Chapter 202: She, always has been!

But Jiang Yun Chu acted as if she hadn't heard, taking a light sip of tea, with an air of calm and ease—where was the earlier aggressiveness?

Just a dagger was still stuck there on the side of the table!

"I bet three will make the list." Wang Xianshi saw everyone else silent, so he had to speak; this also does a favor for the Regent's Consort—given Chun Hua Xue Yuan's time, even the best tutor couldn't transform someone in half a year.

Three people is already the limit.

Liu Yunfeng looked at Jiang Yun Chu, then smiled and shook his head, "I bet six will make the list."

"Mr. Liu, you can think it over before speaking—that scented ink's value is not small." He Tang, hearing Liu Yunfeng's words, turned his head over, feeling a bit uneasy.

Liu Yunfeng is quite unusual—he is the youngest top scholar of Da Ning, dislikes officialdom, only loves reading, deeply favored by the emperor, and was directly appointed to the Royal Academy.

"Mr. He, there's no need to be so anxious."

Liu Yunfeng gave a light smile, an air of calm and ease.

Qing Feng Da Ru looked this way and that, "I bet five will make the list."

He teaches the zither course; his grasp of the children's knowledge isn't deep. In last year's joint exam, these kids gave him a surprise, but according to the Ding List, they're still slightly lacking.

Alas!

Still too rushed; the time is too short.

"More than eight." Without waiting for questions, Jiang Yun Chu set down her teacup and lifted her head.

"How many?" The speaker wasn't He Tang but Wang Xianshi, who doubted he'd misheard and rudely rubbed his ears.

"Mr. Wang didn't mishear—more than eight."

Jiang Yun Chu, unwilling to tire of repeating, said it again; her eyes flashed with light.

It wasn't her self-confidence, but her trust in the children.

Those kids, they studied bitterly late into the night, recited at morning drills; the time is near, yet their hard study goes unnoticed.

How could she not believe them?

"Hmph, the Princess Consort is confident." He Tang didn't say anything else; his eyes already held a determined resolve.

At this moment, Jiang Yun Chu didn't reply; for the children, let's use their scores to slap faces.

If it were at Fame List Academy, she'd have to think a bit more.

But at Qing feng Academy, she wouldn't think so much.

Time passed bit by bit; inside the examination room only the sounds of grinding ink and turning pages could be heard.

Two days passed...

"Dean, I'm a bit nervous." Kang Wen wrung his hands, looking tense and afraid to open his eyes.

Jiang Yun Chu raised an eyebrow, "How come? No confidence?"

Kang Wen sighed, "If I say I'm confident, it feels unreal; if I say I lack confidence, I seem to understand all the exam material."

Upon hearing his words, Jiang Yun Chu realized.

This is a change he hasn't yet adapted to.

"You're excellent, always have been."

"These days, your late-night studying is like parched grass constantly absorbing water, striving to grow strong."

"Why lack confidence?"

She stood there, today wearing a sauce-purple robe, splendid and dignified, yet with the air of a great general.

Seeing her stand here, they felt as if they'd seen hope and a goal; they needn't worry, just charge forward.

She, always has been!

Kang Zhi Xia clutched his chest, feeling the violent beating there.

He seemed to have found what his mother spoke of—the Heaven's Mandate General.

The one he would give his life for, never retreating.

"Clang——"

"Clang——"

"Clang——"

Three bronze gongs sounded, as the Ding List was unveiled.

"Princess Consort, are you ready to admit defeat?" He Tang stood aside, watching Jiang Yun Chu standing there; from yesterday to today, he's been under pressure.

Previously pressured by the Royal Academy and Qing feng Academy, he accepted it.

When could a chicken‑scratch academy also suppress his Fame List Academy?

"Admit defeat?"

Jiang Yun Chu chuckled twice, hands clasped in front, the hairpin on her head unmoving as she turned around.

"I didn't expect Mr. He's taste to be so unique—how does it feel to be slapped in the face?"

"Moreover..."

She gently drew out her voice, the smile on her face becoming a bit more genuine.

"Did you register with the King of Hell? Rushing to throw away your life?"

He Tang's face darkened, "Silver-tongued!"

"Just wait till you cry!"

"A bunch of women, still wanting to start an academy?"

"Who knows what Qing feng is thinking, still helping her."

"Cry?"

"I'm afraid it's Mr. He's turn."

Before her words even finished, the people from five academies checking scores had already walked over.

"Speaking, does Chun Hua Academy have no one on the list?" He Tang directly asked the person looking at the scores, his face already showing excitement.

The person from the Name List Academy also didn't know whether to answer.

He was muttering indistinctly over there without speaking.

"Dean, let's look at our academy's list first." That person took out the list and then spoke.

Monthly Joint Examination, the various lists are not taken together; starting from the bottom up, the Ding list is taken first.

He Tang furrowed his brows, looking at that person's displeased expression.

"Just say it, how many from Chun Hua Academy made the list!" Before He Tang's words even finished, there was no need for the person from the Name List Academy to answer.

Because the person from the Royal Academy spoke up…

"Dean, our academy had thirty-four on the list, Qing feng Academy had …, the Name List Academy had …, Heavenly Cloud Academy had …, Chun Hua Academy had ten."

After that person finished speaking, he suddenly felt a hush, silently opened the list, and began checking it—could it be that he had miscounted?

The list had a total of one hundred names.

After each name came the score, and after the score came the academy; he couldn't possibly have miscounted.

Qing feng's hand, which had been stroking his beard, suddenly froze, and he even plucked out a strand of beard, not caring about the pain, as he turned to the person standing beside him and said, "You say, how many from Chun Hua Academy made the list?"

"Replying to the Dean, not more, not less—ten people."

That person bowed respectfully and then answered politely.

Ten people…

Ten!

That number, as if it had some kind of magic, kept echoing in their minds.

"How could that be? Impossible!" He Tang's eyes widened, his face turning red from holding his breath.

His instinctive words made Qing feng's eyes narrow, and he gave a cold chuckle: "Mr. He, are you doubting me, Qing feng, or doubting my Qing feng Academy?"

Somewhat dazed, He Tang quickly came to his senses: "Qing Feng Da Ru, I'm not questioning you or the Qing feng Academy; I'm only questioning Chun Hua Academy's grades, and I demand a thorough investigation of Chun Hua Academy."

The students of Chun Hua Academy are nothing but spoiled rich kids and some ladies from secluded chambers; being able to recognize words and write is already impressive—how could they make the list?

What a joke.