Chapter 88: Lord Jiziu, Return Quickly

Tuan Tuan, as soon as she got on the carriage, asked, "Third Brother, where did you go, and why weren't you with me?"

Xiao Ningxun replied, "At the Guozijian. According to academic level, it's divided into the Upper Hall, Inner Hall, and Outer Hall classes."

"I'm in the Upper Hall class; you went to the Outer Hall class."

"Oh! Got it!" Then Tuan Tuan chattered away, telling Xiao Ningxun what had just happened; Xiao Ningxun listened, mouth agape—good heavens!

The younger sister was actually sitting on the master's lectern! She was leading the students in solving the Nine‑Link Puzzle and throwing darts! Did Master Zuo not intervene?

Tuan Tuan was thrilled: "Third Brother, the Guozijian is really fun! Let's go again tomorrow!"

Xiao Ningxun said, "Hmm… okay."

During dinner, Tuan Tuan went on a nonstop rant; the family members couldn't help but laugh and shake their heads—what a child! She really stirs up trouble at the Guozijian.

Xiao Yuanhang glanced at his eldest son: "Ningyuan, have you arranged all the business matters for this trip?"

Xiao Ningyuan replied, "Everything's set, Father. With Uncle watching over it, nothing will go wrong; rest assured."

"Big brother, who is Uncle?" Tuan Tuan asked.

"Uncle is a senior relative from our Prince's Mansion, upright and fair. While I'm away from the business, he's handling it; when he returns, Tuan Tuan will meet him."

"Oh, so besides Imperial Uncle, I have another Uncle!"

"Right! Here, have a bite of this." Xiao Ningyuan picked a piece of spare rib and placed it in Tuan Tuan's bowl.

Xiao Yuanhang said, "Since the business is fine and your hand has recovered, tomorrow you'll go to the Guozijian together with your third brother and Tuan Tuan. You're already a student there, so you should return to continue your studies."

"Yes, Father." Xiao Ningyuan hurriedly replied.

Tuan Tuan was delighted: "Big brother is going too? Great! The three of us will go to school together! Mother, school is really fun!"

Cheng Ru'an looked at his daughter: "The Guozijian is famously strict, but that's you… anyway, with Jiziu Cui there, he says nothing; others surely wouldn't dare speak up either."

Early the next day, the three siblings arrived together at the Guozijian.

Xiao Ningyuan gazed at the towering lintel: "It's been years, and this place is just as it was!"

"Brother Ningyuan? You're here? Is your hand healed?" Wu Qilin said warmly upon seeing him.

Tuan Tuan was puzzled: "Big brother, do you know him?"

Xiao Ningyuan answered, "When I studied here, I was classmates with his brother Wu Qimu; this kid often came looking for his brother, so I got to know him."

"How is your brother now? And you? You're also in the Guozijian—are you studying properly?"

Wu Qilin frowned: "Brother Ningyuan, after years you're unchanged, even more talkative than my brother!"

He spotted Tuan Tuan, immediately bowed: "Little teacher! Today we've booked a venue for Chui Wan. Can you play? If not, I'll teach you!"

"Chui Wan? What's that?" Tuan Tuan had never heard of it.

"Chui Wan, it's …" Wu Qilin took Tuan Tuan's hand, turned, and led her while explaining.

Xiao Ningyuan and Xiao Ningxun exchanged glances: "Since when has this kid become so close with Tuan Tuan?"

"Don't know, no good intentions!"

"Humph!" Both let out a deep snort, feeling as if their own sister had been stolen, and hurried after.

Xiao Ningxun swung his hand to snatch the girl's wrist; Wu Qilin gave him a cold look: "Little teacher, I'll go ahead then, you hurry over." He said and jogged away.

The three siblings had just reached the outside of the Chui Wan arena when a fierce argument erupted from within.

"How dare the Outer Hall trash show up? Don't dirty this venue!"

"Exactly! Get back to your school to practice calligraphy!"

"This time should be ours, Inner Hall! You haven't even finished your studies; your presence is a waste!"

Xiao Ningyuan frowned, then strode forward, following the voices.

Xiao Ningxun thought it was bad, quickly grabbed Tuan Tuan's hand and followed.

At the entrance, two groups faced each other, clearly divided.

One side, fewer in number, was cramped in a corner, each looking angry and resentful—the Outer Hall crowd led by Wu Qilin.

The other side was larger and boisterous; their leader was the top Inner Hall student, named Cao Songhui, who was now rudely poking Wu Qilin's chest with a finger.

