Chapter 106: You

Inside Chenhui Hall, there was utter silence, only Huo Wenxuan's painful sobbing remained.

After a long while, the Elder Princess slowly stood up.

She walked step by step to Huo Wenxuan, looking down from her height and gazing at the niece she had once truly cherished and carefully taught for many years.

"So that's how it is…"

The Elder Princess's voice was soft, yet like wrapped in ice shards: "So, all these years by my side, what you held in your heart was not kinship, but calculation; not reverence, but resentment."

Huo Wenxuan lifted her head in terror, meeting the Elder Princess's eyes that no longer held any warmth, her whole body trembling like a sieve: "Aunt… No! That's not it! What I said just now wasn't true!"

"I—those were all nonsense! Yes, it was that cup of tea! Right! It was that cup of tea! There must be something filthy in it!"

"Tea?" The Elder Princess's mouth curled a faint smile, "Tea only makes people speak the truth; it doesn't make them do wrong. Huo Wenxuan, you have disappointed me… far too much."

She stopped looking at the person like rotten mud on the ground, and turned her gaze to Xiao Yuanhang and Tuan Tuan: "Prince Ning, it was my lax governance and poor judgment that led the Princess (Commandery) into this great danger."

"I will atone to Prince Ning."

After speaking, she bowed deeply to Xiao Yuanhang.

Xiao Yuanhang hurriedly pulled Tuan Tuan behind him, calmly accepting her bow: "Elder Princess's words are harsh; her own thoughts are malicious, what does it have to do with His Highness?"

The Elder Princess straightened up and turned toward the outside: "Attendants!"

The palace attendants answered and entered.

"Send Huo Wenxuan back to the Huo residence immediately!"

"Convey my imperial decree: Huo family daughter Wenxuan, whose heart is unprincipled and virtue lacking, from today onward, is forbidden to set foot in Chenhui Hall even half a step!"

"My ties with the Huo family are severed, both favor and righteousness cut off, with no further connection!"

"Aunt! No, Aunt! Have you forgotten my younger uncle? He is your Prince Consort!" Huo Wenxuan let out a mournful scream, tried to crawl forward to beg for mercy, but the Guards mercilessly lifted her and dragged her outside.

"Princess Jiayou! It's all her fault that I'm like this! Aunt—"

Prince Consort! Huo Junming! The Elder Princess's heart ached, watching her silhouette fade, the cries growing distant, she finally, exhausted, waved her hand: "Prince Ning, these people, leave them to your disposal."

She looked at Xiao Yuanhang, her expression troubled: "I have a request, Prince Ning, I hope you will grant it."

"Please, Prince Ning, spare the Huo family; after all they are the Prince Consort's relatives, I cannot bear it in my heart."

Xiao Yuanhang looked at her, recalling the deep marital bond with the Prince Consort and his tragic death on the battlefield for the country, hesitated a moment, then said: "Very well."

"But I have spoken before: if the Huo family commits any further transgression, I will not tolerate it."

The Elder Princess nodded: "Thank you, Prince Ning."

Xiao Yuanhang understood her meaning; this was the Elder Princess, out of respect for the Prince Consort, granting the Huo family one final protection.

From then on, Huo Wenxuan and the entire Huo family's fate would no longer be a concern of the Elder Princess.

He lifted his daughter and left the palace.

In the blink of an eye, the day of the Grand Examination at the Guozijian arrived.

Zuo Zhengji led Tuan Tuan, hurrying briskly straight to the examination hall.

"Elder Senior Brother?" As soon as he reached the doorway, Zuo Zhengji's steps halted, his face showing surprise: "Elder Senior Brother Yin Rijing? Isn't he studying abroad?"

A middle‑aged man with a stern face and upright bearing stood at the doorway, hands clasped behind his back.

He furrowed his brows, his gaze falling on the little one that the junior brother was holding.

"Zuo Zhengji, this is a solemn place of the Guozijian, and today is the Grand Examination; why have you brought a child from home? What decorum!"

Zuo Zhengji knew this Elder Senior Brother was extremely rigid, silently cursed his luck, and hurriedly explained: "Elder Senior Brother, you misunderstand! This is…"

"Who are you?" Tuan Tuan lifted her little face, looking up at the adult before her: "I am a Master, here to proctor; you're blocking my way."

