiyao mustered the courage to approach Song Shihuan. "Everyone knows how close you two are."
"Academic performance can’t be faked. Once the papers are graded, the one who deserves to enter Class A will be clear."
Song Shihuan even leisurely asked for a cup of tea to be brewed for her.
She had reviewed Mingzhu’s policy essay the night before—it was Class A material.
The competition lasted two hours. By the end, all three emerged exhausted, with Song Xiyan’s legs giving out beneath her. Only Gu Mingzhu remained carefree, grinning as if nothing had happened.
"How was it?" Song Shihuan asked.
"Not hard."
Gu Mingzhu’s reply made the onlookers cringe. Surely the second young miss hadn’t even understood the questions!
Even Shen Lin'er couldn’t suppress a mocking smirk.
"If it wasn’t hard, then good." Song Shihuan said no more, waiting for the moment these people would be proven wrong.
The cross-class exams were graded the same day, so no one left. They all lingered, waiting for the instructors to finish evaluating the papers.
The sun had nearly set by the time the door finally creaked open.
The headmistress stepped out, her gaze lingering on Gu Mingzhu with undisguised astonishment.
"The headmistress must be horrified by Mingzhu’s scribbles."
"I bet General Gu will be chasing her around the courtyard with a stick again tonight."
Amid the chatter and laughter, Shen Lin'er stood confidently, certain of her victory, waiting for the headmistress to announce the results.
"Silence."
The headmistress’s voice cut through the noise, and the crowd immediately quieted, all eyes fixed on the roster in her hands.
She announced the results of the other competitions first—all within expectations.
Finally, she cleared her throat and raised her voice:
"The winner of the final competition is—"
"Second Young Miss Gu, Gu Mingzhu."
Instantly, everyone's expressions froze on their faces, looking utterly comical.