"Cao Songhui! You better clean your mouth! The rule set by Jiziu the Master says whoever books first may use it—why won't you let us in?" Wu Qilin shoved the other's hand away, his face turning ashen.

"Rules?" Cao Songhui sneered, glancing at his Inner Hall classmates, eliciting a chorus of approving laughter.

"Rules are made for those who deserve them! Your Outer Hall class always ranks at the bottom, good at nothing, a bunch of idle rich brats—what right do you have to occupy the venue? Giving this time to us Inner Hall is the proper use of resources!"

"You!" the Outer Hall crowd blushed furiously, then fell silent; indeed, their scores were far below the Inner Hall's.

"Who says they have no right?"

A crisp, baby‑like voice rang out, and everyone turned toward it.

The Outer Hall students automatically made a path; a little girl in a goose‑yellow short dress, two tiny braids atop her head, held Xiao Ningxun's hand and walked step by step into the crowd.

Tuan Tuan, tiny as she was, stood among a group of tall youths, looking especially cute.

She lifted her little face to look at the much taller Cao Songhui and repeated, "Who told you they have no right?"

Cao Songhui was stunned at first; when he realized she was still shorter than his waist and chubby, he burst out laughing, "Where did you come from, little doll?"

"The Guozijian is a place you can mess around in? Hurry home and ask your mother for milk!" the Inner Hall students all joined in the laughter.

"Outrageous!" Xiao Ningxun's face darkened, and Tuan Tuan gently tugged his sleeve.

At that moment, the Outer Hall students seemed to find a backbone, puffing out their chests. Wu Qilin shouted even louder, "Cao Songhui, show some respect! This is our Outer Hall's little teacher!"

"Little teacher? Hahaha!" Cao Songhui laughed as if hearing the world's biggest joke, rolling on the floor, "Your Outer Hall really is a hopeless mess, treating a milk‑drinking baby as a teacher? What a colossal farce!"

Tuan Tuan blinked her big eyes, "You villain, how dare you bully my students!"

"You're blocking the way because you think you're stronger than them?"

"So what?" Cao Songhui lifted his chin, "In grades and the Six Arts, our Inner Hall crushes the Outer Hall. They're just a bunch of trash!"

Tuan Tuan pointed at the arena with her tiny hand: "Fine! Let's compare. If you win, they'll never come here again."

She paused, her dark eyes scanning Cao Songhui and the Inner Hall students behind him: "If they win, whenever you see them, you must walk around them!"

When that was said, both the inner dorm members and the outer dorm members were stunned. This wager is rather ruthless!

Cao Songhui sneered, "Compete? Compete with a wobbly little kid like you? Even if I win, it would be an unworthy victory!"

"Don't dare to compete?" Tuan Tuan tilted her head, "Coward! You're scared of a wobbly little kid?"

"Who's afraid!" Cao Songhui, incensed, his youthful temper flaring, shouted, "If we must compete, then let's! Our inner dorm and your outer dorm each send one person to compete!"

"Fine, are you so scared that you have to shout that loud?" Tuan Tuan covered her ears.

Cao Songhui, infuriated by her, could barely speak: "You agreed, yet you still make so many fuss!"

Wu Qilin saw the Little Master intervene, and it steadied!

He stepped forward and shouted at Cao Songhui, "If it's a competition, then let's compete! Who's afraid of whom! But the wager must change! If we lose, we will never come here again! If you lose… whenever you see our Little Master, you must respectfully call out 'Ancestor Master!'"

Cao Songhui was stunned—what kind of wager was that? He hesitated, but the inner dorm crowd behind him shouted, "Brother Cao, what are you afraid of! Can our inner dorm even lose to them?"

"Exactly! Bet against them!"

"Indeed, now that the words have come this far, under everyone's gaze, we cannot show weakness."

He gritted his teeth and answered in one breath, "Fine! It's settled!"

Tuan Tuan pointed a small finger at Wu Qilin, "You compete!"

Wu Qilin was instantly stunned, "What? It's not the Little Master who should compete, it's me?"

"Me? Me compete?"

When Left Chief heard the news and rushed over, he saw this tense, sword‑and‑bow drawn scene with the wager already set; his vision went black and he nearly fainted on the spot.

"It's over! Lord Jiziu, please return quickly!"

If Little Master Ancestor wins, the entire inner dorm will have to call her 'Ancestor Master'! She's… she's about to overturn your Guozijian!