Yin Rijing was taken aback: "How audacious! You, a still‑sucking infant, could be a Master of our Guozijian! You coming to proctor? Ridiculous!"

"Elder Senior Brother! Choose your words carefully!" Zuo Zhengji, sweating at his temples, said, "This person is Master Cui Jiziu's newly appointed Master, our Little Senior Master!"

"Nonsense!" Yin Rijing could not believe it, finding it utterly absurd, "Master is a venerable elder of great virtue and reputation; he would never engage in such childish antics! Zuo Zhengji, if you keep speaking recklessly, don't blame me for punishing you!"

Tuan Tuan pursed her little mouth: "So, you're his Senior Brother! My master's disciple."

"Hmph, you don't even recognize me! After the exam, I'll go ask Cui Daisheng!"

Yin Rijing's face turned ashen: "How daring! To address Master by his personal name!"

Tuan Tuan ignored him, tugged Zuo Zhengji's sleeve, "Let's go in, ignore that stupid blockhead."

Zuo Zhengji dared not delay, quickly leading her into the examination hall.

"Lift me up onto it; one day I'll have to snap off a leg of this table—why is it so high!"

"Because that's a lecturing table!" Zuo Zhengji sighed, lifted her and placed her steadily on the table: "Little Senior Master, please sit firmly, do not fall."

"Got it!" Tuan Tuan adjusted her posture, sitting upright, looking at the students below, and in a cute fierce voice said: "No one may be lazy! Study hard!"

Although the students were accustomed to seeing her on the podium, each time they still snickered.

Yin Rijing stood at the doorway, watching helplessly as his junior brother bowed reverently to a little child, and was astonished to see that child sit on the Master's lecturing table, his chest boiling with anger.

"Nonsense! Absolutely nonsense!" He flung his sleeve hard and turned away.

After the proctoring ended, Tuan Tuan found Cui Daisheng: "I'm so tired! I'm hungry! My bottom is numb from sitting."

Cui Daisheng smiled warmly: "Junior Master, you've worked hard! I'll take you to eat right away!"

He set his face stern, and to the stunned Yin Rijing standing nearby said: "Rijing! Haven't you paid respects to the Little Senior Master, to atone for your earlier offense?"

Yin Rijing still could not believe: "Master! You truly took this still‑sucking infant as a disciple?!"

Cui Daisheng glared: "What do you know! Your Little Senior Master knows far more than you!"

"If she lacked genuine talent and learning, I would never have taken her as a teacher."

Tuan Tuan, hearing this proudly, shook her head with a grin: "Exactly, exactly!"

She looked up at Yin Rijing: "If you don't obey, I won't teach you!"

Yin Rijing glanced at his Master, then at his junior brother, and finally believed: this little child before him was truly the Master of his most revered teacher! His own Senior Master!

He wore a troubled expression, hesitated for a long moment, but at last stepped forward and, stiffly bowing to Tuan Tuan, said: "Disciple Yin Rijing, I pay respects to the Little Senior Master."

Tuan Tuan smiled warmly at him: "Good disciple!"

Yin Rijing stumbled, almost lost his balance, hurriedly straightened up, a faint blush rising on his face.

Tuan Tuan walked up to him, looked up and said, "You're so tall!" tugging at his sleeve.

Yin Rijing lowered his head, glanced at her, puzzled, then immediately averted his gaze and kept standing straight.

Tuan Tuan frowned, then pulled his sleeve again.

Yin Rijing looked at her again, still not understanding her meaning, and helplessly looked toward Master.

The look clearly said: "What is Little Master Ancestor trying to do?"

Cui Daisheng also didn't get it, spread his hands at him, his expression equally clear: "I don't know."

Tuan Tuan sighed, shook her head; the manner was just like an old master helpless toward his disciple.

She extended a little arm to Zuo Zhengji beside her: "Pick me up."

Zuo Zhengji, as requested, lifted her; Tuan Tuan stretched out her little arm, straining to reach Yin Rijing's big head, gave it a proper pat and said, "Good child, be good!"

Yin Rijing's body stiffened, his facial expression became indescribably complex.

Zuo Zhengji pursed his lips, forced a laugh, his shoulders shaking continuously.