Outside the women's academy gate.
Song Yu stared intently at the academy's entrance, his eyes practically boring holes through the doors.
Shen Qingping, standing nearby, watched as Song Yu craned his neck so far forward it looked like he might stretch several miles ahead. He couldn't help but cover his eyes with a sigh. "Your Highness, as soon as the young mistress steps out, she'll definitely recognize the carriage."
The Qin Prince's Mansion emblem was emblazoned on the carriage—it wasn't like the young mistress was blind.
"Someone like you, a lone wolf, wouldn’t understand," Song Yu scoffed at Shen Qingping.
This was Song Shihuan’s first day at the academy, and he was worried that Song Xiyan, that troublemaker, might have cooked up some scheme to target her.
The moment Song Shihuan’s figure appeared, Song Yu’s eyes lit up.
Shen Qingping, however, narrowed his eyes. "Why is Dean Yan coming out too?"
Something must have happened.
Song Yu leaped off the carriage and strode toward Song Shihuan. "Ah-Huan, I’ve come to take you home. How was your day?"
"Father," Song Shihuan said with a pitiful expression, "Dean Yan made me compete with students from three different classes. She said my placement would depend on the results. But they graded me unfairly! I got so upset that I confronted her."
"Now Dean Yan wants to speak with you... Did I cause trouble for you?"
At these words, the smile on Song Yu’s face faded.
He had sent a lively, spirited girl into the academy, and in just one day, she had been reduced to this bullied, dejected state.
Who could tolerate that?
"Dean Yan," Song Yu’s voice turned icy, "I’ve never heard of new students being subjected to tests upon arrival. Was this arranged specifically for Ah-Huan?"
Dean Yan had followed Song Shihuan out with the intention of reprimanding her in front of Song Yu—hoping to rein in her behavior.
But she hadn’t expected Song Yu to immediately shield his daughter. Forced to smile awkwardly, she said, "Your Highness, we merely wished to assess the young mistress’s capabilities."
Song Yu nodded thoughtfully, then circled Dean Yan like a predator.
"Assess my Ah-Huan’s capabilities?"
His expression darkened instantly. "Yan Qing, my Ah-Huan was lost for ten years before we finally found her and brought her home. Now, on her very first day, you want to test her? What exactly are you scheming?"
Song Yu’s unrestrained fury drew the attention of everyone nearby.
Recalling his notorious reputation, the onlookers instinctively took a step back.
"Your Highness, there must be a misunderstanding—" Dean Yan stammered weakly, "We only wanted to tailor her education to her abilities. It was for her own good."
Had it been anyone else, they might have spared her some dignity. But Song Yu? Even the Emperor found him impossible to control—a true wildcard.
With a cold chuckle, Song Yu repeated, "Tailor her education?"
Then, without warning, he strode to the academy’s entrance, picked up a rock, and hurled it at the centuries-old plaque above the gate. A chunk of the plaque shattered instantly, the broken pieces rolling to a stop at Dean Yan’s feet.
She froze in shock.
"If this happens again," Song Yu warned, "I’ll tear this academy down myself."
Trembling, Dean Yan could only nod stiffly.
In the crowd, Gu Mingzhu watched the scene with envy before turning to the bearded old man beside her. "Father, when will you ever stand up for me the way Prince Qin stands up for his daughter?"
"That young mistress was being bullied. You? You’d be lucky if you weren’t the one bullying others," General Gu retorted before ordering the coachman to drive on.
Gu Mingzhu pouted. "She wasn’t bullied at all!"
From what she’d heard, the young mistress had practically given Dean Yan and the teachers a heart attack—so much so that a physician had been summoned, causing absolute chaos.
And now Prince Qin had smashed the academy’s plaque? She was thrilled!
"Father, I’m having an extra bowl of rice tonight."
......
Inside the carriage.
"That Yan Qing is truly despicable," Song Yu fumed. "If not for Ah-Huan’s sharp wits, she would’ve been tricked today."
"Father, I made her so angry she called for a physician," Song Shihuan grinned, her earlier pitiful act completely gone. "They tried to bully me, but I exposed them on the spot. I even threatened to report them to the palace!"
"Reporting them isn’t a bad idea," Song Yu mused, stroking his chin. He’d make time tomorrow to drop a few well-placed words in the Emperor’s ear.
Song Shihuan giggled before changing the subject. "How was your official business today, Father?"
At the mention of work, Song Yu perked up. "Ah-Huan, I’ve been entrusted with a very important task."
"What kind of task?" Song Shihuan’s eyes sparkled. "You look excited—it must be something good."
"Collecting debts for your grandfather."
For a moment, Song Shihuan’s expression froze. "What... collecting debts... for Grandfather?"
Who in the world would dare owe the Emperor money?
"The imperial treasury is mysteriously empty. I suspect embezzlement—and I already have a list of suspects. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be collecting what’s owed to your grandfather."
Song Yu was brimming with determination.
Song Shihuan recovered and couldn’t help but ask, "And who are your suspects?"
"Everyone who seized our family’s shops back then. A dog never changes its habit of eating filth!"
Strangely enough, Song Shihuan found his reasoning perfectly sound.
"Don’t worry, Ah-Huan." Song Yu pulled out a ledger he and Shen Qingping had spent hours compiling. "I have experience in debt collection. Your grandfather even assigned me a team of imperial guards."
Flipping through the ledger, Song Shihuan’s eyes widened. Compared to these figures, the profits from their family’s shops were mere pocket change.
When she spotted the Chang family’s name, a plan formed in her mind.
"Which family will you target first, Father?" Her eyes gleamed mischievously.
If the Emperor had assigned imperial guards, he must truly be desperate for funds.
As Song Yu pondered, Song Shihuan flashed a fox-like smile. "Why not start with the Chang family? After all, they were our first target last time too."
"As the saying goes, misfortunes never come singly." She tapped the Chang family’s name. "Seems they didn’t return all the money from the shop incident. There must be more to squeeze out."
The Chang family was a major financial pillar of the Eastern Palace—best to drain them dry!
"You’re absolutely right, Ah-Huan!" Song Yu burst into laughter. "Just like last time, we’ll make an example of the Changs. That’ll scare the others into paying up."
Shen Qingping watched the father-daughter duo, silently lighting three metaphorical incense sticks for the Chang family.
One had reduced the academy dean to a wreck on her very first day.
The other had smashed a centuries-old plaque without hesitation.
To offend these two? The Chang family’s ancestors must be rolling in their graves.
"Oh, and Father," Song Shihuan added sweetly, "remember to bring a physician along. Madam Chang has a weak constitution—we wouldn’t want her fainting again."
"Right, Madam Chang does seem rather frail," Song Yu mused, frowning. Always collapsing at the slightest provocation—definitely not long for this world.
Shen Qingping’s lips twitched.
